The First 100 Miles

Back to Work

With the first rest day behind them the riders got back in the saddle today for a relatively uneventful stage that left everything on GC just as it had been before the day off.

Short post from me today as stomach flu is making its way through my house.  As I lay in bed yesterday feeling like I was dying, I thought about how many riders are often plagued by the same "stomach bug" during a big race like the Tour.  It took me about an hour yesterday to prepare myself to make the trek downstairs to check my email.  I have no idea how you ride a bike up a mountain when you feel like that.

While my weakened state has left me with little energy to comment on today's stage I do just want to give one Yipee out to CVV whom it seems everyone is now talking about as the next best thing in cycling.  What a great Tour for him so far.  And did anyone else see the Canadian flag on the side of the road today?  Phil pointed it out and explained that it was there in support of Ryder Hesjedal who is riding his first Tour de France.  The camera never seems to pick him up so I haven't really seen him ride yet, but I know he's working hard for Christian and I think you know you've arrived when Phil and Paul say your name.  Go Ryder!

No More Hiding

A real classic Tour de France stage today.  This is where we finally got to see who has what it takes to be on that podium in Paris in a little over a week and who was just faking it.

I probably say this every year but it never ceases to amaze me how these guys can ride a bike up a mountain like the ones they were presented with today.  I think about the baby hills that I encounter on my club rides that cause me to consider getting off and walking up and I can't even imagine where the power and energy comes from to do what I watched those guys do today.

I know we're not swarming with Cadel fans around here, but I was actually sort of happy for him today when he put on that yellow jersey.  You could see how emotional he was and he really did work hard there when it really counted.  After his crash yesterday it had to have been hurting him even more than it was hurting the others and yet he still did what needed to be done.  I had been rooting for Frank Schleck to take it - he did an incredible ride today and to lose it by one second must sting - but the drama of Cadel crashing so badly yesterday only to come back and ride into yellow the next day on one of the hardest stages of this year's Tour is what we love about the Tour de France and it's something to be congratulated.

Cathy, thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing that link to those great photos of Chris Horner giving a ride to a fallen comrade.  If anyone missed those you must go back to the comments from the last post and follow that link.  What a solid guy.  I so miss him and his daily reports with Neal this year.

What's With the Yellow Shoes?

Seriously.  Can someone explain Sanchez's yellow shoes?  Is it because he's the time trial champion of Spain or did he just lose his regular shoes and borrow the ones the team brought for Valverde's full yellow jersey outfit?

Whatever it is the with the shoes, it was a well-earned win for Sanchez today.  I noticed him sending kisses up to the heavens as he crossed the line and the gesture took on added meaning when I read his quote from the Caisse d'Epargne press release I got after the stage in which Sanchez expained, "I am moved and I want to dedicate my victory to my brother Leon, who died almost three years ago and is now in the sky."  It's always nice to see a guy who works so hard as a loyal domestique get a little glory of his own every now and then.

In other news, Levi won the time trial today at the Cascade Cycling Classic putting him squarely in first place and reminding us all of what we're missing in not getting to watch him race through the French countryside.

Okay, I guess I can't totally ignore the positive test from Triki Beltran that surfaced today.  First of all, this media circus around the doping tests need to stop.  Given that someone's entire career is on the line, this should be a private matter until everything is confirmed.

And I'm in full agreement with Cathy.  I can't feel anything but sadness - even if he is guilty.  The sport has problems - still - and the entire organization of cycling needs to be overhauled so that guys don't feel so pressured to cheat - especially the young guys coming up through the ranks.

I always thought Beltran seemed like a really solid guy (and Cathy's experience seems to confirm that), but, that being said, if he was indeed cheating, then I am glad they caught him.  The less it's tolerated the more pressure the higher-ups in the sport will have to run clean teams in order to guarantee spots at races and exposure for their sponsors.  It's unfortunate that, in the meantime, good guys are going to have to pay for the offences that so many others got away with in order for change to happen.

I have a friend who lives in Toulouse, France.  She's not into cycling at all but ironically the race will be zooming past her verandah in a few days - how unfair is that?  A couple of days ago I sent her a note to let her know that, just like every July, I'm seething with jealously.  Yesterday she responded with this:

"My colleague said it seems like a lot of fuss for a 'bande des cyclistes drogués.'"

