Tour de France Stage 20

Route: Marcoussis - Paris
Riders remaining: 141
Distance: 146 km
Climbs:
- Côte de Saint-Rémy-les-Chevreuse 4 category
- Côte de Châteaufort 4 category

As usual, the last day of racing was congenial for the riders who made it through three weeks of mountains and flats, crashes and breakdowns, victories and disappointments; yet, the weather must have somewhat more unwelcoming as many of the competitors could be seen wearing jackets and long-sleeved jerseys. Keeping with tradition, the early part of the final day of this most famous of cycling’s Grand Tours provided a bit of attitudinal respite from the contests of the days just past. The maillot jaune enjoyed a glass of champagne; the guys who had gone head-to-head for almost a month chatted with each other about their favorite part of the event; and some of the competitors even got a little goofy, donning cartoon character masks and the like. I guess three weeks of torture on a bicycle is bound to make some people a bit loopy. I certainly couldn’t attest to my sanity after such an effort.

Still, when the peloton hit the Champs Elysees, the heat of competition returned. With nine laps around a course predetermined by Tour de France history, the sprinters went all out for those last few points, and that unknown rider broke away to gain himself (and his team) some recognition, all while the yellow jersey just worked attentively to get home safely.

Thank goodness 2007 was a year without rain on the famed route to the finish. Since the lap portion of the final approach takes place on cobblestone roads, precipitation is the last thing anyone wants, most especially the riders. The pavement becomes like ice and it takes every ounce of concentration to stay upright and uninjured. This year, the young winner of the Tour de France, Alberto Contador, arrived unscathed, beaming with joy at what could only be a dream come true.

So, the race is now over; July is coming to an end; and the cyclists will relax, at least for a few days, before looking ahead to the Vuelta a Espana and the World Championships. September and October are looming on the horizon. The time to prepare has arrived (for homeschoolers as well as for athletes).

Note from Stage 19: I learned from commentary today that the problem with David Millar’s time trial bike yesterday was not his chain, but the carbon fibers associated with his tires. Apparently, they shredded as Mr. Millar began to ride. It all sounds a bit technical to me. Supposedly, the phenomenon is quite rare. Unusual or not, the cyclist considered it an ill-timed marvel.

Team Discovery Channel status
The men without a sponsor for the 2008 racing season turned in what could only be described as the best performance in the history of the team, even though Lance Armstrong was not there. With two men in the top three overall podium positions (Alberto Contador and Levi Leipheimer) and another in eighth place (Yaroslav Popovych), plus acquisition of the team prize, no one could effectively argue that Discovery Channel was not the strongest team in the race. They were wonderful to watch, not just per their competitive tactics but also per their attitude. The men consistently demonstrated quality sportsmanship, teamwork, and humility, all while zealously pursuing their main goal: put one of their own in the yellow jersey. In the end, they accomplished what they set out to do…and then some. I, for one, cannot wait until next year. Hopefully, someone will step forward to underwrite the team and their racing efforts.

Yesterday, I posted what were the final results for Team Discovery Channel after the Stage 19 individual time trial. The official end-or-Tour outcome was unchanged.

General classification:
- 1st place (Alberto Contador)
- 3rd place (Levi Leipheimer)
- 8th place (Yaroslav Popovych)

Team competition:
1st place (by almost 20 minutes)

Youth classification:
- 1st place (Alberto Contador)
- 8th place (Vladimir Gusev)

King of the Mountains competition:
- 2nd place (Alberto Contador)
- 3rd place (Yaroslav Popovych)
- 9th place (Levi Leipheimer)

Sprint competition:
- 10th place (Alberto Contador)

Race Withdrawals Stage 20
- None

Tour de France Stage 19

Route: Cognac - Angoulême
Riders remaining: 141
Distance: 55.5 km
Climbs: None

I love the last individual time trial of the Tour de France. It is so full of suspense and never disappoints for viewing, especially if it is raining. Fortunately, no precipitation was evident on the road today, although the sky looked a little threatening as the day wore on. Also fortunate: most of the riders had a tailwind.

As with the flat stages of the Tour, the time trial can be a little dull while viewers wait for the “big names” to leave the start house. The riders in the top thirty or so places overall are the ones to watch. Usually approaching speeds around 30 mph, these guys just tear up the road as they charge all-out for a finish line that is often more than an hour away. Well, today was no exception and, with three men separated by less than three minutes on the top of the leader board, the race delivered the action.

The men of the hour were certainly the top three contenders for the overall lead in the race: Alberto Contador, Cadel Evans, and Levi Leipheimer. They all must have been inspired because they all rode beautifully, each one maintaining his position in the General Classification. Personally, I enjoyed watching Mr. Leipheimer the most, although the live coverage didn’t feature him quite as much as Evans, the Australian. I am sure the appearance of Lance Armstrong in the warm-up area, and his presence in one of the team cars, had a lot to do with the motivation level of Team Discovery Channel. Alberto Contador has stated in the past that Armstrong is his hero. Talk about a dream come true: return to professional cycling after a cerebral hemorrhage puts a titanium plate in your head, ride on the team of your personal hero, and win the Tour de France while that hero is watching you clinch your victory. I imagine Alberto Contador thinks life doesn’t get any better than that.

As far as I could tell from the coverage, no one crashed (unlike the first individual time trial a week ago where several competitors hit the deck). Poor David Millar had some mechanical difficulties immediately upon starting his turn at the course. The chain all but exploded off his bike because of the power he was putting into his pedal strokes at the beginning of his ride. Mr. Millar changed bikes, only to have that machine fail as well. Finally, the third bike of the day behaved normally to put the cyclist on his way. What a frustrating day for the man from Great Britain.

Team Discovery Channel status
What can I say about the guys from Team Discovery Channel? What can anyone say? Except, perhaps, amazing. With four men (half their team!) in the top ten of the final time trial of the Tour de France, they are, without question, the strongest team in the race. Levi Leipheimer turned in the ride of his life, as I had hoped, finishing with the fourth fastest time trial in Tour history. Average speed: just over 53 km/hour (that’s ~32 mph for Americans). More impressive still was his reaction to the victory of his teammate, Alberto Contador, the youngster who, to some, outshone Mr. Leipheimer throughout the three-week race. Quoting from a Yahoo! Sports article:

“When I saw Cadel [Evans] had finished eight seconds ahead of me, then I was really hoping for Alberto. I was in the camper (van), shouting at the television for him to win. I’m as happy for him to win the Tour as for me to win today.”

Confession: I, too, was shouting at my television. This is what Levi had to say about his own stage win:

“It’s been a lifelong dream for me to win a stage on the Tour de France. I’m honestly very happy for Alberto. I didn’t really think I could win today. I started to hope only towards the end.”

Well, I am glad he hoped and I am glad he won the stage. Congratulations, Levi!

Final time trial results for the entire Discovery Channel squad:
- Levi Leiphiemer 1st place
- Yaroslav Popovych 4th place
- Alberto Contador 5th place
- George Hincapie 7th place
- Sergio Paulinho 25th place
- Vladimir Gusev 77th place
- Egoi Martinez 84th place
- Benjamin Noval 117th place

As if that wasn’t impressive enough, look at the standings of Team Discovery Channel in all the Tour de France contests:

General classification:
- 1st place (Alberto Contador)
- 3rd place (Levi Leipheimer)
- 8th place (Yaroslav Popovych)

Team competition:
1st place (by almost 20 minutes)

Youth classification:
- 1st place (Alberto Contador)
- 8th place (Vladimir Gusev)

King of the Mountains competition:
- 2nd place (Alberto Contador)
- 3rd place (Yaroslav Popovych)
- 9th place (Levi Leipheimer)

Sprint competition:
- 10th place (Alberto Contador)

And remember, in this last contest, they weren’t even trying! After results like these, if the men in the Planet Earth jerseys, who drive a “green” car and don’t take drugs, can’t find a sponsor, something is very wrong in the universe.

Race Withdrawals Stage 19
- None

Tour de France Stage 18

Route: Cahors - Angoulême
Riders remaining: 141
Distance: 211 km
Climbs:
- Côte de Salvezou 1.3 kn; 6.5%; 4 category
- Côte de Lavercantière 1.2 km; 5.9%; 4 category
- Côte de Saint-Martial-de-Nabirat 1.5 km; 4.3%; 4 category
- Côte de Saint-Cyprien 2.8 km; 4.9%; 4 category

What a day for redemption! Sandy Casar of Team Francaise de Jeux saved the day for the Tour and for the fans. After being involved in a crash with an unleashed dog and his fellow competitor, Frederik Willems of Team Liquigas, the injured Casar rode to his first ever Tour de France victory. As part of an escape group that went ahead of the peloton at around the 17 km mark, Mr. Casar rode almost 195 km with four other men, every one of them hoping for a stage win: Michael Boogerd of Team Rabobank, Axel Merckx for Team T-Mobile, and Laurent Lefevre of Team Bouygous Telecom. In the end, the day belonged to a Frenchman, but Casar made certain he thanked his comrades for the gentlemanly behavior they demonstrated in slowing up and waiting for him after that little mix-up with the canine.

