I watched the epic Stage 15 of the Tour de France from start to finish. I don’t have cable TV, but was invited over to someones house to watch on Sunday morning. This is what bike racing is all about. The stage really had it all.
It is clear to me that in July and at the Tour de France Lance Armstrong can’t be beat. Lance & Co., seem to out ride, out manouver, out smart and out luck every other cyclist and team in the peleton. Say what you want about Armstrong, and I know people run hot and cold on the guy, he’s got this race figured out to a T. It will be very interesting to see what happens in his absence next year and beyond.
The Hincapie win was amazing - cycling strategy and drama 101 taken to the nth level. He was in the perfect break. He could sit in the whole way as all knew that he would never attack or pull, because Armstrong was in the lead on GC. Or if needed, George could have sat up and waited for Lance if he was needed in that regard. However, it became clear on the final climb through that amazing mob of fans that Hincapie was going for the stage-win.
I love watching the pro cycling, it makes professional triathlon seem a bit silly with all it’s rules. If the Tour de France were being conducted under triathlons rules every rider would be DQ’d for:
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Outside assistance
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Littering
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Equipment abandonment
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Drafting of course and not just each other - team cars, official cars, TV- Moto’s and so on
etc . .
Fleck