Sad.

Now That's What I'm Talking About

Quick post tonight as I'm off to various kid-related activities tonight (swimming, soccer, ice cream, etc.) but I just wanted to send out a big BOOYAH!  Now that's what I call a Tour Day France!

Yesterday's stage was marked by hours of agonizing boredom followed by one of the most exciting bunch sprints I've seen in a while.  I was literally on the edge of me seat, my heart pounding, feet stomping on the floor.  And then Cavendish got it and I was truly so happy for him.  I had a lump in my throat as he crossed the line.  His first Tour de France stage win and boy did he earn it!  He and the rest of the Columbia boys worked hard all day and when it came down to it he had the legs for the win.  And what about Big George falling off the back and then making his way back up through the pack to lead out Mark?  It was teamwork at it's absolute finest and I hope they all celebrated that stage win last night.

Today was a great first dabbling in the mountains and finally we saw some real attacks and got to get a sense of who's got the form.  Loved the move by Vande Velde.  I so wanted him to make it.  Then I really thougth Valverde was going to take it.  He made those boys work hard all day and I think he owed them a little more than what he gave at the end.

Heart racing bunch sprints followed by chess games in the mountains.  This is the Tour!

It's Chilly Here in Hell

So I'm done my errands for the day and I'm now sitting down to begin watching today's stage which I taped this morning.  However, I felt the need to come here first and, in the interest of full disclosure, admit that I am actually rooting for Mark Cavendish to win the bunch sprint today. 

I don't know what's going on but that kid is really growing on me and I am more surprised than anyone at the fact that I'm honestly hoping to see him get his first Tour stage win today.

Will wonders never cease?

Be back later to discuss my happiness or disappointment.

ITT

Weird TT today. 

Weird to not be able to watch Mr. Zabriskie or Levi smokin' up the road out there. 

Weird to see riders come out not quite in order of "importance".  Normally you can sort of fast forward through the first 150 or so riders knowing that the day will really be decided by the last 3 or 4 guys out on the course.  Today big names are starting all over the place and when poor Sam Dumoulin comes out last decked out in the maillot jeune, Phil and Paul just started chatting away about tomorrow's stage, knowing that the day's race was over as soon as Millar crossed the line.  Here's poor Sam living the biggest day of his life - leaving last from the start hut in a Tour de France time trial - and he might as well be the clean-up crew as far as the commentators are concerned.

Weird - but very cool - to see the name "Schleck" on two different CSC team cars - "Schleck A." and Schleck F."

Weird to watch Valverde blow up after kicking it on day one.  WTF?

Weird to have so much at stake in the ITT.  I mean, it's always a big day, but I've never before seen an ITT where there was so much potential for the GC candidates to put in time out on the road.  Normally things are pretty much in place by the time they're racing against the clock and, while theymay be able to pick up a handful of seconds here or there and move themselves up a notch or two.  Today guys were vaulting themselves around the GC board like hot popcorn kernals.

Weird to watch the big fat tourists say to themselves, "I think I'll just stand here out on the road as the world champion time trialist hurtles towards me at 60 mph.  This will make a great photo.  Here he comes.  Let me just figure out this camera here.  Is that right?  No, maybe I should adjust this thingy.  Oh, he's getting closer.  I'll just take a few more photos and stand out here a little longer.  Oh, wait, is he using this same road that I'm standing on?  Oh, maybe I should move my fat ass before I die.  Okay, here I go..."

And speaking of Cancellara, weird to see him not destroy the competition today.  He should be ashamed of himself, letting a pansy like Cadel Evans beat him in this discipline.  Bad Fabian!

Weird to wach Kim Kirchen race in a full lime green body suit.  Does the green jersey always wear this ridiculous outfit?  Why have a never noticed it before?  Probably because Robbie McEwen or Tom Boonen was always wearing it and the cameras barely catch them as they drag their sad, lumpy bodies around the course, just praying to finish upright.  So, I guess that was another weird thing, to see the green bodysuit on the back of a real GC guy.

Weird - but freakin' hilarous - to watch poor Robbie Ventura react when Jonathan Vaughters shouted "Fuck!" during Robbie's ride/interview in the Garmin-Chipotle team car behind David Millar.

