Edinburgh not only has the perfect ambassador for its staging of the Tour de France’s grand depart in 2027 – it is conceivable that Scotland will, at the other end of the cycle race, have its first champion in Borderer Oscar Onley.
That’s the view of veteran commentator and former professional cyclist Phil Liggett, MBE, who dropped into the capital this week on a double mission.
Primarily Phil was in town to watch the premier of Cadel: Lungs on Legs which is showing daily in the Underbelly until 24 August and tells the story of Cadel Evans, the first Australian to win the Tour de France through the eyes and ears of actor Connor Delves who wrote the script in conjunction with fellow New York drama school graduate Steve McMahon, an Edinburgh native educated at Broughton High School.
Delves performs the hour long production riding the actual bike used by fellow Aussie Evans and wearing his hero’s actual yellow winners’ jersey.
But while hugely impressed – “in a hugely technical show Connor hit the point, spot on” said Phil – it was too good an opportunity to miss scoping the city for ways in which the Tour depart could be shown to some of the 150 million viewers who watched this year’s recently completed event.
“I’ll be 82 years old in a couple of weeks and to be honest I was contemplating retirement” said the man known as the ‘voice of the tour’.
“But having been re-united with Edinburgh where I enjoyed watching the covering Commonwealth Games cycling I have every intention of carrying on until 2027.
“The views and backdrops – I hope the organisers make full use of the area around Arthur’s Seat – are only part of the reason; in 22-year-old Oscar Onley (from Kelso) there is a young lad who can do Scotland proud.
“I don’t think he realises yet what an achievement it was to finish fourth in this year’s race.
“With another couple of years experience Oscar can be right up there and not just as an ambassador. He can be a winner..
Exploring just what it takes to win a Tour de France was part of Connor Delves preparation for his stamina sapping performance.
Besides going into special training from January he visited Paris for the conclusion of this year’s race “to get the feel of the occasion” and rode the equivalent of a Tour stage in the Catskill Mountains near his US home.
It was in the US that he met with Edinburgh playright Steve McMahon at drama school and the pair hit it off immediately.
Said Pilton-born Steve: “I always had ambitions to be a writer and when a US drama school did a presentation for one day I applied and was accepted.
“I then had to spent the next few months raising money for my fees but eventually made it to a place where Connor and I crossed paths.”
After Edinburgh the pair plan to take the show on tour around the world including Australia where Melbourne-based Cadel plans to catch up.
Says Connor: “As a youngster I watched in awe as he won the Tour and it helped to capture my imagination that my dad, who owns a bike shop in Perth, competed against him.
“Contacting Cadel to tell him what was planned I was delighted he gave the seal of approval.”
Phil Liggett has done better, remarking: “After watching the first show I immediately sent Cadel, who I know, a photograph saying that Connor had portrayed him so well there was actually two of him in this world now!”
- Cadel: Lungs on Legs features daily at Underbelly in the Cowgate at 1pm until 24 August.
- Tickets here
