From
glitzy sunlit Monaco
to the final showdown on the sinister, storied slopes of the Mont Ventoux, this
331-minute WCP DVD brings you the inside version of the 2009 Tour.
Although media speculation prior to the 2009 Tour de France, obsessively focused
on the return of Lance Armstrong and his attempt to win another Tour at the age
of 37, and if Lance could get around the conflict with Alberto Contador, his
teammate and 2007 winner, but cold reality trumped fanciful pre-race
narratives. The Spaniard, a decade younger and clearly stronger as the race
progressed, steered clear of the press pool and stoically showed his
superiority. Not to minimize the enormity of Armstrong’s impressive performance
after a three year layoff, finishing third in the Tour de France would be any
lesser rider’s idea of a spectacular achievement. Armstrong showed that he
still has the right stuff, just not quite as much as Contador has. But there
was so much more drama and many more accomplishments in this terrific Tour! The
Schleck brothers, Andy and Frank, kept Contador and Armstrong in a state of
anxiety throughout the 22 stages. Andy earned a place on the podium finishing
second; Frank was not far behind in earning fifth place. And the Brits shone as
never before. Mark Cavendish powered his way into the sprinters’ Hall of Fame
with six stunning stage wins (topping his four in ‘08), and Bradley Wiggins
showed that pre-race speculation that this might be his year weren’t that far
off. Finishing fourth, he modestly observed, “It’s no mean feat finishing
behind the three guys on the podium. And I don’t mind admitting that they are
much better bike riders than I am.” The 2009 Tour proved to be a three-week
drama with one exciting stage after another. Narrated by Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin.
