The First 100 Miles

Sprinters Denied

Well the theme of this year's Tour so far is WINDY.  Boy, it's amazing to see what a strong wind can do, even to a group of the best cyclists in the world. 

Happy for Voeckler - you can't help but cheer when one of those guys in a break actually makes it and ends up winning the stage - but I can't deny that I was looking forward to a good Cavo vs. Boonen vs. Thor showdown today.  Ah well.

Jessica, yes I did change the layout of the blog a bit.  I took away the links to my work because many of them are over on the Velo Communications site and I just thought they were cluttering up the place a bit.  I'm sorry. 

Rae, I'm pretty sure it's LIPEheimer because when Levi and Lance were doing their regular videos together during the Giro, Lance kept getting it wrong and Levi would correct him pronouncing it LIPEheimer.  I'm assuming he knows how to pronounce his own name if no one else does.

And welcome back Matt.  We've been buzzing over here again and we've missed you.

Everybody exhale

Holy cow.  I thought I was going to have a full-on aneurysm watching the last minute of the TTT this morning.  What a race!  Was that stunning or what?  God I've missed that event at the Tour.

And, as much as I do adore Cavendish now, I think it's probably healthy for him to eat a plate of humble pie tonight after all the trash talking he was apparently doing about winning that event.  Reality checks are good for all of us every now and then and push us to work even harder.

Anyone else bored now with the whole LA vs AC thing?  Of course I'm curious about the drama just like anyone else - it makes for fabulous gossip - but the media's obsession with analyzing every word that they, or anyone else on the team, says is getting a bit silly.

Soon we'll have a second little blue jersey at the bottom of the screen, this one to represent where Contador is - and as we get into the mountains we'll be able to watch the two little jersey's beat each other up until only one little jersey is left standing.

A housekeeping issue:  Cathy suggested that, in order to avoid spoilers for those who have not yet watched the day's stage, I do something like what I've done in the past with a post for those who have seen the stage and a post for those who haven't.  I don't know that I'll be posting every day during the race as I have in the past so I think that might get a little confusing.  I might just suggest that, once the stage has begun for the day, people who don't want to spoil the ending wait until they've seen it before coming by to chat.  Or, if there are other suggestions out there, let me know.  I have taken to avoiding Facebook until I've seen the stage because I have too may cycling friends who insist on including the winner in their status updates.

Janann, so glad that things are going well with you and baby Liam.  Sorry, I don't really have any advice about sibling jealousy or adjusting the older child to the new baby.  My daughter didn't have too much trouble with the new addition.  In fact, I think she has more trouble now that she's 7 and he's still only 4 as he always needs more help with things and she's told me that she feels like I spend more time with him. I just try to make a point of regularly doing something that involves just her and I.  She loves that.

I Heart Mark Cavendish

First, the green sunglasses rock.

Second, delivering for his teammates who worked so hard in those last 30km to blow the field apart and get him there.

Third, "Riders who want to race like Juniors, they'll get results like Juniors."

Oh no he didn't!!

Runner-up prize today goes to Lance for: "When anybody's working on the front and you see a turn coming up and it's windy - it doesn't take a genius to know that you'd better be there."

Oh snap!

Still the Master

Boy it was great to watch some pro bike racing last night!

I taped the ITT and watched it after the kids had gone to bed.  I don't know why any of us ever think that anyone other than Cancellara will win when it comes to this discipline.  The man is a machine.  Lance called it in the pre-interview and boy was he right.

It was a great first day and it was exciting to see Phil and Paul and Bob - and even Craig - again, but I have to say that if Versus insists on making this entire three-week race into a Lance Armstrong tribute concert I may have to stop watching. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan - always have been - and I've done a total 180 on my feelings about his comeback.  His actions during the early part of this season in supporting his team and the incredible work that the whole Livestrong organization is doing is just incredible.  I get it now.  But that being said, there are a whole bunch of great bike racers in France right now and I'd like to hear about all of them.  I think Lance would be the first to agree.

