Cuddles No More

“I’m pretty disappointed, but if this is what people want to see, a race decided on a downhill. I don’t think that. A finish like this should not be allowed.”--Andy Schleck, July 19, 2011

Andy and Frank of LAY-O-PARD Trek can just suck it, ATMO. While I didn't get to see it on the telly, I was pleased by the Berto-Cadel-Sammy attack. They and, God-bless-him Thomas Voeckler have made this tour more interesting than any since Floyd's win in the Tour which shall not be named.

I'm going to put it in print here: I am pulling for Cadel for the win. And, can we get a "hey now" for Thor Hushovd? Amen.

Practical Jokes

4ever?

Who's a jerk? This guy.

Rest day photos

So the Col du Tourmalet didn't mean much in yesterday's stage, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't pause a moment to think back on what a grand, majestic, painful hill it is.

Here are a couple of shots from the 1952 Tour de France:

Sunday afternoon reading

After you've digested the sad news that Ali has posted below, take a little deeper drink of cycling journalism with this story from Sports Illustrated's Alexander Wolff. Better than most of SI's (admittedly spotty) cycling coverage, the story attempts to parse the different relationships that the publics of Europe and the United States have to professional cycling. One of the better quotes:

"Are you, gentle American reader, prepared to be baptized into the reality of European pro cycling? Are you ready to go from Cutter to continental, to travel the path that Dave Stohler did in Breaking Away when that Team Cinzano rider jammed a frame pipe into his wheel?"

The story inevitably turns to doping, but rather than trying to condemn the sport's use of banned substances, it does a decent job trying to understand what it is about the European cycling community and its fans that allows for such widespread doping. The story is too short to fully contextualize doping or offer more than a thumbnail sketch of the use of banned substances in the last twenty years, but it does a good job of trying to explain not just the what? but also the why? of the culture.

Take some time to read the whole thing; after all, Monday's a rest day.

Your daily dose of WTF? from the Tour

Srsly, who's he calling? And does he know that his finger isn't a phone?

Somebody get that kid a cellphone so that he can do a TO-esque product placement. Sprinters, I's tells ya...

[Image taken from Velonews.]

He (Alberto Contador) is the leader for now

-Lance Armstrong, after finishing behind 3 of his Astana teammates, including Spaniard Alberto Contador, in the Tour's opening prologue.

Does Armstrong's attentiveness to changing conditions and smart riding, which today propelled him into the break initiated by strong side winds that cause the peleton to form echelons, change overall leadership at Astana? LA now sits in third overall, ahead of his Astana teammates, notably Alberto Contador. For now, indeed.

Who will win the Tour?

Just like it says: who do you think will win the Tour de France? The list at the right is CyclingNews' most recent list of favorites, and voting will be open until next Friday, which is the first day that the riders hit the hills.

Whatcha think?

Chris Horner speaks

Chris Horner prepares for the Tour de France

Wear Your Helmet....