Floyd Landis Harassing Lance Armstrong On Twitter?!?

Reading this story on Outside Online earlier had me shaking my head and thinking "life really is stranger than fiction."

It has been a really odd couple of months in the ongoing story of whether or not Lance Armstrong used performance enhancing drugs in his historic wins in the Tour de France. We all know the rumors and allegations have been swirling around for years and that Lance has been the subject of an on going investigation by a federal grand jury. Things came to a head a month back when Tyler Hamilton claimed that he saw Armstrong use EPO while they were teammates back in 2000. That was followed up by some legal wrangling, denials, and more verbal sparring. More recently, there was that run-in between the two riders in an Aspen restaurant that has widely varying accounts of what happened depending on who you talk to.

Now, coms this new story from Outside that shares the details of an odd, yet systematic, Twitter campaign, being orchestrated by former pro rider and disgraced Tour de France champion Floyd Landis, who is using the Twitter feed of @GreyManrod to take jabs at Lance and his closest associates, in an attempt to discredit him and change public perception of the seven time Tour winner.

Even that is just the beginning however, as Landis was also set to go to court with the International Cycling Union (UCI) who were suing him over defamation because he continually accused them of covering up a failed drug test administered to Armstrong back in 2001. In response to the notice of the case, Landis set up a website for a fictitious law firm called Grey Manrod Associates.

You'll have to read the full story to get the entire scope of what Landis has been up to, but it comes across has very odd to say the least. There are even some that speculate that it won't help any case against Armstrong, as it could be pointed to as an obsessive fixation with bringing Lance down. Landis once sent out 47 tweets in 44 minutes, for example.

The article reminds me of just what a circus this whole story has become, or perhaps more of a soap opera, I haven't decided which. All I know is that the Tour de France starts a week from tomorrow and I'll be happy to be writing about the actual event again.

Cycling: More On That Lance-Tyler Hamilton Run-In

Remember the cycling report I posted yesterday with a short footnote on Lance Armstrong and Tyler Hamilton running into one another in Aspen this past weekend? I ended that post by saying "the soap opera continues" and I mostly meant it tongue in cheek. But, it turns out that was a rather prophetic statement, as the story has new legs today.

ESPN posted a more in depth story today about the incident, with some alleged quotes from Lance. Hamilton's camp says that Lance tried to bully Tyler to a degree, even asking him what CBS payed him for the interview. You can read the whole sordid affair by clicking here, including some comments from the owner of the restaurant who asked Hamilton to not return. For their part, the Armstrong camp still maintains that this was a non-story and that it was more of an awkward moment rather than anything else.

But, here's the real juicy part of the story. Hamilton's lawyers have now been in contact with federal authorities claiming that Lance's alleged actions constitute tampering with a witness. There could well be a deeper investigation into the confrontation, and if sufficient evidence is found, Armstrong could face tampering charges which may change the outlook of the ongoing investigation of his possible use of performance enhancing drugs while he was still riding professionally.

Where this will go from here remains to be seen. But the story continues to have legs and I'm sure this isn't the last we'll hear about it. The funny thing is, while out for dinner in Aspen on Saturday with a few media and PR folks, we actually joked about Armstrong and Hamilton running into one another around town. We all agreed that it would be one frosty encounter to say the least. Turns out, even we had no idea about what it would be like.

Cycling: Contador To Ride TdF, Lance and Tyler Hamilton Come Face-to-Face

In what should come as no surprise to cycling fans everywhere,  it was announced yesterday that Alberto Contador will ride in this year's Tour de France, despite a looming hearing with the International Cycling Union and World Anti-Doping Agency over allegations that he may have taken a banned substance. You may recall that the three-time defending Tour champion tested positive for the drug clenbuterol during last year's race and has claimed that the trace amounts detected in his system were a result of eating tainted beef.

According to ESPN, Contador is scheduled to appear at the hearing on August 1st, just a week after the Tour ends. That hearing has been called to investigate the positive test after the Spanish cycling federation elected to clear Contador of all charges. If the UCI rules that the failed drug test violates their standards, Contador could face a ban from international competition.

Clenbuterol is an anabolic drug that can be used to improve performance, and it is available by prescription in some countries. The substance has been used in cattle as well in effort to get beef cows to bulk up much more quickly. In Europe, the drug is banned for that use as well, although some still use it. Contador has always maintained that he ingested it accidentally.

It has been a good year for the Spanish rider thus far, and he has already won the Giro d'Italia, which is considered one of the grand tours of the sport. He is the odds on favorite to win the Tour again this year as well, which would make him the first man to win both the Giro and the Tour in the same year since Marco Pantani back in 1998.

Meanwhile, the Outside Blog is reporting that Lance Armstrong and Tyler Hamilton came face-to-face for the first time since Hamilton told 60 Minutes that Armstrong used performance enhancing drugs while riding in the Tour as well. Apparently, the two men ran into one another in Aspen, Colorado this weekend, where Hamilton was on hand for the Outside in Aspen event and Lance has a home.

According to the story, the two men were having dinner at Cache Cache, a local Aspen favorite, when depending on who you listen to, a confrontation went down. According to Hamilton's people, Lance started to berate him and get in his face a bit, while Armstrong says it was just an awkward moment between two guys who use to be friends. Either way, it sounds like things got very frosty, very quickly, with the manager telling Tyler that he could finish his meal, but wasn't welcome back in the restaurant.

Ah... the soap opera continues!

Follow-Up On Lance Armstrong vs. 60 Minutes

A few days before I left for Chile a 60 Minutes segment ran on television that brought more allegations against Lance Armstrong and his use of performance enhancing drugs in the Tour de France. That story prompted me to write a rather long piece on where Lance could go next, and considering the story continues to evolve, I thought that it was only appropriate to do a follow-up.

