Stage 15
19 July 2009

So the racing action that we have been waiting for actually happened today. Most of the stage was a break which had some very interesting riders in it, but was caught at the end. A lot of other people wanted the stage win. And various teams, including Saxo and Astana turned on the speed in the first few k of the climb. It did look like a moderate climb, that is, no really steep bits, but at that speed it must have been hellish. Anyway the crucial thing is the attack of Contador, the slightly late and not terribly successful attempt of A Schleck to follow (resulting in second place) and a couple of other attacks. For example, Wiggins attacked and did good job of it. One never knows, but the French commentators are gobsmacked by Wiggins. They just have no idea how he can do the climbs and are puzzled as to what he is doing in third place.

So the racing was good, some surprises n the GC, as well as confirmation of what most already thought or knew. It is clear now that unless something very odd happens, and it does happen in the Tour, Contador will win. There might even be three Astana in the top ten or perhaps if the attackers don't get it together, in the top five. This is a superb result for that team. Although maybe people tend to play down Lance's performance, I think he is doing rather well. If he does continue to lose time on the other players, then he could drop like a stone. I am still convinced he will finish in the top ten and maybe the top five. For an old guy coming out of retirement he has done very well. I even think in interviews today he seemed to understand the word humble and admitting when you are not the best. But you can never believe him, so we wait to see. Maybe he will win everyone's heart by being a super domestique for Alberto. All this is subject to the next week's action, but it looks like the yellow jersey is taken care of.

As a result of the disqualification of Cavendish, it looks like the green jersey is over too. I have reviewed the film of the last minute, on You Tube, and I think he cut off Thor. He didn't need to, he could have just won, but he cut him off. It means that Cav won't have to do anything whatever for the next few days, no intermediate sprints, no nothing. Just wait, stay cool, take it easy up the climbs and win on the Champs. Maybe he might try something on one stage, there is a flattish one into the Ardeche on Friday. Bad day really for the Columbia guys and their strategist. No doubt their work in the last kilometres was enough to take the six seconds from Hincapie that he needed to be in yellow. The worst thing is that they totally missed the sprint points too. A bad day.

[Frankly, my heart really is not in this blog today. I am sure I will have plenty of time during the rest day to catch up. Real life is just intruding way too much]

There were others who are gave us slight surprises. Bradley Wiggins is surprising everyone. I should say something other than the British guy in me, and the surprise guy in me are both delighted. Wiggins is different than Le Mevel who also finds himself in the top ten. Le Mevel will almost certainly drift out. Wiggins might not.

I really am going to go to bed early. I will catch up tomorrow.

Stage 14
18 July 2009

So Cav is meant to win. Everyone for the GC to keep their powder dry. The route is near where my wife used to live. So she will be there all day. Will the break succeed? Off to my nap.

Le Tour de France des paradis fiscaux fait étape en Suisse

Après Monaco et Andorre, le Tour de France fera étape en Suisse dimanche 18 juillet. Attac et les associations de la Plate Forme Paradis fiscaux et judiciaires s’associent à leurs homologues suisses (Attac Suisse, Action de Carême, Action place financière suisse, Déclaration de Berne, Pain pour le prochain.) et continuent leur parcours d’information et d’action contre les Paradis fiscaux.
Attac et ses partenaires prévoient des initiatives les samedi 17 et dimanche 18 Juillet à Pontarlier, ville départ de l’étape qui amènera les coureurs à Verbier en Suisse.
Attac France,
Montreuil, le 18 juillet 2009
Pour en savoir plus :
- Les communiqués français et suisse diffusés à cette occasion : http://www.france.attac.org/spip.php?article10202
- La rubrique dédiée à ces actions : http://www.france.attac.org/spip.php?rubrique31

So Cavendish did not win. Not only did he not win, but it appears that he was relegated fro cutting off Thor Hushovd during the bunch sprint. Although it is not over until it is over, if the appeal is not upheld, that means the green jersey belongs to Hushovd. Cavendish is unlikely to pick up many points in the intermediate sprints they scatter throughout the mountain stages, although Hushovd might. And there is only one pore sprinters stage. While Cav ill probably win that one, I doubt that Hushovd will finish in tenth or whatever it would take for him to lose so many points on Cavendish. So barring the unexpected, Hushovd has won green.

Another minor bad break for someone whom I like, George Hincapie. Five seconds, just five seconds from the second day in yellow in his long career. He tried to keep everyone in the escape interested for along time. But when Ivanov made his attack, some of them gave up. So he finished as best he could, and sat by the TV waiting to see how many minutes it would take the peloton to cross the line. Toward the end, his own team rode a little bit quickly to try to ensure that Cavendish, also on his team, would get extra points from Hushovd in the sprint. Sadly, that probably took away the final five seconds. For along time Astana rode behind the break. Some say they rode slowly so the break would stay away. George being an old member of Lance's team and a good buddy. Some say if Astana had NOT ridden the peloton would have been even further behind as the only team who might have ridden hard was the team defending the yellow jersey for Nocentini, AG2R. No one will ever know. But George sure did seem at least a little bit upset when he realised he had lost it for five seconds.

A very close male friend just died. At least I just heard about it. Al. I think I might just stop the blog for tonight.