I've been following the Tour de France, an excruciatingly slow "race."

I'm not the least interested in watching it on tv. I simply
look at the results every day to see what change there
is in the standings. I got in the habit from being in
Spain in July quite often. It is the central sports story
all month. I don't really understand the race too well.
It seems to be a mutually defensive display of envy, in which
the point is not to have anyone else get too far ahead
of you.

Except that you can let someone get ahead who is not
considered to be a serious rival. Thus it doesn't matter
that a certain rider is 9 minutes ahead of Armstrong, as long
as Armstrong is 55 seconds ahead of perpetual second-place
finisher Ulrich and other serious contenders. You have to wait
an excruciating week until any significant mountain stages occur.
In the flat opening week the riders just try to gain a miniscule
psychological advantage or win a meaningless stage.

So I'm not sure why I do follow these news reports. I have no real
interest in any of the riders, and am bored by having to wait a day
between news reports.