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ysobelleI know. It's taken me a little while to get into it this year. I've watched almost every stage a few times, but I'll be the first to admit, as I think I said before, this is a very odd Tour to me. Where are the guys I was looking for? Where are my teams? What the hell is this? Why is it so hot? What am I doing in this handbasket?
And it was a pretty hellish stage today into Tolouse. Rain, rain, and then for a change, some rain. Even better? Just before the finish line in the city of Tolouse, an incredibly sharp turn-- more than 90 degrees-- over wet pavement with plenty of white paint to make it even slicker. And yet, somehow, the peloton, after devouring the split two-and-two breakaway that had been away all day, didn't even bur-: every rider made it around the turn safely.
And then, of course, the finish. It's been a dry year for the sprinters so far: too many stages stretched out, giving the powerhouse sprinters' teams little opportunity to set up their guys for the line. It's meant still more of a shakeup as far as the hierarchy of the last few Tours goes. So it's not a surprise that one young rider, from a new team has sprinted to not one, but two stage wins: Brit rider Mark Cavendish from the American team, Columbia. What's even better for Columbia? Another of their riders, Kim Kerchen of Luxembourg has the maillot jaune. Not too shabby for for their first year.
Lest ye think that it's smooth sailing for this new Tour, with its new hardcore, ass-kicking, zero-tolerance policy towards drugs-- including a biological passport for each rider that sets up a baseline for them before they even start the race-- today brought a truly unpleasant surprise. First thing this morning, sirens blazing, French police swept down and arrested Spanish rider Manuel "Tricky" Beltran-- former teammate of Lance Armstrong-- of the Italian team Liquigas. Apparently, one of his samples from last week tested positive for EPO. Some stories say he and his team insist he's innocent. One story says the only reason Liquigas hasn't been kicked out on its ass is because Beltran admitted guilt.
Pissed? Yeah. If he's innocent, I wish him the best in the legal hell he's about to enter. If he's guilty? Get the fuck out of my sport, you stupid fucking asshole. We've all fucking well had enough.
Anyway, trivia for today? Although there are only four Americans riding the tour's 2,175 miles this year, there are two new American teams. One, Garmin-Chipotle, is a wildcard addition this year and has done absolutely spectacularly. The other, Columbia, has one of my favourite riders, George Hincapie. But it's not actually a new team. It's a team that was rocked last year by drug scandal with a positive drug test by one of its riders. Not only its sponsor, but its entire country was shocked and lashed out: Germany's T-Mobile powerhouse was dead.
Until just a few weeks ago, when a new sponsor stepped in. T-Mobile is dead. Long live Columbia!
Onwards to Bagneres-de-Bigorre!
And it was a pretty hellish stage today into Tolouse. Rain, rain, and then for a change, some rain. Even better? Just before the finish line in the city of Tolouse, an incredibly sharp turn-- more than 90 degrees-- over wet pavement with plenty of white paint to make it even slicker. And yet, somehow, the peloton, after devouring the split two-and-two breakaway that had been away all day, didn't even bur-: every rider made it around the turn safely.
And then, of course, the finish. It's been a dry year for the sprinters so far: too many stages stretched out, giving the powerhouse sprinters' teams little opportunity to set up their guys for the line. It's meant still more of a shakeup as far as the hierarchy of the last few Tours goes. So it's not a surprise that one young rider, from a new team has sprinted to not one, but two stage wins: Brit rider Mark Cavendish from the American team, Columbia. What's even better for Columbia? Another of their riders, Kim Kerchen of Luxembourg has the maillot jaune. Not too shabby for for their first year.
Lest ye think that it's smooth sailing for this new Tour, with its new hardcore, ass-kicking, zero-tolerance policy towards drugs-- including a biological passport for each rider that sets up a baseline for them before they even start the race-- today brought a truly unpleasant surprise. First thing this morning, sirens blazing, French police swept down and arrested Spanish rider Manuel "Tricky" Beltran-- former teammate of Lance Armstrong-- of the Italian team Liquigas. Apparently, one of his samples from last week tested positive for EPO. Some stories say he and his team insist he's innocent. One story says the only reason Liquigas hasn't been kicked out on its ass is because Beltran admitted guilt.
Pissed? Yeah. If he's innocent, I wish him the best in the legal hell he's about to enter. If he's guilty? Get the fuck out of my sport, you stupid fucking asshole. We've all fucking well had enough.
Anyway, trivia for today? Although there are only four Americans riding the tour's 2,175 miles this year, there are two new American teams. One, Garmin-Chipotle, is a wildcard addition this year and has done absolutely spectacularly. The other, Columbia, has one of my favourite riders, George Hincapie. But it's not actually a new team. It's a team that was rocked last year by drug scandal with a positive drug test by one of its riders. Not only its sponsor, but its entire country was shocked and lashed out: Germany's T-Mobile powerhouse was dead.
Until just a few weeks ago, when a new sponsor stepped in. T-Mobile is dead. Long live Columbia!
Onwards to Bagneres-de-Bigorre!