T Mobile grabbed the Tour
 

by the short hairs.

Serhy Honchar, who the hell is he?

Geeze, Discovery let me down, and now the German Nazi squad is leading the way.

No, Gontchar doesn't have a chance in the GC. Tmobile won't work for Gontchar. They will work for Cloden.

I think the big winner is Landis today.

Hincapie has to be a bit disappointed.

Leipheimer let me down big-time. He must have bad form right now.

Gontchar was sort of a forgotten man. He did win the wqorlds ITT in 2000, so he had iut in him, and I think he benefitted from the earlier start (althoutgh I ahven't watched the race yet, as we actually went for a bike ride this morning).

Hincapie's result is actually not too bad. Just becasue everybody wants him to be Lance doesn't mean he can suddenly time trial. He has never been a great time trialist and his finish today is pretty consistent wuith past results. If anything, he has improved. He simply is not a GC guy. He will not do that well in the mountains, either. He might have a day or two where he does well, but he is not strong enough for everyday success. I would not be surprised to see Discovery ride for Popvych instead of Hincapie. Popo is the future, George is only good for selling magazines in the USA.

Levi was disappointing. This just goes to show that the Dauphine ain't the Tour de France. I thought he would do better. He will be lucky to finish in the top ten now, although he could. Some of the alpine stages are brutal and the peloton will string out. He coul;d get in with the lead group on sat the Col d'izoard or Alpe d'huez and end up pulling back a lto of his lost time. He will nto podium, however.

The guy that disappointed me was Dave Z. 13th place? He should have done better than that. He si not a climber or a sprinter so this is his show and he usually likes a longer course like this one. His finish is quite disappointing.

T-mobile is certainly dominating as a team but, as Mike Waters so eloquently put it in commenting on the KoM competition and predictions, Who cares?

Landis is the guy to beat right now. Evans, Menchiov and Kloeden are well situated. Mayo is in a bad spot. He will need to climb like a mountain goat (or a drug addled Pantani) to win this thing. Let's see if Landis can handle the lead.

Thank you Bobby
 

ALso, a moment of silence and a hearty hip hip hooray for the man that kept American in the racing headlines between Greg and Lance. Julich is a good guy and it is too bad that he is out.

Why does a guy abandon on the ITT?

Julich, because you have a bad crash and break things.

I'm rooting for Landis. I hear there is bad blood between Landis and Armstrong.

On OLN, they had asked Lance about Landis. His only reply was, "he is on the long list of people that could win the tour."

Note, he could have said short list, but said long list.

Lance is such a prick. I rooted for him. But he is and was a prick.

a partner of mine is active within the international biking community, knows these guys, says Lance is a jerk, but George is loved by all.

Landis has to be favorite right now. T Mobile is looking strong.

Discovery needs to recover from a lousy day.

He broke his wrist

Lance is way into loyalty and has not forgiven Landis for leaving USPS a few years back to go be "the man" at Phonak. There is probably more to that story, but I think that is the main issue. Not fair at all on Lance's part, since I recall Landis escorting Lance to the top of many a mountain in the Pyranees and Alps over the years. It appears that Landis is well positioned to take control, but I wonder if Phonak can give him the needed support.

As for Lance being a prick, I have no doubt he is. Just watching any interview of him shouts intensity, drive, and "my way or the highway." I'm not at all surprised his marriage didn't work out. Can you imagine being married to the guy? That said, I suspect being a prick played a big part in his recovery from cancer and winning seven in a row.

Lance is big-time into grudges, apparently.

He hates the place where he grew up and speaks poorly of it whenever he gets the chance (Plano, suburb of Dallas). Apparently he and his father aren't on speaking terms. His father was actually the grand marshal of one of the podunk rallies around here during the TdF. I think I have as good a chance of talkign to Lance on the phone as his father.

Lance is basically one-parent white-trash, who made the most of his situation, but due to his life, carries a lot of baggage.