The crash was quite a sight to see. Sandy Casar must have gone down at a fairly high rate of speed since he slid a bit when he hit the deck. Mr. Willems did the same. The dog, rest assured, was unhurt and appeared to be collected by its owner shortly after the incident. For video of the mishap, visit this page on the Versus Channel, jump to Stage 18, and click on “Casar Crash With Dog.” This is what the cyclist shared with Yahoo! Sports about the episode:

I had a disaster early on, with the fall caused by a dog. At that moment I thought it was finished. I really fell heavily, my bike was broken, my shoulder hurt. But everybody supported me, both in medical cars and the public.

This is what he had to say about the stage win:

At the end, when I saw the others coming back, I thought I had blown it. But as I was in front, I had to stay there. I said to myself if you’re going to lose, lose by attacking. I didn’t want to wait for the others attack, as that’s what happened in Marseille where I was beaten. This is the victory I have been waiting for.

Congratulations, Mr. Casar for a well-deserved win!

Team Discovery Channel status
Team Discovery Channel was, once again, at the front of the peloton, setting the pace as is customary for the mates of the yellow jersey. Again, the guys looked great and rode smart. Alberto Contador had a bit of trouble at the end when an unexpected acceleration at the line ate three seconds out of his lead over Cadel Evans. Phil Liggett mentioned that allowing even that tiny advantage was a sign of inexperience. Probably so. I might chalk it up to exhaustion after three weeks of racing. However, I will defer to Mr. Liggett on the matter, as he definitely knows more than I about the Tour de France and bicycle racing (among other things).

Looking ahead, my hope for the individual time trial is that Levi Leipheimer can put in the ride of his life and take the yellow jersey off the back of his teammate. I know it isn’t seemly per team moral and all, but I would like the captain of Team Discovery Channel to win the Tour. It would be the crowning achievement to a year that, for him, has already yielded three time trial victories and the championship of the Tour of California. If he can’t (or doesn’t) win the top prize in France, I suppose a podium finish would the next best thing. Once thing is certain, whatever placing Mr. Leipheimer achieves, I am sure he will accomplish it with great class and professionalism, as always.

General Classification standings of individual Discovery Channel riders:
- Alberto Contador 1st place
- Levi Leipheimer 3rd place
- Yaroslav Popovych 8th place
- George Hincapie 24th place
- Valdimir Gusev 38th place
- Egoi Martinez 61st place
- Sergio Paulinho 66th place
- Benjamin Noval 115th place

Clearly, half the team is in the top thirty overall, with a quarter of the team in the top three. See why I love to watch these guys race?

Race Withdrawals Stage 18
- None

Tour de France Stage 17

Route: Pau - Castelsarrasin
Riders remaining: 150
Distance: 188.5 km
Climbs:
- Côte de Baleix 1.4 km; 8.0 %; 3 category
- Côte de Villecomtal 3.7 km; 4.3%; 4 category
- Côte de Miélan 1.4 km; 5.4%; 4 category
- Côte de Sainte-Dode-aux-Croix 2.0 km; 5.0%; 4 category
- Côte de Theux 1.4 km; 6.4%; 4 category
- Cote de la Montagnére 1.4 km; 5.3%; 4 category

With the mountains behind them, the sprinters were breathing a sigh of relief today, ready to challenge the first flat stage in a while. Slightly undulating at the beginning, the road eventually evened out for a quick run to the line. As far as excitement, these level stages often lack the interest of the Pyrenees or the Alps, but with the drug scandals and roadside bombs of the last few days, the attraction of viewing was definitely high at my house. Not so much to see what would happen next, but to have our faith in cycling restored by the competitors who remain.

And restore it they did, at least for this fan. Alberto Contador of Team Discovery Channel refused to wear the maillot jaune until he had earned it with a day of racing. Plus, statements like this indicated frustration by many over both the alleged and the admitted substance abuse violations of the past few days:

“Five people have spoiled it out of nearly 200 guys who started in London, so it is a minority…” --- Bradley Wiggins (Great Britain), Team Cofidis

“It’s 2007, everyone’s accessible by cell phone, e-mail or Blackberry…I declared where I was 365 days a year. Everybody has to play by the same rules.” --- Lance Armstrong in a telephone interview with Forbes magazine, referring to the accusation that Michael Rasmussen failed to notify the UCI of his whereabouts during training.

So as not to forget the actual status of the race: Daniele Bennati of Team Lampre conquered Stage 17 after besting a breakaway group that had been ahead of the peloton most of the day. Others in the leading group: Markus Fothen of Team Gerolsteiner, Martin Elmiger of Team Ag2R Prevoyance, and Jens Voigt of Team CSC.

Team Discovery Channel status
With the “virtual” yellow jersey on their team, the “Disco Boys” stepped up to the plate and led the peloton for the better part of the day. It was great to see them all at the front of the bunch, riding together in support of Alberto Contador, much like the team used to pedal as one for Lance Armstrong.

Mr. Contador has had quite the Tour de France, what with being propelled into first place by unusual circumstances rather than through his own effort and the efforts of his teammates, although his demonstrated talent had him in second place overall before the explusion of Michael Rasmussen, the former maillot jaune from Team Rabobank. Contador also sits in first place for the youth classification award and in second place for the King of the Mountains competition.

As for the others, they can all claim congratulations for putting Discovery Channel in first place in the team competition. Hopefully, success in that arena will bring them a much-needed sponsor now that their contract with the television network is set to expire at the end of the season. With podium finishes looming on the horizon in no less than three of the five Tour competitions, I cannot imagine the former U.S. Postal franchise/current Discovery Channel team searching long for supporters. Then again, this is the world of cycling where life can change at the drop of a hat…or the turn of a wheel.

Race Withdrawals Stage 17
As the Tour de France weathers the current doping scandal, more riders were added to the withdrawal list today. Among them, the race leader and the members of Team Cofidis:

- Michael Rasmussen (Denmark)
- Denis Menchov (Russia)
- Sylvain Chavanel (France)
- Stéphane Auge (France)
- Cristian Moreni (Italy)
- Nick Nuyens (Belgium)
- Staf Scheirlinckx (Belgium)
- Rick Verbrugghe (Belgium)
- Bradley Wiggins (Great Britain)

Race Trivia
- The Saunier Duval team has sponsored a project to plant trees in Mali. One sapling will be donated for every kilometer raced as part of an escape group during the Tour de France.

I Want That!

Hearth Song has a new toy --- a remote control boa constrictor.* How do I know this? Their catalog arrived in my mailbox this afternoon. Perusing through the pages of new items, I found this description:

Send this beaming boa slithering hither and thither on teeny reptilian wheels. Red eyes aglow, this serpent’s scaly segments slide shiveringly as you guide it glidingly in four directions.

As an anti-snake fan and a rather permanent resident of the anti-serpent corner of the world, I want to know who invented this toy? Did some Voldemort fan that loves his slimy, slippery friend Nagini engineer it? Or did some father who likes to frighten his wife build it for his kids? I’m more inclined toward the latter speculation as the catalog shows a little boy operating the ophidian.

When I showed the catalog to my seventeen-year-old daughter, her first response was, “I want that!” This statement was, of course, followed by a sinister little chuckle. I know why she wants that; so she can torture me with it. Hither and thither the snake will go. Do you know what those two words mean?

Hither: to or toward this place
Thither: to or toward that place

So to this place and that place the serpent will go…until it finds an unsuspecting mother to ambush. I can’t wait.

*Snake and remote each require 2 AA batteries that are not included.

Terrorists Too?!

As if the Tour de France did not have enough problems this week with drug scandals and massive team withdrawals, now they have to worry about terrorists, too? Apparently, during Stage 16 of the race, two bombs went off along the race route in Belagua, Spain, a small town in the northern part of the country. Thankfully, no one was injured, and the race was not affected. The explosive devices were placed under a tree on the bluffs overlooking the road and were detonated before the cyclists ever passed through the area.

ETA (or Euskadi ta Askatasuna, meaning “Basque Homeland and Freedom”), a Basque separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attacks. The group has targeted the Tour before, all in an effort to draw attention to their campaign for an independent Basque homeland in northern Spain and southwestern France. Until last month, ETA had agreed to a cease-fire while conducting peace talks with the Spanish government. Frustration with that process, however, led to a recent cancellation of that cease-fire agreement.

See how much you can learn about the world while watching a bike race?

Not Again…and Again…and Again!!!

Tuesday was a rest day for the riders in the Tour de France. Mind you, they didn’t actually rest the way you and I would picture resting. No, their idea of resting was probably to go out and ride bikes for a few hours. Certainly, their idea of resting was not to endure reporters’ questions, room searches, and police investigations; yet, that is exactly what they got after a blood sample from Alexander Vinokourov came back positive for homologous blood doping. For an article explaining this, click here.

