The 100th running of the Tour de France begins Saturday in Corsica. The race was first held in 1903 (it was suspended during the two world wars) as a marketing stunt designed to stimulate newspaper sales. Since then, it has become one of the biggest sporting events of the year, with millions of spectators cheering (and sometimes offering a little push) as their heroes race by.
One day, perhaps next year, I will be one of those cheering spectators. But for now, I plan on parking myself in front of the screen for most of July. Full story for BostonGlobe.com subscribers.
On Biking columnist Jonathan Simmons is the author of “Here For The Ride: A Tale of Obsession on Two Wheels.” He can be reached at jonathansimmons@me.com.
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