• From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Topic: Le Tour de France, 2009

aka Cathy, George and Tewker's annual private July topic. big_smile

There are quite a few reasons why I sincerely hope that this topic will attract a wider audience than last year. The principal reasons, of course, are the return of Lance and the simple fact that 'Le Tour' is one of the greatest sporting spectacles in the world!!

Two other reasons for potential increased interest here are the stunning form of the 'Manx Wizard', young Mark Cavendish, who is currently head and shoulders the best sprinter in the world. Cavendish rides for the American Team Columbia, currently by far the strongest in-depth cycling team going, though they have no one capable of winning the Tour.

In addition, Dutch readers may show some interest this year as the Rabo team is stronger than ever before and has a serious candidate for the yellow jersey in team leader Denis Menchov, who just won the Giro d'Italia.

The Tour starts on Saturday, July 4 in Monaco. I will be posting team rosters once they are all complete, rather than one at a time as they are announced.

I would be amazed (as would the rest of the cycling world!) if the winner of the Tour does not come from this group - Contador, Sastre, Menchov, Leipheimer, Armstrong, the Schleck brothers or Evans (though I personally doubt that Evans will ever win anything 'big').

I think the green jersey will be between Cavendish and Freire. I'm convinced that Columbia will win more stages than any other team, though probably not the overall team classification. The polka-dot jersey looks like a lottery, so many riders have a chance. In any event, let's all fervently hope that this year's king of the mountains as well as all other riders will be riding clean.

I suspect that millions of cycling fans will secretly be hoping that Lance can pull off a miracle 8th win. cool

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • From: Norddeutschland
  • Registered: 2008-12-03
  • Posts: 1,458

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

It is a great event George for sure. Its tradition as a true test of manpower is unrivalled. And yet, as you hinted in your comment it is a 'dirty sport' and the reputation of this event is, only IMO, utterly sullied.

I don't blame the sports regulating bodies. They will become ever more vigilant and catch the cheats. I blame the riders themselves whose intelligence seems to be wanting as they embark on a planned regime of deception. Zero tolerance is the only way. Life bans for all involved.

After the fiasco of 07 one could have thought 08 would have been without scandal, but , again not so. I shan't be watching. I just can't trust it anymore, which is a shame for the hundreds of riders who are clean, because you just know, that someone at the sharp end will have cheated.

Still, hope springs eternal and I wish a 'pure' winner to triumph overall.

Mike

No Hits, No Hype.......................Classic Rock Jan 2012
  • Registered: 2008-06-13
  • Posts: 137

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

I think the boy Cavendish is clean, have you seen him trying to get up a hill? He finished dead last in a few stages last year because of the hills. Not sure what the team plans for him, but a guy I know who really follows cycling closely said Cav won a long one stage race that had a big climb in it a month or 2 ago, so maybe he is getting better. I hope they drag him to the end, if he could pick up the Green Jersey as you say George then that would be just perfect!!!!

GO team Manx!

tewker

  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

I know where you're coming from, Mike. You represent the German tv point of view. big_smile I'll tell you one thing though - if Ulrich was riding now, German tv would show the Tour. wink

I'm too much of a cycling fan to not watch the Tour because some of them might be, or are, doped. I'm starting to think that maybe the only solution for professional cycling is that all of them get equal access to the latest performance enhancers under strict supervision. Someone is still going to be faster than the rest.

I have plenty to say over this week's Tour of Switzerland (also in relation to the Tour), but have had to bite my tongue all week because Cathy doesn't get highlights till Sunday. roll She hasn't posted here yet because she's been very busy this week and isn't home today, but she'll show up soon. wink

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • From: Deep in the forest
  • Registered: 2007-02-11
  • Posts: 5,296

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

I will be the lone voice and say cyclists are the most tested athletes out there. I, for one, don't trust "the ruling body", which makes it hard to trust their testing facilities, standards, etc. Yes, I have a "tude" about the French. This all comes from watching them try every conceivable way to prove Lance "dirty", which NEVER happened. I did get a bit sad last year as one by one riders would disappear because of a PED scandal. The year before it went down to the wire....it's all very confusing. But, having said that, I'm a total cycling junkie and will be watching the "Tour de Lance" every day. There are young stars like Cavendish that give me hope for the future. Let the games begin!!!    Cathy

  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

Amsterhammer wrote:

I have plenty to say over this week's Tour of Switzerland (also in relation to the Tour), but have had to bite my tongue all week because Cathy doesn't get highlights till Sunday.

