Tour de France – Britain’s retreat: Shakespeare and the outlier Simon Yates

Great Britain was once a dominant force in road cycling. Tour-de France victories and Olympic medals of sizes such as Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas were the norm. Mark Cavendish collected sprint victories in record number. But at the same time as Brexit, this glossy era fades. On Sunday in Châteauroux, France, which is called “Cavendish City”, the Belgian Tim Merlier in front of the Italian Jonathan Milan because of Cavendish Siegen. The best Brit, Jake Stewart (Israel Premier Tech), ended up in 31st place. The 39-year-old said “ND” that he enjoys his farewell tour, but only has ambitions, from escape groups to fight daily victories.

However, Brexit has not only weakened cycling, but also changed life paths. In France, between “Cavendish City” and Ennezat, the starting point of the tenth stage, Tony and Sadie have expanded an old farm and set up a guest apartment. At dinner in the garden, it quickly becomes clear: Both are Brexit refugees.

Tom on tour

Photo: private

Tom Mustroph, Cycling author and doping expert has accompanied this sport for “ND” for more than 20 years.

»We completed the purchase contract two days before the UK’s official exit from the EU. We received the resident status in France in good time and enjoy being able to move freely in Europe, «said Tony. Formerly journalist at the “Guardian”, he now writes about fair cocoa cultivation. He was even in Colombia – a country in which our paths might cross when I visited Colombian cycling professionals such as Egan Bernal and Nairo Quintana. In Medellín we were both in the streets where cycling is deeply rooted in culture.

And Sadie, singer and theater director, was in Berlin in the 1990s and appeared in the “chocolate” on Ackerstrasse – exactly where I later worked with the Orphtheater. She was a co -founder of the Kule Küler, where I work as a dramaturge near Grotest Maru today. Surprisingly, a lot of home in the middle of France! Sadie founded its own theater ensemble in France. It develops Shakespeare pieces and takes them to festivals all over Europe, from Avignon to Edinburgh. The escape from Brexit-Großbritain both describe their great luck. However, you will feel Brexit episodes when Sadie brings her productions to England with French actors and has to take care of visa and customs formalities.

Sadie also has points of contact with the Tour de France: »Two years ago, the tour led over here. We stormed into the street in costume and mask and cheered the drivers as if we were part of a Shakespeare drama. ”At that time there was a British stage winner with Adam Yates, which was third in the overall ranking, his twin brother Simon followed fourth.

The Yates twins are also there this year, but only in helper roles. Britain’s cycling has moved to the second link – a descent that reflects Brexit as if the island had lost not only the EU, but also its sporting splendor. On Monday, the old class came up again very much: Simon Yates won the tenth stage from a strong group of outlets.