I was so hoping this kind of behavior was behind the Tour de France, especially since all the riders competing this year were required to sign a Riders Commitment, stating that they were drug-free and that they intended to remain drug-free. The document also included a pledge that if they were caught doping, their entire annual salary would go to the campaign against substance abuse in cycling. I don’t know about anyone else, but if my entire annual salary were up for grabs over doping, I would think twice about taking so much as an aspirin.

While it is important to remember that, under American law (which, of course, is not the governing authority in this situation), a person accused of an offense is considered innocent until proven guilty, at least one current Tour de France competitor, David Millar of Team Saunier Duval, had an opinion about the matter, quoting from an article in Cycling News:

“That is a surprise. I don’t know what to say,” a shocked Millar stated. “Vino is one of my favourite riders. He is a guy of class. Given what we have done, with our current situation, we may as well pack our bags and go home,” continued the Scot. …After a minute of reflection, he clarified, “No, I don’t believe the Tour should stop here…”

Mr. Vinokourov insists he is innocent and, like Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton before him, the case will take months to sort out. Yet, if the truth lies in a confession of doping, then Vinokourov risked a lot…and lost. Just one day after his Stage 13 time trial win, it was reported on live race coverage that Astana would sponsor the cycling team with the riders from Kazakhstan for ten more years and that, if he so chose, Mr. Vinokourov could be the team manager. A decade of financial support and a dream job vs. a stage win in the Tour de France; the gamble was definitely NOT worth it.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, this afternoon (Wednesday), Tour de France officials announced a second positive doping test, this time from Cristian Moreni of Team Cofidis after Stage 11 of the race. Mr. Moreni, who admitted his wrongdoing immediately, was lead away by police and did not ask for his B-sample to be tested. Like Vinokourov, his team is now out of the competition.

What were these guys thinking? Urine tests are conducted daily on a random sampling of riders from the entire peloton, plus the race leader, and the stage winner. I suppose I can understand the temptation for Alexander Vinokourov to engage in substance abuse, especially if he thought it might put him back in contention for a podium finish, but what possible advantage could Cristian Moreni gain by doping? He was 58th in the overall standings after Stage 15. No drug in the world would have helped him make up the one hour, 34 minute, and 45 second deficit he had to race leader, Michael Rasmussen. That would have taken a miracle, not a performance-enhancing substance like testosterone.

Adding even more insult to the aforementioned injuries was the late-breaking news on Wednesday night that the tour leader, Michael Rasmussen, would not be returning to the Tour de France for Thursday’s start. Team Rabobank, in a stunning decision, withdrew their lead cyclist from the race, citing violation of internal policies:

“He broke team rules,” a spokesman for Rabobank said. “It is not certain if the team will continue in the race.” Rabobank team director Theo de Rooy was more specific. “ On several occasions, he claimed he was training, and that was a lie,” de Rooy said.

Mr. Rasmussen is accused of telling his team that he was in Mexico when, in actuality, he was training in the Italian mountains. Why is that a problem? Professional cyclists who participate in the UCI ProTour are required to make their whereabouts known so that they are available for out-of-competition random drug testing at any time. The UCI drug officials and Team Rabobank claim that Michael Rasmussen failed to do this.

So what do all these developments mean to the overall standings in the Tour de France? It leaves Alberto Contador of Team Discovery Channel in first place, Cadel Evans of Team Predictor-Lotto in second, and Levi Leipheimer, also from Discovery Channel, in third. Not exactly the way two riders from the only American team in the race would have wanted to take the lead but, nonetheless, it is now theirs. Let’s just pray that the next four days are uneventful.

Tour de France Stage 16

Route: Orthez – Gourette-Col d’Aubisque
Riders remaining: 160
Distance: 218.5 km
Climbs:
- Port de Larrau 14.7 km; 8.1%; H category
- Alto Laza 3.5 km; 6.8%; 3 category
- Col de la Pierre-Saint-Martin 14.2 km; 5.2%; 1 category
- Col de Marie-Blanque 9.3 km; 7.4 %; 1 category
- Col d’Aubisque 16.7 km; 7.0%; H category

I missed HUGE chunks of the race today due to a power outage that lasted for several hours in my part of town. Thankfully, most of the food in my refrigerator survived, but not my ability to report on the Tour de France. I was able to catch the last few kilometers, though, and what a treat for this cycling fan! To watch Levi Leipheimer and Alberto Contador take on the maillot jaune on the last climb was impressive, and not just from the perspective of physical competition. For a seasoned professional like Leipheimer to demonstrate utter humility by stepping into the role of domestique for a man almost ten years his junior was an example for all of us. I’m sure Mr. Leipheimer had his own goals for the Tour de France, especially since he came to the race as the captain of Team Discovery Channel. Yet, circumstances on the road to Paris have dictated a new plan for the team --- support of Contador as the best hope for a podium finish. Unfortunate for Levi, at the moment, but the Tour de France never stays the same for more than a few hours. Tomorrow is another day, with another shot at victory and time bonuses.

Team Discovery Channel status
Obviously, the “Disco Boys” looked great on the slopes of the Col d-Aubisque, coming in second and third on the stage. Alberto Contador remains in second place, just over three minutes behind Michael Rasmussen, while Levi Leipheimer is in fourth position overall. Not often mentioned is the fact that Yaroslav Popovych is also in ninth place. With three men so highly placed in the General Classification competition, is it any wonder that Team Discovery Channel also holds the lead in the team contest? Not really.

Even though it looks like the men in the Planet Earth jerseys will fall short of putting an American in the overall lead by the end of the 2007 Tour de France, they will definitely garner a podium finish for Contador. It would be great to see a third place win for Leipheimer as well. The final individual time trial will be the deciding factor.

Race Withdrawals Stage 16
The number of race withdrawals was high due to the departure of Team Astana. Joining the list of riders who are no longer competing:

- Paolo Savoldelli (Italy)
- Gregory Rast (Switzerland)
- Daniel Navarro (Spain)
- Andréas Kloden (Germany)
- Andrey Kashechkin (Kazakhstan)
- Serguei Ivanov (Russia)
- Maxim Iglinskiy (Kazakhstan)
- Antonio Colom (Spain)
- Alexander Vinokourov (Kazakhstan)
- Matthieu Sprinck (France)

Tour de France Stage 15

Route: Foix – Loudenvielle-Le Louron
Riders remaining: 165
Distance: 196 km
Climbs:
- Col de Port 11.4 km; 5.3%; 2 category
- Col de Portet ‘Aspet 5.7 km; 6/9%; 2 category
- Col de Menté 7 km; 8.1%; 1 category
- Port de Balés 19.2 km; 6.2%; H category
- Col de Peyresourde 9.7 km; 7.8%; 1 category

Monday is cleaning day at my house with breakfast out at a local restaurant when the chores are done, so I didn’t tune in to race coverage until the bottom of the third climb. From a quick perusal of the newsflashes, it seems I missed a few attacks and at least one crash involving Christophe Le Mevel of Team Credit Agricole and Inigo Isasi of Team Euskaltel Euskadi. It also looked like some early escapees eventually organized themselves into a group of twenty-five that stayed in front until the slopes of the new Tour ascent, Port de Balés.

The weather was classic “Pyrenees,” with fog at the summit of the debut climb. I enjoy watching the Tour de France when the clouds move in. The landscape is so intriguing when covered by passing shadows and the race seems more mysterious as spectators wait for their favorite cyclists to emerge from the mist. The scenery is breathtaking on television; I can only imagine how much better it is in person.

Alexander Vinokourov was, again, the talk of the town. Having done well in the time trial on Stage 13 and having fallen back so far on Stage 14, I suppose I should have expected a redemptive ride, but I never anticipated a solitary charge for the line. The strategy worked; Mr. Vinokourov won the race; and brought himself back into the top ten overall.

The other hot topic of discussion was Alberto Contador. Once again, he played “cat and mouse” with Michael Rasmussen in the closing kilometers of the race, a tactic I thought he employed on purpose in order to deal a psychological blow to the maillot jaune. Apparently not, according to an interview that was posted on the Tour de France website. Quoting Mr. Contador:

It was a good day for me. It turned out to be a spectacular stage and I wanted to manage a good place. Other than what happened in front, it ended well for me. I tried to attack and I hoped to be able to drop Rasmussen but he continues to prove that he’s really strong. Each time I attacked he was able to come back to me, but I have to take inspiration from the two days because we have taken time out of the time trial specialists.

With two days in the Pyrenees leading to a Contador-Rasmussen showdown, I would expect a third day in the mountains to yield a similar result. We shall see.

Team Discovery Channel status
Once again, the men in the Planet Earth jerseys proved themselves to be the strongest in the race. Not only do they have two men in the top five places overall, Alberto Contador in second and Levi Leipheimer in fourth, they currently lead the team competition. No wonder. It was obvious on the last climb that Team Discovery Channel has power. With half the squad remaining to support Levi, their team leader, into the final kilometers, the “Disco Boys” were able to isolate Michael Rasmussen from all but one of his domestiques, and they eventually cracked that man as well. Still, no one can rest on their laurels until the finish line in Paris.

