Back in that ol’ VeloBarrel again. It is a malodorous hogshead indeed, redolent of unwashed kit, pressroom gin and deadline sweat.
But for Jelle Vanendert and Thomas Voeckler, it smells like … like victory.
Vanendert galloped away from an elite group of GC contenders for the stage win in today’s edition of Le Tour, and Voeckler stuck with them to defend his maillot jaune, which is a win by any standard you care to employ, because not even he expected to be in yellow at day’s end.
If there’s any stink attached to the stage, it comes from the smelly feet of the tap-dancing contenders, who didn’t exactly open a 55-gallon drum of whup-ass in the finale. Oh, sure, Andy Schleck had a few tentative digs, as did brother Fränk, but to hear them talk about it afterwards you’d think they were both double Badgers with a side of Eddy Merckx and that everyone was supposed to fall down stone dead the first time they raised their skinny butts off their saddles.
Cadel Evans, who spent the day chasing down everything with a pulse, found them as exasperating as I did.
“The Schleck brothers are there, they ride all day, they’ve got the yellow jersey to gain and they look at me to pull for them? I feel like saying, ‘Hang on a second, I’m not here to tow you to Paris.’ ”
Mad Blog Media 
Evans has taken his lumps with the press and seems to have learned from the experience. Good on him.
The race could end today, and Voekler, Thor, and Hoogie have made it worth the price of admission.
Steve, I’ve enjoyed the Tour thus far entirely against my will. Voeckler, Hushovd, Gilbert, Voigt and Hoogie were worth the price of admission.
And watching homeboy Danny Pate doing tow-truck duty for HTC has been inspiring; I always thought that had I discovered bike racing at his age, I could have been a domestique, if I’d had just a skosh more talent and work ethic. An honorable profession, unlike cycling journalism.
I missed today’s festivities on the TV but glad to hear Voekler is still in yellow. And, how ’bout that Thor guy?
We’re winding things up here in Italy, taking a break each afternoon to fall asleep in front of Le Beeg Shew on the tube. So far it’s been pretty easy to nod off waiting for something to happen, like someone (anyone?) racing to WIN rather than riding not to lose. The TdF so often plays out this way it’s like Formula 1..not very exciting but as the pinnacle of the sport, everyone watches. We’ll probably dash off to see the finish in Pinerolo on our last day here as it’s not far from our HQ and we’ll have all the packing and putting away of our stuff done by then. “T Blanc” as they call him sometimes, is trying to make things interesting – if for no other reason than wondering how long this non-climber can stay up there with the mountain men?
Back to the Land of the Big PX, are you? I’m busy digging the bunker and filling it up with 7.62x39mm rounds, jugs of water and canned edibles.
E pluribus unum no longer has any meaning in these parts — the Bachmannites think it’s a line from The Communist Manifesto — and I’m starting to think that the ballot box isn’t nearly as important as the bullet box.
Going to Soviet firepower, eh, Patrick? Not a bad idea–so much of that stuff out there. Plus, when the Fed defaults and money is worthless, those rounds could be used for barter. Or, to score a deer or two.
Well put, Patrick. And Cadel is quotable this year for astuteness and not for mockery as in previous years.
I want to mention another huge stinky thing: the fact that the name of the driver and occupant(s) of the French TV car that caused the accident and nearly took out other riders is not made public. The behavior is a crime even if it is not charged. The hows of the coverup would be interesting to know. And I mention the name of the occupant(s) because the driver could have switched places, of course, and because accident reports, official and news or gossip reports include this info. I suppose Sky won’t sue on account of the News of the World crimes. They should in order to try and force exposure but then ASO would arrange revenge.
I think this has to get filed under “shit happens” the same as the “rubber cop” incident years ago that took out Jalabert and some others. That guy probably ended up filing some boring reports in a basement office in middle-of-nowhere France and the moron operating the TV car should end up in the same place. With all the ex-pros and ex DS’s out there, experienced in driving the road alongside cyclists, there should be no shortage of qualifed drivers for these cars IF they need to be on the course alongside the race. Otherwise, let them drive the course earlier like JW and Co do..at least then the only potential victims are the spectators along the roadside. Seems one or two kids get whacked each year but the reports are usually hushed up….