The Tour de France is back and this year's race looks like its going to be a good one. Now, cycling does not seem to be a very exciting sport, but the Tour de France has it all. With amazing teamwork and camaraderie among the racers, drug scandals that shock the world, racers like Big Thor Hushovd, nicknamed "The God of Thunder," Fabian Cancellara, "The Bear from Bern," Mark Cavendish, "The Man" from the Isle of Man, Big George Hincapie, who has competed in the Tour de France many times, and Tour winners Alberto Contador and Carlos Sastre, and, of course, Lance Armstrong's return from retirement to race once again in the Tour de France, how can you not watch the 2009 Tour de France?
The winner of the Tour de France is determined by the rider's time at the end of each stage. At the end of each stage, the rider with the best overall time is given the Yellow Jersey. The rider with the best overall time at the end of all of the stages is given the final yellow Jersey and is crowned the winner of that year's Tour de France.
This year's Tour has gotten off to a great start in Monaco when Fabian Cancellara crushed the competition to take the first Yellow Jersey. Cancellara has kept the Yellow Jersey even though he is now in a dead heat with Lance Armstrong.
Today's stage in Spain was marred by the rain that caused numerous crashes throughout the race. But it was the thunder that accompanied the rain that foretold the victory of The God of Thunder. Thor Hushovd struck at the sprint to the finish and won the day's stage.
The Tour de France is still anyone's to win. Anything could happen in the race and that's what makes it so interesting. With so many possible outcomes, the 2009 Tour de France is shaping up to be a very exciting and competitive cycling race.
