Three Musketeers

I have been following the Tour de France this year far more than ever before. In actual fact, I have never “followed” the Tour before this year. I have always had an interest in the outcome to some extent or another, but now I am finding myself thinking of it when I wake up in the morning, looking forward to turning on the computer and reading the “Stage Tracker.”

Since yesterday I have found myself thinking about three men, three athletes, that have meant sheer dominance in a way that we have never seen before in sport. I am sure there are others, but not sure that there have been others that have dominated to this extent.

Michael Jordan dominated professional basketball to such an extent that he brought his entire team with him. In a team sport, where one man is not supposed to be able to affect the outcome at the championship level, Michael Jordan did just that. He dominated the sport as an individual first, but eventually brought the Chicago Bulls to a point where they were untouchable winning six championships in eight years, the two years they didn’t win Jordan was playing baseball.

Tiger Woods brings Jordanesque qualities to the game of golf. He brings a focus, determination, and desire to win that has not been seen since Jack Nicholas played the game, while bringing the strength and training of a world class athlete. Tiger is aiming at his fourth British Open Title this week. Having been denied twice so far this year in Majors, including the battle with the elements at the U.S. Open where he still closed a thirteen shot lead to three on the final day, Tiger seems more determined than ever.

Lance Armstrong is doing what these other two gentlemen have done in their sports. Cycling is a sport that is a team sport and an individual sport at the same time. There are times when six or eight guys riding together to achieve something on a given day, or to protect a teammate over 21 days, are as much a team as in any other sport. There are also times, especially during the tour, when a rider is very much out there on his own.

When Michael came back professional basketball felt a resurgence. When Tiger came back this year, after a year away, the same happened with golf. Now Lance is back in the tour after four years of retirement. Cycling is being watched all over the world for these 21 days with never before seen interest. As with any sport where there is a dominant player or team I am sure some of that interest is to see Lance fail, but has hasn’t, he isn’t, he won’t. Lance is proving what Michael proved in the last three championship seasons, and what Tiger proves every time he goes back and re-tools his swing, mental dominance of a sport is worth more than all other attributes an athlete has.

Lance Armstrong has come back before and from much more than a simple layoff. Lance came back from cancer to win seven straight tours. To win one is amazing, to simply finish is amazing. In 21 days those guys will ride almost the width of the United States, averaging about 25 miles an hour on most rides. That does not seem like much, but when you think about the fact that roughly one third of those rides are practically straight up some of the steepest roads in all the world, there are some cars in France that wouldn’t make it through those climbs. These guys have to deal with heat in the three digits at times while maintaining that pace for 120, 130, 140 miles. They have to deal with descending at speeds of 40, 50, 60 miles an hour on skinny little tires in the pouring rain. They have to deal with the risk of losing concentration for one second of the five, or six hours out there in the saddle and they could not only lose their chance to finish the tour, but take dozens of riders with them, and risk serious injury.

Lance Armstrong has dealt with all of this and won, not once, but seven times, and now he is back and in third place after the first week of racing, just eight seconds behind the leader. Those that know the tour and know the riders know that he is really in second, two seconds behind his teammate because the man “in yellow,” leading the race, does not really have a chance to win the tour at this point in his career, that is cycling.

This tour, however, we have seen something from Lance we have not seen much of in past tours. Again, reminding me of Michael during championships 4, 5, and especially 6, and Tiger in his thirties. Lance has done nothing so far but play the “team” game over there. He has retrieved water from the team car, traditionally something reserved for the low man on the cycling team totem pole, the “domestic.” Lance “held” onto a competition rider in the mountains to allow his team a chance to keep contact and regroup. Lance has even continued to support his much younger teammate, Alberto Contador, the 2007 tour winner, even though Contador broke ranks two days ago and deserted team plans earning him the lead over Lance.

Is this a new Lance Armstrong? No. This is an older, slightly more mature Armstrong who knows more about how to win these things than any of his teammates, the most dominant team in the tour, or any of their competitors. Lance knows that when it comes down to it this race will be decided on the last day in the Alps next weekend, during a stage that finishes on a long steep ascent, and he knows that he just needs to be close by the time that day comes and the tour is his once again.

Do you really think that someone that thinks like Michael, like Tiger, someone like Lance Armstrong is going to forget what Contador did and not repay him when the time comes in the Alps??!! That is going to be a fun stage to watch, follow. This is a man that in his sixth win, if my memory serves, was dueling his arch nemesis up just such a climb. What happened on that day? Lance followed, hung on his wheel, made him work to try and shake him, then pulled along side, paused, got up out of the saddle pulled ten feet ahead, glanced over his shoulder with a wry grin and then put the hammer down and took the tour.

Three dominant athletes in three sports where it is not possible to be as dominant as they are, three sports where it takes someone greatly superior athletically to dominate, and where these three athletes have used a superior mental approach to keep that dominance. Three guys where the biggest rule when competing against them is simple -- don’t make them mad.

This is appreciation for accomplishment above that which is possible, not unlike the piece “Searching for Bobby Fischer” earlier in the week. These are just examples of that very same “gift” in three truly remarkable athletes, one of a kind in their sports.

Thank you again for getting this far with me.