Philonoist.net

In the wake of a myriad of doping scandals in this years Tour de France, it’s nice to see someone like Geoffrey Wheatcroft put it all in perspective. This is short expository at is best.

The eclipse of French cycling, combined with this other
dégringolade, the cascade of doping scandals, might seem to make the
Tour a reflection of the malaise and morosité that have supposedly been
afflicting France. Yet plenty of visitors to France may wonder what the
French have really got to be morose about.


Here is a country with superb roads and railroads, glorious cities
and landscape, and food and wine that don’t need my praise. That’s not
to mention an excellent health service, or industrial productivity
quite as high per hour worked as it is in the United States (it’s just
that the French don’t care to devote quite so much of their lives to
working as the Americans).

Maybe the Tour should look at France as its image, rather than the other way round.

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