A Look Ahead This is already the most exciting Tour I can remember, and we haven’t even entered the final week yet! The next 6 stages are, on paper anyway, the most important and most exciting of the Tour. After what we’ve seen so far I’m not sure they can live up to that, but…
Stage 16: Carpe Diem
Put fortune on your side, seize the day, and just go for it.
Stage 14 – Pressure & Expectations
Danielson never performed up to expectations, Voeckler has always exceeded expectations.
Stage 13 – The Unexpected
Sports are exciting because of what could happen – that’s why we watch, and that’s why we participate. Today was a nail-biter until the very end, and it was great. Thor’s entire ride today was unexpected, from first getting into the break, to attacking the break at the foot of one of the biggest mountains,…
Stage 12: The Importance of Pacing
Stage 12 The Importance of Pacing Today, as the race finally entered the big mountains, we had two great examples of the importance of pacing. Too often, cyclists, even the pros, blow up by trying to ride at a pace they cannot sustain. Hang around coaches, elite athletes, or even online message boards very long,…
Stage 11: Who’s Turn Is It, Anyway?
One of the more misunderstood concepts in cycling is whose responsibility it is to pull, or work at the front of the group. In today’s stage, it was primarily HTC doing the pace setting. Let’s look at why this was their responsibility today, and why the other teams did not contribute. There should always be…
Stage 10: Wow
What an exciting finish. Bravo to Voeckler for staying aggressive even with the leader’s jersey. It’s beautiful to see someone just go for it, heart and soul. To be sure, we watch the Tour to be entertained, but today we were inspired as well. Did anyone with a pulse not feel their heart jump when…
Stage 9
I rarely find myself at a loss for words, but today I am simply stunned by Stage 9. This Tour continues to be brutal. If anything good can come of these crashes, let it be that we all are more careful and look out for one another. Let’s look at two take-aways from today’s stage….
Stage 8: Thunder
In Norse mythology, Thor is the god of thunder, oak trees, and strength. Today, Thor Hushovd lived up to his name. They say that having the yellow jersey gives you extra strength; I wonder if being named after a god does, too? In case you don’t know, Hushovd is a sprinter; a man for the…
Stage 7: Concussions
Chris Horner is among my favorite riders to watch. He’s just a blue collar stiff who puts his nose to the grind stone and gets things done. He’s not polished, he’s not pretty or even particularly well-spoken. He likes to eat at McDonalds and tell things like they are. He’s the Kelly Pavlik of the…