Blog Posts From Active Expert: Bruce Hildenbrand Tagged With floyd_landis

Amgen ToC - Stage 3 - Rain, Rain, Go Away

Bruce Hildenbrand — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 05:42:12 GMT

More powerful rain storms dogged the riders on stage 3 from San Jose to Modesto. The riders are pros and they don't complain, but they are clearly hoping for sunny skies and the pleasantries are wearing a bit thin. At the line it was Norwegian Thor Hushovd who won the stage for Gerard Vroomen's and Phil White's Cervelo Test Team. I spent a lot of time at the starting line talking with the riders and trying to find out how they are holding up.

With Jonathan Vaughters in Europe attending to his new duties as president of the professional rider's union, directorship of the Garmin-Slipstream team is being shared by former Discovery Channel pros Matt White and Chann McRae. I talked with Chann about the outstanding win by team member Thomas Peterson on yesterday's stage to Santa Cruz.

"The game plan was to get him (Tom Peterson) and Steven Cozza or Trent Lowe into the breakaway and they did that. Once they established the break the plan was to have Steven Cozza do most of the work with the other guys in the breakaway and have Peterson ride the last climb fairly fresh. We know that he (Peterson) is climbing well, he tested really well in the testing we did before we came out here and he backed it up. I told him there were two races, one was to be the first to the top of the climb, the second was for the finish line and he did both of those."

Stage winner Thomas Peterson gave his account of the win. "It (the plan) was perfect. I had already pre-ridden the course so I knew what to expect. I also knew that I could probably hold his wheel. It was a perfect situation." When asked about not sharing the pacemaking with Levi, Peterson explained, " He tried to wave me through a couple of times, but he knew I couldn't pull because Zabriskie and Danielson were back there."

Lance Armstrong is in fourth place overall, but he is riding this race in support of his teammate Levi. I asked him if he felt the team could defend the jersey. "We've got a good team. You are never totally sure, there are other strong guys in the race. The boys are strong. He's(Levi) motivated and he's obviously riding really well." When I asked him about how his comeback was progressing, he replied, "Not bad for an old man."

Floyd Landis has had his comeback derailed a bit by some bad luck, flatting out of the lead chase group on stage 1 into Santa Rosa, but he has been soldering on. I asked him how the weather was affecting his comeback and how he was holding up with all the rain. "The weather could be better, but the bike race is the same for everybody. Bike races are determined by training, strategy and sometimes luck. I think everyone would be much more pleasant if it was sunny but, we'll get through it."

Tyler Hamilton's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer a few months ago. His pre-season training has suffered as he returned to Boston to help her through her cancer treatments. Tyler reflected on his role with the team at the AToC. "I have no problem being in the support role. For me it is all about the team whether it is me up in front or Oscar Sevilla or Paco Mancebo it is all the same. Yesterday, I rode in the front all the way to the base of the last climb. For me that was a lot of fun. It is something different, but to be honest, I stayed warm, probably a lot warmer than the rest of the guys."

With all the highly publicized troubles the team has endured in the pre-season, a lot of people have written off Michael Ball's squad. Tyler summarized how the AToC has been going for Rock Racing. "We won a stage. We did a lot of work yesterday in defense of Paco's jersey. Unfortunately, he was still pretty beat up from the day before. But, we did our best and obviously Paco did his best so we will take it day by day now. Sevilla is looking very strong. He is our GC guy."

After an off day yesterday, Rock Racing's Francisco Mancebo looked in better spirits sporting the AToC Sprint Leader's jersey and several other accessories. I asked him how he was feeling. "Last night I tried to get as much rest as possible. We will see today if my strength has returned."

Tom Boonen, who won a stage in the AToC last year, has been absent from the front, even on the flatter stages. I asked him why he was hanging back and it was clear that the best Classics rider over the past four years has the legendary spring races on his mind and is holding back on contesting the sprints. "Yeah, but I don't like to do it(sprinting) in the rain. I was hoping that today was going to be a little bit better. I am trying to avoid the risks of crashing."

When reminded that the California weather was much like that found in Belgium, he jokingly replied "In Belgium it is 50F and good weather right now. The next time somebody says 'I hate to come to Belgium' They're going to mean California"

Bruce

Race Notes:

The weather report looks good for at least the next four days with rain nowhere in sight. It is also warming up.

The riders on the Ouch Medical Team are a true class act. Yesterday, as the racers came across the line I first asked Tim Johnson, then Rory Sutherland, for a quick interview. Both begged off citing the cold weather and the need to get to the team bus to warm up after five hours in the rain. This morning at the stage start both came up to me and apologized for not being able to give me an interview. True class.

The race organizers are concerned that, at 5200', the top of the Palomar Mountain climb might be in snow if the rain returns. They have an alternate route which eliminates the final seven miles of the Palomar climb by heading straight (south) on Highway 76 and doing a loop around Mesa Grande before returning to the original race route at the bottom of East Grade Road on Palomar Mountain. Mesa Grande is still a bit high at 3200', but should be snow-free.