Free at last, oh lord I'm free at last. big_smile

Cathy is watching the entire week's highlights right now and won't read this till she's up to date.

I've been dying to express my amazement at the total dominance of team Columbia who won six!! of the nine stages in Switzerland with five different riders! Cavendish won two sprints with ease, while their second sprinter, Eisel, also won a sprint. The other three wins were all on uphill finishes. I really have no idea what this team is capable of in the Tour, where the opposition will, of course, be a lot tougher than it was in Switzerland.

Columbia also won two stages in another race this week, which puts them on 45 wins for the season so far!!! I'm not sure if such a total has ever been achieved by any team over an entire season, never mind in half a season. Truly incredible.

All I'm saying is, this looks like it could be a fantastic tour for one or two specific American riders cool and also for the American team Columbia, though sadly I don't think that there will be more than at most two Americans in the Tour squad. There should, therefore, be more media coverage in the US than in recent years since Lance retired. So y'all can catch some of this great sporting spectacle and maybe come to appreciate it. tongue

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • From: Deep in the forest
  • Registered: 2007-02-11
  • Posts: 5,296

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

Thanks for keeping quiet G..what a great time trial!! Team Columbia will be representing the USA. It's a very popular outdoor clothing company from the Pacific northwest, who merged with the California team Highroad.....that's good enough for me. The best news is all the young talent. Riders who are going to keep the sport thrilling. I wouldn't want to be the guys deciding who to send to the Tour. Sprinters, climbers, domestiques....such a team sport. I wait all year for this...more so this year than for the last few!      Cathy

8 Reply by Amsterhammer (edited by Amsterhammer 2009-07-03 18:09:15)

  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

The Tour riders with their numbers. I have highlighted the names of some lesser known riders who I think might surprise (in different ways).