Unrelated to anything except, I suppose, team moral, listen to what the wearer of the white “youth” jersey, Alberto Contador, had to say about Team Discovery Channel and his opportunity to ride with them:

This is my first Tour and it was meant to be a learning experience, but I’ve had great support from my team. It’s an honor to ride for Discovery Channel because I always admired the way they controlled the race. My hero is Lance Armstrong because of the way he won seven Tours but also because of the way he beat cancer. I had an operation on my brain a few years ago and there was a lot of doubt about how I would be, but now I’m back on the bike and that’s when I’m happiest.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I like his attitude so far. Let’s hope he can stay on the right track as he matures in his cycling career.

Race Withdrawals Stage 15
- Philippe Gilbert (Belgium)
- Filippo Pozzato (Italy)
- Christophe Le Mevel (France)
- Cyril Dessel (France)
- Fred Rodriguez (USA)

Land Sickness

Every morning, in my online mailbox, I receive a message from the wellness website of Dr. Andrew Weil, MD. Generally in these mailings, the doctor addresses a question sent to him by on online member. Recently, an inquiry was made about “land sickness.” Being the wife of a retired Navy man, I knew about “sea legs,” but I never knew about this phenomenon. Here is a definition from the Mal de Debarquement Syndrome website:

Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (or MdDS) is an imbalance or rocking/swaying sensation often both “felt” and “seen” by the sufferer that occurs after exposure to motion (most commonly after a sea cruise or a flight). Although other forms of travel have been known to trigger it.

After alighting or “debarking” (debarquement), the traveler continues to feel “all at sea,” unable to get their land legs back. Although most travelers can identify with this feeling and do actually experience it temporarily after disembarking, unfortunately in the case of MdDS sufferers it can persist for many weeks, months, even years afterwards.

The symptoms are with you constantly, they never leave, nor can they be alleviated by any anti-motion sickness drugs. “Like trying to constantly walk on a mattress or a trampoline,” is a good description of the main symptom, which is usually most pronounced when the patient is sitting still; in fact, the sensations are usually minimized by actual motion, for example driving.

According to Dr. Weil, the cause of Mal de Debarquement Syndrome is unknown; no medical test exists to diagnose the condition; and there is no cure. Research is ongoing, however, so there is hope that more information about the disorder will come to light over time. Until then, sufferers may want to investigate treatment options in both the traditional and natural medical fields.

Monday Morning Drive

My husband and my daughter reminded me that I should share this story.

As usual, at ~5:30 AM on Monday morning, I drove my husband to work so that I could have the car for the day (yes, we are down to one car again, but that is fodder for another blog entry). Being the bundle of energy that I am at dawn, I brushed my teeth, “visited the ladies room,” and combed my hair before leaving the house. Notice I didn’t say changed out of my sweatpants (which, by the way, are at least one size too big), put on makeup, or took a shower. Nope. Who was going to see me anyway? The other zombies who were traveling to the base? Hardly. I would be sitting in my car. Not to worry. Plus, I needed to get to the base, drive back home, run through the shower, and eat breakfast, all before the Tour de France coverage started at 7:30 AM. A quick trip was paramount.

Well, I should have known better than to think thoughts relating to speed, efficiency, or timeliness. To do so is tantamount to marshalling the forces of evil in full array against your goal. The first setback occurred when my darling spouse realized he had forgotten his badge holder that contained all his identifying information and licenses. He couldn’t get on the base, or anywhere else he needed to work, without that item, so back home we went. Twenty minutes roundtrip.

On a second approach to the base, my car was chosen for a “vehicle inspection.” For those of you who do not frequent a military installation, that is code for “drug check” or “terrorist check.” I haven’t been the proud and ecstatic winner of the vehicle inspection lottery since I was twenty-six years old and living in San Diego. Without divulging details for the sake of security, suffice it to say that having my car inspected meant I had to exit my Mazda and stand in full view of everyone entering the base while this assessment activity was occurring. So much for the who-would-see-me-anyway theory.

I suppose two vehicle inspections in 19 years isn’t a big deal, but they were both most inconveniently timed. Tell me, those of you out there in cyberspace who work for the military police, are you trained to recognize citizens who are in a hurry? Or those of us who are not yet “gussied up” for the day? Was I wearing a large pulsing clock atop my unwashed head of hair? In the words of Ray Barone, “Tell me, so I will know.”

The Up & the Down in My Hometown

THE UP
Kudos to the Martin County Historical Society for publishing Chain of Lakes Country: An Illustrated History of Martin County. As part of the local sesquicentennial celebration (or 150-year anniversary), this local group organized a book committee and asked one of my retired English teachers to pen the text. The hardcover volume interweaves moments and characters from my childhood home, Martin County, Minnesota, with the history of the state and the nation. Since Katherine the Great is such a history/genealogy fan and appreciates historical preservation efforts, I am sure she will enjoy reading a copy. Available in August for only $37.22, I plan to order mine soon.

THE DOWN
As if to maintain some sort of cosmic balance (or to counteract the awesome act of preserving local history that I mentioned above), the Fairmont City Council approved a local ordinance allowing businesses to sell wine, liquor, and strong beer on Sunday mornings beginning at 10:00 AM. So, the next time I go home for a visit, I will be able to skip church and have a drink instead. Thank you, community leaders and role models for giving families one more competitor in the marketplace for church attendance!

Truth be told, the local board did nothing more than follow the lead of the Minnesota State Legislature (the real culprit in this situation) who passed a statute permitting alcohol to be sold in the early morning hours of the Sabbath. Still, when the city voters passed a referendum about liquor sales on Sunday, the time they approved was 12:00 noon. Why didn’t the City Council honor the “voice of the people” and leave the time alone?

Perhaps these community leaders (and possibly the Minnesota state legislators) need to read the 243-page, March 2007 report from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) entitled Wasting the Best and the Brightest: Substance Abuse at America’s Colleges and Universities (to download a pdf copy, click here). Here is just a sampling of statistics from the introduction alone, along with some quotes from CASA Chairman and President, Joseph A. Califano, Jr.:

This report…reveals an alarming public health crisis on college campuses across the nation. Since CASA’s Commission on Substance Abuse at Colleges and Universities first examined substance use and abuse among college students in 1993 and 1994, the situation on America’s campuses has deteriorated. Accepting as inevitable this culture of alcohol and other drug abuse threatens not only the present well being of millions of college students, but also the future capacity of our nation to maintain its leadership in a fiercely competitive global economy.

- Each month, half (49.4 percent) of all full-time college students ages 18-22 binge drink, abuse prescription drugs and/or abuse illegal drugs.

- From 1993 to 2005, there has been no significant decline in the proportion of students who drink (70 to 68 percent) and binge drink (40 to 40 percent). Even more troubling, rates of excessive drinking have jumped. From 1993 to 2001 the proportion of students who:

• binge drink frequently (three or more times in the past two weeks) is up 16 percent.
• drink on 10 or more occasions in the past month is up 25 percent.
• get drunk three or more times in the past month is up 26 percent.
• drink to get drunk is up 21 percent.

Further on in the introduction of the report is this statement:

It is time to take the “high” out of higher education. … But school administrators cannot do it alone. This growing public health crisis reflects today’s society where students are socialized to consider substance abuse a harmless rite of passage and to medicate every ill. To change this culture, college and university presidents will need help…

Thank you, Fairmont City Council for NOT assisting in this effort.

Live Impact Score = 279

While watching the live coverage of the Tour de France this year, my daughter and I have been pummeled by commercials for Esurance® Auto Insurance. I’m sure you know the ones…with the secret agent girl. Anyway, one of the advertisements asked viewers to visit the Esurance® website to determine their carbon footprint. Curious, the other day (during a particularly quiet spot in the race), I decided to compute my impact on the environment. In a possible range from 150-900, my family came in at a whopping 279. I thought that was pretty good. Actually, it was much better than I expected. I guess all that recycling is worth it. Now, if I could just remember to turn off my lights more often, I could leave an even smaller mark on the planet. That’s quite a goal: to reduce your influence on the world.

If you would like to compute your own carbon footprint, visit www.esurance.com/sos.

Tour de France Stage 14

Route: Mazamet – Plateau de Beille
Riders remaining: 165
Distance: 197 km
Climbs:
- Côte de Saint-Sarraille 9.0 km; 5.3%; 2 category
- Port d Pailhères 16.8 km; 7.2%; H category
- Plateau-de-Beille 15.9 km; 7.9%; H category

What gorgeous weather, and what gorgeous scenery, for the first day in the Pyrenees. The early morning temperatures must have been chilly since all the Versus Channel commentators were wearing jackets and talking about the gale force winds at the summit of Plateau-de-Beille. Cycling reporters also mentioned that it wasn’t unusual, even in July, to see snow in the higher altitudes of the Pyrenees. Talk about “upsetting the apple cart.” Snow could certainly do that. A day of great racing could also turn things ‘round the wrong way, and that is exactly what happened on Stage 14.

