Well, whaddaya know? At long last a Schleck finally sacked up and did something other than talk shit, complain or suck wheel.
Andy of Luxemberry finally got his narrow ass off that saddle for more than 10 pedal strokes and his eyeballs straight ahead and roared away to the stage win atop the Galibier, damn’ near getting the yellow jersey in the process. If Cadel Evans hadn’t towed Thomas Voeckler, Ivan Basso and Damiano Cunego to the top Tommy would be back in his plain green Europcar kit for Friday’s stage to L’Alpe d’Huez.
The Leopard-Trek boys definitely got it right today and everybody else got it wrong, especially Super Spaniard, who reverted to his alter ego of Clark Kentador on the final steeps and gave away bags of time. No bang-bang in Paris for him.
The stage put Andy in second overall, 15 seconds out of yellow, and brother Fränk in third at 1:08. Fränk didn’t do shit all day except sprint around Evans at the end, so he may be the guy to watch on the Alpe. I expect Andy and Cadel will be in the hurt locker.
But both Schlecks will need to show up wearing their racing legs tomorrow if they expect to have yellow in Paris, because they time trial like junior girls and Evans does not. I don’t have to work, but I’ll be glued to the ’puter anyway, watching the fur fly.
Speaking of fur, I saw a bear on today’s ride through the Air Force Academy. He was having a refreshing bath in the creek at trailside, just north of Woodmen. I would’ve missed him but a woman mountain biker headed south flagged me down to get a little backup lest she become bear chow while cycling past. We watched him for a while, snapping a few pix, and then he grew tired of the paparazzi and exploded out of the creek into the brush.
Mad Blog Media 
That bear has it right – with an ‘official’ temp of 99F and a heat index of 111F – I’m jealous of him.
Good on Andy, though I’d love it if Tommy kept the jersey til Paris. I wish Basso could have done more. This was not a good year to try a Giro / Tour double. AC should drop out (will not) to avoid further knee damage. Even a 2 year ban can’t repair a knee it can only rest it!
Libby, he was having a high old time. And he’s a lot bigger than that shot makes him look. Biggest damn’ bear I’ve ever seen.
Basso just doesn’t have the oomph — he’s gone all diesel, like Ullrich — and AC is toast. I wonder whether the CAS inquiry might pick up a little speed now that he’s not likely to do the Giro-Tour double.
And Voeckler has raced with heart and smarts in yellow. I’d like to have seen him take more of an active role today, but it looked like everyone was pretty much on the rivet. Tomorrow should be epic.
We have quite a few critters in town since the fire. We burned them out, so they settle here:
http://labikes.blogspot.com/2011/07/conchas-fire-aftermath-bear-facts.html
We’re seeing a lot of critters down here lately too, K. Mostly mule deer, but the bears are making their presence known, too. Must not be much forage up high this year.
Wow… That was a good one. I was getting really tired of the “Pillow Fight in the Pyrenees”. Finally… A real attack.
You kind had to know something was coming with Leopard Trek having Monfort & Posthuma up the road early. Kim Anderson wins the “Wiley Coyote Super Genius Award” for that one. While I’m still thinking Evans will be on the top step on Sunday, I’d sure like to see Voeckler on one of those steps too.
The other two bright spots for me were at Garmin/Cervelo put more time into everyone in the Team GC and that EuropCar’s Pierre Rolland will be starting in White tomorrow. I’m hoping that he keeps in into Sunday. He deserves that for the the work he’s been doing for Voeckler.
Jeff, that was a good one, eh? Now will everyone be riding defensively tomorrow, or will someone throw caution to the wind? Gonna be a lot of tired legs out there, with the Telegraph and the tough side of the Galibier for appetizers before the main course on L’Alpe.
I’m pretty much certain that Alberto’s Tour is over. I’m thinking given the knee issue, it might be best if he didn’t start.
Andy (Bert) worked uber hard today and almost cracked in the last 2km. Not sure if he can pull it together or not.
