A Look Back at Jack Bauer Watch '14!

Finishing the Tour de France. Checked.

For Jack Bauer of Takaka, New Zealand, that was the minimum goal for this year's Tour de France after his maiden race last year ended with the lanky former bass guitarist with scratches across his face after a nasty crash a day before the ride into Paris. 

Indeed, Bauer's second Tour de France was almost a carbon copy of last year's race with Jack involved in a crash that nearly ended his race having helped teammate Ramunas Navardauskas to stage victory earlier in the day. Fortunately, we can say "nearly" and Bauer finally got a chance to ride on the Avenue des Champs-Elysses with overall winner, Vincenzo Nibali. 

It was probably the finish Jack deserved after a tour which saw his leader, American rider, Andrew Talansky join a huge list of high profile casualties on this tour, i.e. Chris Froome, Mark Cavendish and Alberto Contador - indeed Bauer can look back on this year's Tour de France and say that he survived the carnage festival while Froome, Cavendish, Contador and compatriot, Greg Henderson, did not. 

Moreover, Bauer came close to taking over where Julian Dean left off and become New Zealand's man at the Tour de France but for the last couple of yards going into Nimes, having led the day for a wapping 227 km. The heartbreak and disappointment on Bauer's face was circulated on social and news media the following day as the man whose name gave rise to his TV hero namesake also became an instant favourite with the local and international cycling public. 

After years of toiling on Belgium's cobbles and battling Bluff's icy winds, Jack Bauer has never been closer to reaching the pinnacle of his career and this year's performance should see him in many editions of the Tour de France for years to come, barring injury of course - good for Kiwi cycling fans wanting an excuse to fly to warm France during those cold winter months.

Bauer's busy year will continue with the Commonwealth Games road race in Glasgow later this week. 

As for the race itself, it lacked the spice of previous editions especially once Contador crashed out leaving Vincenzo Nibali unchallenged to take the yellow jersey. Peter Sagan also won the green jersey virtually unchallenged after Mark Cavendish's bow on day 1, weathering a stunning summer for the Germans - Tony Martin, Marcel Kittel and Andre Greipel sharing the spoils of stage wins with the Manxman gone. It was also a great summer for the French - two of their compatriots, Jean-Christophe Peraud and Thibaut Pinot finished on the podium, the first Frenchmen to do so since Richard Virenque in 1997. 

Well done Jack!   

Jack Bauer Watch '14 - Day 4 to 6!

It's been quite a Tour of attrition so far and we haven't even reached the end of the first week!

Chris Froome and Mark Cavendish added to Britain's horror year of sport; both riders are out of the Tour de France - Froome pulled out the day before leaving Team Sky's Tour hopes in the hands of Aussie Richie Porte.

At least Jack Bauer, wearing 93, is still very much in the Tour. He finished the latest stage today to Reims in the peloton - classified a credible 19th.

Germany continued their brilliant year of sport with Andre Greipel this time taking compatriot Marcel Kittel's place for the stage honours.

So Jack is 125th overall, 32 minutes and 17 seconds behind leaders Vincenzo Nibali, Jakob Fulgsang and ladies' man, Peter Sagan. Jack is also the lead and sole Kiwi in the race following Greg Henderson's retirement from the race as a result of his big crash.

Jack Bauer Watch '14 - To France Now! Day 2 and 3!

(Bauer watch will now be every 2 days - or after a significant event involving Jack)

Takaka's finest, Jack Bauer has survived England and will now head with the rest of his Garmin-Sharp team towards Lille, France to kick off the Tour in the country proper.

Bauer had a fine race on the streets of London and finished in the peloton behind eventual stage winner, German Marcel Kittel - he was classified 27th on the stage and is now 164th overall, 19 minutes and 50 seconds behind Italian Vincenzo Nibali - teammate, Andrew Talansky is the highest ranked Garmin-Sharp rider in 21st, 2 seconds behind Nibali.

Jack Bauer Watch '14 - We're Under Way (Day 1)!

The Tour de France got underway in picturesque Yorkshire today although the home fans probably left a bit disappointed following the news that Mark Cavendish's Tour de France could be over for 2014 after he was involved in a nasty crash with Australian Simon Gerrans in the sprint to the finish in Harrogate.

Cavendish sustained a dislocated shoulder and was in a considerable amount of pain after the race - it would be a big shame for the Tour and for British cycling fans, if the injury was enough to end his Tour effort after only just one etape.

Cavendish's great rival, the German Marcel Kittel won to become the first rider to take the yellow jersey this year ahead of another great sprinter and arch nemesis of the podium girl, Slovakia's Peter Sagan and Jack Bauer's Garmin-Sharp teammate from Lithuania, Ramunas Navardauskas.

Jack himself stayed away from the carnage to finish in the pack - he's classified 56th with the same time as Marcel Kittel. So a good solid start from Takaka's finest.

Bauer Watch Is Back!

Yeap that's right, Bauer Watch is back because Jack Bauer has made Garmin-Sharp's final Tour de France team - his place was confirmed this morning with veteran rider, David Millar out of the final team.

This despite a documentary team originally set to follow the 37-year old Scot around France in this year's race.

Greg Henderson is the other Kiwi in this year's field.

On the British front, Millar and fellow Brit, Bradley Wiggins, will not take the start of the 101st Le Tour in Leeds this weekend with last year's winner Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Mark Cavendish the only Brits competing this year.

Anyway stay tuned for updates - they may not be as frequent as last year as I'm going on holiday to Malaysia on 16 July and won't be back till 1 August - on Jack Bauer's progress - and let's hope he finishes the race this time and stays away from another big crash!