Cervelo TestTeam
    Manager: Theo MAUCHER -
    1. Carlos Sastre (ESP)
    2. Inigo Cuesta (ESP)
    3. José Angel Gomez Marchante (ESP)
    4. Volodymyr Gustov (UKR)
    5. Heinrich Haussler (GER)
    6. Thor Hushovd (NOR)
    7. Andreas Klier (GER)
    8. Brett Lancaster (AUS)
    9. Hayden Roulston (NZL)
Silence-Lotto
    Manager: Marc SERGEANT
    11. Cadel Evans (AUS)
    12. Micka‘l Delage (FRA)
    13. Sebastian Lang (GER)
    14. Matthew Lloyd (AUS)
    15. Staf Scheirlinckx (BEL)
    16. Greg Van Avermaet (BEL)
    17. Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL)
    18. Johan Vansummeren (BEL)
    19. Charles Wegelius (GBR)
Astana
    Manager: Johan BRUYNEEL -
    21. Alberto Contador (ESP)
    22. Lance Armstrong (USA)
    23. Andreas Klöden (GER)
    24. Levi Leipheimer (USA)
    25. Dmitriy Muravyev (KAZ)
    26. Sergio Paulinho (POR)
    27. Yaroslav Popovych (UKR)
    28. Gregory Rast (SUI)
    29. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP)
Team Saxo Bank
    Manager: Bjarne RIIS -
    31. Andy Schleck (LUX)
    32. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (NOR)
    33. Fabian Cancellara (SUI)
    34. Gustav Larsson (SWE)
    35. Stuart O'Grady (AUS)
    36. Frank Schleck (LUX)
    37. Chris Sørensen (DEN)
    38. Nicki Sørensen (DEN)
    39. Jens Voigt (GER)
Rabobank
    Manager: Harold KNEBEL -
    41. Denis Menchov (RUS)
    42. Stef Clement (NED)
    43. Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP)
    44. Oscar Freire (ESP)
    45. Juan Manuel Garate (ESP)
    46. Robert Gesink (NED)
    47. Grischa Niermann (GER)
    48. Joost Posthuma (NED)
    49. Laurens ten Dam (NED)
Garmin - Slipstream
    Manager: Jonathan VAUGHTERS -
    51. Christian Vande Velde (USA)
    52. Julian Dean (NZL)
    53. Tyler Farrar (USA)
    54. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN)
    55. Martijn Maaskant (NED)
    56. David Millar (GBR)
    57. Danny Pate (USA)
    58. Bradley Wiggins (GBR)
    59. David Zabriskie (USA)
Euskaltel-Euskadi
    Manager: Miguel MADARIAGA -
    61. Mikel Astarloza (ESP)
    62. Igor Anton (ESP)
    63. Koldo Fernandez (ESP)
    64. Egoi Martinez (ESP)
    65. Juan José Oroz (ESP)
    66. Alan Pérez (ESP)
    67. Ruben Pérez (ESP)
    68. Amets Txurruka (ESP)
    69. Gorka Verdugo (ESP)
Team Columbia-HTC
    Manager: Bob STAPLETON -
    71. Mark Cavendish (GBR)
    72. Bernhard Eisel (AUT)
    73. Bert Grabsch (GER)
    74. George Hincapie (USA)
    75. Kim Kirchen (LUX)
    76. Tony Martin (GER)
    77. Maxime Monfort (BEL)
    78. Mark Renshaw (AUS)
    79. Michael Rogers (AUS)
Ag2r-La Mondiale
    Manager: Vincent LAVENU
    81. Vladimir Efimkin (RUS)
    82. Jose Luis Arrieta (ESP)
    83. Cyril Dessel (FRA)
    84. Hubert Dupont (FRA)
    85. Stéphane Goubert (FRA)
    86. Lloyd Mondory (FRA)
    87. Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA)
    88. Christophe Riblon (FRA)
    89. Nicolas Roche (IRL)
Liquigas
    Manager: Roberto, AMADIO -
    91. Franco Pellizotti (ITA)
    92. Daniele Bennati (ITA)
    93. Roman Kreuziger (CZE)
    94. Aliaksandr Kuschynski (BLR)
    95. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA)
    96. Fabio Sabatini (ITA)
    97. Brian Vandborg (DEN)
    98. Alessandro Vanotti (ITA)
    99. Frederik Willems (BEL)
Francaise Des Jeux
    Manager: Marc MADIOT -
    101. Sandy Casar (FRA)
    102. Jérôme Coppel (FRA)
    103. Anthony Geslin (FRA)
    104. Yauheni Hutarovitch (BLR)
    105. Sébastien Joly (FRA)
    106. Christophe Le Mével (FRA)
    107. Jérémy Roy (FRA)
    108. Benoît Vaugrenard (FRA)
    109. Jussi Veikkanen (FIN)
Caisse D’Epargne
    Manager: José-Miguel ECHAVARRI
    111. Oscar Pereiro (ESP)
    112. David Arroyo (ESP)
    113. Rui Costa (POR)
    114. Arnaud Coyot (FRA)
    115. Ivan Gutierrez (ESP)
    116. Luis Pasamontes (ESP)
    117. José Joaquin Rojas (ESP)
    118. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP)
    119. Rigoberto Uran (COL)
Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
    Manager: Éric BOYER -
    121. David Moncoutié (FRA)
    122. Stéphane Augé (FRA)
    123. Samuel Dumoulin (FRA)
    124. Leonardo Duque (COL)
    125. Bingen Fernandez (ESP)
    126. Christophe Kern (FRA)
    127. Sébastien Minard (FRA)
    128. Ama‘l Moinard (FRA)
    129. Rémi Pauriol (FRA)
Lampre - N.G.C.
    Manager: Fabrizio Bontempi
    131. Alessandro Ballan (ITA)
    132. Marco Bandiera (ITA)
    133. Marzio Bruseghin (ITA)
    134. Angelo Furlan (ITA)
    135. David Loosli (SUI)
    136. Daniele Righi (ITA)
    137. Mauro Santambrogio (ITA)
    138. Marcin Sapa (POL)
    139. Simon Spilak (SLO)
Bbox Bouygues Telecom
    Manager: Jean-René BERNAUDEAU
    141. Thomas Voeckler (FRA)
    142. Yukiya Arashiro (JPN)
    143. William Bonnet (FRA)
    144. Pierrick Fédrigo (FRA)
    145. Saîd Haddou (FRA)
    146. Laurent Lefvre (FRA)
    147. Alexandre Pichot (FRA)
    148. Pierre Rolland (FRA)
    149. Yury Trofimov (RUS)
Quick Step
    Manager: Patrick LEFÉVÈRE
    151. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA)
    152. Carlos Barredo (ESP)
    153. Tom Boonen (BEL)
    154. Steven De Jongh (NED)
    155. Stijn Devolder (BEL)
    156. Jérôme Pineau (FRA)
    157. Sébastien Rosseler (BEL)
    158. Matteo Tosatto (ITA)
    159. Jurgen Van De Walle (BEL)
Team Katusha
    Manager: Stefano FELTRIN -
    161. Vladimir Karpets (RUS)
    162. Alexandre Botcharov (RUS)
    163. Joan Horrach (ESP)
    164. Mikhail Ignatiev (RUS)
    165. Serguei Ivanov (RUS)
    166. Danilo Napolitano (ITA)
    167. Filippo Pozzato (ITA)
    168. Nikolai Trusov (RUS)
    169. Stijn Vandenbergh (BEL)
Agritubel
    Manager: David FORNES
    171. Christophe Moreau (FRA)
    172. Maxime Bouet (FRA)
    173. Sylvain Calzati (FRA)
    174. Brice Feillu (FRA)
    175. Romain Feillu (FRA)
    176. Eduardo Gonzalo (ESP)
    177. David Le Lay (FRA)
    178. Geoffroy Lequatre (FRA)
    179. Nicolas Vogondy (FRA)
Team Milram
    Manager: Gerry VAN GERWEN -
    181. Linus Gerdemann (GER)
    182. Gerald Ciolek (GER)
    183. Markus Fothen (GER)
    184. Johannes Frøhlinger (GER)
    185. Christian Knees (GER)
    186. Niki Terpstra (NED)
    187. Peter Velits (SVK)
    188. Fabian Wegmann (GER)
    189. Peter Wrolich (AUT)
Skil-Shimano
    Manager: Iwan SPEKENBRINK
    191. Cyril Lemoine (FRA)
    192. Fumiyuki Beppu (JPN)
    193. Koen De Kort (NED)
    194. Simon Geschke (GER)
    195. Jonathan Hivert (FRA)
    196. Thierry Hupond (FRA)
    197. Piet Rooijakkers (NED)
    198. Albert Timmer (NED)
    199. Kenny van Hummel (NED)

