Why Not Have a Tour de France for Prisoners? Seriously, Why Not?

For some reason, people have a fascination with prisoners playing sports – any sport really: football, boxing, wrestling, fighting, face-punching, rape.  And now cycling!

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, authorities said Monday.

“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.

Oh, I’ll bet it is.  This is a great idea.  Daniel continued, “I mean, I’m already the Lance Armstrong of stabbing teenage girls.  But this is different.”

 The race is 1,400 miles long and the men will be staying in hotels after each leg of the journey.

“This project aims to help these men reintegrate into society by fostering values like effort, teamwork and self-esteem,” said Sylvie Marion of the prison authorities.

Hey, no way to help prisoners reintegrate into society like putting them on f*cking bikes.  

If this event goes well, the next sports outing will be at a shooting range.  And for the following one, they’ll all get together and play methball.

Source: Reuters.