To pass time on a boring stage, we'd throw water bottles at Alberto to see how many he could catch
After the controversial “chaingate” episode from yesterday, the boys were keen to try and put it all behind them with one final tilt at glory before the rest day. The name of the game is 100 shots of beer in 100 minutes. Lance decided that he was going to have a tilt at today’s stage, so sensibly, he played with mid strength beer.
Johan got the closest. He made 92 before throwing up into Chris Horner’s race kit bag. We didn’t tell Chris though. The 100 shots game always brings me unstuck, no matter how many times I try.
At the start line today, everyone was talking about just one thing and opinion was well and truly divided amongst all the riders. The question on everyone’s lips was of course, which one of the podium girls would you rather take home to meet your mother and which one you would rather “punish”. For me, it’s a tough game to play since I can never choose just one. Christophe Moreau and Big George Hincapie can talk about the subject with authority, having both not only wooed a podium girl, though both are married to podium girls. Guess who gets to wear the yellow jersey now.
The only fans on todays stage old enough to remember Lance's last Tour stage win
On the road, Lance’s plan to get into a break worked like a charm. The only problem was he was joined by a thousand noofas along with some genuine GC contenders. If Cancellara had been there, he would have made them sit up until the GC riders went away, however without the Swiss traffic cop, the group was free to fly. It took the Astana team quite some time to reel in the break because let’s face it, without Contador and the muncher, they are complete crap.
Once the race came together, Lance attacked again and it was Lance attacking all day that saved the viewer from falling asleep. God knows I felt like a kip at more than one stage during the race.
Fedrigo was glad he had a shamois in his bike shorts after slipping one "through to the keeper" when he mounted the podium
In the end, Lance just doesn’t have what it takes these days to keep up with these other riders with far superior dealers to what was ever available during Lance’s reign as king. Natural ability will only take you so far in this sport after all.
The debate about cyclists and number twos whilst on a stage of the tour took a turn today when another rider, Fedrigo had an “accident” on the podium after holding on for the entire stage. This issue is fast becoming the biggest Tour de France talking point since Jens Voigt announced he never wore underpants.
Lance’s disappointment at the end of the stage was there for everyone to see. Not because be failed to win the stage, he couldn’t really give a toss about that. After all, he has won 50,000 stages in the past. No, Lance was fuming at the fact the Liquigas boys had failed to deliver in time for the rest day. The Italians had promised some A grage entertainment for the Peleton and now Lance was left high and dry. Right now, he is thinking of what on earth to do. Hopefully we’ll come up with something.