TDF Stage 10

[teledave]

The peloton just crossed the summit of the Cormet de Roseland with no real developments yet, but this is classic.

From VeloNews.com:

"3:29 p.m. - Lotto's Christophe Brandt appears to have tangled his coat in his rear wheel, so he's had to pull off.

At the front, Laurent Brochard is off on his own. He may have started the day in 49th place, but as far as we can tell, he is highest ranked guy with a mullet in the Tour."

Heh!

[Hugh Jass]

I'd be throwing everything I could find into my rear wheel if it gave me an excuse to stop climbing in the Alps.

[Hugh Jass]

more from velonews.com:

3:42 p.m. - Brochard has extended his lead and is now 35 seconds ahead of the chasers with 54km to go. The peloton, which probably is taking fewer risks on the descent, is now 4:15 behing the flying mullet.

3:49 p.m. - The peloton is growing as riders dropped on the climb are coming back on.

Brochard has been joined by Luis Sanchez. One reader wrote in with the suggestion that the Tour awards a jersey to the best-placed mullet in the Tour, by the way. Sponsored by Lynard Skynard, the "Freebird" jersey would be awarded using a complex formula based on the relationship of hair in front and back and overall time.

[smmokan]

Damn I wish I was watching the telecast of this instead of following it on ESPN.com. Looks like a lot of guys have fallen off today and Lance (and Basso) are still climbing strong.

[teledave]

5:04 p.m. - Basso and Mancebo have popped.

[Trackhead]

Wow! Basso? Ullrich? Vino? All gone.

Great stage.

[Stu Gotz]

Is Rasmussen this year's Basso? Toe-to-toe with Lance in the mountains.

[freshies]

Lance, Poppy and George set a blistering pace and eventually ripped the leggs off all those posers that thought Lance and Disco were done. Amazing.
LA is a fucking animal, he crushed all his rivals today: Jan - see ya. Vinny - feel the pain train, biatch. Rasmussen was cool as ice until the end, when he too cracked, he might be the real rival now. Great fackin' race today.

[Trackhead]

Can Rass time trial?

[jimmy page]

Lance is amazing.

[Egon]

Jesus-titty-fucking...

[smmokan]

These guys are unreal. I rode last weekend at what I thought was a decent pace- 18 miles of constant 4-5% constant incline, about 9-10 mph... totally drained me. These f-in' guys were climbing at 33 km/hr, or about 20 mph up the 6.5% incline- after already knocking out 90-100 miles that day. Wow.

[Elkhound Odin]

Armstrong looks unbeatable, but tomorrow is a real test. Maybe some of the challengers were holding back for attacks tomorrow on the HC climbs.

[Artie Fufkin]

Amazing stage! Lance and Disco looked tough. Rasmussen is tight with Lance on the GC. He looks like he might be able to stay close until the final ITT. Tomorrow should be epic.

I wonder how much energy Disco and Lance burnt today, and how much they will have for tomorrow.

[teledave]

These guys are unreal. I rode last weekend at what I thought was a decent pace- 18 miles of constant 4-5% constant incline, about 9-10 mph... totally drained me. These f-in' guys were climbing at 33 km/hr, or about 20 mph up the 6.5% incline- after already knocking out 90-100 miles that day. Wow.

You should see what it looks like when one of them actually passes you. I was riding an uphill TT in Asheville NC in '88 (I think). Bobby Julich had a starting time 4 minutes behind me and passed me at about mile 8 absolutely freaking flying. He was easily travelling at twice the speed I was.

[Duker]

Woah. Those guys blew me away today....

[smmokan]

You should see what it looks like when one of them actually passes you. I was riding an uphill TT in Asheville NC in '88 (I think). Bobby Julich had a starting time 4 minutes behind me and passed me at about mile 8 absolutely freaking flying. He was easily travelling at twice the speed I was.

I know it... I've been passed by some of the local sponsored riders around here (don't know if they're pro or what)- guys with fully sponsored Phonak bikes that weigh 15 lbs... makes me feel like I'm standing still when they fly by.

[Trackhead]

Armstrong looks unbeatable, but tomorrow is a real test. Maybe some of the challengers were holding back for attacks tomorrow on the HC climbs.

I think they were hurting, not holding back.

[VTskibum]

Unbelievable stage, thank god my office has OLN, otherwise I'd have been pissed today. Going to start a 10:45 - 11:15 daily routine of "getting coffee".

[snow_slider]

Armstrong looks unbeatable, but tomorrow is a real test. Maybe some of the challengers were holding back for attacks tomorrow on the HC climbs.

Judging by Ullrich's face, I don't think he was holding anything back. He and Vino got stomped today, plain and simple.

[Elkhound Odin]

I stand corrected. I'll get to see for myself tonight.

[cj001f]

Judging by Ullrich's face, I don't think he was holding anything back.

Lance wasn't looking too hot either.

We'll see tomorrow - if they can't improve....

[Trackhead]

Lance wasn't looking too hot either.

We'll see tomorrow - if they can't improve....

Really? He pulled the trio up the last 5-8k of the climb essentially. Then missed out winning the stage by a wheel length?

He looked 62 seconds better than everyone else.

[cj001f]

Really? He pulled the trio up the last 5-8k of the climb essentially. Then missed out winning the stage by a wheel length?

Easy tiger. If you are evaluating someone's performance by what their face looks like he didn't look happy. Hence the picture. Don't worry, I'm not pissing on the altar of Lance

[Trackhead]

Easy tiger. If you are evaluating someone's performance by what their face looks like he didn't look happy. Hence the picture. Don't worry, I'm not pissing on the altar of Lance

I evaluate based on performance. Hard to do much better than he did today.

But like he said, "lot's of racing left".

All could change in the coming stages and weeks.

Who said anything about an altar.