The composition of the peloton is interesting in class terms. Most riders are from from rural backgrounds, and cycling is way better paid than any alternative occupation, but is very unstable. If we look at what has happened in football we see a nurturing of talent in the Africa and South America. That lowers the requirement for local players, and pushes down wages, a neo-liberal agenda.
In the English-speaking world there more a tradition of middle-class cycling, and that's reflected in Sky's Jaguar team cars.
Sky can be seen as a physical manifestation of globalisation, sponsored by Murdoch, and driving around in Indian-owned luxury cars. We can contrast this with the old guard, such as Voigt, who was brought up in the DDR.
In addition to this class issue we see the Tour won by a colonist, a man born in an African country but with a British passport. That has resonances with the Algerian-born pieds-noir of Southern France. What presents itself as racial prejudice also has other dimensions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pied-NoirThere's a degree of happiness in our house, as Heather's grandfather had a sisal plantation in Kenya, so it's the African country of choice.
