*Sheer Athletic Ability - this race runs for 22 days with 2 rest days. They cover an average of 2000 miles including some extremely difficult mountain stages. They ride in any and all kinds of weather and they ride hard! It has been compared to running 2 -3 marathons each week for 3 weeks in a row. Let's just say - it is very difficult! These guys are in tremendous shape - lean, strong and cardio kings.
*There are 22 teams this year - with 9 riders on each team. That is a lot of men out there at the same time! I get nervous when I'm riding with just a few other people! How they go at the speed they do (last year averaged 40 miles an hour) in a crowd like that I do not know. Their skill is truly admirable. Some excel at sprints and some excel at climbs. The winner needs to excel at all of it!
*It is dangerous. 4 riders have died during the race. Many more are injured and have to drop out of the race. With 198 riders, there are the inevitable crashes that send men flying through the air - sometimes over fences and sometimes down ravines. It is not a pretty sight! There are cuts, scrapes and broken collar bones. There is equipment failure and lots of flat tires.
*It takes a village. Each team has a team car that travels along with the race carrying extra bikes, medical supplies, nutrients and any other kind of help they may need. They can also communicate by radio to let the riders know where they are in the group and what they need to know. These cars often have riders all around them as they follow their team. It is a crazy looking situation.
*It takes the team. Really, this is the most fascinating thing about this race. This team of 9 men are really all working toward one of them winning the race. They decide before the race who their best rider is - and everyone works toward that one man's success. I can't really think of any other sport like that! This is HARD. To do this for someone elses glory - WOW
*I've seen riders hang back to get water for the rest of the team from their team car - and then ride up to the others to hand out all the water. They lose time and it takes a lot of energy to catch back up - but they do it.
*I've seen riders give up their bike to a teammate who has a bike problem - then they wait for the car to bring them a new bike.
*I've seen riders take turns at the front - leading out - which is the hardest position - so they can better position their team's best rider. Several of the team will rotate this position. After leading for a good while, they will drop off because they are spent on behalf of another. Many of these riders will not even make it to the end of the race due to injury.
*Most of these riders will never get any notoriety. Their man may win the race, get a great prize and his picture on the cover of magazines and yet their name may continue to be completely unknown. That just amazes me.
There is not an earthly example that you can really follow all the way through for a spiritual application. They all seem to break down at some point, but I think there is a lot to learn from this one. Here are some of the lessons I am learning.
As the body of Christ, we may need to make sacrifices for one another. What are you willing to do to further someone else's faith? Are you willing to take a backseat to promote the leadership of someone else? Are you willing to keep your opinions to yourself instead of always sharing them?
Are you willing to serve others even if no one else sees it?
Even if you never receive any praise for it?
Are you willing to lead out simply so someone else can
come along side you and take over?
Is it all about the team - or is it all about you?
How's your endurance? What kind of spiritual shape are you in?
Can you go the distance?
We have a God who has sacrificed everything for us. Jesus went the distance. He endured more than we can imagine and He took the lead in the hard places so that we could receive the prize. He gave it all.
The least we can do is live in such a way
that He receives the GLORY.
Just once, I'd like to see the guy who sacrificed it all, so that his team could triumph, on the cover of a magazine. "Jean Claude flies over a fence after handing out water to his team and is given the purple heart of cycling!" Who knows - maybe it will happen.
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