Great Stage today IMHO
 

Leipheimer doesn't have the spring necessary to win a stage.

Contador might win the whole tour some day. He has spring in the legs. He just needs to work on the ITT.

It would be fun to see two Disco boys on the Pondium, but I don't think that'll happen. Maybe so.

Skeletor looks destined to win.

Vino devoted too much energy yesterday.

I agree. Great stage.
Is Vino done? it soure looks like it. Sad too. I was really pulling for him after the ITT.
I called it the other day. Ras. thinks he is aGC rider and likes yellow. He will put up ahuge fight over the next few days.
Disco. finally impressed today. Contador will be fun to watch develope.

I'm very curious to see how Skeletor rides in tomorrow's brutal stage. I think there is a good chance that Leipheimer attacks tomorrow. He kept himself close but didn't blow himself up on the last 2k (whether or not he could have is a good question).

I just don't think Leipheimer can ride Rasmussen off his wheel going up the climbs.

Also remember that L is due any due for his classic blowout bonk stage.

Contador has a better chance at placing higher IMO.

I don't see Leipheimer having the power to pull away from the pure clmbers.

The difference between Leip and Alberto is experience and perhaps a bit better overall in ITT. That said, Alberto is fantastic at keeping pace in the mountains.

Disco has three great young riders, in Popyvich, Gusev and Contador. It's a nice team and just imagine how well Basso would have done if he hadn't been found out.

I'm not so sure that Contador wasn't supposed to do what he did today to try and blow up Rasmussen for tomorrow. I still think Levi is Discovery's man right now.

doesn't this view sap the will of mere mortals?

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos...4-pyrenees.jpg

Wow. I like to do somethings that are considered on the edge, but I don't know if riding a bike on that would be one of them.

What a great shot! I can't imagine the depression that would set in if you were already red-lining and you had to see that up in the distance.

As an aside, I wonder how do all of the drunks at the top of the hill safely navigate their motor homes back down such a narrow road?

Next year or the year after I'm considering joining one of those tours where you ride ahead of the tour doing some of the mountain stages.

Anybody here have interest in that?

A buddy of mine was talking about doing that. He's rich like you though. That's not for us middle class peons.

You can do it for three or four thousand bucks, not bad for a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Of course, your rich friends can do it for more.

I wouldloveto do it.But it won't be next year. I may never get the money together before I am toooldto ride a bike.

You're never too old to ride a bike. I am living proof. Viking is older than I and creekster pretends to be younger.

Back on topic, I thought this quote from Bruyneel was interesting:

The night version of the stage is interesting with the insert cam of Bruyneel. "You just dropped Kloeden, go go go."

I'm not sure if Paddies reference was to the steep grade or the big drop-off at the side of the road. But I didn't even notice the drop off until I read his post. I was looking 5 miles up the road at how freaking far away those guys were and feeling grateful I wasn't trying to chase them down.

Its probably a lot the same when I'm riding a bike either on the road or on some singletrack, being totally oblivious to how crazy it may be to ride on a 3 inch shoulder with cars going 60mph just a foot or two away from me or riding the bike just inches from a 300 foot dropoff into a ravine. Focus.

I was referring to the combination of the two.

Of course, I said that because I was looking at it from my perspective of having bad luck in situations like that. If you folks ever want to ensure your safety, do something with me, as if anything bad happens, it will happen to me.

For example:

When I was about 13 or so, a group of friends and I were riding our bikes down the hill in Sandy on 10600 S. between 1300 E. and 1000 E. It was late at night and we were having fun racing down the hill.

Well, the street light was out and we were riding in a staggered single file row and I was the one who hit the manhole cover that was loose at the bottom of the hill and had a terrific crash with road rash and everything.