follow the leader

Here's an interesting video from VeloNews, speaking with Mr. Armstrong about the Astana team leader dilemma that is the hot topic ahead of Saturday's Tour de France TT in Monaco. For me, he says all the right things and I think he showed in the Giro that he is prepared to ride for others if he doesn't have the form. That said, a guy with ability, his record, who can race his first Giro after three years away from the sport and only five weeks removed from a broken collar bone and still place 12th isn't going to France just to make up the numbers. He says that he no longer possesses the absolute confidence of the past but I think it's safe to say he does still possess the absolute tenacity and that will count for something. I think an Astana rider will win this year and probably that rider will be Contador but as a fan who has watched Armstrong throughout his career, I would never underestimate him whatever the odds. Roll on Saturday!

the bicycle thief

Ouch! I wonder what would have happened if he had stolen Floyd Landis' bike instead?

stage 17

While at first glance it may appear that this year's Tour de France will all rest on the penultimate stage that ends on Mount Ventoux, there are a couple of other key stages that will surely help decide the final podium, most notably Stage 17 in the Alps, which takes in five cols including the double of the Col de Romme and the Col de la Colombiere. Maybe this stage sees one of Prudhomme's eggs escape the basket?

two down

So no Boonen and now no Valverde. Purely from a racing perspective, this year's Tour will be the poorer for their absence. I was looking forward to seeing if Valverde could translate the form he showed in winning the Dauphine into something more substantial – a sustained attack in the Tour de France that showed he could eliminate the really bad days that had always plagued his ability to see a three-week tour through to the end. As for Boonen, he would have provided Cavendish with a little more competition, which would have been fun to watch. For the sake of a clean sport, maybe this is what has to happen? Casualties along the way, riders who have made mistakes for sure but somehow leave you feeling like perhaps they still deserved a shot at the big one. Stupidity should never be rewarded and cycling doesn't need any more controversy but as a fan, and a sentimental one at that, it's a shame.

lance wins

Congratulations to Lance Armstrong, who won the Nevada City Classic yesterday to clinch his first victory since returning to racing. It might not be the biggest of events but a win is a win. And coming this close to July only adds significance...

secondhand smoke and mirrors

Bill Clinton "didn't inhale" and apparently Tom Boonen "didn't injest". So that's cleared that up then.

happy birthday eddy

Sixty-four years young...

dauphine final podium

So Valverde wins and shows great form but is still unlikely to compete in the Tour. Evans proves that he's no wheelsucker but can't shake Valverde or Contador who mark him on every significant climb. And Contador generally spent much of the race looking like he had bigger fish to fry. So in the end the Dauphine did nothing to change my opinion that Contador will win the Tour de France, that Evans will be more aggressive than ever before but still not win and that Valverde should be allowed to compete. It was however fun to watch...

bala verde

Valverde has been riding like a man with something to prove during this year's Dauphine. His form on Ventoux showed that his confidence remains intact, as does his willingness to ride aggressively while yesterday he looked calm and in control, able to match Contador's late attack. He'll have to fend off his rivals again today as they take in the Galibier and the Croix de Fer before the final climb up the Madeleine. 

the bald mountain

Tomorrow the beast that is Mt. Ventoux beckons the riders of this year's Dauphine...always a treat to watch the best do battle here.

how long before the book comes out?

It appears that now he has been caught Bernhard Kohl is hell bent on going down in flames, content not just with cheating but also to point the finger at everybody else, making the whole sport look dirty. I guess he believes that his new found honesty will prove cathartic, that his willingness to talk now may grant his tattered career some sort of asterisk. Who knows? But what really amazes me is not that a rider like Kohl feels the need to dope but that at some point, long before winning at any cost became his mantra, he must have loved bike racing and that this could be so easily forgotten.

the problem that is astana

There is an excellent piece on BKW about the current state of affairs at Astana. Much has been written lately about the financial problems the team is facing but it's the rider dynamics that I find the most fascinating. Like a football manager with a handful of star players with planet sized egos, Johan Bruyneel has an embarrassment of riches that present a number of problems. Contador, as a three-time Grand Tour winner, believes that he should be the undisputed team leader heading into the Tour de France. Arguably the best stage race rider and the best climber in the world, this would normally be something of a no brainer. But Astana also has Lance. And Levi. On the surface, Bruyneel's problem would seem to be good one to have, but as the Tour approaches his situation seems less and less enviable. The easiest solution would be if Armstrong, despite all his efforts, cannot regain the form he left the sport with in 2005. He showed at the Giro that he is more than willing to ride for others and so would provide Contador with another super domestique of the highest order. But the Giro also showed that Armstrong is beginning to find real form, ending the race strongly and exerting some influence on the peloton like the days of old. As BKW correctly pointed out, if it comes down to an internal struggle, Lance may be the old dog but guys like Chris Horner and Popo will ride for him before they turn a pedal stroke in anger for anyone else. The likes of Andy Schleck, Cadel Evans and Carlos Sastre would surely be quick to pounce on any Astana in-fighting that manifested itself on the road. I guess this is why Bruyneel gets paid the big bucks. Wait, is he still getting paid? It's going to be interesting...

Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré

The Dauphine starts this Sunday. As the mini-tour before the big tour, I'm always interested to see how the riders perform in this race, although form here doesn't always translate into success in the Tour de France. However, as a believer in the old adage that while form may be temporary, class is permanent,  I'm looking forward to seeing Alberto Contador race again. The last time I saw him on my television screen he was blowing hot and cold during Paris-Nice and I expect a far more measured performance this coming week. Still hoping for a few fireworks though...

arreviderchi italia

A three-week tour is always going to be difficult to sum up in a few sentences and this year's Giro is no exception. But, suffice to say, it was a great one. Close right to the end, with some exceptional performances, hair raising moments and a worthy victor. In winning the GC Denis Menchov proved that he is not a mere follower of wheels but a thoughtful tactician, who can climb with the best of them and remain cool despite the volatile nature of stage racing. The emotion he showed after the final TT in Rome were pictures that needed no words. But it's the picture above however that incapsulates the race for me perfectly. Two very different bike riders. Two very different expressions. Danilo Di Luca raced every day hard and never let up. He couldn't shake Mechov when it mattered most but his tenacity and willingness to attack are what makes bike racing the greatest of sports and what makes Di Luca a true champion regardless of where he stands on the podium. Sastre, Garzelli, Pellizotti, Cavendish, Armstrong...the list of those who made their mark in the 100th Giro is a pretty long one and many men contributed to the success, and importantly the style, of this race. Final mention? A certain Rabobank mechanic whose quickness of thought saved the day...