It's interesting, this: Andy Murray doesn't become the first man to win Wimbledon in what? 80 years and the hype and excitement are amazing to watch. Bradley Wiggins does become the first UK cyclist ever to win the Tour de France - ever! - and somehow the excitement is a wee bit low key. On Facebook, the only person who was punting Bradley as a possible winner was Marcus, my pal on Islay who is a cyclist and runner himself and an avid watcher of the Tour on some remote satellite channel.
So what's this all about?
Cycling is popular in the UK - at least, as far as I can judge from the number of suicidal cyclists on the roads - much more so than tennis. It takes as long to become a champion cyclist as it does to become a tennis champion and it involves as much dedication and hard training, not to mention skill - and - gawd help him - in Bradley's case, he even had to go and live in France and learn the language!
Could it be a class thing? I see plenty of bikes in Glasgow, even in the poorer areas, but the tennis courts are out in leafy suburbia. Or is it a sport blindness thing? If a sport doesn't involve overpaid male footballers (no women need apply) or multi-million pound cars or - dare I say it? - golf (a good walk ruined), then it won't be of any interest to the media.
It'll be interesting to see if Bradley is knighted, as has been suggested today. He deserves it - no question! But what you merit and what you get in the very polarised (and very snobbish) UK these days, well, that's not always the same.
Hope he does well at the Olympics too.
ReplyDeleteGeoff
I liked the bit when he was on the podium and was handed the microphone. His words, to millions of watchers, were, "And now we're gonna draw the raffle". Class. But not upper class. bet they didnae like it!!
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