One of the major pillars of the 60 Minutes story, aside from the testimony of Tyler Hamilton, a former teammate of Armstrong, who said he saw Lance inject EPO, was a report that Armstrong tested positive for a banned substance back in 2001 while riding in the Tour de Suisse. The report went on to say that Armstrong had a sit-down meeting with Martial Saugy, the director of the anti-doping lab for the race, and that that meeting resulted in Saugy making the positive test "go away."

While I was gone, Saugy has come out in the press to say that Armstrong didn't test positive in the race as had been reported and that while a meeting did take place, it had nothing to do with any test – positive or negative. These revelations have the Armstrong legal team demanding an apology from CBS News, calling their journalism "shoddy," "reckless," and "unprofessional." For their part, the news team behind the 60 Minutes story say they stand by what they produced, calling it one of the most extensive examinations of doping in professional cycling ever.

In the report, 60 Minutes also alleged that Lance's good friend George Hincapie had told a grand jury that both he and Armstrong had used EPO together, and that the two men shared the drug when needed. That was all speculation however, as Hincapie declined to be interviewed by for the show and has since denied ever saying that about his friend.

All of this leads us back to the same place we've been all along. Accusations against a rider who has never tested positive, and denials from said rider, who now has a number of former teammates talking about the alleged use of PEDs. For us fans, it still comes down to who do you believe, and it is once again tough to decide.

It does seem that CBS, at the very least, misconstrued some of the details, either to help build their case and garner ratings, or in an effort to go after Armstrong. Probably all of the above. For Armstrong however, it has been business as usual, as he continues to deny any wrong doing and points to his spotless record in terms of passing drug tests. He is easily one of the most tested athletes ever, and yet he remains clean, at least in terms of having ever been caught.

Obviously we haven't heard the last of this one. The grand jury is still likely to want to talk to Armstrong, and my guess is he'll have to eventually go before them, and continue his denials under oath. Until then, the saga will continue to play out, in an attempt to nab one of the biggest names in all of sports.

While I applaud all efforts to clean up the sport of cycling, I think I'd personally prefer they spend their time and money on efforts to go after riders who are currently competing.

What's Next For Lance Armstrong?

As widely reported last week, Tyler Hamilton was on the CBS news show 60 Minutes over the weekend, where he recounted tales of performance enhancing drug use by Lance Armstrong and other members of the U.S. Postal Team which dominated the Tour de France a decade ago. If you missed the report, and want to catch-up, a transcript and several videos are available by clicking here.

During the interview, Hamilton talked about the use of EPO, testosterone, and even blood transfusions that he, and his teammates, including Armstrong, used while he was part of the team from 1999 to 2001. Hamilton described the culture of cycling as being one in which if you didn't use these banned substances, you simply wouldn't be able to compete. If a cyclist wanted to keep his job, and stay in the sport, he really didn't have any choice. What he described is not unlike a number of other sports, such as baseball, where the annual home run race became a media circus in years past.

Watching Hamilton give his account of the details, I was struck by how difficult it seemed for him to talk about his experiences during his career as a pro-cyclist. He was very much aware that he was not only sharing the intimate details of his own life, but also that of many of his friends in the sport, including Lance Armstrong. He seemed extremely reluctant at times and I personally felt that he was very convincing. Hamilton shared with the 60 Minutes audience the same things he told a grand jury that is investigating the use of performance enhancing drugs in the sport, and whether or not their use on the U.S. Postal team constitutes fraud against the government, who was primary sponsor of the squad. Depending on their findings, riders, coaches, and doctors, including Lance Armstrong, could face jail time.

While Armstrong hasn't really responded to the accusations directly, there isn't much here that he hasn't heard before. His legal team has pointed out the fact that Hamilton has a book that he is pushing, and that by dragging Lance's name into the conversation, he stirs up controversy and garners publicity. As always, Armstrong hangs his defense on the fact that he has been tested hundreds of times throughout his career, and hasn't failed a single test.

While processing all these latest accusations, the one thing that stood out in my mind most was not what Tyler Hamilton said, but what fellow rider George Hincapie hasn't. Hincapie and Lance have been friends for years, and there may not be another rider that is closer to Armstrong. Hincapie rode along with Lance on all seven of his Tour de France victories, and the two have remained close, even after Lance's retirement.

In light of Hamilton's statements, rumors have come to light that Hincapie has told the grand jury similarly damning things about Lance. While Hincapie has neither denied or confirmed these rumors, he has allegedly testified that he and Lance injected EPO together and had, at the very least, talked about other performance enhancing drugs.

If this story is true, and Hincapie has admitted these things, it would be a witness that would be difficult for Armstrong and his team, to dismiss. George doesn't have an axe to grind, he doesn't appear to be selling anything, and he hasn't rushed out for an publicity. Discrediting his accounts will be no easy task to say the least.

Taking into account all of this news, it is difficult to not think about what might be next for Lance Armstrong. He and his legal team seem prepared to fight to the bitter end to protect his considerable reputation, continually pointing to the fact that he has never failed a drug test, something that was also called into question in the 60 Minutes report. Proving a negative is always a difficult task however, and we all know there are ways to mask the use of performance enhancing drugs, which will always cast a shadow of doubt in either direction.

Personally, I think that it is naive to believe that anyone could win the Tour multiple times without using some kind of PEDs. When you consider that the vast majority of the peloton appeared to have been using something, it seems miraculous that anyone not doping could compete at all, let alone win. I don't want to dismiss the fact that the use of performance enhancing drugs were so prevalent in the sport, nor offer up any excuses for riders, but much like the "home run era" of baseball, the doping era of cycling was, and quite frankly remains, simply standard operating procedure for the athletes who were and are competing during that time period.

