Tim Sprinkle

Cyclists do cry

Turns out, there is crying in cycling after all. (Still a big "no" in baseball, though.)

From the AP:

MONTARGIS, France - Britain's Mark Cavendish broke down in tears after winning the fifth stage of the Tour de France Thursday for his first victory in this year's race.

The 25-year-old Cavendish thrust his arms skyward and hugged teammates in the winner's circle after beating Gerald Ciolek of Germany and Edvald Boasson Hagen of Norway. Cavendish had faded in a sprint finish in Wednesday's stage won by Italy's Alessandro Petacchi, and bared his frustration by hurling his bike after the fourth stage.

"It's incredible, it's been a long time," said Cavendish of his stage win. "Yesterday wasn't that great for us. I let the guys down."

Cavendish has developed a reputation among some as a "bad boy" of cycling. He was fined by international cycling's governing body, UCI, this spring for making a hand gesture that was deemed unsuitable after he won a sprint finish in a Tour de Romandie stage.

...

France's sports minister, Roselyne Bachelot, who was on hand for the stage, was beaming about Cavendish's display of emotion.

"Only sport can give us scenarios like this," she said. "The one who was called 'the bad boy' for several days became not only the good boy but the absolutely superb boy.

"The tears of Cavendish on the podium, I'm going to remember that. It was really hot weather-wise, but that also warms my heart."