I woke up today and my legs were heavy from yesterdays ride. I didn't expect that at all especially having stayed in the small ring. I guess 50 or so miles will take its toll no matter.

Warming up before Bubba #3 my right thigh remained really tight and there was just not any "snap" in my sprint. I went to the line knowing my start would not be very good and that I would have to rely on fitness to move up any. By the end of the paved start I was about 10th. As expected I picked off a few riders as the race wore on but Jose, who was an early companion, rode away eventually as I tried to hold off three others. The gained slightly each lap and i though I could hold them off. But, Craig Farrell came flying by me on the pavement just before the final bell. I don't know where he got the speed from since he really struggled to make up ground all race. All the credit to him. He deserved the fifth place finish this week. Next week, I hope to be not so tired and get a little revenge.

News Item of the Day: Team director Johan Bruyneel told Cyclingnews at the Tour De France presentation that "we've added a 26th rider to our roster, a talented Japanese U23 rider, Fumiyuki Beppu. Discovery is very interested in the Japanese market and we did some research and found that Beppu was the best rider available."

Beppu has spent the last two seasons at VC La Pomme Marseille, a U23 team where Mark Scanlon and the Japanese rider's '04 teammate Nicolas Roche all passed pro before. 2003 Japanese U23 road champ in Hiroshima by over 4' and former Asian Jr. Road Champion, Beppu shined this year in the Euro U23 ranks; at the Giro della Valle d'Aosta, he took Stage One at Courmayeur in a photofinish and was 4th on Stage 5 and ended 3rd Overall on Points. Speedster Beppu was third at the Italian amateur classic GP Citta' di Felino in August and third on GC in the fast, flat Tour de Loir et Cher in April.

Viewpoint: Interesting to finally have a Japanese rider make it to the Pro Peloton.