Non-Race Notes

Rob Jensen, owner of the Testarossa Winery in Los Gatos, hosted the Versus team, Phil Liggett, Paul Sherwen, Craig Hummer, producers John Carter and Mike Long and me for a special wine tasting and dinner after the stage into Santa Cruz. It was a great time for everyone to sample some tasty wines and relax after some hard days in the saddle(so to speak). Thanks Rob (and his wife Diana).

Amgen Tour of California Rocks Sacramento

Bruce Hildenbrand — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 04:46:01 GMT

The fourth annual Amgen Tour of California (AToC) began on Saturday with best field of riders for a US race in the past 20 years. Yes, Lance was here, but so was Olympic and World Champion Fabian Cancellara, sprint phenom Mark Cavendish, double Paris-Roubaix winner Tom Boonen, Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso, Levi Leipheimer, Floyd Landis, three-time World champion Michael Rogers, US National Champions Tyler Hamilton and Dave Zabriskie, etc, etc, etc.

Not surprisingly, Fabian Cancellara duplicated his win from last year in the prologue with Levi Leipheimer and Dave Zabriskie rounding out the top three. Lance Armstrong met his pre-prologue goal of finishing in the top ten, but with time gaps in the tenths of second, this 2.4 mile test just wetted everyone's appetite and did little to determine who will be the overall victor come next Sunday.

Threat of poor weather may dampen the next few days racing, but a crowd estimated at 50-100,000 was all cheers as the race wove its course around the Sacramento state capitol building. Below is a photo essay, of sorts, of the happenings during the prologue.

Phil Zajicek of the Flying V Australia presented by Successful Living Foundation team was the second of 136 riders to start. Here he concentrates on his pre-ride preparation.

Team Saxobank rider Fabian Cancellara gets ready to fire out of the start house on his race-winning ride.

After a three year absence from racing, Lance Armstrong turns his first pedal in anger on US soil.

Floyd Landis had lots of support from fans in Sacramento.

Yes, there were a few celebrity sightings as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dr. McDreamy helped hand out the awards.

In case you needed proof that Lance Armstrong is one of the most tested cyclists, here is the list of riders, by race number, for anti-doping control. This is Lance's 19th test since he announced his comeback. He wears bib #2.

Bruce

2009 Amgen Tour of California Preview

Bruce Hildenbrand — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 07:57:10 GMT

The 2009 Amgen Tour of California(AToC) starts on Saturday (it's my valentine this year) and looks to be an E-ticket ride for a whole host of reasons. First off, Lance is back in the saddle and unlike the recently concluded Tour Down Under in Australia, he will be riding to help his teammate Levi Leipheimer's quest for a three-peat. That means you won't be seeing Lance hanging out in the back of the pack working on his tan. He will have to be on the front or off the front to be an effective domestique.

But it is not all about Lance as a number of very accomplished professionals are in attendance. The aforementioned Leipheimer, of Team Astana, looks very good for a three-peat, but Garmin-Slipstream's Christian Vande Velde, who finished fourth overall in last year's Tour de France and was on the podium a the AToC last year is a definite contender. Floyd Landis and Italian Ivan Basso are making comebacks after serving doping suspensions. Basso won't be on top form, but Landis, who won the inaugural AToC in 2006, could surprise.

The race route is extremely challenging with lots of climbing. Unfortunately, from a strategy and tactics standpoint, most of the really difficult ascents come too far from the stage finish to have an affect on the overall standings. The lone exception is Stage 2 on Monday from Sausalito to Santa Cruz where the final climb, Bonny Doon Road is long enough, six miles, and steep enough, the first two miles are 10% after that is is 4-7% to cause a selection. At the top of the climb a technical 10-mile descent drops the racers right into the finish. Look for a group of 3-10 riders to come to the line.

While the Bonny Doon climb will select the semi-finalists for the overall win, the time trial will choose the leader. As in the past three years, this 15-mile race against the clock will decide who will wear the golden fleece into the finish Sunday after next in Escondido.

While the race for the overall title usually takes center stage, look for former World Champion Tom Boonen and Britain's wunderkind, Mark Cavendish, to duke it out for wins on the flatter stages. I like Tom and one of his sponsors is the American bike company Specialized, but Cavendish seems even more motivated as his team's title sponsor, Columbia is headquartered on the west coast. Look for Boonen to take a stage and Cav to win on at least two days.

The weather will also make the race exciting, unfortunately for the wrong reasons. A series of major winter storms are lined up to come into Northern California starting on Sunday with daytime highs around 50F and snow levels of around 1500-2000 feet. There are several climbs in the race which eclipse that altitude so things may be white for the racers. Hopefully, the weather will not play a deciding factor. The racers are as tough as they come, but there is no need to turn it into a daily sufferfest.

