Stage 9 is now in the history books. Michael Rasmussen launched off the front at 4km and never looked back. I am sure that his original plan was to sieze more “King of the Mountains” (KOM) points before the Alps. Mission accomplished. He took all the mountain points throughout the day – and just kept going. Apparently, he wanted even more glory. And he got it. He captured a stage win and a great deal of glory for CSC.
In the meantime, Jens Voigt and Christophe Moreau decided to take some glory as well. While Discovery controlled the peleton, CSC got one of its men off the front. By the end of the day, Lance would find himself 2:18 behind the new race leader (jens Voigt). Tomorrow will be a rest day for the riders. And Tuesday starts the big mountains. But Discovery looks good. After a tough Saturday, they took control on Sunday. And I think Lance is right where he wants to be.
Today was a great day for Rabobank and CSC! Rabobank got the glory of the stage. They had the lead cyclist throughout the entire stage. This meant a great deal of advertising time. As for CSC, they have the Maillot Jaune once again. With the current CSC sponsorship set to expire this year, TdF 2005 has been a great thing for Bjarne Riis and his merry band. CSC has certainly gotten its money’s worth in this Tour. CSC would be hard-pressed to abandon the team now.
With all the goodness being spread around today, there was one very large disappointment today. Dave Zabriskie, the rider who took the yellow jersey on the first day of the Tour did not finish the stage. He has never quite been the same since he crashed out on the TTT. That’s too bad. He was marvelous in yellow for three stages. While I am sad to see him depart, I know that we will be seeing him for many years to come. Bon chance, Monsieur Zabiskie.
-CyclingRoo-

…that is the question.
After taking the race lead yesterday afternoon, Lance and his team reviewed the tapes of their stage win. And while they did have the winning time, DaveZ might very well have retained the maillot jaune (yellow jersey) for another day had he not crashed. In 1991, Greg LeMond had a similar opportuntiy to wear the yellow jersey after the crash of an opponent. Greg opted to not wear the jersey.
With such historical examples on his mind, and with respect for a former teammate in his heart, Lance decided that he would not wear the leader’s yellow jersey in today’s stage. Chris Brewer had this to say about Lance’s decision:

“Tell me what other sport is there where the grandest champion in the biggest race says “No thanks” to being designated the overall leader on the basis of sportsmanship? When you consider all the chest-thumping, look at me, look at me of most major sports, this is one lesson I hope all you moms and dads out there take some time to point out to the kids around dinner tonight – it’s that big a deal…”

I agree with Chris. In America, we are often treated to players and coaches who curse, throw tantrums, and sometimes even throw chairs when they aren’t treated as they think they should be. We see bench-clearing brawls with fans who throw beer at athletes. But now we are reminded what true sportsmanship is about. Lance earned the maillot jaune at the expense of another man. To honor that man and to reinforce the historical examples of cycling sportsmanship, Lance chose to demonstrate why cycling is such a different – and honorable – sport.
Unfortunately, Lance’s gesture was met with the confusion of the race organizers. They urged Lance to wear the jersey. They even brought out the rule book to let him know that he had an obligation to wear the yellow jersey. So Lance got a second chance to show why he is a champion off the bicycle as well as on it. Rather than be stubborn or arrogant (and refuse the race organizer’s request), he accepted their authority on the matter – and their decision. In the end, he wore the jersey after all.
Gosh, I don’t know who was right in this matter. But I know that Lance had every opportunity to focus on himself. Instead, he focused on others and on the sport he loves. What a great example to everyone – myself included. Thank you, Mr. Armstrong.
-CyclingRoo-

I love le Tour. It’s always a drama that is played out before our eyes. Everyone expected Discovery to win – and win big. But Team CSC led – until the last few kilometers. And then Discovery kicked it up a notch – and Team CSC ran into troubles. Dizzy (Dave Zabriskie) crashed and finished w/o the team. Terrible break for him. In the end, Disco won the stage by a mere 2 seconds. That means that Johan’s team has won the TTT for the past three years. What an amazing accomplishment.
Oh, and Lance is in yellow!
Here are the new GC standings.
1 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel 9.59.12
2 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel 0.55
3 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 1.04
4 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 1.07
5 Jose Luis Rubiera (Spa) Discovery Channel 1.14
6 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Discovery Channel 1.16
7 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team 1.21
8 Benjamin Noval (Spa) Discovery Channel 1.26
9 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC
10 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC
-CyclingRoo-