Cadel also had the Fun-O-Meter stuck on 11. I’m hoping that he can recover enough to be effective tomorrow but I’m not sure. Sgt. Rock needs to have a better game plan for the rest of the BMC crew.
Voelcker was also beyond the rivet to defend. He and the rest of the EuropCar bunch have been working overtime. I think Voelcker run in yellow will end tomorrow. His only hope is if everyone rides defensively. That said, there is the magic of the Yellow Jersey. It’s a major mojo.
Frank (Ernie) basically coasted through the stage, if one can actually do that on something like that monster. His legs will be much better than the rest.
I’m thinking that we see Leopard Trek send Frank up the road on the Galibier and make BMC chase. If I was running EuropCar, I’d not work at the front at all unless they have to chase Bert or Ernie. BMC is going to have to be really careful how they use their guys up. Evans can’t afford to lose more than another 2 minutes tops to Bert and have a hope in making it up in the ITT.
“pillow fight in the Pyrennees” – hilarious images that phrase conjures up!
Cadel had his game face on in limiting Andy’s gains today. He knew no one would, or could help him, so he just gutted it out. Looked kinda like a dog guarding his food dish. Old Pistolero shot blanks til him gun was empty. The lack of dope sure has made for better racing this time around and I don’t recall anyone getting pinched for it yet.
Boz, Alexander Kolobnev rang the Dope-O-Meter®, both A and B samples, but so far he’s the only one. And yeah, the racing seems to be taking a toll for a change. Even Jens Voigt looked human today.
Agreed that was an awesome stage. Chapeau to Andy for going for it, to Cadel for realizing it was up to him and then taking back huge time all by his ownself. Yeah Tommy was able to ride the wheel but he has to get the big props for hanging on when nary a Spaniard could (AC or Sammy), the Italian’s were popping their rivets to hang with Cadel and sorry to say the ‘mericans were “down the road” a piece. Tommy V has been amazing and his super homeboy ..er Domestique” Pierre Rolland ought to have one big payday for next year based on the amazing job he has done in Support. He has been in with the big boys when dudes like Gesink, Martin, Leipheimer etc are no where to be seen. Anticipating further fireworks on the L’Alpe TT be damned! (easy for me to say)
Missed the fireworks as I was flying home today. FINALLY the Schlecks (or their minders) show some tactical smarts and get serious about making a race of it. Evans still has to be a fave to take back some time on Andy/Frank in the chrono stage but he can’t let the Luxembourgers get too far ahead. As the most complete of the contenders left I’d like to see Evans prevail in Pair-ee though T Blanc’s made things exciting with his amazing run in the jersey. Half the field missed the time cut? WOW….I think it’s been awhile since that’s happened. I’ll be tuning in tomorrow for sure to see what happens on the Alpe. Had fun in Pinerolo the other day, there’s nothing like the TdF in ITALY! All the hoopla but none of the bad food and attitude you get in France. While dining in a nice ristorante, the waiter asked why we were not continuing to follow the race? I replied, “because the rest of the race is in FRANCE!” He thought for a second, then realized my point….and agreed our plan was better.
Seems to me that I recall a similar stage not that many years ago. A big GC threat goes for it early on a stage with mulitple climbs and an uphill finish. It looks like sure suicide, but instead he sweeps and and drops the remnants of the breakaway and climbs himself dramatically to not only a stage win but back then a yellow jersey as well. A very dramatic stage. It was Stage 17 of the 2006 TdF, and it was Floyd Landis who pulled that off. And we all know how that show ended….eventually.
I really, really hope these guys are clean, but sometimes some achievements just look a little too unbelievable.
It would be nice to know the real story behind the 7000 euros sent off to Fuentes by Frank Schleck awhile back…for “training advice” they said. Paying a gynecologist for training advice? But so far they’ve gotten away with the story.
Loved Contador’s back fist to the guy in the surgical get-up running along side him trying to give el-pistolaro an IV. Classic.