This really is a Tour for the French, as Pierrick Fedrigo outsprinted his breakaway compatriots to snare their 6th stage victory. As predicted by me (well actually Laurent Fignon on French TV) Armstrong went on a break-away attack. He has been consistently losing minutes these last few stages to get himself in the position of the Peleton not caring about him. Today he put his plan into action, but unfortunately had a far too much company than he would have liked. In the end I think he started his sprint from too far back and he certainly wasn’t going to be given any gifts by the other riders in the break. Damiano Cunago must a felt a bit like a galah as he once again he got into a breakaway, was the favorite, and failed to deliver.
As the 2nd rest day is upon us, Fatboy managed to show that the work done on stage 9 and 10 managed to hold the lead for him to be the rest day winner again. 2nd prize goes to Iceman with St Pierre grabbing the 3rd place $10. Bif just missed out by 8 points on the spoils. I just realized that I forgot to announce the Bastille day winners. A share of $40 goes to, yes you guessed it, Fatboy as well as Boab and Harvey Norman.
So the big question now as we head into the rest day is who will be in your new team. For that we will need to wait and see…
Digger scored 100 for Pierrick Fedrigo coming in first place
Zippy scored 100 for Pierrick Fedrigo coming in first place
Red Rasperry scored 100 for Pierrick Fedrigo coming in first place
Spunker scored 100 for Pierrick Fedrigo coming in first place
Iceman scored 75 for Sandy Casar coming in second place
Bif scored 75 for Sandy Casar coming in second place
Mrs Paddles scored 75 for Sandy Casar coming in second place
Tagalong scored 75 for Sandy Casar coming in second place
Pap Tyres scored 55 for Ruben Plaza Molina coming in third place
RUK scored 55 for Ruben Plaza Molina coming in third place
Two Phat 1 scored 55 for Ruben Plaza Molina coming in third place
21 Guns scored 55 for Ruben Plaza Molina coming in third place
Reggieside scored 40 for Damiano Cunego coming in fourth place
Nederlandse slaghoedje fietsclub scored 40 for Damiano Cunego coming in fourth place
Comfortably Numb scored 40 for Damiano Cunego coming in fourth place
SirOED scored 32 for Christopher Horner coming in fifth place
Princess Margarets Hospital scored 32 for Christopher Horner coming in fifth place
Zippy scored 32 for Christopher Horner coming in fifth place
Tourjunkie scored 32 for Christopher Horner coming in fifth place
Hoops scored 26 for Lance Armstrong coming in sixth place
Simmie scored 26 for Lance Armstrong coming in sixth place
Red Rasperry scored 26 for Lance Armstrong coming in sixth place
Mrs Spunker scored 26 for Lance Armstrong coming in sixth place
Jangu scored 22 for Jurgen Van De Walle coming in seventh place
Zippy scored 22 for Jurgen Van De Walle coming in seventh place
Wingnut scored 22 for Jurgen Van De Walle coming in seventh place
The Doctor scored 18 for Christophe Moreau coming in eighth place
Flirty O’Dirty scored 18 for Christophe Moreau coming in eighth place
21 Guns scored 18 for Christophe Moreau coming in eighth place
Technoboy scored 16 for Carlos Barredo Llamazales coming in ninth place
Cloggie Dockers scored 16 for Carlos Barredo Llamazales coming in ninth place
The Nurse scored 16 for Carlos Barredo Llamazales coming in ninth place
Stuey scored 16 for Carlos Barredo Llamazales coming in ninth place
Bicyclettes Anciennes scored 14 for Thor Hushovd coming in tenth place
Nelmsey scored 14 for Thor Hushovd coming in tenth place
Bulldozer scored 14 for Thor Hushovd coming in tenth place
Spokesman scored 14 for Thor Hushovd coming in tenth place
Nelmsey scored 12 for Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil coming in eleventh place
Bulldozer scored 12 for Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil coming in eleventh place
Cookie scored 12 for Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil coming in eleventh place
Monty Ventoux scored 12 for Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil coming in eleventh place
Jangu scored 10 for Eros Capecchi coming in twelfth place