edit - no. 153 is now Tom Boonen

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

Brack wrote:

Someone else with too much time on his hands, but well done! How long did it take to type out ?
~ Brack ~

Nope, just someone who knows how to c&p and edit. wink (See, there's no need to copy my entire list in the quote just to add a short reply - saves space and bandwidth!)

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

The result of today's short time trial first stage -

1. Fabian Cancellara (Swi/Saxo Bank) 19mins 32sec
2. Alberto Contador (Spa/Astana) +18 secs
3. Bradley Wiggins (GB/Garmin) +19 secs
4. Andreas Kloeden (Ger/Astana) +22 secs
5. Cadel Evans (Aus/Silence-Lotto) +23 secs
6. Levi Leipheimer (US/Astana) +30 secs
7. Roman Kreuziger (Cze/Liquigas) +32 secs
8. Tony Martin (Ger/Columbia) +33 secs
9. Vincenzo Nibali (It/Liquigas) +37 secs
10. Lance Armstrong (US/Astana) +40 secs

Cavendish finished 178th of 180, but today wasn't what he's at the Tour for. The winner, who's in the prime of life, was totally awesome. The fact that Lance lost 40 seconds to him is no biggie. More importantly, Lance only lost 22 seconds to Contador, though today's result clearly stakes Contador's claim to be team leader.

Tomorrow should see a sprint finish and the first Cavendish victory.