Of course, the grand jury doesn't seem to see it that way, and they seem to be hyper-focused on nailing Lance Armstrong the wall. Much like the investigation into Barry Bond's use of PEDs, it has cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to build a case against Lance, which could quite possibly land him behind bars. Anyone who thinks otherwise should consider the case against Marion Jones, and where she ended up.

The differences between Armstrong and Jones however are quite vast in terms of public personas. Marion Jones is an accomplished Olympic athlete who was very dominant in her sport and competed at an incredibly high level. Lance Armstrong was also a very dominant athlete who ruled his sport, but he is also an American icon, whose story has inspired millions and his charity work has extended his reach well beyond the world of cycling. He is, quite simply, one of the most respected athletes in the U.S., and if these accusations were to be proven true, it would shatter a lot of the Armstrong myth that many have come to enjoy.

As I mentioned last week, my biggest fear is that all of the good work that Armstrong has done with his Livestrong Foundation could possibly be tainted by these doping scandals. He has been a tireless advocate for cancer research, and those little yellow wrist bands have raised millions of dollar to help fight that disease. That legacy can't be taken away from him, and neither should his seven victories in the Tour de France, but it seems that the number of people close to Lance who claim to have seen him use EPO and other PED's continues to grow.

Eventually it'll come down to a game of  "Who Do You Believe," and while we all have our opinions on Lance, the question isn't just who does the grand jury believe, but also what they can prove. For the moment, that remains a very murky question, and in the end, it will be what decides the fate of Lance Armstrong.

The waiting game continues for us all.

Tyler Hamilton Accuses Lance Armstrong Of Doping

In an interview for 60 Minutes that is set to air on Sunday, retired professional cyclist Tyler Hamilton says that he witnessed seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong use EPO to preparation for the race in 1999, the year that Armstrong won his first Tour. Hamilton further alleges that the doping continued for the next two seasons as well, which was the length of his contract on the U.S. Postal Team.

According to this story at ESPN.com, Hamilton is quoted as saying: "I saw (EPO) in his refrigerator .. I saw him inject it more than one time like we all did, like I did many, many times." He goes on to add "(Armstrong) took what we all took ... the majority of the peloton. There was EPO ... testosterone ... a blood transfusion." His remarks not only condemn Armstrong, but also give us a glimpse into how wide spread the use of performance enhancing drugs have become in the sport.

Hamilton retired from cycling in 2009 after failing an off-season drug test for a banned substance that was in an anti-depressant that he was taking at the time. He has previously served a two-year ban for an illegal blood transfusion. Last year, Hamilton provided six hours of testimony to a grand jury investigating Armstrong and the use of performance enhancing drugs, in cycling.

Armstrong, and his legal team, point to his record of having never failed a drug test in his 20 year career, which includes more than 500 doping controls. Their defense is that if he were on something, it would have shown up in some test over the years. Armstrong also sent out a message via Twitter last night that read: "20+ year career. 500 drug controls worldwide, in and out of competition. Never a failed test. I rest my case."

Lawyers for Armstrong also say that this is a grab for headlines and publicity from Hamilton, who they claim has written a book about his career. They say that he has been shopping the book to publishers, and that by pointing the finger at Lance, he's simply drumming up controversy to sell books. It's a similar story that we've heard in the past as well.

This is, of course, just the latest round of allegations against Armstrong, who has been the target of scrutiny for years. While he may not have ever failed a test, there are plenty of people who have come forward in recent years to say that he used EPO and other substances, to help win his seven Tours. Of course, was we pull off the layers to this onion, we also learn that pretty much everyone else in the field was doping too, which means it was standard operating procedure for anyone who wanted to be able to compete.

For most riders, this probably wouldn't be that big of an issue. For instance, Hamilton and Floyd Landis have both admitted to doping, and at the time, it made headlines for a few days, particularly with fans of the sport. But Armstrong is a figure that looms over cycling, at least in the U.S., in such an iconic way, that it is seen quite differently with him. Proof of his doing would bring down a guy who has been an inspiration to millions.

And then you get into his off-the-bike activities. Lance's LiveStrong organization has done great things, and his legacy is likely to be so much bigger through those efforts. But much like the Greg Mortenson affair, which also flared up on 60 Minutes awhile back, these other issues threaten to cast a shadow over all the good work that has been done. Once again, lets hope thats not the case here either.

So? What does everyone else think? Did he dope? Does it matter? Personally, I think it is difficult to believe that he didn't use something during his seven year run at the top. Especially in light of how wide spread the use of PEDs had become. If he didn't, it really makes his wins all that more impressive.

Lance Armstrong Retires - Again!

Lance Armstrong has moved on to what he calls Retirement 2.0, officially announcing that he is stepping away from competitive cycling, this time for good. Armstrong road in his final race last month when he raced in the Tour Down Under, held annually in Australia. He finished 65th in his last hurray on the bike.

The rider's legacy is of course well known. He battled back from cancer to not only ride again, but win an unprecedented seven straight Tour de France titles before going into retirement 1.0 back in 2005. In 2009 he came back out of retirement and has ridden well in a number of events, including Le Tour, but has never been as competitive as he was back in his prime. His career was also dogged by allegations of performance enhancing drug use, and although he has been tested hundreds of times, he has never tested positive for anything.

The announcement of his second retirement comes as no surprise. We always knew that Lance was committed to ride in the Tour Down Under again this year, but he also has said that he is finished with the Tour de France as well. It was just a matter of time before he made it official once again. He'll now go on to focus on his Livestrong charitable foundation and other business ventures, while also preparing to face a possible Grand Jury investigating his use performance enhancing drugs while riding competitively.

