Last updated at 13:20, Thursday, 14 June 2012

You've had enough of the Euros? (football, I mean). Overdosed already on the Olympics?

Well, I’m getting very excited about a completely different sporting event.

Easily the toughest, most exciting, awe-inspiring and lung-bursting fixture on the sporting calendar, where high drama meets low deeds and cunning tactics mix with stunning mistakes.

It’s the Tour de France.

It starts on June 30, lasts for more than three epic weeks and it looks like we will have the first-ever British winner this year.

Bradley Wiggins has already won three major stage races in Europe as part of his build up to the biggest event in cycling. He has a fantastic team to support him and is injury and illness-free. Of course, it could all so easily go horribly wrong. Wiggins was among the favourites for last year’s event but crashed out.

One other reason why I’m excited about him winning – in a sport that has been clouded by drugs use for too long – he is dope-free.

Mark Cavendish performed marvellously in last year’s Tour to win the green points jersey for the first time and underline the fact that he’s the greatest and most explosive sprinter in decades.

But it would be magnificent if Wiggy could do even better and win the race outright this summer.

First published at 11:27, Thursday, 14 June 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk