167

167th.  That's where Cadel Evans finished today's time trial.  I was scrolling down to see if Jean Christophe Peraud finished after he hit the deck a 2nd time and Cadel finishing in 167th caught my eye.

What a disappointment.  I get that he wasn't going to win the tour but I thought he'd at least make an attempt to defend his position.  According to one article I read, "Cadel Evans (BMC) is 18th overall at 24mins 24secs, after holding back energy for a hoped tilt at stage win..."  Yeah.  Sorry, but Cadel doesn't have the explosive power needed to breakaway on any of the mountains stages that are left.  He's a better time trialist than climber and should have used today's stage to show some strength.  If anything, do it for the fans.

He'd better get into a break in the next couple of days and make an attempt or I will be really disappointed with BMC.

BMC should be very disappointed with this tour.  They've really imploded and it seems like there's a bit of infighting between Phillipe Gilbert and management as to what the goal of the tour should be.  Gilbert believes they should be going for stage wins and not the G.C..  But it sounds like management was trying to hold a high place overall since it's important to gaining points for the UCI Pro Tour.

In this instance, I think Gilbert is right.  They need to do something to save face, and stage wins would do it.  I don't think they need to worry about UCI points with Cadel Evan's 3rd place in the Giro.  I think after the Pyrenee's they should have let Gilbert fly.  He's hungry for victories.

Enough about my team.  I'm still disappointed.

...


I like Contador's bid today to win.  He was riding as a man possessed.  Too bad he didn't win.  But he didn't lose by much.  I guess a bike change at the top of the final climb was the way to go.

I'm of two minds on this one.  On one side, I think you should start the stage and end the stage with the same bike, unless there's a mechanical of some sort that you have to change bikes.  But the other side thinks, it's a level playing field and everyone has the option to do it or not.  Old school, new school.

Big loser of the day was Bauke Mollema.  Off the podium he goes.  He can hold the wheels in the mountains, but put him against the clock and it's not so good.

The 2nd biggest loser on the day has to be Derek.  Sorry buddy, if Contador maintains his 2nd place, you slip to almost the bottom of our pool.

Currently with Roman Kreutziger in 3rd place, no one in our pool wins.  I think Manny with Dan Martin in 10th is the closest.  But 10th is not 3rd.  It'll be like the Tour de France from 1999 to 2005, no one won.

...

Huh, just as I'm finishing this blog post, this article comes out.  I still think I'm right and Cadel can't breakaway to win.

l'Alpe d'Huez x 2 tomorrow!

Happy Riding.