No longer regarded as the paraplegic brother of NASCAR in the states, the Tour De France has finally solidified itself as a viable spectator sport here in America, even endearing itself to the populace to the extent that we'll finally allow their athletes to date our pop stars. You're welcome. So just in time to the kick off cycling season, Focus Home Interactive and Cyanide are bringing Pro Cycling Manager/Tour de France 2007 to a PC and PSP near you.

The game has been ever so closely modeled on real world cycling, so don't expect to go peddling around with fugitive aliens in your breadbasket. The significantly reworked Management portion of the game will offer a more intuitive interface, transfer system, simulation engine and scouting tools on the PC. Your opponents' intelligence has also undergone some real-world renovation as well, opening up a new world of possibilities for success and skinned knees.

Above: This appears to be a PC shot, so just imagine it smaller and wider for the PSP

The PC and PSP seem like strange bedfellows as far as cross platform games go, so it's important to note that Sony's portable version has received an enhanced and streamlined conversion. The real-time simulation moves at a much faster pace, not to mention the 20 official teams and star cyclists you can guide through a five season career mode, time trials and sprints.

The game is set to see the streets on June 20th and we've dusted our two-wheeled steeds in flamboyant anticipation because it damn sure beats the hell out of our stupid spin classes. So if you see us, share the road, brother. We'll be the ones riding the rugged periwinkle Scwhinn with the immensely masculine banana seat.

April 27, 2007