While this blog doesn't purport to do politics, it's still worth noting stuff like the selfless campaigns waged by Saunier Duval last year and again this year. Last year the theme was human rights: the team assigned a right to each rider, and the rider rode (symbolically at least) in support of that right. What was accomplished, I don't know, but the program honored the hundredth anniversary of the Youth for Human Rights campaign.
This year's program turns to the environment, specifically deforestation in Mali, and it promises rather measurable results:
The new project includes planting trees, one for every kilometer they ride and five for every victory. They expect to plant about 300,000 trees. The campaign starts in Mopti on Sunday, also the site of a 70 kilometer bike race featuring the best African cyclists and seven Saunier Duval members, each of a different nationality.
Pretty cool. If nothing else, it should take their minds off of having Iban Mayo as Gibo's Giro lieutenant, at least for a few early climbs.