Tour de France

Most people have been focusing on the last few games of World Cup this week.  In the Zen Apartment, however, our attention has been on the first week of the Tour de France.  The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race that lasts about 3 weeks & covers about 3,600 kilometers.  Yowza!

My partner-in-crime brought it to my attention that perhaps some of my hoops were subconsciously inspired by the Tour de France professional team jerseys.  Let’s take a look.

Team Astana had a powerhouse team in 2009 (among them Lance Armstrong & Alberto Contador)  Their turquoise & yellow jerseys present a fresh & sporty look.  This year their team had a lot of rebuilding to do, with Lance & several others switching over to Team Radioshack for the 2010 season.  There’s a lot of competitive tension between Armstrong & Contador as statements have surfaced from each other them concerning teamwork & lack of respect.

Team Liquigas has bright green jerseys with dark blue accents.  They sure stand out amongst the peloton!

Team Rabobank took a major hit in 2007 when Michael Rasmussen was disqualified while wearing the yellow jersey.  The Dutch bank not only sponsors the team but is supportive of every type of cycling in Holland.

Team Radioshack is Lance Armstrong’s team for 2010.  With his switch from Astana, he brought many of his favorite teammates with him.  Another well known name on Team Radioshack is Levi Leipheimer.  The team includes 26 riders from 16 countries.

The Euskaltel team is the Zen Apartment’s chosen team.  It is solely made up of riders from the Basque region of Spain, known for their skills at conquering the mountain stages.  It’s not just a sponsored team, but a way of supporting Basque cycling & promoting Basque culture.  The bright orange jerseys make them easy to spot & easy to cheer for.  Their team bike of choice is the Orbea & I’m lucky enough to have one adorning my living room.

I know people who match their hoops to their outfits & cyclists are no exceptions!