Lance has always been a great ambassador for the sport, especially here in the U.S. where the majority of sports fans don't care about cycling when he isn't riding. Ratings numbers for the Tour de France with, and without him, have shown this to be true. Hopefully the general public will get past that and support a sport that has fantastic athletes and plenty of high drama, even when Lance isn't riding.

Leadville 100 is Tomorrow!

One of the most challenging, and well known, single day mountain bike races in North America is being held tomorrow in Leadville, Colorado, where the Leadville Trail 100 will take place. The race is, actually 105 miles in length, featuring an out and back format that punishes riders not so much with its technical challenges but with the high altitude, and challenging climbs, that they'll have to contend with. The ride begins at 10,500 feet, and includes over 11,600 feet of climbing, with a net gain of more than 2000 feet over the length of the course.

A few years ago this event was well known amongst mountain biking fans, but was barely a blip on the radar for the mainstream population. Than a little-known rider by the name of Lance Armstrong elected to join the fun, and managed to do quite well for himself, claiming second place in 2008 behind six time Leadville champ Dave Wiens. Armstrong's participation in the race gave it lots of coverage, particularly after he failed to win, something that many people thought was a foregone conclusion.

Shortly after the 2008 Leadville 100, Armstrong announced his return to competitive cycling, and a more prepared, and in shape, Lance showed up last year to let everyone know who was the boss. That Lance Armstrong one the race going away, smashing the course record, and riding the last 65 miles alone, in the process. Unfortunately, he won't be back to defend his title this year, as he pulled out of the race earlier this week.

Armstrong's departure doesn't diminish the talented field all that much however, as Wiens is back to try to reclaim his title, while fending off strong competitors like Levi Leipheimer, Armstrong's Radioshack teammate, and Matt Shriver, who finished third last year. Other talented, but first time, Leadville hopefuls included Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Todd Wells and Jeremiah Bishop, all of whom have designs of winning the race.

Overall, there will be more than 1500 riders from 48 states and 21 countries, on hand to challenge each other and the course itself. Of those, there are 10 current and past National Champions, six U.S. Olympians, and four Mountain Bike Hall of Famers, making this one of the deepest fields in any race of its kind.

It should be a fun race, wish I were in Leadville to cover it. To my friends heading there, have a blast!

Leadville 100: Now With Less Lance

Fans of the Leadville 100 mountain bike race may be happy or sad to hear the news that Lance Armstrong has pulled out of this year's race, citing a slow to recover hip injury as the reason for his withdrawal. Considering how the seven-time Tour de France winner obliterated the field, not to mention the course record, last year, his exit may open the door up for someone else to win. Then again, it may just might allow six-time champ Dave Wiens to recapture his crown, taken by Armstrong in 2009.

The race is, not surprisingly, a 100 mile ride along a very tough trail through the Rocky Mountains. It begins, and ends, in the town of Leadville, which sits at 10,500 feet. Over the course of the 100 miles, 50 out and 50 back, competitors gain an additional 2000 feet. Altitude plays a huge factor in how riders perform in this mountain bike race.

In 2008, Armstrong rode in the race for the first time, before he announced his comeback, and took second place, losing to Wiens in the final miles of the ride. Last year it was a completely different story however, as an in-shape Armstrong set a course record of 6 hours, 28 minutes, and 50 seconds. Lance was so dominating that he rode the final 65-miles without any other riders around him at all.

In last month's Tour de France, Armstrong crashed, injuring a hip. That crash effectively ended his Tour aspirations and apparently they'll keep him from racing in the Leadville as well. Armstrong has also said that he will take the opportunity to spend some time with his kids, who will be returning to school in a few weeks as well.

With Lance off the roster, the national media is likely to leave the race alone, but now we'll have to see if Wiens can regain his crown or if the past two years have allowed others to close the gap with him. Should be a great race.

Cycling News: New Race in the U.S., Contador To Saxo Bank

More big news from the world of cycling, with the confirmation of a new race coming to the U.S. next year, and Tour de France winner Alberto Contador jumping to Team Saxo Bank.

First up, yesterday Lance Armstrong and Colorado Governor Bill Ritter announced the Quiznos Pro Challenge, a new stage race that will launch in 2011, beginning and ending in Denver. The event will play out over seven stages in seven days and will include a little something for ever type of rider, including mountain climbs, urban time trials, sprint stages, and more. Expect more details on the course, distance, and riders in the near future.

When Armstrong was pressed on whether or not he would participate in the inaugural event that he says is for the future of cycling in the U.S., he simply responded with "Would I like to? Yes. Would I be fit enough? Probably not. But we will see. Never say never."

The other big cycling news to come out recently is that Alberto Contador has jumped ship from Team Astana, with whom he won the Tour de France the past two years, and has joined Team Saxo Bank. The Spaniard was expected to follow manager Bjarne Riis where ever he ended up, and that is exactly what he has done. Contador is now under a two year contract with the Danish squad, whose former stars, Frank and Andy Schleck if departed to form their own team.

Meanwhile, adding even more intrigue to this story, is the rumors that disgraced rider Michael Rasmussen would be joining Saxo Bank as well. Rasmussen was last seen in the Tour de France in 2007 when he donned the Yellow Jersey in the mountains, only to be dismissed from the race for skipping drug testing sessions. (That's a no-no Michael!) He was later banned from the sport for two years, and has now returned, at the age of 36, but has been riding in much smaller, second tier events.

Rasmussen is a former mountain biker and is known for is ability to climb. It is believed that he could help protect Contador in the big mountain stages much the same way that his Astana teammates have done the past few years. But having been out of high level cycling for three years now leaves a lot of questions about Rasmussen's abilities.

Cycling. It's like a giant soap opera, with blood doping.

Is it Time for the Tour de France to Come to North America?