With three climbs in the profile, two “beyond categorization,” attacks were to be expected…early and often, and that is exactly what transpired. Most of these excursions away from the peloton were reeled in quickly, although one group of escapees managed a lead of eleven minutes at one point. The picture of a lone rider forging ahead was not to be, however. Instead, an elite group of overall leaders eventually materialized, men who marked and paced each other until the last climb.

After a hasty descent off the Port de Pailhères (at speeds approaching 60 mph), the “group maillot jaune” hit the slopes of Plateau-de-Beille. With Michael Rasmussen and the Rabobank boys setting a tough pace, the “weaker” competitors steadily dropped away, men like Iban Mayo, Haimar Zubeldia, Alejandro Valverde, and Oscar Pereiro. Eventually, when the pack of strong men consisted of only the top five riders in the Tour de France, Alberto Contador and Michael Rasmussen began a game of “cat and mouse” that lasted into the final stretch. Alberto Contador won the game…at least today. Showing incredible mental and physical stamina, Mr. Contador demonstrated that he is a considerable threat to Michael Rasmussen, one that the yellow jersey dare not ignore.

Saddest sight of the day: Alexander Vinokourov, after such an impressive time trial ride, came in almost thirty minutes behind Alberto Contador. To his credit, Mr. Vinokourov did not “time out,” a cycling term that means to arrive at the finish line outside of the regulation time limit for completion of any particular stage of a race.

Team Discovery Channel status
Today was the kind of day that Team Discovery Channel had been working for, a day when one of their riders won a stage of the 2007 Tour de France. The gentleman who did it for them: Alberto Contador, the wearer of the white “youth” jersey. Levi Leipheimer, his team captain, was just a short distance behind in fourth place. Their teammate, Yaroslav Popovych, rode home in tenth place. Not bad for the first day in the Pyrenees: three top ten finishers on the stage. Congratulations!

The Versus Channel also had a video camera in the Discovery Channel team car so viewers could see and hear how a talented sports director manages a long and difficult climb. Gem of advice from Johann Bruyneel: ride conservatively, unless something happens that requires a response. Sounds like good counsel to me.

Race Withdrawals Stage 14
- Francisco Ventoso (Spain)

Race Trivia
- David Millar of Team Saunier Duval is suffering from a skin allergy that, even in the hot weather of a few days ago, is less severe if he wears a long-sleeved jersey. Apparently, Mr. Millar is allergic to the sun and cannot use any of the normal treatments that would, most likely, alleviate the condition because the medications are banned under the current doping regulations.
- Juan Mauricio Hernandez Soler began racing bicycles when he was 17 years old. He is now 24 and holds second place in the King of the Mountains competition in the Tour de France. Who says children need to start sports at an early age in order to compete at an elite level?
--------------------------
The most difficult part of today: watching the race with my husband, Mr. Channel Surfer Extraordinaire. He just doesn’t understand how quickly the network switches between commercials and live coverage, not to mention how Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin give important tidbits of information just before and just after the commercial breaks. Aaarrrggghhh! Where can you hide a clicker where a man won’t find it?!

ELIZA Magazine

Spaghetti straps for preschoolers, ultra miniskirts for toddlers, halter-tops for tweens, that’s what you can find in the children’s section these days. The push to keep kids trendy has girls’ clothing getting skimpier, younger.

Such were the introductory lines of a video report/interview on Fox News today about younger children wearing adult fashions. Being the mother of a conservative young lady who doesn’t want to show off more than is proper and who could improve her clothing style just a bit (as could her mother), I clicked in to hear what Summer Bellessa, the interviewee, had to say. What I discovered was ELIZA Magazine, a new publication that features stylish, modest attire for young women.

According to Ms. Bellessa (and just about every mother I know), the fashion market for young girls currently has two categories: “modest and frumpy” and “hip and skimpy.” Actually, Ms. Bellessa used the word “skanky” to describe the latter grouping, but I think I will stick with “skimpy.” Anyway, the founder of ELIZA Magazine says that she would like to propose a third category for girls’ clothing: “hip and modest.” These would be styles that are current, yet more classic, more wearable, and showing less skin.

So, with the clothing market for girls ages 7-12 running near $179 billion annually, why hasn’t some smart retailer “gone modest” before now? Well, according to Ms. Bellessa, the explanation lies in simple economics: a market for “hip and skimpy” exists. If it didn’t, the “skanky” clothing would not sell. To quote Ms. Bellessa:

Consumers need to put their money where their mouth is. Only shop at places that offer tween clothes that are appropriate.

That used to be easier a few years ago than it is today. If I couldn’t find something for Katherine the Great at the local mall, I would turn to those tried and true catalog companies like L.L. Bean and Land’s End. No such safety net these days. Even they have jumped on the “trendy” bandwagon, doing things like re-cutting their jeans so that a person who is 5’4” in height must now purchase TALL pants in order for the rise to actually come anywhere near their waist, but I digress…

What is the solution? How do we help Ms. Bellessa in her effort to create a market for “hip and modest” clothing? She had two suggestions, both for older women:

1) set a better example by dressing more appropriately
2) encourage young adult women to dress more appropriately.

As much as I agree with these suggestions (which really boil down to one, that of being an effective role model), I think another idea should also be brought to the table: rethink the idea that if an individual isn’t allowed to dress any way they want, anytime, anywhere, it is an infringement on their freedom of expression; no, it is actually called good manners and deportment. I think American society could use a little more of that these days, don’t you?

Tour de France Stage 13

Route: Albi - Albi
Riders remaining: 166
Distance: 54 km
Climbs:
- Côte de la Bauzié 3.4 km; 4%; 4 category

Ah, finally, the first individual time trial of the 2007 Tour de France. Conditions: wet! Personally, I find it difficult to watch rainy stages of the race because the road conditions are so dangerous. It makes for a genuinely nerve-wracking experience. Of course, watching my favorite riders beat the clock is inherently stressful; the rain just adds more tension. And if it is stressful for me as a fan and viewer, just imagine what it must be like to be a race competitor.

Individual time trials have a way of “upsetting the apple cart,” as Phil Liggett says, and today was no exception. Some of the pre-race favorites and contenders for the overall lead did well; others torpedoed their chances. Take, for example, the ride of Alexander Vinokourov, by far the most impressive of the day. The captain of Team Astana ABSOLUTELY DECIMATED everyone with a blistering pace, averaging over 30 mph for the entire course, dragging himself into ninth place overall from nineteenth place just the day before. I guess 60+ stitches in both knees and an elbow didn’t make much difference.

Alejandro Valverde, on the other hand, lost huge amounts of time on the leaders, finishing in 47th place for the day. The poor guy finished last, being passed near the line by Michael Rasmussen, a man who started over two minutes behind him. Iban Mayo had a less than stellar showing as well, ending with a result that put him in 46th place. Both riders, who were second and third overall at the end of Stage 12, now sit in eleventh and twelfth place, almost six minutes behind the maillot jaune.

Crashes on the course: Fabian Cancellara of Team CSC, the world time trial champion, crashed between the third and fourth time checks while attempting to turn left after exiting a tunnel. Vladimir Gusev of Team Discovery Channel lost it in a roundabout, also between the third and fourth time checks. Andreas Kloden of Team Astana hit the deck in a corner on the descent of the only climb. Yaroslav Popovych, also from Team Discovery Channel, bought it as well, although I was unable to learn the circumstances of his mishap. Other riders who crashed: Andrey Kashechkin of Team Astana.

Team Discovery Channel status
Between the rain and the crashes, these guys had a challenging day but with decent results. The team ended the stage with three men in the top ten: Yaroslav Popovych, Alberto Contador, and Levi Leipheimer. Focusing a bit wider, the team has four riders in the top thirty overall, the three just mentioned plus Vladimir Gusev. George Hincapie currently sits in 35th place overall. That means that more than 50% of Team Discovery Channel is in the top 21% of all riders competing. If that isn’t evidence of a strong crew, I don’t know what is.

Current standings per all race competitions:

- General classification: Alberto Contador, 3rd; Levi Leipheimer, 5th; Yaroslav Popovych, 15th; Vladimir Gusev, 30th; George Hincapie, 35th.
- Points competition: No contenders.
- King of the Mountains competition: Yaroslav Popvych, 3rd.
- Youth classification: Alberto Contador, 1st.
- Team competition: 2nd.

Race Withdrawals Stage 13
None.

Harry Potter Has Arrived!

At 2:45 PM this afternoon, I picked up my mail, which included a pre-purchased copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. The final adventure of Harry and his friends is now sitting on my kitchen table, waiting for my husband to return from work. I promised him we would not begin reading until he was home.