1 David Zabriskie (Team CSC) 20.51
2 Lance Armstrong (Discovery Channel) 0.02
3 Alexandre Vinokourov (T-Mobile Team) 0.53
4 George Hincapie (Discovery Channel) 0.57
5 Laszlo Bodrogi (Credit Agricole) 0.59
6 Floyd Landis (Phonak Hearing Systems) 1.02
7 Jens Voigt (Team CSC) 1.04
8 Vladimir Karpets (Illes Balears-Caisse d’Epargne) 1.05
9 Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Liberty Seguros-Würth) 1.06
10 Bobby Julich (Team CSC) 1.07
Take a look at the Top 10 for the first stage of the Tour de France. Here are the highlights:
– Dave Z. scorches to a victory!
– Lance proclaims his fitness levels by taking second. He also catches and passes Jan Ullrich.
– George Hincapie takes fourth. Way to go, George!
– Floyd Landis demonstrates why he is the Phonak leader. Great job.
– Bobby Julich rounds out the top 10. CSC takes three spots.
– American cyclists take five spots. America is finally showing that we can compete in international cycling. It’s not about just one man.
With the team time trial coming up shortly, we will see CSC and Discovery show their real strenghts. It’s gonna be a fun ride!
-CyclingRoo-

In six days, Lance Armstrong will ride the last stage race of his career. The Tour de France begins next Saturday. And my excitement is building! Will Lance win a seventh consecutive Tour de France? I sure hope so. Lance will face a number of challenges this year. They include:
– The Discovery Channel team lost an important lieutenant in the mountains when Vatcheslav Ekimov crashed during a training ride. His loss will be felt keenly during the team time trial.
– Many of Lance’s former teammates will be working against him. Floyd Landis will ride for Phonak this year. Floyd was a major reason for Lance’s success in the mountains during the 2004 tour. Roberto Heras will once again be riding for Liberty Seguros. Bobby Julich and Dave Zabriskie will be riding for Bjarne Riis and Team CSC.
– Jan Ullrich seems more committed than ever to defeating Lance.
– Ivan Basso had a great Giro d’Italia. And he wants to win le Tour. Lance will have his hands full defending against Ivan – especially since Basso has finally shown that he can time trial.
But Lance has some great assets on his side. These include:
– Six of his eight teammates are returing from previous Tour wins.
– Lance is joined by new teammates who will make a big difference. Paolo Savoldelli won this year’s Giro d’Italia. Along with Jose Azevedo, Paolo Savoldelli brings unparalled climbing credential to the Discovery Channel team.
– Lance rides with one of the most successful team managers of all times. Johan Bruyneel has led a team that has won the Giro d’Italia, the Vuelta a Espania and six Tour de France campaigns.
– Lance has won six straight Tours. He knows what it takes to win.
– Lance is the only cyclist who has stared death in the face and come out on top. He has a decided mental advantage in this regard.
– This is Lance’s last tour. I can’t think of a greater incentive to win than to go out on top.
Will Lance win? I think he can. I pray he does.
-CyclingRoo-

In six days, Lance Armstrong will ride the last stage race of his career. The Tour de France begins next Saturday. And my excitement is building! Will Lance win a seventh consecutive Tour de France? I sure hope so. Lance will face a number of challenges this year. They include:

– The Discovery Channel team lost an important lieutenant in the mountains when Vatcheslav Ekimov crashed during a training ride. His loss will be felt keenly during the team time trial.

– Many of Lance’s former teammates will be working against him. Floyd Landis will ride for Phonak this year. Floyd was a major reason for Lance’s success in the mountains during the 2004 tour. Roberto Heras will once again be riding for Liberty Seguros. Bobby Julich and Dave Zabriskie will be riding for Bjarne Riis and Team CSC.

– Jan Ullrich seems more committed than ever to defeating Lance.

– Ivan Basso had a great Giro d’Italia. And he wants to win le Tour. Lance will have his hands full defending against Ivan – especially since Basso has finally shown that he can time trial.

But Lance has some great assets on his side. These include:

– Six of his eight teammates are returing from previous Tour wins.

– Lance is joined by new teammates who will make a big difference. Paolo Savoldelli won this year’s Giro d’Italia. Along with Jose Azevedo, Paolo Savoldelli brings unparalled climbing credential to the Discovery Channel team.

– Lance rides with one of the most successful team managers of all times. Johan Bruyneel has led a team that has won the Giro d’Italia, the Vuelta a Espania and six Tour de France campaigns.

– Lance has won six straight Tours. He knows what it takes to win.

– Lance is the only cyclist who has stared death in the face and come out on top. He has a decided mental advantage in this regard.

