It's no secret that the sport became huge in America because of Lance. Even without the human touch that he gave it, there were still the basic necessities that were enough for Americans. An American rider on an American team which rode American bikes. Not just American, but Midwest, straight out of the Heartland. And how do you get more American than the chief sponsor, US Postal Service? Americans love to see their people doing well, and to have an American dominate a European sport just added to the overall package. Unfortunately, support for the Tour in the US will no doubt drop in half next year, but I'll still watch anyway. There is a life after Lance.