Tour de France Update

I have to comment on the Tour de France this year. I watch this race every July, and I have loved to watch the play between the many teams, the interplay between the riders, and the strategies that are played out in all the 22+ stages played out over the entire month. Lance made a huge difference to me, and watching him was always a highlight.

This year things are different. Lance is gone and retired. Team Radio Shack is very different. I'm rooting for riders from Belgium and Norway. It is just different.

Today was quite terrible. It was a sunny day, and things seemed to be going well. Then, all of a sudden, a huge crash knocked out 80+ riders. Some were able to get back on their bikes and try and get back into the race, One in particular was knocked out, managed to get back up on his bike, and eventually finished 12.5 minutes after the rest (which is a long time in the TdF, I can tell you). This rider is Chris Horner, and he is a neat and special guy. At the finish line he didn't know where he was, was asking what happened, when did he crash, and questions like that. Very scary. He was taken to the hospital for tests, and I'm waiting to hear the results. I don't expect to see him in the race tomorrow.

Levi Leipheimer is another of my favorites, and while he was involved in the crash he seems to have survived in OK physical condition, although he lost time. He is a team mate of Chris', and they often rode together.

Team Radio Shack is not doing well this year. Each team is allowed 9 riders at the start, and they can't add replacements if people are not able to finish. Radio Shack is down to maybe 6 riders at this point, and they need 5 to be a viable team in the race. Fewer than 5 and they are disqualified. Of the 4 contenders they had at the start, 3 have been knocked out by crashes. This is not good.