Throwing a lot of money at something does not always guarantee success.
It can help, certainly , but can never replace the other vital constituents of, especially in sporting terms, natural ability, motivation and good old courage.
The Sky Cycling Team participating in this years Tour de France is undoubtedly a big budget operation with the best riders, best equipment, the very best in terms of leadership and technical support and a swanky team bus but galvanised by a spirit and determination that just cannot be bought or engineered.
The three weeks of the Tour, concluding tomorrow on the streets of Paris, have been a magnificent display of tactical maturity by the Sky Team and a far cry from a rather amateurish , 'have a go' attitude of Brits in the illustrious history of the great event. I am not belittling the efforts of the self exiled Brits earning their keep in continental cycling in the post war period but rather expressing disappointment that they were not given the back-up and know-how that has elevated the Sky lads to the very pinnacle of success where it is able to be judged by those who love and appreciate the sport of competitive cycling.
It is to be a British victory on French soil but the host nation have also enjoyed their best tour for some time.
More enjoyable and appreciated because the home riders have been seen to outwit the dominance of Sky by taking an opportunist attitude to a lone breakaway or being the main player in a small group which have slipped away from the main field and have just survived a frantic chase down to reach the finish line, arms aligned to the heavens and to the roar of the partisan crowd.
This is the true spirit of cycling and one that has been missing for some time against a backdrop of doping and adverse media coverage. The Sky Team have saved the Tour de France and indeed returned it to its rightful stature as the greatest sporting event in the world.
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