A glorious Tour

The 2011 edition was almost perfect.  It had everything: suspense, heroes, drama.  And it had many firsts which make it particularly special.

Cadel Evans surrounded by the Schleck brothers

It had the first Australian to win it, and for that matter, the first southern hemisphere biker to win it.

For the first time it had two brothers in the final podium, the brave Schleck brothers of tiny Luxembourg.

It had a long overdue French hero for a Tour with Thomas Voelcker who managed to hold the yellow Jersey for ten days straight.

It had five interesting stories for the five top runners.  Besides the 4 above mentioned, the 5th position was last year champ Contador who after winning the Italian Giro earlier this year shows that last year he would have won with or without drugs (I think he did not use and I hope a final court ruling due soon will settle that nasty affair once and for all).

But best of all, since I mention Contador, for the first time in years drugs were not the headlines.

After this Year tour the Tour de France is back on track, ready to offer us prime fun in the future.