The Tour Day 15

Headlines Today

Armstrong wins stage!

Voeckler stays in yellow!

Hamilton abandons race after 83 kilometers!

Naked fan spotted in the last ten kilometers of the climb up Plateau de Beille!

Man on man, days like today are why I’ve been getting up at six friggin’ thirty (five friggin’ thirty today) for the past fifteen days. What a stage. If you haven’t watched any of this year’s Tour, (and even I have to admit that it hasn’t exactly raised my heart rate much up to now,) watch today’s stage. Everything the Big Dogs predicted would happen this year got totally blown apart. Ullrich is dimming while his teammate Kloden is shining. Hamilton’s back injury takes him completely out of the race when last year he rode the entire race with a broken collarbone and even took a stage win. Heras won the 2003 Vuelta on the last day by shining in the mountain time trial, but is now 26 minutes behind, surprisingly, in the mountains. Iban Mayo who last year won the stage on L’Alpe D’Huez tried to retire today but was talked into finishing by his team manager, and finished 37 minutes behind.

The 2004 Tour now has a whole new look, and it’s the young riders who are giving it the freshness it needs. Names like Voeckler, Basso, Mancebo, and Chavanel are the names we’ll be hearing in the next few years. Of course it’s a normal progression in any sport, when the veterans start to lose the edge over the newcomers. It is just so surprising when four out of five veterans bonk in one year, and so many newcomers shine.

Ullrich may still have it in him, but the question is whether or not T Mobile will switch it’s allegiance to Andreas Kloden. In this article Ullrich is quoted as saying At least, as a result of today’s stage, we have a joker in the pack in Klöden; I will ride for the best man, whoever that turns out to be’¦ And that was after Friday’s stage. Who knows what the team management will be thinking tonight.

I wish all the riders the best, though. Competing in the Tour de France means that you are one of the best cyclists in the world. I still think Armstrong can win this year’s tour, barring any bad luck. He’s strong and determined and has years of training and great team support. Without Hamilton, and possibly Ullrich, as main challengers the question today is who of the newcomers will be the surprise challenger. Will it be Basso? He’s strong, and CSC is a great team. What about Voeckler? Sure, he lost almost nine minutes in the last two days in the mountains, but tomorrow is a flat stage and he got that yellow jersey in a breakaway. Is he thinking about keeping it? One thing for sure, he’s tenacious. All I can say is may the best man win.

Sergio Marinangeli of Domina Vacanze did not start today’s race. Tyler Hamilton of Team Phonak, Haimar Zubeldia of Euskaltel Euskadi, Denis Menchov of Illes Balears-Banesto, Fabian Wegmann of Gerolsteiner and Gerrit Glomser of Team Saeco abandoned today’s race. There are four teams still intact: US Postal, CSC, Quick Step-Davitamon and Rabobank.

Here find the definitive answer to another question that has been on everyone’s mind in this year’s race.

Today’s “Meow Corner” feature is this article by Patrick O’Grady of Velo News.

Today’s Tune to the Tour contest word is “Pyrenees”.

CKS/bl Tridiot Rating an amazing 94.35%, plus the five percent penalty for a total of 99.35%. Not bad, not bad at all.