A sense of accomplishment

I am an avid cycling fan, so every chance I get I watch the races as they unfold.  I am especially enamoured of Le Tour de France, which has to be the most epic of all sporting events.  Imagine riding over 3 000 kilometres over the space of 3 weeks with only 2 rest days, oh and add in multiple trips up the mountains of the Pyrenees and the Alps.  It boggles the mind!

Today I sat glued to the penultimate stage--a 42km time trial (man against clock).  The team I follow most closely, Léopard Trek, had a realistic chance to win the whole tour. All Andy Schleck had to do was ride the best time trial of his life and hope that Cadel Evans, a far superior TT rider and only 58 seconds behind Schleck, had an average day.  Alas, it was not to be. Evans had the TT of his life and ended up well over a minute ahead of Schleck, who now settles for his third consecutive second place at the Tour.

As I perused the various news reports of the day, I was struck by the tone of failure in which many portrayed Andy Schleck. This is a young man (he's 26) who for three years has managed to out distance about 197 other riders.  Schleck is not a great time trialist; he freely admits it is his weakest element. Today, he managed to place 17th on the stage. That's 17th out of over 160 other riders.  He placed ahead of the time trial champions of many nations.  And yet, this tone of failure from the media.  Oh yeah, did I mention the fact that Léopard Trek had four riders in the top 20 on the stage and that Andy's brother, Fränk, is in third overall?

I wonder why society has to accentuate the negative.  Why can't we simply acknowledge the effort and skill of those who achieve amazing feats--even when they do not finish in first place! Why does it always come down to winners and losers?  Why do we feel the need to 'put down' a second, third, or even last place?

Léopard Trek has also managed to bring all nine members of its team safely to Paris.  This too is an accomplishment. This is a team who works as a team. They sacrifice for each other. They support and encourage one another.  I hope when Andy and Fränk step on to the second and third place steps of the podium in Paris tomorrow they will feel a sense of accomplishment.  This is history.  For the first time in the over 100 year history of La Grande Boucle a team will have two of its members on the podium.  The fact that they are brothers, makes this story even more special.