In my post-Tour de France haze, I've been working through my withdrawal by surfing the web and wishing I could find something – anything, that could possibly fill the void. So far I haven't had much luck, and I've pretty much resigned myself to waiting another year before the world's best cycling event returns. But thanks to Jeff Doran over at HikinginTheSmokys.blogspot.com, I've at least got something to ponder.

In a blog post this morning, Jeff wrote an open letter to Tour Director Christian Prudhomme suggesting that he consider bringing Le Tour to North America, with the justification that the race has already visited 10 other countries, albeit all European nations. He even suggests a possible itinerary, with the Prologue being held in Quebec City in Canada, and Stage 1 being run  between Quebec and Montreal. Stage 2 would then jump over to the States and run from Albany to New York City, with the following day being a rest/travel day back to France. Jeff even goes so far as to suggest that the Tour make the jump for the 100th anniversary, which will be run in 2013 as well. He further bolsters his argument by saying that bringing the Tour to North America would increase its popularity in the States, and bring in more fans in the post-Lance Armstrong era.

This is a very compelling case, and as a fan of cycling and the Tour, I'd love to see it here in North America. Heck, I'd probably even try to make the trip to watch it in person myself. Unfortunately, I doubt it would ever happen, as the travel back across the Atlantic to France would probably incite a riot amongst the cyclists who are a touchy bunch as it is. I do think it would be great for the sport, and give the Tour great exposure outside of Europe, and while I support this idea whole heartedly, I think realistically it'll never happen. Still, it is fun to think about and speculate some. So? Who else would love to see the Tour her in North America?

Tour 2010: Contador Rides To Paris In Yellow!

On the penultimate day in the 2010 Tour de France the riders faced a 52km (32.2 mile) individual time trial that would see them out on the road alone and racing against the clock. Heading into the day, the race came down to a two-man duel between Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck, both of whom were pre-race favorites, and have done little to disappoint over the past three weeks.

Today's time trial ended as we expected, although for a time it looked like the results could be in doubt. Contador went into the day 8 seconds ahead of Schleck, but is considered to be a much better time trialist, meaning that Schleck would have to have the ride of his life to take the Jersey from Contador.

At the first time check out on the road, it looked like that could be a possibility. With both men through that point on the course, Schleck had taken back six seconds and was within striking distance of his rival, but from then on Contador focused in and began to take time back from the younger man, increasing his lead with each of the subsequent checkpoints. When the day was done, Contador finished the time trial in fine form, and completed his Tour win by 39 seconds. He'll now make the ceremonial ride into Paris tomorrow as the 2010 champ.

The 39 second difference between first and second place is an ironic one, considering that is the exact amount of time that Contador took back from Shleck on Monday when Andy dropped his chain on the final climb of the day. Alberto was criticized by some for attacking while his rival had a mechanical problem, as there is often a gentleman's agreement to hold up in those situations. Few riders want to actually win the race in that manner, and Contador's detractors will certainly be quick to say that his win this year is a tainted one.

With the time trial over, three of the four race jerseys are now decided. Contador owns Yellow for the third time, and Schleck once again takes White as the best young rider of the Tour. The King of the Mountain title goes to Anthony Charteau, who will go home with the Polka Dot Jersey as the best climber this year. That leaves just the Green Jersey to be decided with the sprinters going head-to-head tomorrow on the Champs Elysees. At the moment, Alessandro Petacchi wears the Jersey, but he'll have to hold off Thor Hushovd, who is currently in second place, and the Manx Missile, Mark Cavendish, who has four stage wins this year and is charging hard at the moment. Cavendish would like nothing more than to return to the U.K. with the sprint title.

The ride to Paris tomorrow is a simple affair, just 102.5km (63.6 miles) that begins in Longjumeau. Out on the road, there will be no attacks, but once on the Champs Elysees, the sprinters will burst out of the peloton, and rush for the last of the points. That's where the excitement will be, and likely the only real excitement of the day.

For those wondering, Lance Armstrong finishes his final Tour de France nearly 40 minutes behind the leaders, in 23rd place.

Tour 2010: Competitive Day Set The Stage For Thursday

Today's 16th stage of the Tour de France was a good one, and was literally competitive right down to the finish line, but it really was just a warm-up for what should be a big day on Thursday, following tomorrow's rest day.

The stage today ran from Bagneres-de-Luchon to Pau, covering 199.5 km (124 miles) in the process. The climbers had plenty of opportunity to stretch their legs on this one, with two Category 1 climbs to get things started, followed by two tough beyond category climbs in the middle, including the dreaded Tourmalet, which will play a bigger role in two days time. Following the second of those BC climbs, it was a fast and furious race to the end, with a break away group that included Lance Armstrong, battling for the stage victory.


Spaniard Carlos Barredo led the way for much of the later portions of the race, and for a time it seemed like he would survive for a solo stage win. But he was caught by a group of riders with less than 1 km to go, and was clearly heartbroken when Chris Horner, Christophe Moreau, Armstrong, and others swept passed him. Pierrick Fedrigo took the stage win at the line, holding off Sandy Casar and Ruben Plaza by fractions of a second. Armstrong ended up finishing in sixth place, while Barredo finished in ninth. Interestingly enough, Thor Hushovd claimed 10th place, which is very impressive for a sprinter on this stage, and clawed his way back into the Green Jersey. 


Despite his promises of seeking "revenge" today, Andy Schleck didn't attack Alberto Contador, and this stage wasn't a good option to do so regardless. Instead, the Yellow Jersey group hung together and there was no movement in that area. Presumably, they'll take tomorrow's rest day to regroup and prepare for Thursday, when it is imperative that Schleck gain chunks of time on the Tour leader. If Schleck isn't in Yellow Thursday night, he has no hope of catching Contador on the time trial.


