Stage 3
After a long day consisting of a parade, a get together and a fireworks display, I finally get some quality time with the Tivo. As it has been a long day, I am writing this with beer in hand. Sure some journalists may be drinking while they write, but who would actually admit to it? Me! Honesty! Integrity! They both rhyme with schmalz!
I’m fast forwarding through the preview, but I love these Lemond spots. Greg is still pissed. Must be fun to race your teammate. “I must have ridden up Alpe D’Huez the easiest I ever did.†Nice. That was what, 20 years ago? So this whole Lance feud has about 17 years to work itself out…
Thor and McEwen have made nice after yesterday’s rubbing at the finish. Voigt is in a break with some others, but I don’t know it seems like it will be a sprint finish today. The course goes over the classic’s hills, but a Tour stage is so much shorter and they have the trucker radios to contend with.
90 k to go, the beer is telling me to jump with the Tivo to about 50 to go. I’ll skim and stop if I see a little Commesso action. Roll ‘em up, Toto!
More Lance commenting on the Tour – dead boring. How about letting us know if you’ve ever seen anyone in a stage so hung over they could barely function? I’m guessing Toto may have had some “bad days†on the bike. Stomach troubles, indeed!
Voigt is virtual leader on the road, and I’m virtually sober.
Etxebarria has been in about every desperate move this Tour. Try explaining typing Etxebarria to your word processing program.
Frankie interviewing Floyd. “So Floyd, do you think Lance hates you more than me?â€
Floyd, “He hates you more – definitely you.â€
Crash. Fred Rodriguez is down. He might have hit the curb and he’s holding his collarbone area – the international cycling sign for “I’m screwed!â€
Erik Dekker down also. Let’s not mention that to the assembled inebriated Dutch folk up ahead. Both riders out, Holland weeps, while America wonders whether Freddie is from Spain.
The break is still off the front, Credit Agricole working for Thor. Thor will SMASH!
There’s the master of the caravan, Jimmy Caspar, at the ass end of the race.
Here’s a profile of Tom Boonen. It’s not Boooo-nin by the way, it’s pronounced in Belgium as Bonin’ as in “Bonin in the Bone Yard†– hence his nickname, (only to me, I think) The Boner.
Beer number two has been opened. Tonight’s selection is Sam Adam’s Summer Ale. If you disagree with my choice of beer, feel free to email me and then immediately bite me. I’m feeling a little surly this evening. I spent the morning watching every emergency vehicle in Northern New Jersey crawl by, so cut me some slack.
The beer tells me to fast forward, I comply. Oh, wait here’s a George interview, “Please don’t talk to me, Frankie. We can’t be seen together.â€
Vandevelde in the caravan. He is the fellow in this year’s Tour that I want to see win a stage more than anyone else. Cuz’ he’s cool. Norwegian man-crush notwithstanding.
Yes! Toto on the front on the climb – briefly. About 4 seconds or so, he didn’t see Flecha anywhere so he packed it in.
They are showing Amstel Gold highlights. For me it’s the least essential classic, right behind the Hew Cyclassics or whatever the Hell the German race is called. Like being a Jamaican speedskater.
20k to go, Thor at the front. SMASH!
A Frenchman attacks from the break, a jerk move if there ever was one. Laurent has absolutely no chance by boning his break compatriots that way. Much too early. Voigt gets to the front with the two off the front. Jens should just slap them with a glove for being so stupid.
Crash! Valverde grabbing his collarbone. Someone call Spain and tell her to get off the ledge. The Green Hornet is out-ski! Are there any favorites left? If Moreau just whizzes on the buffet at the hotel, he has a chance of hitting the podium as everyone else gets the runs.
More Toto at the front! He’s looking around desperately for Flecha!
13 k to go and Toto guns it! He gets 50 yards and no one cares! Commesso is feeling saucy; he must have used some self-tanner last night.
Stage 3 – the revenge of the collarbone!
Let’s just agree that this Ag2r guy has no chance. The Cauberg will hose him.
Thor’s hanging in on the Cauberg – SMASH!
Kessler goes again – enjoy your second day of continuous hosing.
No wait – he holds it! That must’ve been the beer typing. Yeah, that’s it…
Touche’ on Trautwig, he’s been around for a couple. Sean Kelly would be better though. Bobke is all of the dumbing down needed. It’s to bad he’s an LA – ologist! Robbie’s head antics looked strange but not anything I havent seen before. The relegation was a bit much – no harm no foul.
Boonan looks sharp – and think the tube socks were returned to grandma!
Kelley is my absolute favorite, he sounds like an Irish muppet, the extra fun is trying to figure out what he is saying! My favorite team would be Phil, Paul, Kelley in the booth and David Duffield on the road doing the fruity stuff.
Respectfully disagree on the relegation. It was the least he deserved for a bulls–t maeuver like that. It’s just that type of thing that causes unnecessary broken bones.
Maybe in Nascar “rubbin’ is racing” but on a bicycle keep your head between your own handlebars.
There was no reason for Robbie’s cranium to be so far outside of the personal space. At first I thought he lost has balance center and thus wanted to use his upper body to keep upright. Then it occurred to me that this was just a lame effort to keep Stuey out of the points. Ive seen Zabel do the shoulder grind with much closer contact and yet no relegation resulted. On film though it looks much more offensive. It’s not like we won’t see this again I bet. With no Fassa train things are just sorting in a very sloppy manor. “….cause everyone is jumpin everyone else’s train” They should cue this song @ 200 meters!
The Cure at the Tour? Perfect match. Robbie just tried to stop Stuey with his head at the line. Of course he’d be relegated, if he did it a few hundred meters back, nothing would’ve happened.
Hey, did you notice how the announcers didn’t even mention Commesso when he moved up and then off the front? Total radio silence for Toto while they pointed out key players hanging around in 2-3 wheel positions. I wonder if they all just view him as a joke and have conspired not to utter his name unless he actually makes it into a break of say four, which might force their hand… At least he had his sleeves down today. No gun show for us, thankfully!
I think they just aren’t as fixated as I am on the old Toto. But let’s not forget Christian Vande Velde’s quote: "Commesso is fat and greasy but not that funny. "
This gem too from cyclingnews.com
Casar downed by drunk spectator
Sandy Casar (Fran
Eloy – I read that earlier – priceless. Those Dutch fans – classy!
Good of you not to mention Kessler’s moth eaten (or whatever) under layer.
If you tire of Toto, I like Goon. Not that I dislike Commesso, I just like the way Goon seems to fit when the camera shoots him from the front at eye level.