The Amazon.com shipping box that contained this latest tale of the boy wizard’s life was pretty cool. On the side was a symbol reading “YEAR 7,” written in that Hogwarts typeface we have all come to recognize; on the other side was the book title; the front sported several shipping labels, while the back had an illustration of an owl delivering a letter addressed to “Harry Potter.” Both the front and the back carried this warning: ATTENTION MUGGLES - DO NOT DELIVER OR OPEN BEFORE JULY 21! Cute, huh. I have included a picture of the shipping container for those of you who may have purchased your Potter copies at a local bookstore.

Oh, I almost forgot. Our book arrived with a foot long feather. Whether it was from a local bird, a Hippogriff, or an owl, I do not know. My daughter found it on the driveway near the rock pile. Did anyone else receive a plume with his or her book delivery? If yes, please let me know.

Have a great time reading!

Tour de France Stage 12

Route: Montpellier - Castres
Riders remaining: 168
Distance: 178.5 km
Climbs:
- Côte de Cantagal 1.6 km; 4.3%; 4 category
- Côte du Mas-Rouet 2.4 km; 4.3%; 4 category
- Col du Buis 2.6 km; 4.8%; 4 category
- Montée de la Jeante 10.4 km; 6.1%; 2 category

Today had a little something for everyone, a few inclines to prepare the climbers’ legs for the Pyrenees, two intermediate sprints for the fast men, and several crashes early in the day that eliminated Alberto Ongarato of Team Milram and Stef Clement of Team Bouygues Telecom. A number of early attacks were reeled in quickly by the peloton, until about 50 km of racing had been completed. At that point, the group backed off chasing escapees and allowed Pierrick Fedrigo of Team Bouygues Telecom and Amets Txurruka of Team Euskaltel-Euskadi to move ahead, eventually building a gap of over ten minutes. Sadly, their advantage was eaten away within sight of the finish, making way for the top contenders in the sprint competition to make their run to the line. As is usual these days, Tom Boonen took the stage, with Erik Zabel just inches behind.

Yet, the bigger news from Stage 12 had less to do with the race results and more to do with the ongoing story of cycling as a “dirty sport.” It was reported that German television had decided to cancel their coverage of the Tour de France due to the “non-negative” doping result of Team T-Mobile rider, Patrik Sinkewitz. Even though the doping test was conducted outside of competition in June and even though Mr. Sinkewitz is no longer in the Tour de France due to injuries suffered in a crash after Stage 8, the German broadcast officials terminated their reporting.

As if that wasn’t enough, the Danish Cycling Union announced that it would cut Michael Rasmussen of Team Rabobank (and the current yellow jersey holder in the Tour de France) from the Danish national team, effectively eliminating him from competition in the 2007 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany and the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. Their reason/accusation: Mr. Rasmussen failed to account for his whereabouts during training and, in doing so, made himself unavailable for random out-of-competition drug testing. It is my understanding that under the current doping regulations, if a rider misses three random drug tests in 18 months, he has committed an infraction equal to one positive drug test and will suffer the standard consequences of a financial fine and a two-year suspension. Suffice it to say, this situation will take months to resolve.

Team Discovery Channel status
No breaking news to report from the Discovery Channel camp. Yaroslav Popovych had another great day, accumulating more points in the King of the Mountains competition. With the Pyrenees looming and being only twelve points off the lead in the climbing contest, Mr. Popovych still has a shot at winning the polka-dot jersey by the time the race arrives in Paris. With some exceptional riding in the next mountain range, the entire team is poised for serious contention in every competition, the sprint contest excepted. Wouldn’t it be great if Team Discovery Channel walked away with the overall lead, the best young rider award, the King of the Mountains, and the team title? That would be a coup d’etat. I am praying for that!

Race Withdrawals Stage 12
- Alberto Ongarato (Italy)
- Stef Clement (Netherlands)

Abide With Me

Friday nights at 9:00 PM (in our cable market), my husband and daughter watch “Doctor Who” on the Sci-Fi channel. I sometimes participate in this activity; other times I fold laundry or read a book. Anyway, don’t ask me why, but at the end of tonight’s episode, the background music was playing the hymn “Abide with Me.” The distant chorus was singing words, but they were difficult to make out so, just in case anyone was curious, here is the text of the hymn:

Abide with me, fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens, Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need thy presence every passing hour;
What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who like thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.

I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me!

Hold thou thy Cross before my closing eyes,
Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies;
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me. Amen.

The Chorus Continues

I love cycling season, if for no other reason than I get to hear an almost constant chorus of some version of the phrase “dirty sport.”

Take this excerpt from an article in VeloNews for example:

The future of [Team] T-Mobile and [Team] Gerolsteiner are both on the brink thanks to the failed doping test of German rider Patrik Sinkewitz in an out-of-competition control June 8.

German public broadcasters ARD and ZDF took the unprecedented step Wednesday to cancel coverage of the 2007 Tour, turning the heat up on a sport already under the microscope.

“Without television, our team has no currency,” Gerolsteiner team manager Hans-Michael Holczer told VeloNews before Thursday’s start. “The hard reaction from German TV is speeding up the death of cycling.”

Or how about this one, also from an article in VeloNews:

Tour de France leader Michael Rasmussen has been axed from the Danish national team following a disagreement over drug testing, it was announced on Thursday.

The director of the Danish Cycling Union (DCU) Jesper Worre told DRI television station that Rasmussen had received a number of warnings over failing to inform doping authorities over his training whereabouts. …“The DCU is not saying that Michael tested positive,” [Worre] said. “But there are a number of question marks over his behaviour and attitude…”

Or maybe this information, quoting extensively from a TDF Blog article:

Team Milram’s Alessandro Petacchi, one of the sport’s outstanding sprinters, faced a hearing to explain his high reading for salbutamol during the Giro d’Italia last month. The UCI notified Italian officials yesterday that Petacchi is officially “non-negative” after registering a salbutamol level of 1320 nanograms/milliliter after his Stage 11 Giro win in Pinerolo.

Salbutamol is a common asthma medication that can have stimulant and anabolic effects at high doses. Many endurance athletes, including Petacchi, have therapeutic use exemptions allowing them to use inhaled salbutamol to address exercise-induced asthma. The World Anti-Doping Agency tries to control salbutamol levels by setting a limit of 1000 nanograms/milliliter in rider urine samples. A higher level is an “adverse analytical finding,” which shifts the burden of proof onto the athlete, who must prove the finding resulted from use of a salbutamol inhaler.

Obviously, the concept of innocent until proven guilty is lost on these WADA folks.

Frankly, I agree with Jens Voigt in reference to the cessation of television coverage:

“It’s not democratic, it’s just like the old East Germany,” said Voigt, who rides for the CSC team of yellow jersey contender Carlos Sastre. … “But there are only a few people in control of making that decision, and it’s not right. Let people watch the Tour. If they don’t want to they can turn off their televisions, or change the channel.”

and with Phil Liggett:

I wonder why German television did not do the same in the days when the former East Germany won all of the medals in every sport? There is no doubt that in those black days the majority of those athletes from all sports were on drugs and nobody seemed to care.

I wonder the same thing, Mr. Liggett.

Tour de France Stage 11

Route: Marseille - Montpellier
Riders remaining: 171
Distance: 182.5 km
Climbs:
- Côte de Calissanne 1.7 km; 5.6%; 4 category

The word I would use to describe Stage 11 of the Tour de France is flat. Even one small climb at the beginning of the day didn’t do much to help the profile, or to slow the pace. The average speed: about 30 mph. The temperatures didn’t do much to slow anybody down, either. Once again, the thermometer hovered around 90° F.

Like yesterday, and as is usual for these level middle stages of the race, the day was made for attacks by the lesser-known riders and the lesser known teams. Today those seeking recognition were on the prowl immediately, motivating counter-attacks by others endeavoring to gain an advantage. Yet, in the end, it wasn’t some unknown that profoundly affected the race results; it was Alexander Vinokourov and Team Astana that caused the damage --- namely to Christophe Moreau of Team AG2R Prevoyance, who fell eight places in the overall standing, and David Zabriskie of Team CSC who finished the race outside the time limit.

Around about the 112 km mark, when the group began to encounter a nasty crosswind, Team Astana (who had been loitering near the head of the peloton), decided to take a turn at pacesetting. A fair number of their riders, including Alexander Vinokourov, went to the front and worked to increase the average speed, much to the dismay of everyone. To those unfamiliar with cycling race tactics, the point and purpose of this move was to split the peloton in the hope that it may catch some of the overall leaders off guard in an effort to gain time on them. Of all the race favorites, Vinokourov needed to utilize this tactic as he is injured and almost eight minutes behind the maillot jaune. Fortunately, the observant men from Team Discovery Channel were able to respond effectively to this development and were not caught “asleep at the wheel,” as it were.

It was interesting that Alexander Vinokourov engaged in such tactics, given that the race doctors were (and are) so concerned about the injury to one of his knees. Remember, he crashed heavily in the early stages of the Tour de France, wounding his knees, his elbow, and his hand. Apparently, one of his knees has now become infected, causing some consternation amongst the medical staff. Mr. Vinokourov, on the other hand, doesn’t seem too concerned. Otherwise, why would he attack the peloton in such an aggressive manner?

