French going soft?

Cycopaths' Italian correspondent, Ghost Face Climber, has checked in with the following special report on Mickael Buffaz' escape in yesterday's Giro stage (previously covered by Mr. 60%):
Perhaps not accustomed to a Frenchman leading a race, Mickael Buffaz suffered a mental breakdown when faced with the reality of being five minutes up on the peloton.  Buffaz was seen crying by the side of the road, saying "OMGWTF now everyone will see how big my ass is!".  The peloton, unfazed by Buffaz' internationally televised posterior, caught the embarrassed Frenchman before Italian TV was able to locate Sir Mix-a-Lot for a phone interview.

Don't cry for me, Cofidis-ina

In yesterday's Giro stage, young Frenchmen Mickael Buffaz inadvertently found himself ahead of the peloton by five minutes. He'd gone for an intermediate sprint at the same time that the group decided to sit up and take it easy.So what did the enterprising young man do? Did he realize his once in a lifetime opportunity? Did he put his head down and head for certain glory at the finish line? Ha! He's French, remember? He pulled over to the side of the road and cried in team manager Eric Boyer's arms."He cracked emotionally," explained Boyer."He didn't know what he had to do. This is his first Grand Tour and hewas afraid that his move would be badly interpreted." Buffaz wascaught after 147 kilometers off the front, and he's the new leader ofthe "Fuga Gilera" trophy, which is based on the number of kilometerscovered in breakaways.Alert Velo Magazine! Richard Virenque's successor has been found!

French cycling's desperate bid for relevance backfires

French cycling hasn't had a hero since admitted doper Richard Virenque retired. Consider for a moment the irony of the "I'm a celebrity get me out of here" winner and poster-child of the Festina scandal being the Great White Hope of French cycling for so long (at least since the days of, oh, say JF Bernard or Luc Leblanc). This, perhaps, puts in perspective French cycling's pathetic need to draw attention away from its consistent lack of international success characterized by moments like this. Can't win your own big race? want a French Paris-Nice champ? Make it French only! The problem with the plan, apparently, is that the rest of the cycling world has grown a pair and is standing-up to this nonsense. We at Cycopaths have a sneaking feeling that French cycling will end-up much like Narcissus, with a long and glorious past ruined by believing it's greater than it is.