OK the first 15 minutes of the coverage were preempted by “Quite Frankly”, glad I’ve added my 30 minute cushion to the end of my TIVOs, I hope everyone else has learned their lesson also. That lesson being ESPN2 could care less about cycling.

Recap time. Today’s stage is a ITT the ultimate test – for announcers. I hate to say it but, unless you have Razzy hitting the pavement every 25 feet, ITTs are for me, dead boring. I know they decide the race and everything, but it’s rough TV.

Danielson is about to go off, there’s a log jam of guys at the top of the rankings. Cancellara has the lead so far. Michael Barry is doing a good Hincapie imitation with his Oakley Jackets on.

Cadel Evans is about to start and his helmet fits him like an eight year old. He hasn’t broken his collarbone in over a year. Not to jinx it, but you can bet on when he’ll crack his collarbone with English bookies.

There’s Briske, and then Jason McCartney is off GO JASON (that statement added according to Iowa state law).

@##=#<3,r>@##=#Floyd bought some of Jackie O’s sunglasses on eBay and he’s going to wear then whenever he can – even in a TT.

Horner is out on his TT bike, he almost dropped a chain! This is what substitutes for excitement in a TT.

There’s the angel. Specialized better not bring her to the Tour, or they will have very angry German in red tights to deal with.

OK, the coverage is half over – how about a time split? Oh, there it is. Danielson is fastest at the halfway point.

Look, people pedaling…

Cadel has the new best time on the road, Paul and Bob obviously aren’t getting the split times accurately. I think they should just guess to spice up the coverage. In fact I have a hard time believing they didn’t make up Cadel’s time.

Briske is tearing it up, he rides much better when he doesn’t have Ricco attached to his ass.

If you want to make someone a cycling fan, do not show them a TT until after they have seen at least a dozen Classics.

Floyd’s position was developed by himself and his proctologist.

I was wrong (shocker) about the Phonak bike yesterday being the wrong color yesterday. Can anyone tell me why their bikes are black and red when they have no red in their kit whatsoever? Are they going to try and sell their BMCs to CSC fans after the season?

Bobby Julich is riding – I’ve got nothing here.

A quick list of riders that had their joy of life removed by Telekom:@##=#<1,r>@##=#

Julich

Cadel Evans

Kevin Livingston

Erik Zabel

Vino

Botero

Ulrich (99)

Good luck new Telekom team member Michael Rogers!

Forty minutes in and there’s our first shot of Levi, he’s pretending to ride a Specialized in the TTs. Sponsors love that.

Here comes Cadel – collarbone intact.

Here comes Briske (Ricco free) to the finish with the fastest time.

Here comes super-Floyd with a new best time, he has to be detached from his seat post by his DS.

Levi just did a triple toe loop in his fetching spandex ensemble.

Julich finishes – I still got nothing.

So, if Floyd takes the lead, there will be actual racing in the days to come. CSC will revert to their survival training tactics and field dress their competition.

1K to go for Levi, must stay awake…

Levi is in at 37:14, but we still have to hear from the Russian judge.

Just George left. Almost there.

Floyd wins! His proctologist’s phone is ringing off the hook right now!

The president of AEG sports is being interviewed about playing Mr. Peterman on “Seinfeld” and how he liked “Dancing with the Stars.”

That’s it? Some sponsor guy.

Here’s Floyd’s interview, “I did it for ishares. Really, I’m not just saying that”

Real time trialists like Zabriskie warm up with a TT helmet.