I look forward to next week, when Cathy will (finally) be able to join in on her fixed pc. Grrr. roll

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

Today's result -

1. Mark Cavendish (GB/Team Columbia) 4 hours 30 minutes 2 seconds
2. Tyler Farrar (USA/Garmin-Slipstream) same time
3. Romain Feillu (Fra/Agritubel) "
4. Thor Hushovd, (Nor/Cervelo) "
5. Yukiya Arashiro (Jap/Bouygues Telecom) "
6. Gerald Ciolek (Ger/Milram) "
7. William Bonnet (Fra/Bouygues Telecom) "
8. Nicolas Roche (Ire/AG2R) "
9. Koen de Kort (Ned/Skil-Shimano) "
10. Lloyd Mondory (Fra/AG2R) "

You can come and bask in reflected glory, Tewker. big_smile The Manx Express looks unstoppable for tomorrow too.

Yes folks, for non-Tour people, Mark Cavendish comes from the Isle of Man, aka BDS country. wink

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • Registered: 2008-06-13
  • Posts: 137

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

Amsterhammer wrote:

Today's result -

1. Mark Cavendish (GB/Team Columbia) 4 hours 30 minutes 2 seconds
2. Tyler Farrar (USA/Garmin-Slipstream) same time
3. Romain Feillu (Fra/Agritubel) "
4. Thor Hushovd, (Nor/Cervelo) "
5. Yukiya Arashiro (Jap/Bouygues Telecom) "
6. Gerald Ciolek (Ger/Milram) "
7. William Bonnet (Fra/Bouygues Telecom) "
8. Nicolas Roche (Ire/AG2R) "
9. Koen de Kort (Ned/Skil-Shimano) "
10. Lloyd Mondory (Fra/AG2R) "

You can come and bask in reflected glory, Tewker. big_smile The Manx Express looks unstoppable for tomorrow too.

Yes folks, for non-Tour people, Mark Cavendish comes from the Isle of Man, aka BDS country. wink

Have it my son, 'AVE IT..........

I am working nights so I missed the action, someone at work will have it on video though, so going to watch it tonight.

Go Team Manx!!!

tewker

  • Registered: 2008-06-13
  • Posts: 137

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

Cav looks like the winner today even before the stage has been run smile

His price is 1.50 next rider is 10/1. In % terms thats 65% Cav will win, next guy in the betting is rated about 9% to win yikes

Go Team Manx!!!!
tewker

  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

Oh my God! What a sensational day's racing! cool

Today's result only tells half the story.

1. Mark Cavendish (GB/Team Columbia) 5 hours 1 minute 24 seconds
2. Thor Hushovd (Nor/Cervelo) same time
3. Cyril Lemoine (Fra/Skil-Shimano) "
4. Samuel Dumoulin (Fra/Cofidis) "
5. Jerome Pineau (France/Quick Step) "
6. Fabian Cancellara (Swi/Saxo Bank) "
7. Fabian Wegmann (Ger/Milram) "
8. Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn/Skil-Shimano) "
9. Maxime Bouet (Fra/Agritubel) "
10. Linus Gerdemann (Ger/Milram) "
19. Lance Armstrong (US/Astana) "

The leading group, including Lance, took 40 seconds out of all the other contenders. This means that there is a chance that Lance will wear the yellow again after tomorrow's team time trial. big_smile

Yes, Cav won again, but the big story of the day was that the smart old seven time champion was in the right place at the right time, whereas all the other main contenders for the overall win missed the boat.

Current overall standing -

1. Fabian Cancellara (Swi/Saxobank) 9 hours 50 minutes 58 seconds
2. Tony Martin (Ger/Columbia) +33 secs
3. Lance Armstrong (USA/Astana) +40 secs
4. Alberto Contador (Spa/Astana) + 59 secs
5. Bradley Wiggins (GB/Garmin) +1 minute

The time trial victory will be between the four teams of these riders. Can't wait for tomorrow - both for the race, and for the possibility that Cathy will finally get her pc sorted and be able to come and post here again.

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • From: Germany / Hamburg
  • Registered: 2008-08-11
  • Posts: 494

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

In germany we call it sometimes "Le Tour de Dope"... lol

Here are my tabbed songs by "Smokin' Joe": http://www.jbonamassa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=7236
I LIKE MUSIC! big_smile big_smile big_smile
  • From: Deep in the forest
  • Registered: 2007-02-11
  • Posts: 5,296

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

JBJHJM wrote:

In germany we call it sometimes "Le Tour de Dope"... lol

  I'm SO sick of all the doping talk. Watch the race and then talk. No single rider has ridden away with the race. They would all have to be on the same drugs. Brains actually matter in cycling. There's no drug to make athletes smarter. Now, that's a real shame.