With Contador still in Yellow and Thor back in Green, that leaves just the other two Jerseys to report on.  Anthony Charteau keeps the Polka Dot Jersey and currently has a solid lead in that department. He'll be challenged on Thursday as well, but is climbing strong right now. The White Jersey belong to Andy Schleck as the best young rider of the Tour, and he seems to have it well wrapped up, regardless of what happens on the way into Paris. 


As I mentioned, tomorrow brings the second, and final, rest day of this year's Tour, with a big day looming on Thursday. That will be a 174 km (108 mile) run that begins in Pau and ends with a punishing climb up the Col du Tourmalet, one of the roughest and most legendary climbs in the Tour's history. It is likely that it will all be decided right there on those slopes. If you're going to call in sick to work to watch one stage of the Tour, make it that one. 

Tour 2010: Radoshack Gets Stage Win On Quiet Day

The 2010 Tour de France reached the halfway point today, and after a grueling couple of days in the Alps, things calmed down somewhat, allowing the sprinters to take center stage once again. The 179 km (111 mile) route ran from Chambéry to Gap and featured a single Category 1, 2, and 3 climb, along with some fast descents to keep the riders on their toes.


At the end of the day, Radioshack rider Sergio Paulinho edged out Vasil Kiryienka at the line to claim the stage victory, the first of his career. It was a nice lift for Team Radioshack who had its expectations lowered on Sunday when their leader, Lance Armstrong, went down in a crash and never recovered. Armstrong, who was one of the GC contenders, lost more than 11 minutes on the leaders, and hasn't raced the same sense. 


The overall standing remain largely unchanged today with Andy Schleck still in the Yellow Jersey and likely to stay there at least until the Pyrenees. Alberto Contador is in second place, 41 seconds back, and will try to test Schleck on the mountains beginning this weekend. Thor Hushovd is wearing the Green Jersey representing the top sprinter while Jérôme Pineau climbed back into the Polka Dot Jersey after earning some King of the Mountain points today. Robert Gesink is in the White Jersey, on loan from Andy Schleck, as the best young rider in the Tour.


Tomorrow the peloton will face another fast stage, with it mostly being a flat run from Sisteron to Bourg-lès-Valence covering 184.5 km (114.6 miles). The stage will once again let the big sprinters, like Thor, Cavendish, and Harrar duke it out for the stage win, and those all important points for the Green Jersey. 


Finally, hats off to Cadel Evans, who I mentioned yesterday might have been having a mid-Tour meltdown yesterday. Turns out Cadel broke his elbow in a crash on Sunday, and that was causing him all kinds of problems while trying to defend the Yellow Jersey. Cadel will continue to ride in this year's race as long as he can, but he definitely was suffering yesterday. Hopefully he'll be on the mend soon. Hang in there mate!

Tour 2010: Rest Day Reflections

Today is the first rest day in the 2010 Tour de France, and after a tough weekend in the early mountain stages, it seems the riders can really use the break. It was certainly an eventful couple of days to say the least, as the true GC contenders took center stage yesterday, as we can now see where the battle lines will be drawn. Meanwhile, Lance Armstrong sees his last attempt at winning slip away on a brutal day for the Tour legend.

On Saturday, the riders entered the first medium-mountain stage with a 165.5 km (102.8 mile) ride from Tournus to Station des Rousses. The route featured six good climbs, including three Category 2 slopes, and while none of the big names made a major move, it did allow for Jérôme Pineau to solidify his points total in the King of the Mountain competition. Pineau took of as one of the riders in a five man break, and ended up earning first place in nearly all of the KOM checkpoints, giving him a firm grip on the Polka Dot Jersey. The stage was won by his teammate, Sylvain Chavanel, who also donned the Yellow Jersey when Fabian Cancellara fell off the pace while battling on the moderate climbs. 


Chavanel wouldn't stay in Yellow for long however, as Sunday brought a true mountain stage featuring two Category 1 climbs. The 189 km (117.4 mile) course ran from Station des Rousses to Morzine-Avoriaz, giving the riders their first real taste of what the Alps had to offer. It was a day filled with crashes that left many scraped, bruised, and battered, and few escaped unscathed. The big showdown would come on the final climb of the day, one of the Cat 1 slopes, with a summit finish. As the lead riders neared the top, Andy Schleck kicked it into climbing mode, and left everyone else behind, including Tour favorite Alberto Contador, who looked unwilling or unable to respond. Schleck took the stage win, gained valuable time on Contador, and now sits in second place, 20 seconds behind Cadell Evans. Contador is in third, 1:01 back from the leader.


As for Cadel, he made me look like a genius for predicting he'd come out of the weekend in Yellow last week. He's riding well, and is sticking to the plan, and seemed genuinely emotional when he put on the Jersey yesterday. The question is, can he defend it in the days ahead? We have a lot of riding to go yet, and while he is the world road cycling champ, he didn't appear to have an answer for Andy Schleck yesterday either. That said, Cadel was involved in an early crash that I'm sure didn't help how he was feeling, and he really didn't have to chase down Schleck either. As long as he can do it in the Pyrenees, he'll be fine. Will he still be in Yellow then?


The other big news from yesterday was the utter meltdown by Lance Armstrong, who avoided an early crash only to later catch his pedal on a curb, sending him reeling over the top of his handlebars. Visibly shaken by that accident, he never really seemed to recover. He was later caught up in another crash, and although he didn't suffer any more damage, it slowed him down further, and kept him out of his rhythm. Post-race we learned that Lance hit the wall following his crash, and bonking hard, he just didn't have the energy and stamina to catch-up to the contenders. When the dust settled, he lost 11 minutes and 45 seconds to the leaders, effectively ending any chances he had of winning the race. While this can happen to any rider of course, it was just strange to watch Lance seem to have no ability to respond. In his prime, he was the strongest rider in the Peloton, and while I still think he is amongst the top riders in the world, he had a combination of bad luck and bad timing sap him of his chances to contend once again. Don't feel too bad for him however, as he does have seven Tour championship to his name. 