It was all for naught, though. Vinokourov couldn’t hold off a charging peloton in the last three kilometers. He was caught, allowing the spinters to rule the day. One of those fast men was Robbie Hunter of Team Barloworld, the only South African in the race and (now) the only South African ever to win a stage of the Tour de France. In fact, with his win, Mr. Hunter becomes the first individual from the African continent to win a stage of the Tour de France…ever. Kudos to Barloworld and their talented rider!

In other news: Freddie Rodriguez of Team Predictor-Lotto, along with a few other competitors, misjudged one of the sweeping consecutive corners in the finishing stretch and slammed headlong into the barriers at the side of the road. Since the incident occurred with only 1 km to go, none of the riders lost any time.

Dave Zabriskie of Team CSC arrived at the finish line outside the allowed time limit for the day. Like Christophe Moreau, he was caught out in the peloton split caused by Team Astana and, suffering from persistent knee pain, was unable to make it back in time. The knee trouble is, apparently, from a 2003 car accident. Zabriskie’s joint was repaired with screws, making the knee quite sensitive to change. In May, Team CSC mandated different shoes for their riders, a modification that was too much for his knee to deal with before the Tour.

Team Discovery Channel status
The “Planet Earth” men are doing well with three riders in the top 20 overall: Alberto Contador in 5th place, Levi Leipheimer in 8th place and Yaroslav Popovych in 20th place. Of course, Mr. Contador remains in the white jersey as well. Discovery Channel did drop one place in the team competition (they now sit in third), but one good day in the Pyrenees could change all that.

The best part of today was the vigilance of the team. They recognized the “crosswind” move of Team Astana immediately and responded appropriately to keep Levi in contention for the yellow jersey. They also avoided the crash in the finishing stretch, again keeping everyone safe to ride another day. If they keep this up, the maillot jaune could be theirs in just a few days. We shall see.

Race Withdrawals Stage 11
- Sylvain Calzati (France)
- Igor Anton (Spain)
- David Zabriskie (USA)

Tour de France Stage 10

Route: Tallard - Marseilles
Riders remaining: 171
Distance: 229.5 km
Climbs:
- Côte de Châteauneuf-Val-Saint Donat 3.3 km; 3.1%; 4 category
- Côte de Villedieu 1.1 km; 5.2%; 4 category
- Côte des Bastides 7.5 km; 2.9%; 3 category
- Col de la Gineste 7.5 km; 3.2%; 3 category

The race spent today transitioning from the Alps to the beautiful southern coast of France, closing out Stage 10 in Marseilles. I always seem to have an attention deficit problem during these middle days of the Tour. Let’s face it (for me), they just aren’t as suspenseful as the mountain stages. The profile has turned flat, granted (depending on the landscape) the first day out of the Alps can sometimes be a bit hair-raising, due to tricky descents but, after that, it just gets dull…and long (look at the distance covered today!). The teams are focused on setting up their sprinters and protecting their “GC men,” their contenders for the overall lead, their best hopes for the coveted yellow jersey. Today was no different. It was a routine “day in the saddle,” as cyclists say and, for teams like T-Mobile and Astana who have lost riders to crashes and illness that meant a day for recovery. Yet, in light of the blazing temperatures of 98-100° F, I am not sure how much recovery the competitors will enjoy.

As routine as these transition days may be for the overall leaders, they are anything but for the lesser-known cyclists in the peloton who use them to make a name for themselves, or for their team. They attack the group early to mount an escape that, hopefully, will last the day and give them the maillot jaune for just a moment. Today was no different. At the 2 km mark (remember, the total distance for the day was 229.5 km), the first group of six went ahead. They managed to stay alive for about 35 km before being caught by the peloton. Within five minutes of that catch, another escape attempt was made. That one lasted only 5 km. Shortly thereafter, a third escape attempt was made that succeeded, eventually gaining over ten minutes on the peloton. The stage winner, Cedric Vasseur, was from this band of intrepid road warriors who braved the heat for a day of glory.

Team Discovery Channel status
After such a great day on Stage 9, the “Disco Boys” stayed out of the fray on Stage 10, keeping Levi Leipheimer safe and the rest of the team healthy as well. Of course, such a conservative stance caused them to drop slightly in the team competition, where they now sit in third place, but still only six seconds behind the second place contenders, Team Caisse d’Epargne.

One accolade of note: Yaroslav Popovych started today wearing the red jersey of “most aggressive rider” for his performance in the last mountain stage. He was first over the highest pass of the Tour, the Col d’Iseran, and second over the following two summits yesterday, earning himself 69 points in the King of the Mountains competition. Please recall that at the beginning of Stage 9, Mr. Popovych had 0 points in the climbing contest. He earned them all in one day. Pretty impressive!

Race Withdrawals Stage 10
None. Praise the Lord!

Race Trivia
- David Millar, a rider for Team Saunier-Duval, is allergic to the sun. Consequently, despite the scorching heat, he wore a long sleeve jersey to protect his skin.

Tour de France Stage 9

Route: Val-d’Isère - Briançon
Riders remaining: 171
Distance: 159.5 km
Climbs:
- Col de l’Iseran 15 km; 6%; H category
- Col du Télégraphe 12 km; 6.7%; 1 category
- Col du Galibier 17.5 km; 6.9%; H category

There may have been only three climbs today, but two of them were “Hor Category,” or beyond categorization. Translation: they are so torturous that no one in their right mind would climb them on a bicycle. Of course, the Tour de France organizers being who they are put two of them on the same day. I’m not sure, but it may be the first time they have done that. Phil Liggit summed it up perfectly in the live coverage introduction:

“Welcome to the hell that is the mountains of the Tour de France.”

And it was pretty hellish by the end. The day began with the climb up the Col de l’Iseran, followed by a speedy downhill section (~45 miles) before turning markedly uphill again to the Alpine heights of the Col du Télégraphe and the Col du Galibier. Of the contenders for the General Classification, no clear leader emerged; some strong domestiques made a good showing though, especially Yaroslav Popovych of Team Discovery Channel and his teammates Vladimir Gusev and Alberto Contador. Popovych attacked the peloton early on the first climb and managed to stay away with various riders almost to the end of the race. However, he was overtaken at one point by newcomer Juan Mauricio Hernandez Soler of Team Barloworld. What an amazing ride by this gentleman! He made up well over a minute on the road in order to catch Popovych, and then continued on to win the stage. Definitely another young cyclist to watch in the future.

Team T-Mobile had another rider down today, this time in an altercation with a dog of all things! A spectator did not have his pet on a leash, allowing him to trot across the roadway directly in front of Marcus Burghardt. The front wheel of the machine collapsed completely upon impact, sending the cyclist over the handlebars and onto the pavement. Fortunately, neither Mr. Burghardt nor the dog were injured.

Update on Stuart O’Grady: The live newsflashes on the Tour de France website reported that Mr. O’Grady wants to ride in the next big grand tour, the Vuelta a Espana. Darren O’Grady, the brother of the injured cyclist, had this to say, quoting from the live coverage:

“His legs and head are good,” said Darren O’Grady, “even if the rest of his body is a mess. He has five broken ribs and has had a lot of treatment from the medical staff, but we managed to get a smile from him before we left.” The injuries are enough for most riders to consider ending their season, but O’Grady told his brother: “I’ve got about seven weeks to get better, so I’ve told the team: sign me up for the Vuelta a Espana! I’m not wasting the good form I’ve got…a few broken ribs shouldn’t slow me down for too long.”

Team Discovery Channel status
Wow, what can you say about the “Disco Boys” this afternoon except BRILLIANT? By the end of the race, these guys had reclaimed the white “youth” jersey, this time for Alberto Contador, and had moved into second place in the team competition, sitting only six seconds off the lead of Team Caisse d’Epargne. The next closest team now sits over three minutes behind. The strength of Team Discovery Channel was obvious. At least two of their riders were ahead most of the day, while another four managed to remain with Levi Leipheimer in a select group of riders ahead of the peloton. With only eight guys remaining since the withdrawal of Tomas Vaitkus on Stage 3, that means 75% of the squad had a great day. With such demonstrated fortitude and some wise riding in the Pyrenees (assuming no injuries, of course), first place in the team contest is definitely within reach.

Current standings for the team per all race competitions:

- General Classification: Levi Leipheimer moved up into 9th place overall from 13th at the beginning of the day. Alberto Contador is currently in 5th place overall.
- Points Competition: Discovery Channel has not focused on this contest in the entire time I have watched them race (even when they were Team U.S. Postal).
- King of the Mountains Competition: Yaroslav Popovych is currently in 3rd place here. Alberto Contador is behind him in 9th place.
- Youth Classification: Alberto Contador leads this competition at the moment. Vladimir Gusev in 5th place.
- Team Competition: As previously mentioned, Team Discovery Channel is in 2nd place.

