Act 6
As You Like It.
HUGH and BRIAN are commentating.
HUGH. Easy settles today into the race.
A familiar pattern, five doth break away,
Madrazo in their midst.
BRIAN. Again behind do Sky hover ‘pon the front,
Vigilant sextet; twelve eyes in all directions,
Twelve legs in only one.
HUGH. Good Madrazo sternly drives the break
His elbow flapping wildly for a turn
“Come through! Come through!”
As he his own ambitions chases well,
The Mountains crown is settled on his head
To his emotive joy.
BRIAN. The Italian team Bardiani spy a chance
To garner a stage victory, and thus
Do choose to take a turn to make the pace.
The black of Sky now interspersed with green
Keeps tempo high on undulating roads.
HUGH. The breakaway is caught upon the start
Of the first ever summit finish of the race.
The breath of the peloton upon them
As the gradient doth lift.
BRIAN. Pirazzi is the first to try his hand
And distances the group for minutes few,
Quintana takes up his familiar position
Shoulder to shoulder with Martin.
HUGH. Martin doth take a look within his travelling chest of pluck,
And finds it full. Digs deep, and pulls away,
But not for long. He rests, and tries again.
BRIAN. And so, attack to attack they ripe and ripe,
And then as energy fades, they rot and rot:
And thereby hangs the tale.
Ramping up the hill, slowly doth the group contract
Til there leaves only a select nine.
HUGH. Wiggo in gold takes up the pace himself
To set up teammate Lopez for the win.
BRIAN. But swift! The young figure of Yates
Powers past his elders on the finish straight
Displaying his intention fair and true
And none can meet his challenge!
HUGH. Fortune reigns in gifts of the world.
But this boy has arrived, and with his own,
Tactically sound, and devastating strong –
Boy, you have wrestled well, and overthrown
more than your enemies.
BRIAN. Well said: that was laid on with a trowel
HUGH. His heart’s desires be with him. This is no flattery.
BRIAN. Thou speakest wiser than thou art ware of.
HUGH. A second day, a second chance for youth
To make the stage their own, and own the stage.
The next generation rides alongside titans,
And shows no fear.
BRIAN. Young cyclists show their mettle good and true
To make their heroes colleagues they pursue.
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