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Given his exploits in the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, it’s no surprise that Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) has been a man in demand in his home country in August.
With the criterium season petering out, however, Voeckler has been forced to take on new challengers in order to keep the masses entertained, and on Wednesday night, the redoubtable Frenchman raced a trotting horse in an exhibition at Les Sables-d’Olonne.
In front of a crowd of 8,000 people at the Sables race track, Voeckler took on trotter Othello Bourbon in a best-of-three series. They faced off on a 380-metre straight, with the horse running on grass and Voeckler riding on a parallel asphalt track, and each competitor was allowed a flying star.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/voeckler-loses-out-to-trotting-horse.
I have no idea. Really. I guess everyone has to make a living somehow.
On the evening of August 17, 2011, pro cyclist Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) competed in a sprint race vs. a horse (“Othello Bourbon”), driven by Eric Raffin, at Hippodrome de la Malbrande at Les Sables d’Olonne, France. After two initial runs, with each competitor winning one, the decisive race was held, in front of 8,000 spectators.
Thomas Voeckler is known for a lot of things. Especially ’round these parts. But, sprinting is not one of them.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xklbg7
Départ de la 3ème course by Hippodrome85
They should try that match-up with one of the boys with a little more horsepower. Nice pun, eh? Just shoot me.
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Oh that poor bastard. It’s much to soon to be jumping the shark.
He’s French. He was born to jump the shark.
I’m kidding of course. Mostly. Racing a horse ?
Would someone please get that boy a new manager.
…“…Nice pun, eh? Just shoot me”…
…hey…“they shoot horses, don’t they ???”…ohhh, fuck, never mind, i’m ashamed i played into that…
Not sure how I feel on this one, kinda sad making tommy dance like a monkey.