Today, the riders will rest, eat, and lick their wounds. It has been a tough Tour already, but the worst is yet to come. On Tuesday for instance, they'll see that the mountains they've conquered so far are nothing compared to what lies ahead. The 204.5 km (127 miles) course will take them from Morzine-Avoriaz to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, and along the way they'll face a Category 2 climb, two big Category 1 climbs, and a Beyond Category climb. Fortunately, the stage finish is at the bottom of a mountain, so we'll see the riders bombing down the hill towards the end tomorrow. It should be a great stage, with plenty of action, and lots more to come in the days ahead. We're not even half way through the Tour just yet.  

Tour 2010: Sprinters Take Center Stage, But Mountains Loom

The sixth stage of the 2010 Tour de France was another chance for the sprinters to shine before the race moves into the mountains for the first time, and the climbers move to the forefront. Today's ride was another fast and furious one, especially at the end, as the Manx Missile, Mark Cavendish, proved that rumors of his demise were greatly exaggerated.

The 227.5 km (141.3 miles) stage was the longest of this year's Tour, and while it featured several Category 4 climbs, it was mostly a flat route giving the sprinters a chance to earn more Green Jersey points. The stage was so flat in fact that it gave all the teams an opportunity to jockey for a win, and as the peloton screamed down the road toward the finish line, a number of teams were taking their turn up front, doing the work, and hoping to put their man out in front.

In the end, it was Cavendish, of Team HTC, that earned the stage win, his second in a row and the 12th of his young career, silencing the whispers about any problems he seemed to be experiencing early on in the Tour. He is one of the best sprinters in the world, and last year he looked unbeatable in a one-on-one situation over a short distance, but when he wasn't winning stages immediately in this year's Tour, people began to wonder what was wrong with the outspoken but talented rider. Today he showed the crowd that there was nothing wrong, and he still can't be beat in an open sprint.

Second to Cavendish was American Tyler Farrar of Team Garmin, who is a very promising young sprinter as well. Farrar has been hampered with a wrist injury suffered on Stage 1, but he seems to slowly be getting healthy, and could be in a position to claim a stage win himself sometime in the next couple of weeks. It'll be interesting to see he and Cavendish go head to head when both are healthy.

The standings remain mostly the same once again today. Fabian Cancellara holds on to the Yellow Jersey, at least for one more day, and Thor Hushovd keeps the Green, although with his back-to-back wins, Cavendish is moving up that category very quickly now. Jérôme Pineau leads in the King of the Mountain category, and Geraint Thomas, a brilliant young rider from the U.K., on Team Sky, is in the White Jersey, which is annually awarded to the best young rider. 


Tomorrow, things start to get really interesting. The Tour  moves into the first mountain stage, and while it isn't exactly the biggest of the peaks they'll face, we'll start to separate the wheat from the chaff. The riders will pedal 165.5 km (102.8 miles) from Tournus to Station des Rousses, while dealing with a number of Cat 2 and 3 climbs. That will serve as a nice warm-up for Sunday, which is a 189 km (117.4 mile) ride from Station des Rousses from Morzine-Avoriaz which features two Category 1 climbs, including one that leads to the stage finish. 


The Alps are almost here, and Cancellara's days in Yellow are numbered. The question is, who will take it off his back? Contador is an amazing climber, but he may wait for an opportunity in the Pyrenees rather than trying to defend the Jersey every day. It's doubtful that Lance Armstrong will make a move for the Yellow Jersey at this point either, although he may try to take back some time. Andy Schleck is a great climber as well, but how will he fare without brother Frank to help pull him along? Perhaps it is time for Cadel Evans to make a statement, and do the Yellow Jersey at last.


The weekend is going to be an interesting one!

Tour 2010: Cavendish Finally Gets A Win!

One of the big stories of the 2010 Tour de France so far has been the complete lack of an impact on the race by Mark Cavendish, the brash and often outspoken sprinter from the U.K. Last year, Cavendish showed off a burst of speed that few could match, and it powered him to several stage wins. He was expected to contend for a number of these early sprints this year as well, but up until today, he was no where to be found. That changed today however, when he, and his HTC Team, powered to a big win.

Today's stage was a very basic, straightforward affair designed to highlight the sprinters and their quest for the Green Jersey. The 187.5 km (116.5 miles) route wound through the French countryside from Épernay to Montargis, passing through Provin, a World Heritage Site and ground zero for France's champaign region. The stage was mostly flat, although there were two Cat 4 climbs for the riders to contend with,  giving the King of the Mountain contenders a chance to earn some points and stay interested. But mostly the day belonged to the sprinters, who put on another show at the end, with Cavendish living up to his nickname as "the Missile", and claiming his 11th career stage victory at the Tour.

The standings pretty much remain unchanged following today's events. Fabian Cancellara of Team Saxo Bank remains in the Yellow Jersey, while Thor Hushovd of Cérvelo Test Team, riding his custom green bike, wears the sprinter's Green Jersey. Jérôme Pineau of Team Quick Step is the current King of the Mountains point leader, but until the race hits the Alps and Pyrenees, there won't be much action there. 


While much of the talk this year has been about what Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong are up to, with the occasional mention of Andy Schleck, one rider that is currently having a good Tour, and is quietly keeping himself in position, is Cadel Evans. The Australian, riding for Team BMC, is the current World Champ, and is having a very good year, which hopefully bodes well for him in the days ahead. His history in the Tour has not always been a good one, as in years past he has tended to meltdown or falter when the competition heats up. But, if he can keep everything together, this just might be the year that Evans rides into Paris with the Yellow Jersey. 


