And their off

Sorry for the late start this morning, but I do have to earn a living. Today's stage is arguably the toughest of the tour with 12,600 feet of climbing in 173 km though I think the steeper grades in the Pyrenees(sp.?) are more challenging. The stage starts fairly quickly with a 28 km descent from Courchevel before hitting the first climb of the day, the beyond classification 25.4km climb up Col de la Madeleine (1993m). This should further shake things up leaving a small group of top racers (and hopefully a corps of Lance's domestiques) to race down its steep slopes before starting the brutal climb up the Col de Galibier. This climb actually invovles two peaks, an intial 12 km climb up the catagory 1 Col de Telegraphe (1566 m at 6.7%) before finishing another 17.5 km of climbing at 6.9%. Whoever makes it to the top will then have an easy 40 km coast down the hill (better get those big rings on cause it will be a sprint) to the finish in Briancon in a sprint that won't allow much ability to regroup the peloton.

The last time a Tour stage crossed the Galibier from its tougher northern approach and ended in Briançon or a nearby town was in 1993. That year, the Galibier produced a break by the four men who eventually finished in the top four spots in Paris: Miguel Induráin, Tony Rominger, Zenon Jaskula and Alvaro Mejia.

After yesterday's big stage I suspect the race at this point is now between Armstrong and Ivan Basso who is 2:40 back. Mickael Rasmussen, currently in second place overall (and 3rd in yesterday's stage) has solidified his grip on the King of the Mountain jersey and may very well challenge for this stage too . . . though he is a horrid time trialer which brings questions about his ability to hold the lead on the quick descent to the finish. Nevertheless, regardless of his placing, will fall far out of contention for the overall title after the final time trial (he finished 173rd in this tours earliest time trial). Still lots can happen and I'd expect Jan Ulrich to be in any final group going up the mountain as well as one or two of Lance's other discovery teammates.