Knowing all that, some reporter for the Austin American-Statesman posted an article online yesterday with this title:

American riders struggling in Tour de France

Well, with 171 men still in the race, if the team results listed above are what struggling looks like, I will take more of it, thank you. I just pray the team stays safe and uninjured.

Race Withdrawals Stage 9
- Patrick Sinkewitz (Germany)

Race Trivia
- French President Nicholas Sarkozy attended the race today.
- Only 8 of the original 21 teams are intact with nine riders.
- Each individual cyclist will consume 123,900 calories over the course of the Tour de France. It is no wonder these guys are so thin!
- The Tour de France television broadcast goes out to 170 countries daily.
- 750,000 spectators line the sides of the course EVERY DAY. That is like taking the populations of Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island and lining them up on the sides of I-95 from New York City to Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Frankly, it is amazing that the race doesn’t have more spectator-cyclist accidents.
- Alberto Contador of Team Discovery Channel has a metal plate in his head, the result of surgery following a massive blood clot in his brain in 2004. Remember, this gentleman is only 24 years old.

Valve Failure

Well, at forty-five years of age, physiological failure has finally begun. This evening as I was ushering for the Shoreline Ringers benefit concert, I experienced my first leg vein valve failure. In other words, I now have a varicose vein in an appendage, my left leg to be exact.

I was standing by the door to the sanctuary when I felt a momentary pain, much like a horsefly bite. The spot began to itch almost immediately, feeding my idea that the pain was from a bug. Yet, when I reached down to scratch the itching spot, I felt what was a developing hematoma just below, behind, and to the left of my knee. I kept an eye on it during the concert and, when I got home, made the decision to visit the Pequot Health Center to make sure nothing serious had happened.

I suspected a burst blood vessel and, sure enough, that’s what it was. My father had numerous varicose veins in his legs, so I guess I am genetically predisposed to them. Short-term medical treatment: compression bandage, ice, elevation for a few days, and watch for the development of phlebitis. Long-term medical advice: lose weight and exercise daily (preferably swimming or biking to ease pressure on the legs during exertion). I forgot to ask about weight training.

So now I am home with an ace bandage around my leg and ice below/behind my knee, with my leg elevated on a bunch of pillows, watching Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Not where I had planned to be at 11:30 PM on a Tuesday night. Oh, well. I’m just glad it wasn’t anything more serious and complicated.

Tour de France Stage 8

Don’t forget, Monday, July 16, 2007, was a rest day for the Tour de France.
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Route: Le Grand-Bornand – Tignes
Riders remaining: 180
Distance: 165 km
Climbs:
- Col du Marais 3.8 km; 4.1%; 4 category
- Cote du Bouchet-Mont-Charvin 2.0 km; 7.1%; 3 category
- Col de Tamíé 9.5 km; 4.%; 2 category
- Cormet de Roselend 19. km; 6%; 1 category
- Montée d’Hauteville 15.3 km; 4.7%; 1 category
- Montée de Tignes 18 km; 5.4%; 1 category

Wow! What a day Stage 8 turned out to be --- full of suspense, mishaps, and destruction. Most of the race favorites and team leaders did not necessarily deliver the performances that everyone expected/anticipated; other race favorites and trusted domestiques crashed or were injured; and the one overall contender who was on the verge of capturing the day and, possibly the yellow jersey, left the race in tears and pain after hitting the deck (and a guard rail) in a bad braking maneuver on the descent of the Cormet de Roselend. Yes, Michael Rogers of Team T-Mobile, an Aussie from Canberra, retired from what was, by many accounts, his best Tour showing ever, the victim of a hand and knee injuries, plus a dislocated shoulder.

Stage 8 also saw the withdrawal of another Aussie favorite, Stuart O’Grady of Team CSC. Having also gone down on the descent of the Cormet de Roselend, it was reported that Mr. O’Grady had initially remounted his bike and was back in the race. A short while later, complaining of severe back pain, the Australian competitor was transported by ambulance to a hospital in Moutiers where he underwent x-rays and an MRI scan. It was almost frightening to see the television coverage of the cyclist in a neck brace, lying on a special stretcher, the kind used with suspected spinal injuries. Fortunately, his wounds were not as severe as initially suspected. He suffered fractures to five of his ribs and possibly some vertebrae, but reportedly had no damage to his spinal column. Praise the Lord!

This late-breaking information from the Team CSC website does not sound quite as encouraging, however. It also gives more details about how the crash occurred:

O’Grady was working his way through the peloton with bottles [of water] for his teammates during the final descent, when the crash happened.

The Australian rider landed on his right side and punctured one lung, broke his collarbone, shoulder blade, five ribs as well as some bones in his spine. It is important to point out, though, that it is not the spine itself [that] was broken.

Additional victims of the punishing pace and tough climbs of Stage 8 fell to the clock instead of the crash. Disqualified were Robbie McEwen of Team Predictor-Lotto, Danilo Napolitano of Team Lampre, and Cédric Herve of Team Agritubel, all for finishing outside the stage cut-off time of just over forty minutes behind the stage winner, Michael Rasmussen of Team Rabobank. Respective completion times:

Herve 49 minutes, 57 seconds behind
McEwen 1 hour, 9 minutes, 22 seconds behind
Napolitano 1 hour, 16 minutes, 33 seconds behind

So, out of this mess, we have only two Australian competitors left: Cadel Evans of Team Predictor-Lotto and Simon Gerrans of Team AG2R Prevoyance. Poor Team T-Mobile, after such an encouraging day on Stage 7, what with Linus Gerdemann (a young rider) winning the yellow jersey and the group capturing the lead in the team competition, they now finds themselves with only six riders. Stage 8 claimed two of their teammates during the race (Mark Cavendish and Michael Rogers) and a crash with a spectator after the competition claimed one more, Patrick Sinkewitz. Mr. Sinkewitz was heading back to his hotel when he struck a 78-year-old man from Luxembourg head on. The cyclist was treated for a broken nose, head trauma, a shoulder injury, and two lost teeth. He returned to Germany for further tests and, so, is out of the Tour de France. The elderly gentleman, sad to say, remains in a coma at a hospital in Chambery.

Team Discovery Channel status
With Team T-Mobile in a shambles and only a few of the others at full strength with nine guys each, how is Team Discovery Channel faring in all this mayhem? Well, Levi Leipheimer hasn’t “shown his cards” yet as to his true strength, only marking the race favorites like Alexander Vinokourov and Denis Menchov during Stage 8. The cyclist is riding conservatively, yes, but he also isn’t wearing himself out in the Alps. His stated plan was to be more aggressive in the Pyrenees. We will have to wait and see what happens. At the moment, Stage 8 results show that Mr. Leipheimer gained time on his rivals, moving up into 13th place overall from 16th. Not bad, considering that he did nothing but mark time in the peleton and with a select group of team leaders.

As for the rest of the “Disco Boys,” I haven’t seen much written about them. George Hincapie appears to have fallen back to the role of domestique, not worrying about placing high for himself, but concerned about working for Levi, the Discovery Channel team leader. Alberto Contador managed a great ride in Stage 8, keeping up with a group of escapees led by Christophe Moreau. Yaroslav Popovych stayed amongst the leaders on the road as well, indicating that his legs are still fresh. A rest day can play havoc with the body, so we will need to watch everyone carefully on Tuesday to see if their fitness levels have suffered.

Race Withdrawals Stage 8
- Ivan Ramiro Parra (Columbia)
- Cédric Herve (France)
- Romain Feillu (France)
- Danilo Napolitano (Italian)
- Robbie McEwen (Australia)
- Stuart O’Grady (Australia)
- Mark Cavendish (Great Britain)
- Michael Rogers (Australia)

Speed Demons, Enlighten Me

I am about to begin driver's training with my daughter, probably with Driver Ed in a Box rather than with one of those driving academy courses. Personal choice, but (frankly) the young drivers I have seen come out of those schools, and the horror stories I have heard from other homeschool parents about the lack of rigor in the coursework, has motivated that decision, but I digress…

The question for this blog entry is: what is with the recent fascination with speed? Almost every time I enter I-95 near my house, I need to drive 70 mph (at a minimum!) to keep from being run over by the other drivers who are easily traveling 75-90 mph. Mind you, the posted speed limit is 65 mph.

Where is the fire?! Are we all such poor time managers that we are constantly running late? Or are we all fantasizing that we are NASCAR drivers racing to win the Nextel Cup? What is it?! And (as is probably true) if I don’t “get it,” please explain it to me. I would really like to understand why my fellow drivers on the road are willing to risk their lives, and mine, by driving too fast?
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This posting is motivated by the fact that, last night, while returning from a movie, I saw yet another accident on the interstate. The guard rail on I-95 South between two exits near my home is mangled from all the cars that have either hit it, gone through it, or gone over it in the past few months. Some of the accidents have resulted in tragic loss of life; others have caused only short trips to the hospital. All of them have emotionally impacted the families involved, not to mention raised their insurance rates.