I went for an easy jog this afternoon, and I couldn't believe how few people I saw out and about. Maybe everyone was hung over. Or maybe, unlike me, they were smart enough to stay out of the rain.

Tour Talk

Wow! I actually called today's winner. I knew the stage really suited Valverde, but I thought he might sandbag it to avoid defending the Yellow Jersey this early in the race. It was quite the rapid finish. He just about blew the wheels off Kim Kirchen's bike as he blasted past.

Mauricio Soler crashed near the finish and lost three minutes. It's not good for him, but it is good for my prediction that he'll win the Polka Dot Jersey, as he's now pretty much out of contention for the GC.

Stage 2: Auray to Saint Brieuc — 164.5 Kilometers

Tomorrow's stage looks a bit lumpy. I think it's still a bit early for a breakaway to stay clear, so it will likely come down to sprint finish. There's a bit of climb right at the end, so I don't think this one will go to the likes of a Cavendish or McEwen. I'm going to predict Oscar Freire as the winner. As sprinters go, he can hang on up the late hills and still have enough left to blast across the line.  ¶ 1:19 AM