Stage 12

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Stage 12

PostedCastelsarrasin - La Mongie 197.5 km

Wow, what a stage!!! The results of this stage had to be a surprise to everyone including Lance. All of the race favorites got their butts handed to them big time by rising stars who have been busy making all the regular races. We have just witnessed the changing of the guard in the biggest way possible. I have never seen such a huge upset. Usually, there is just one rider who upsets the favorites. Today, almost the entire field upset the favorites. Only two of the race favorites finished in the top ten and Lance was the only one to finish in the top eight.

One of my big complaints with all these Tour prima donnas off training in secret and not riding the classics and other races with each other and other riders has been that it is almost impossible to tell how they are riding in relation to each other. This year was the worst I have seen with all the Tour favorites except a few not being seen in competition with each other.

Anther problem I have been waiting to develop is that you get stronger by racing because racing is your best form of training and these prima donnas have not been racing that much. They have been hiding in the bushes with their secret training programs while the new riders have been racing all the big races against each other getting faster and stronger. Also, if you don't race against your competition, not only can they not know how you are doing, but you also can't know how they are improving in relation to you and you can easily wind up with bad surprises like today.

Today, the bird came home to roost. These young guns have been doing battle and getting stronger while the prima donnas were in hiding and handed the prima donnas their butts big time. Almost half a dozen of them were all over Lance like a bad case of measles, repeatedly attacking and dropping him on the last climb. Six riders finished within one minute of Lance today in spite of his attacking. He couldn't break them. That is huge.

The thing that Lance has to worry about is that these young studs had to be at least a little intimidated before they began their feeding frenzy on that last climb. It is only natural that, tonight, these young guys are going to be lying in bed saying, "Lance wasn't so tough and I could have done better." Tomorrow, on that HC climb, they are going to be much more willing to hurt a lot more and all hell will break lose on Lance. If you think he caught hell today, wait until these young studs show up tomorrow full of confidence and hungry for the old guy.

Lance is still my favorite to win this Tour but he is going to have a tougher battle than anyone imagined. This is going to be very interesting.

If you think this year is going to be interesting, wait until next year. Just imagine the sponsors for these prima donnas who didn't provide them any exposure at any of the big races this spring and now will provide them with absolutely no exposure in the Tour. I can just hear those sponsors saying, "I paid millions of dollars for this?" There will definitely be some major changes on the top teams for next year and the era of the Tour prima donna is probably over. They will ALL be racing the Classics to win next year.

For the rest of this Tour, you can expect the following: Hamilton will probably ride for Gonzalez, Ullrich will ride for Kloden, Heras may still have a chance as a team leader but may ride for Galdeano, Mayo may still be able to make top five with a great ride tomorrow and on Alpe de Huez, and Zubeldia is out of contention for a top five and probably top ten. The top names to watch from now on are Basso (fantastic ride today), Kloden (another fantastic ride), Mancebo (another fantastic ride), Sastre, Pereiro, Menchov, and Scarponi (all great rides.) I am willing to bet that absolutely no one, not even Lance thought his battle would be against these guys. This has to be the biggest upset in the 36 years I have followed the Tour. These young guys slam dunked the prima donnas in a big way.

Also, did you notice that, after Lance had used up his last team mate, Azevedo, half a dozen riders were all over him? His tactic of USP grinding everyone into submission may be about to back fire. He has to keep Azevedo with him for the final attacks on tomorrow's stage. Strategies must change. Lance has to force these guys on the defensive with a more offensive strategy.

Wow, what a stage!!! I can't wait until tomorrow!!!

Tomorrow

Everything is up for grabs and the toughest guy gets the Yellow Jersey. The Lannemezan - Plateau de Beille stage will be 205.5 kilometers of great fun. There will be seven rated climbs including two cat 2 climbs, two cat 1 climbs, and the final HC climb. Legs are going to hurt tomorrow! Big time!!!

One of the problems with so many surprise riders is that US Postal doesn't know who to cover. Expect the early break but expect the GC action to accelerate quickly tomorrow. These confident young riders could even throw caution to the wind with two or more of them going on attack as early as the first or second cat 1 climb.

As soon as Lance's team was gone today, they were all over him. Look for these guys trying to shred USP early tomorrow and go after Lance before the final climb forcing him to chase long and hard. That is the way to beat him. If Basso, Kloden, and Mancebo go up the road tomorrow, Lance has to chase.

Wow, what a Tour!!! This has to be the best Tour in years.

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