– This is Lance’s last tour. I can’t think of a greater incentive to win than to go out on top.

Will Lance win? I think he can. I pray he does.

-CyclingRoo-

For the past six years, Lance Armstrong has been at the pinnacle of pro cycling. After recovering from testicular cancer, he climbed the mountains of France in order to reach the highest heights in the sport of cycling. And as of July 24, 2005, he will ride off into the sunset. Yesterday, Lance announced his future retirement.
And as I read his words, I felt joy and sadness. Lance is a man who has transcended simple bounds of mortality. His fight against cancer has made him the poster child for hope. He has lifted the hearts and hopes of hundreds of thousands of people – both cancer patients, their loved ones and an entire generation of U.S. cyclists – myself included. I felt sadness because the Lance era in pro cycling is ending. And he won’t win a Tour of Flanders. And he won’t win Paris-Roubaix. He won’t win either the Giro or the Vuelta. There is so much he won’t have won.
But there is so much he has won. And there is so much he will still win once he dismounts the saddle. I can’t wait to see what he can do AFTER he stops racing. His work in the cancer fight has only begun. And he has three kids he must raise – along with Kristen (his ex-wife). There is much yet to do. I pray you have the perseverance to accomplish all that is before you.
As for me, I tip my helmet to the man who has motivated me on so many hills. I thank you for making me remember my mom every time I ride my bike (which means every day). I am humbled by the real courage you showed figthing a disease that is so terrifying. And I applaud you for bringing cycling into America’s consciousness. Good luck on #7.
-CyclingRoo-
Additional note: On the same day that Lance announced his retirment, the North American Court of Arbitration for Sport imposed a two-year penalty on Tyler Hamilton. He was accused of receiving illegal blood transfusions during the Olympics and the Vuelta. The charges in the Olympics were dismissed due to a lack of evidence (when the second blood sample was mishandled). But the CAS decided to adopt and enforce a zero-tolerance policy. And Tyler will not be able to compete for two years. Given Tyler’s age (33), it is unlikely that he will ever compete again (unless the ruling is overturned).
This whole situation breaks my heart. I don’t know Tyler. But I have read and marvelled at him. I gasped when I heard that he broke his collarbone in the early stages of the 2003 Tour de France. I revelled in his solo escape in stage 16 (Pau-Bayonne) that very same Tour. I cried when I read his tribute to his dog (Tugboat) who died in 2004. Here was a guy that showed courage and compassion. So to see him broken by scandal seems so improbable. I don’t know what to believe. If true, then he merits punishment. And taking away cycling is punishment. If untrue, then he is being mistreated for the sake of political correctness and image. In either case, he deserves my compassion and my prayers.
U.S. cycling must now look to a next generation of cyclists. Bobby Julich is now in his thirties. So while he has many stages left, we still need to look to the next generation. Can Dave Zabriskie or Christian Vande Velde succeed under Bjarner Riis? Will we see new talent pop onto the stage through small teams like Jittery Joe’s? Who knows. But somewhere on the streets of America, the next young talent is pedaling. I can’t wait to see who it is!

Julich wins Criterium International:

The Americans (who aren’t named Lance Armstrong) are really having a great start in Europe this year. After winning Paris-Nice less than a month ago, Bobby Julich just captured the Criterium International. Last time he won this race, he finished thrid in the Tour de France. Of course, that was the last year that a non-Texan won the Tour de France.

As for Lance & the Discovery team, they had a great day at Brabantse Pijl (in Belgium). Lance worked as domestique for George Hincapie. George finished sixth, just missing the final escape group. But this was a great result since both men had dropped from Paris-Nice. I guess its March and we can finally say “game on.”

One final note, I just read on Velonews that 2006 will add another multi-stage race to the United States. In addition to the United Texas Tour and the Tour de Georgia, the U.S. will also host the Tour of California.

-CyclingRoo-

After dropping out of the 2005 Paris-Nice race, there has been a lot of speculation about what the next race will be. Cycling News today reported that Lance wouldn’t race again until Paris-Camembert.
But Johan Bruyneel said the following at ThePaceline.com:
“He called me this afternoon and said he feels great in training and is hungry to race,” said Bruyneel. “He wants to race. That’s definitely a good sign.” Bruyneel continued – “The sensations he’s had during training have been pretty good and I think he’s back to where he’s in similar condition at this point of the season as in past years.”
So I guess the folks at CyclingNews got it wrong. Lance will start at Brabantse Pijl. I’m psyched to see him back on form. Hope he shows well before returning to the States for the Tour de Georgia.
-Cyclingroo-