In other words, a bike that could win the TdF costs about the same as a garden variety Harley Davidson, MSRP.

Heck, the line of porta-potties outside the pressbox at a NASCAR racetrack will cost more than a TdF winning bike.

I guess I don't understand the premise of an article about the cost of a TdF winning bike - they're not that expensive. Unless your readers think of bikes as toys.