While I appreciate these sprint stages, I'm more than ready for the mountains to arrive. :)

Tour 2010: Tour Off To A Smashing Start

It was a wild and challenging start to the Tour de France over the weekend, starting with a rain soaked individual time trial and ending with a challenging run today that saw Thor Hushovd claim a stage victory. In between, we've had crashes galore, including one that took out a Tour favorite, while Lance Armstrong suffers a bit of bad luck that puts him at a disadvantage to his chief rival, defending champ Alberto Contador.

On Saturday, the riders took to the road in Rotterdam to compete in the Prologue that was an exciting start to this year's race. As expected, Fabian Cancellara of Team Saxo Bank took the stage win, but Armstrong looked to have regained some of his championship form, and performed well too, finishing fourth in the stage, 22 seconds behind the winner. Contador has a solid run, but looked to struggle a bit at times, and ended up in sixth place, 27 seconds off the pace. Armstrong had to feel good coming out of the day with a slight edge on the Tour favorite.

Sunday, the riders took the open road for the first time, racing to Brussels in celebration of Eddy Merckx's 65th birthday. The stage was mostly flat, with the only expected challenge being the blustery crosswinds across the Belgian countryside. Those winds never materialized, and thus it was a relatively easy ride, with the sprinters picking up valuable points towards the Green Jersey. There were a number of nasty crashes, but the Tour favorites managed to avoid the mishaps, and come through mostly unscathed. Cancellara remained in the Yellow Jersey, with no real changes in position amongst the race favorites.


Yesterday's Stage 2 introduced some hills into the mix, and allowed the climbers to get in on the action early on. Sylvain Chavanel of Team Quick Step made a breakaway at the end of the stage however, and held on to cross the finish line by himself, taking the Yellow Jersey from Cancellara. Once again, the top riders remained unchanged in their position with one another, as they wait for their opportunity to attack one another later in the race.


Today was Stage 3, which was a 213km (132.3 mile) route from Wanze Arenberg to Porte du Hainaut. With one category 4 climb mixed into the ride, there was a chance for the climbers to strut there stuff once again, but mostly it was another day for the sprinters, but the biggest challenge for the peloton was to survive the nearly 9 miles of cobblestones that threatened to end their tour early, and for one top rider, they did just that. 


Frank Schleck, of Team Saxo Bank, was involved in a crash part way through the race that has sent him on his way home, which is a huge blow to his team and to his brother Andy, who finished second last year, and relies heavily on his big brother throughout the Tour. Frank just came off a huge win in the Tour de Suisse, and was considered a contender in his own right. His departure from the race changes the complexion of the Tour dramatically. 


Meanwhile, the ride today was a fast and furious one, with the speed demons going for Green Jersey points. Last year's Green Jersey winner, Thor Hushovd took the stage win, with Fabian Cancellara not far behind. The fast finish for Cancellara allowed him to regain the Yellow Jersey after Chavanel lost time due to multiple tire punctures. Neither Cancellara nor Chavanel are considered real contenders to win the race, but they'll likely continue to battle for the lead until the riders hit the Alps in a week's time. 


The real story may be that Lance Armstrong gave up time to Alberto Contador following a tire puncture of his own. Lance was riding very strong, and was actually riding away from Contador before the unfortunate incident, but following the tire change, he ended up finishing behind his younger rival. Contador now sits in 9th place, 1:40 off the lead, with Armstrong dropping to 18th, another 50 seconds back. Both men will duel it out in mountains of course, but Lance will look to make up time before then, as that is a huge gap to overcome against one of the top climbers in the world. 


Stay tuned for more tomorrow, when the Tour actually appears in France for the first time this year. Stage 4 will run from Cambrai to Reims on a route that is 153.5km (95.3 miles) in length and is mostly designed for the sprinters. The ride should be a relatively easy one, giving the Peloton the chance to recover and regroup after a rough start thus far. 

Tour 2010: Calm Before The Storm

The 2010 Tour de France is now less than 24 hours from getting underway, and the riders, team managers and staff, as well as the fans, are eagerly awaiting the start of the race. One of the big reasons that we're all excited for this year's Tour is that we'll finally get to see Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador go head to head after the two had friction while racing on the same team last year.

Versus has once again put together a nice video that recaps the rivalry between the two racers, that was evident in 2009, but was kept out of the public eye none the less. The gloves will be off in 2010 however, and the two men can go head to head without fear of team repercussions.

It should make for an interesting race to say the least. Contador is a much younger, and stronger rider than Lance, but Armstrong's Team RadioShack is a more experienced, stronger, and deeper team. They will help their leader throughout the race, and it could come down to a solo duel between these two men in the mountains. Lance has been climbing very well in his recent races, and he may be setting himself up to hang with Alberto in the Alps and Pyrenees this year.

After you've watched the video about these two rivals, check out the second one which gives us a glimpse of what the Tour route has in store for the riders this year. As always, it looks tough.

Versus Gives Us The Ten Best Moments In Tour History

The Versus Network, who will be broadcasting the Tour de France once again this year here, has put together their selection for the Ten Greatest Moments in Tour History, which you can checkout in the video below. With just two days to go until the start of the race, this is a great look back at some of the best historical moments from the greatest cycling race on the planet.

The video is, as you might expect, fairly heavy with Lance Armstrong clips, but then again, Lance did have some very dramatic moments in his seven consecutive tour victories. I won't spoil the list for you, but lets just say I'd have made Eddy Merckx's 1969 victory at number 1. After all, he not only rode into Paris in the Yellow Jersey, he also owned the Green and Polka Dot Jerseys too! That is one impressive feat that will never be equalled.

Vive Le Tour!