The Condor scored 10 for Eros Capecchi coming in twelfth place
Mrs Paddles scored 10 for Eros Capecchi coming in twelfth place
Nederlandse slaghoedje fietsclub scored 10 for Eros Capecchi coming in twelfth place
Two Phat 1 scored 8 for Nicolas Roche coming in thirteenth place
Blinder scored 8 for Nicolas Roche coming in thirteenth place
The Nurse scored 8 for Nicolas Roche coming in thirteenth place
The Hamster scored 8 for Nicolas Roche coming in thirteenth place
The Condor scored 6 for Gerald Ciolek coming in forteenth place
Crash scored 6 for Gerald Ciolek coming in forteenth place
Team Bains Pain scored 6 for Gerald Ciolek coming in forteenth place
woozee scored 6 for Gerald Ciolek coming in forteenth place
Pap Tyres scored 4 for Martin Elmiger coming in fifteenth place
Cloggie Dockers scored 4 for Martin Elmiger coming in fifteenth place
Gobi scored 4 for Martin Elmiger coming in fifteenth place
Heather scored 20 for Alberto Contador Velasco leading the general classification
Sans Sommeil scored 20 for Alberto Contador Velasco leading the general classification
Harvey Norman scored 20 for Alberto Contador Velasco leading the general classification
St Pierre scored 20 for Alberto Contador Velasco leading the general classification
Technoboy scored 30 for Carlos Barredo Llamazales being the most aggressive rider today
Cloggie Dockers scored 30 for Carlos Barredo Llamazales being the most aggressive rider today
The Nurse scored 30 for Carlos Barredo Llamazales being the most aggressive rider today
Stuey scored 30 for Carlos Barredo Llamazales being the most aggressive rider today
After more than two weeks of late nights and laboring through those tiresome sprint stages (breakaway,catch,bunch sprint) to catch the finish and the podium action, what do we get last night during the race windup gab? Bloody Gabriel Gaté! Now this guy moved to Australia in 1977 and he still speaks in Inspector Clouseau English (ie there’s a berm in my rerm) I reckon he bungs it on….
Good stage last night, felt sorry for Barredo, but I suspect they were just playing with him.
Another stage without any points, going for a record run. I think there should be points for team with most riders in the gruppetto.
I know we all struggle when it comes to spelling “peloton” correctly, so here’s a tip for O’Dirty and anyone else struggling with this bit of essential terminology: the vowel sequence is the same as in “velo”.
I have heard Phil say some bizarre things over the years - his comment later in the day that watching Armstrong in the break was “witnessing he death-throes of a champion” is a great example. But early in the evening he really outdid himself. After a discussion of the low body-fat levels of pro cyclists he commented that “if you scrape the skin off the thighs of these guys you can see daylight through it”. Excuse me? Is this a fact he’s aware of courtesy of some strange team bus ritual or the product of a curious fantasy? I’m not sure which explanation I find more disturbing.
Even my mum in her 88th year can’t stomach Gabriel Gateaux, even though she did admit to being dragged to one of his book-signing lunches by a friend when I mentioned him the other day. Personally, I don’t think he’s French at all, just some bloke from Mudgee who bungs on a fake French accent and cleans up. (Although I confess to writing down the recipe for blueberry clafoutis which looks rather delicious…hmm embarrassed titter. The point is it’s not his recipe, it’s a classic French recipe demonstrated by a chef we don’t know the name of, which demonstrates the inanity of the whole celebrity chef thing.)
I was also bemused by the Phil-ism regarding the percentage of body fat and the thickness of skin. I had visions of Phil with a pair of callipers and the scrapings from some poor crash victim as they tried to remount. I have to agree - bizarre! Has Phil been performing his own experiments?
Am I allowed to moan about my crappy new team yet? Christian Vande Velde?!? I’d forgotten he’d ever been in the Tour, he got injured so early on.
Complain all you like, luckily I am here and can’t hear your whining. To make you feel better take a look at where I am!