I'm enjoying every minute so far!!! 21 days, each day enough to kill a mere human. Each day is the opportunity for a rider to win that stage. Team tactics, individual moments of glory....Oh, I'm ready for the mountains. That's where the herd will thin. However, I'm equally happy to watch the sprints. I love Cav, but he needs to ramp down on the ego....he's not making friends. The best at anything never have to tell you they are the best. O-O  O-O   O-O  Cathy

ps...sitting in my house using my work computer with Sprint wireless!!! Unbelievable that it works!!!!

  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

cathysiler wrote:

ps...sitting in my house using my work computer with Sprint wireless!!! Unbelievable that it works!!!!

Yay, whoopee (jumps up and down), Cathy made a post!! cool

I missed yesterday, though I don't suppose many will have noticed. wink

Yesterday was the team time trial on a difficult course, very exciting to watch a bunch of guys in tight formation at high speed. Astana (Lance, Contador, Levi) finished ahead of Garmin (Van Develde, Wiggins) and Saxo (Cancellara).

The major excitement was Lance gaining just enough seconds on Cancellara to draw level with him on time!! Now this is something that virtually never happens after several stages of racing. Cancellara got to keep the yellow jersey on the basis that his individual time trial had been faster than Lance's.

He also kept the yellow after today's stage, which finally saw a win for Thomas Voeckler, a French rider who more than deserved his first ever stage win after six years of trying. Cavendish won the sprint of the main group who finished a few seconds behind the winner. Tomorrow, they ride to Barcelona.

Overall standings:

1. Fabian Cancellara (Swi/Saxobank) 15 hours 07 minutes 49 seconds
2. Lance Armstrong (USA/Astana) same time
3. Alberto Contador (Spa/Astana) +19 secs
4. Andreas Kloden (Ger/Astana) +23
5. Levi Leipheimer (USA/Astana) +31

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France, 2009

I dunno, she's got two gigs of Ram now, but that hasn't helped the main issue of it taking literally minutes to navigate from one page to another, never mind how long a post takes. We may have to search for a Plan C. Meanwhile, I'll just carry on....

Yesterday saw the Tour head to Barcelona, in the rain. Loads of riders slipped and fell, thankfully there were no major injuries. Hushovd beat Freire in the sprint, while nothing changed at the top of the general classification. It sure did today, though.

The first mountain stage with serious climbing posed two main questions: could Cancellara possibly keep his yellow jersey, and could Lance still climb with the best? In an interview before the race he admitted that he didn't really know how deep he could go or would have to go.

Well, Cancellara lost loads of time and said farewell to his jersey. Contador took around 20 seconds out of the other major contenders, while Lance finished in the first group of main riders. The stage was won by one of the escape group that had ridden out front for most of today's six hours in the saddle, the yellow is temporarily on the shoulders of a real surprise, though I don't expect him to keep it more than one day!

Stage seven result:

1. Brice Feillu (Fra/Agritubel) 6 hours 11 minutes 31 seconds
2. Christophe Kern (Fra/Cofidis) + 5secs
3. Johannes Froehlinger (Ger/Milram) +25
4. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita/AG2R) + 26
5. Egoi Martinez (Spa/Euskaltel) + 45
6. Christophe Riblon (Fra/AG2R ) + 1min 5secs
7. Jerome Pineau (Fra/Quick-Step) + 2mins 32secs
8. Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Spa/Caisse d'Epargne ) + 3mins 14secs
9. Alberto Contador (Spa/Astana) + 3mins 26secs
10. Cadel Evans (Aus/Silence-Lotto) + 3mins 47secs
(Lance finished 15th in the same time as Evans.)

Overall standings:

1. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita/AG2R) 25 hours 44 minutes 32 seconds
(The frist Italian to wear yellow in nine years!)
2. Alberto Contador (Spa/Astana) +6 secs
3. Lance Armstrong (USA/Astana) + 8
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA/Astana) +39
5. Bradley Wiggins (GB/Garmin) +46
(Cancellara lost nearly six minutes and is now 39th - that's how quickly you can drop!)

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith