Hasta La Creative!

If you’re like me, one of the ways you fill your sports void during the summer is by watching baseball following the Tour de France. I think it’s an amazing race that has been getting way too much negative publicity as of late because the riders have made the incredibly poor decisions to use performance-enhancing drugs.

This year was supposed to be the year that they were going to "Take Back the Tour," but there has already been several riders banned because they were doping… again. Le sigh.

But now, for those of you that DO enjoy watching/following The Tour, you can now do so in the comfort of your own personal computer space with Pro Cycling Manager 2008.

I haven’t played it, but among the things I’d think you’d be able to do include:

• Manage your rider as he climbs in the Pyrenees and Alps, sprints in the flat stages or burn rubber on the time trials
• Draft other riders and allow them to burn their energy away
• Before/after stages, consume 3,000+ calorie meals
• Be in one-half of the Peloton as you split up to traverse roundabouts
• Put your chain back on your bike after you wreck
• Hit dumb fans that stand in the road while you’re racing
• Throw water bottles and feedbags into the French countryside
• Take performance-enhancing drugs and dodge the random drug tests

Okay so maybe you won’t do the last one, but it would definitely be a possible plot angle — especially when there are games like Grand Theft Auto and Hitman out there. Something to ponder, no?