The Handsome Man with Athletic Thighs
Running In Circles |
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Monday, July 17th Course: The Wrecking Yard Distance: 4 Miles Time: Not Timed Comments: I put in an easy four miles this morning. I felt fairly good. Today was a rest day at the Tour de France, but I didn't post anything on Sunday, so now it's time for me to catch up. All I can say about Sunday's stage is: I never want to ride a bike into Gap. Two of the four worst crashes I've ever seen have happened there. (The other Gap crash being Joseba Beloki going down in 2003, which, of course, they showed a replay of several times, commenting about Lance Armstrong's subsequent cyclocross adventure. The other two crashes were Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (my all-time favorite rider) hitting the barrier on the Champs-Élysées and Laurent Jalabert's collision with a gendarme during a bunch sprint in 1994.) I was disappointed that Commesso didn't win the stage, as I've always liked his style (he always rolls up his sleeves, and is one of the few riders who will sport facial hair), but I figured the stage would be won by a breakaway, and indeed, it was, by a Frenchman (Pierrick Fedrigo) to boot. Tomorrow's stage should be a humdinger. Alpe d'Huez is always unpredictable, but it will be even more so after a rest day. We'll find out if Oscar Pereiro has the climbing legs to stay in the Yellow Jersey. In the past, he has. If he "finds his form" in the Alps, it could be curtains for Landis. I understand why Landis gave the Yellow Jersey away, but I think Pereiro was the wrong guy to let have it. He is one of the few guys who can gain time in the mountains. (He stunk things up in the Pyrenees, but every rider has his bad day.) I doubt that any of the main GC guys will win the stage, since they'll be too busy marking each other to worry about winning the day. Instead, I think a low-placed climber from a non-contending team will go for the solo breakaway and win just ahead of Leipheimer, Evans, Landis, Menchov and Pereiro. Looking at the standings, I guess José Rujano of Quick.Step. (I would like to have picked the Ace, José Azevedo, but I think he is too highly placed to be let go.) I think I've used my quota of parentheses for the year. |
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Sometimes I feel like I'm breathing underwater.