A weird stage, but a good one.

Early Thoughts on the 2008 Tour

First, all my love and safe thoughts going out to Kathleen and Cathy.  Stay safe you guys.  We're thinking of you!

Now, the Tour.  I'm sitting here watching Stage Three as I type this and here are my thoughts so far on this year's race:

1. I miss Al Trautwig.  Did we know he wasn't going to be doing commentary on Versus this year?  I remember Craig Hummer from doing on-the-ground reporting last year.  He used to stand at the finish line and talk about how windy it was and he did interviews with riders and staff.  He was like Frankie Andreu only blonder.  He seens okay in the booth, but I miss Al.

2. Love the new Columbia kit.  Very classy, very sleek and I'm sorry but I don't miss the hot pink.

3. Big George looks hot in baby blue.

4. Why has it taken me this long to fall in love with Kim Kirchen?  Where did this guy come from?  Why haven't I been talking about him for ages?  I'm going on record now - he's my new favorite.

5. I really, really, really miss Boonen, DZ, Horner and Levi.  I thought that I would sort of forget about them once I got swept up in the race, but so far that's not working.  It's just not the same.

6. I'm jonesing for a "Rocket" Robbie McEwen stage win.

7. The guy at the meeting who sat at the table and said, "I know, let's not do a Prologue this year," should be fired.

8. I can't hear the name "Garmin" without thinking of "Charmin" and toilet paper.  "Don't squeeze the Charmin!"

9. I'm over-the-moon excited that my Canadian boy Ryder Hesjedal is riding his first Tour this year with the Garmin-Chipotle squad.  I'm so happy for him and while I doubt they expect him to make it through the whole race this year, I hope that this is the beginning of a stellar Pro Tour career for him.

10.  Okay, screw it, I give up, I have to admit that Mark Cavendish is growing on me. 

I always said that the kid was a fantastic sprinter but I always hated his cockiness but Versus did a profile on him this morning where he addressed his reputation for arrogance and he explained things in a way I'd never heard before.  He said that, to survive those bunch sprints you need to have the respect of the other riders so that they give you a bit of room.  The only way to get respect is to be strong and confident - cocky if you will.  Robbie McEwen was interviewed about Cavendish and he said that Mark reminds him a lot of himself when we was starting out.

The thing is that the kid is so friggin' good that I can't really fault him anymore for being so cocky (confident).  He kind of has a right to be a little cocky and I have to confess that I'm kind of becoming a fan.

Gettin' My Tour On

Okay, the Tour starts on Saturday and it's time for me to get back in the game here in terms of cycling.  It's time for us all to stop feeling blue about Floyd, put our anger for the ASO on the back burner for a few weeks, and embrace the excitement of the world's most exciting sporting event.

Now, I'm totally out of touch here.  I haven't read VeloNews or CN or anything else in months.  So you're all going to have to help me get up to speed.  As far as I can tell pretty much all of our favorite riders are out, either because of injury or doping suspension or various other legal difficulties.

Looks like we're basically left with Cadel and Cavendish - I'm excited already.  There are a bunch of new team names and kits that I've never seen before and the ASO has set up a race course that resembles the route I took my daughter on when we first ditched her training wheels. 

No prologue, no team time trial, fewer climbing stage, I'm on the edge of my seat with the anticipation.

I'm kidding - sort of.  In some ways I totally sympathize with many of you who say that you're having a hard time getting worked up about the Tour this year given what we have to work with.  But another part of me knows that once I sit down on my couch on Saturday night to watch that first (non-prologue) stage and I see those guys on their bikes and I hear the sultry sounds of Phil and Paul's voices, I'll be hooked just like I am every single year.

Vive le Tour!

A Bad Day for Floyd

Busy day here, I'll try to comment more later on the verdict for Floyd today.  But I wanted to give everyone a fresh spot to talk about it and feel crappy together.

Milestones

It was a big weekend here at my place.  Two important milestones were passed...is that what you do to a milestone?  Pass it?  Or do you meet it?  Or achieve it?  Whatever, you get my drift.

My husband, Brad, was called to the Bar as a new lawyer, finally, after years of law school and articling.

And my daughter, Grace, turned 6.

It was a great weekend!