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Tour de France: Prison Edition

Wednesday, 27th May 2009

The Giro d'Italia isn't the only cycling story around right now. Not by a long shot! Consider this:

Close to 200 prisoners will cycle around France next month, watched by scores of guards on bicycles, in the first penal version of the Tour de France.

The 196 prisoners will cycle in a pack and breakaway sprints will not be allowed. They will be accompanied by 124 guards and prison sports instructors. There will be no ranking, the idea being to foster values like teamwork and effort.

"It's a kind of escape for us, a chance to break away from the daily reality of prison," said Daniel, a 48-year-old prisoner in the western city of Nantes, at the official launch of the event. His last name was not given.

"If we behave well, we might be able to get released earlier, on probation," he said.

The prisoners' Tour de France will take them 2,300 km (1,400 miles) around the country, starting in the northern city of Lille on June 4 and stopping in 17 towns, each of which has a prison. However, participants will sleep in hotels.

The finish line will be in Paris, following Tour de France tradition.

Priceless. What could possibly go wrong? Then again, cycling up Mont Ventoux, for instance, might be thought more punishing than the humdrum tedium of prison's "daily reality"...


Filed under: Cycling (23 more articles) , France (244 more articles) , O Tempora, O Mores (186 more articles) , Prison (91 more articles)

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Comments Post comment

Shane Glackin

May 27th, 2009 4:15pm Report this comment

Gives a new, erm, no, *old* meaning to the term "chain gang"...

Demetrius

May 27th, 2009 5:55pm Report this comment

This could be the biggest heist in history. There won't be a level crossing gate left in France.

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