5:30 - I slept ten hours yesterday. Apparently
I wasn't the only one
who needed a "Rest Day". Today we get into the
Alps. The stage begins
in Grenoble and runs 192.5k through two CAT 1
climbs, the first at
118k, the second at the finish at the top of
Courchevel.
The stage was late starting because of a protest
by local farmers who
are complaining that the wolves are killing their
livestock - the
wolves have protection here. So they had to move
the stage starting
line outside of town so the course will be 7
miles shorter.
There has been a lot of speculation as to what
TDC is doing with their
strategy, and if what happened on stage 8 was
real or not when they
left Lance alone. Bjarne Riis, the coach of CSC
has said they won't
drive the front of the peleton because Lance
is the favorite, even
hough they currently have the yellow jersey.
Whatever. He's a whiny
baby. So it's okay with him if he wins on the
back of another teams
work. Asshole. They don't deserve to carry the
Malliot Jaune.
There was a random drug test this morning before
the start and Evgeny
Petrov (RUS-LAM) was found to have unacceptable
levels of....
something... EPO?... It's early... and has been
dropped from the Tour.
There are now 174 riders in the Tour with 8 teams
intact with all nine
riders, including TDC (Team Discovery Channel).
It's a gorgeous day
with temps in the 70s.
6:00am - A group of seven riders (No real contenders)
are in a
breakaway that began almost at the first k -
at one point they were 10'
ahead of the peleton because CSC refused to do
any work, and TDC is
sitting back. I think Lance would rather not
win the Tour than let
someone else win off of his team doing all the
work. Finally team
Credit Agricol (CA) began the chase and took
control of the peleton,
since their man Christophe Moreau has a decent
chance, and was right
behind Jens Voigt at the end of stage 9; this
move then forced CSC to
do some work at the front. The current gap to
the breakaway is 5'40"
and coming down fast. They're 6k from the top
of the first climb, and
riders are getting dropped all over the place....
6:05am - TDC is finally driving the peleton and
pumping it up a bit.
6:30am - They're over the summit, and the gap
is down to 3'50".
6:35am - Yaroslav Popovych,TDCs lead hope after
Lance's retirement has
crashed into a team car on the descent - but
he looks to be ok, and is
on his way again.
7:00am - TDC and Lance are driving the peleton
with 45k to go. They are
setting a blistering pace and the peleton has
strung out in a very long
line.
7:20am - TDC is still driving the peleton - the
gap is 6'. They are
still on the decent from the first climb up the
Cormet de Roselend.
7:30am - The breakaway has begun the ascent up
the Courcehvel, they've
dropped from nine riders to only seven. Gap is
at 2'55".
7:34am - The peleton has begun the ascent with
TDC driving, and the
riders in the back are already struggling. Jens
Voigt in the yellow
jersey is dropping off the back in spite of other
riders from all teams
trying to give him a pat on the back, or a little
push.... he doesn't
have it for the climbs today. Vino and Ullrich
are sitting on Lance's
wheel getting a free ride.
7:45am - Gap is down to 1'47". TDC is ripping
up the mountain. Sastre
of CSC has attacked the peleton. We'll see. I
don't think he's got it.
7:55am - Vino has dropped from Lance's wheel.
8:00am - HOLY CRAP!!!! Lance has just opened
it up. Even Ullrich has
cracked as has Kloden, Levi and Landis. Basso
is the only real
contender with Lance. It's like a replay of last
year's first day in
the mountains.
8:07am - Basso has dropped, and Sastre has been
abducted by aliens -
he's nowhere to be seen - the Yellow is 11' behind
Lance! This is
FUCKING AMAZING! And the steepest part of the
climb is still ahead.
8:12am - Holy shit! There are only 3 other riders
with Lance. Valverde
and Macebo from (IBA), and Rasmussen (RAB).
8:22am - WOW!!!! What a finish! Lance attacks
at the last minute
bringing Valverde with him, who sprints to win
the stage, Lance is back
in Yellow after absolutely decimating everyone
in the peleton! He's
happy now, having earned the MJ on his own terms.
Lance reaches out to
congratulate Velverde on his stage win - such
a class act!
8:55am - Voigt finally crosses the finish line
in the Malliot Jaune.
Over 30 minutes behind.
What a beautiful performance! TDC has shown why
they're a force to be
reckoned with! Rasmussen has to be watched -
he is only 38" behind
Lance in the GC, and he is a great Mountain guy,
however, I don't think
he's got much in the ITT still to come in stage
20. Basso is in 3rd at
2'40" behind. Alejandro Valverde is in his first
Tour, and gets a stage
win.
Top 10 Overall GC:
1. Lance Armstrong
37:11:04
2. Mickael Rasmussen :38 behind
3. Ivan Basso 2:40
4. Christophe Moreau
2:42
5. Alejandro Valverde 3:16
6. Levi Leipheimer 3:58
7. Francisco Mancebo 4:00
8. Jan Ullrich 4:02
9. Andreas Kloden 4:16
10. Floyd Landis 4:16
Yaroslav POPOVYCH of TDC should be back in the
white jersey for
tomorrow.
Tomorrow it gets even more brutal, with 2 HC
(BEYOND CATEGORY) climbs
and a CAT 1, and coverage starts at 3:30am!!!!
GO LANCE!!!