I think we're all calling Cavendish for the win today.  I wonder if Quick Step will have answer for that.

One More Sleep

Only one more sleep.  Only one more sleep until the start of the event that we cycling fans wait all year for.  It's our Super Bowl, our Stanley Cup playoffs, our Kodak Theater episode of American Idol. 

I'm still sad about the loss of Chris Horner from the Astana squad, but my sadness was almost overshadowed by word that Big Tom Boonen is back baby.  I'm going to write the word "girlfriend" now just to ensure that my blog hits go through the roof.  I have found that in all time I have been writing about cycling nothing boosts blog hits like the words "Tom Boonen" and "girlfriend" together.  I am a Cavo convert now but with Robbie McEwen not riding at the Tour this year it was going to be just too easy for him.  Cavo vs Boonen is a show worth watching.

Tomorrow it begins and apparently everyone is just peachy keen over there in Monaco.  Carlos Sastre is thrilled that no one thinks he can win again.  Cadel Evans never liked Thomas Dekker anyway (EPO Tom?  That's so 1998).  And it's just a big love-in over on the Astana bus.  So, with everyone is such a good mood, let's get this race started!

Welcome Liam!

Welcome Liam Paul, the first baby born to the Inane Asylum.  We're so proud!

Congratulations to Janann and her new bundle of joy.  Baby Liam weighs in at 8lbs, 4oz so we're guessing that we probably have a sprinter on our hands.  He may be a little bulky for the climbs.  And with only four days left until the Tour kicks off - how does his butt look?

We wish you all the best Jannan.  Get some rest and send us some pics!!

Class Act

Chris Horner has written a great blog post about why the decision was made to leave him off the Tour team this year.  It's clear, it's honest and it's incredibly gracious.  Not sure how the team will feel about Chris's honesty but I think that's what you get with Chris Horner, whether you like it or not.  Obviously both Lance and Levi appreciate what he has to say as they both linked to the post on their Twitter feeds today.

He thanks Lance and Levi for much lobbying on his behalf and he asks us to not be too hard on Johan who was put in an impossible position and did what he had to do.

Fascinating to get a glimpse into the internal politics of a world-class cycling team and makes me love Chris Horner even more than I did before.

I Miss Horner Already

No Chris Horner at this year's Tour!?!?!  I'm devastated.  I just got over the Jon and Kate divorce news and now this!

I have become addicted to the VeloNews TV interviews with Horner.  He gives a better explanation of team tactics and what goes on in the peleton than any of the guys who cover cycling for a living.  I wouldn't be surprised if there are discussions going on over at Velo News this afternoon about the possibility of asking him to join their coverage team during the race.

I guess I understand that perhaps he hasn't fully recovered from his crash at the Giro and you can't take up a valuable Tour slot with a guy who might not be able to pull his weight for the three weeks, but it still breaks my heart.  I bet it's disappointing for Lance, Levi and Alberto too.  If you're thinking about winning yourself a Tour de France you sure as hell want a guy like Chris Horner pulling you to Paris.

It's Almost July...

...and I can feel everyone getting excited about the Tour.

I know I'm not around like I once was but even with my focus on getting my book done these days I can't deny that I'm starting to feel it too.

Hearing about Lance's win in the Nevada City Classic and reading what Ben Jacques-Maynes had to say about Lance and Levi after trying to hold their wheels at that race, well, you'd have to be dead not to be all tingly inside.

So, I'm still here and you know I'll have some kind of opinion as the race progresses.  I hope you'll visit and I hope that Jannan has her baby during the Tour because that would be SO COOL!

The High Road

I just received an email from the UCI in my Inbox - me and about a thousand other people who are on their media list. 

This is how it began:

"The UCI rejects recent statements by Bernard Kohl, but does not wish to react publicly, considering it completely inappropriate to respond to a rider who has admitted having cheated throughout his career."

Phew, good thing they decided not to react publicly.  That would be tacky.

They should have added, "and he's fat too." at the end.