Luxembourg's Andy Schleck celebrated his third consecutive white jersey triumph by guzzling a whole packet of Haribo sweets during Sunday's showpiece stage to Paris.
While his grown-up rival sank glass after glass of vintage champagne, Schleck feasted on foam eggs and jelly bears, making sure he kept a few of those red heart-shaped gummy chews for his special friend Alberto.
Schleck's close confidants say he is already hoarding a load of multi-coloured rings from the Starmix selection in the event that the Spaniard will accept his hand in civil partnership before next year's race.
"That way, they can ride each stage side by side without the public pouring so much scorn on their cosy arrangement," a Saxo source told Saddles on the Champs Elysees.
Rumour has it that Schleck is not angry in the slightest that he missed out on cycling's biggest prize by a slender 39-second gap. On the contrary, the Luxembourger is bent on returning next year and riding into the record books.
"I really want to win the white jersey for a record fourth successive time," Schleck was heard telling Bjarne Riis as the pair ate a load of sugary banana bonbons outside the swanky Hotel Crillon on Sunday evening.
Schleck is said to have asked for his brother Frank to be reinstated as team leader for Riis's new Sunguard team so that he won't be distracted in his quest for a fourth maillot blanc.
"One more white jersey will put me on a level above Jan Ullrich, a rider for whom I have always held a shed load of respect," said Schleck, adding: "Jan too had a love for sweet foods so we have a lot in common."
Asked just what it was about the white jersey that floated his boat, the 25-year-old replied: "I love the colour white - it reminds me of snow and clouds. And Frank's tummy when he takes his top off. White stuff just makes me feel happy. I wish I could always be the best young rider - then I wouldn't ever have to worry about yellow."
Back in the real world, French twice Tour de France champion Laurent Fignon told l'Equipe over the weekend that he was non-plussed by the relationship between Schleck and Contador.
"What we've seen on this Tour between the two favourites is inconceivable," ranted Fignon, who knew a thing or two about feisty duels in his time.
"Cycling can't be a thing between friends. The competition has to be merciless, especially once the race is started. Nothing should then stop it. I never fell into Bernard Hinault or Greg LeMond's arms. When you're rivals, you can't like each other, you mustn't like each other. It's not healthy."
The insightful Frenchman also suggested that the supposed friendship between the pair was, in fact, rather one way, and that Contador had used it as a ruse to gain an upper hand over his main rival.
"Contador manipulated Schleck by playing with him on a psychological level," said Fignon. "He compensated for his bad spells with great mental strength and by bigging up their friendship. Over the course of the Tour, he succeeded in making his rival switch off."
Fignon is also of the opinion that Schleck should have won the Tour; not because of the slipped chain episode ("a mechanical incident caused by Schleck") but because "he failed to exploit Contador's moments of weakness" - such as the ascent to Ax-3 Domaines.
Anyway, if, as Fignon stresses, this is all immaterial because we'll never know otherwise, then at least it's food for thought.
And judging by the slight mechanical failure Schleck experienced during the final stage - believe it or not, his chain slipped once again - the young whippet still has lots to learn, for all his obvious brilliance.
Quote of the day #1: "It's me who was weaker, it's not him who was better." Alberto Contador is typically magnanimous in defeat.
Quote of the day #2: "Ok people! Now it's official! To be a race commissar, you don't need brains but only know the rules! Their motto: c'est le reglement!" Johan Bruyneel tweets following the incident which saw his RadioShack team forced to change out of their special cancer-awareness all-black jerseys at the start of stage 20.
Word of the day: Milrum - adj. dour, fruitless and uneasy on the eye. Eg. Liverpool haven't won anything since 2006 and last season was yet again typically milrum.
Tour 2011 prediction: As much as Saddles would like to predict a win for Sylvain Chavanel or - wow, wouldn't this be just great! - Johnny Hoogerland, he has a suspicion that we'll see the same one-two for a third successive year. But what about the third return of Lance Armstrong, buoyed by a Nike-sponsored victory in the court room? Stranger things have happened.
Plat du jour: With the end of the Tour bringing an end to all that rich Gallic food, how about tucking into something you'll never get in France - a good curry.
Peloton prattle: Which Astana rider specifically asked for a glass of Appletiser for the final-day photo shoot because of his aversion to champagne?
Uses for RadioShack riders #1: Catwalk models - black is so hot right now.
Keep following Blazin' Saddles after the Tour on www.twitter.com/saddleblaze.