Sunday, July 15, 2007

Soulard: sucked

What more is left to say? Before the race, my goal was to get a good start for a change. My starting position wasn't real good but I actually did get a decent start and moved up on the downhill between turns 2 and 3. From then on it was slow drift rearward. Time to face facts. I have a lot of work to do, to just be competitive.
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Tour Stage 8 - I dozed off this morning during the race. I won't comment on whatever happened on the decent of the Montee de Hauteville. Bad luck for Michael Rogers crashing on the Roseland but, despite him being in virtual yellow at the time, I have news for Phil and Paul. He was not a race favorite. Same goes for Hincapie.

I was surprised more riders did not put Astana under pressure earlier on the final climb. The breakaway group of 7 moved away from the peloton rather easily and could have had much bigger time gaps if they had worked together more. Kashechkin and Contador could be excused for not working more since they had leaders in the group behind. That said, I thought that group provided some fun viewing.

Thumbs up today go to: Rasmussen - he won solo, 'nuff said. Moreau - clearly the strongest of the chase group with several attacks. Mayo - I like to watch him climb when he is on form and his attacks today were a welcome sight. Contador - He only had to stay on wheels but he was fun to watch dancing on the pedals. And when he had a mechanical in the final km's, he came flying back out of the main group to try and bridge again to the breakaways. Kloden - did yeoman's work in pulling the main group on the upper slopes up to Tignes and then waited for the ailing Vino. He's Vino's equal at the very least and hurt is own chances by waiting.

Thumbs down go to: Evans - did nothing in the breakaway group. Leipheimer - passive, passive, passive.

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