Look for daily updates from behind-the-scenes at the race. It's going to be another week of unforgettable racing in California.

Bruce

True Confessions?

Bruce Hildenbrand — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:25:20 GMT

What to do? What to do? Does an athlete need to confess to a doping positive to be accepted back into favor with his fellow competitors and fans? In the past few days we have seen Alex Rodriguez(A-Rod) admit that he used steroids during the height of his career in 2001-2003 when he was voted the league MVP. The problem is that in 2007, A-Rod told Katie Couric that he had never taken performance enhancing drugs(PED's).

Why the flip-flop? Because several journalists at SI.com were able to obtain the identity of some of the 102 baseball players who tested positive for steroids when Major League Baseball did anonymous testing in 2003. So, faced with pretty hard evidence that he did use steroids, A-Rod came clean. In cycling, a similar situation occurred several years ago when Ivan Basso denied drug use until bags of his blood were identified in a refrigerator in Spain. David Millar also denied drug use then came clean when syringes containing EPO were found with his fingerprints at his home.

Why am I bringing this up? Am I jealous that A-Rod hooked up with Madonna and I didn't? No, it is because the 4th annual Amgen Tour of California starts on Saturday and Basso will be there. Millar rode the race last year. But, more importantly, Americans Tyler Hamilton and Floyd Landis will also be there. Basso, Millar, Hamilton and Landis all served suspensions for doping infractions, but while Basso and Millar admitted their transgressions, Hamilton and Landis did not.

There is a good reason that Tyler and Floyd have not admitted to doping. Both contend that they didn't do performance enhancing drugs. The question here is, do Tyler and Floyd need to admit that they took PED's to be accepted back into the pro peloton and be embraced by the fans much like what has happened to both Millar and Basso? Is it good enough that Tyler and Floyd served their suspensions, paid their debt, so to speak?

Personally, I think that Tyler and Floyd should be allowed to compete and their fans should be allowed to cheer and cheer and cheer for their success. If you are not a Tyler of Floyd fan, then fine, don't cheer for them. Don't put them on your Christmas card list. What I have a problem with is people calling Tyler and Floyd dopers. Yes, they were dopers, but by the same token so were Basso and Millar. So, if the shoe fits, then everybody should wear it.

Bruce

ps - unless some huge story breaks in the next week, this is the last blog I intend to write about doping. The Tour of California is America's premier bike race so let's focus on the positives!

pps - if you are saving an asterisk for any of Barry Bond's records, don't forget to save a few for A-Rod.

Meet Team Ouch

Bruce Hildenbrand — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 07:00:22 GMT

Team Ouch's most recognizable rider is Floyd Landis, but what about the rest of what looks to be America's most powerful domestic professional team. If anybody is capable of going toe-to-toe with the top flight Pro Tour squads at the upcoming Amgen Tour of California(AToC) it's Team Ouch. While I would like to single out every rider on the squad, let's hit the highlights and let the others grab some of the spotlight as the season rolls on.

L-R: Brad White, Pat McCarty, Karl Menzies, John Murphy, Kid Rock, Tim Johnson, Andrew Pinfold, Jonathan Chodroff

Several riders besides Landis have European pro road experience. Australian Rory Sutherland has won the individual National Racing Calendar point series competition, signifying the best US domestic pro rider, the past two seasons and is a threat in flat, hilly or just about any bike race. He can time trial, climb and sprint and has worked harder than any other rider, save George Hincapie, to try and win a stage of the Tour of California in the last two years. Here's hoping he gets that much-deserved stage win at the 2009 edition.

Karl Menzies is also Australian though he would rather you called him Tasmanian.He is a solid workhorse who can also sprint and unless the topography has some major wrinkles, he can win any big race in the US. Two years ago he finished second place in Australia's Tour Down Under just several ticks out of the top spot after wearing the leader's jersey.

Pat McCarty is the most recent addition to the team. At 27, the Austin native has already been a pro for six years starting first with Lance and US Postal then moving onto Slipstream. He has finished the Giro d'Italia. His presence in stage races will greatly enhance Floyd's chances, though Pat has been top three on stages as well.

Tim Johnson is the road captain for Team Ouch and has decided to pass up a slot at the upcoming World Cyclocross Championships to be ready to bark orders when the Tour of California starts in just over two weeks. Tim recently won the USGP cyclocross title and also has European pro experience. Expect Tim to cover early breakaways or drive it at the front if Floyd is wearing the AToC leader's jersey.

John Murphy is a mere 25 years old and had a breakout season in 2008 winning the Tour of Taiwan. He can sprint and time trial and has a very bright future. He recently relocated from Athens, Georgia to Temecula to be able to train with Floyd. I am betting that it pays off big time.

Mike Tamayo is in his second year as the team director having taken over the reigns from long-time head honcho, Jeff Corbett, in 2008. Mike brings experience leading a number of top-tier women's teams including Victory Brewing. The chemistry on the team is excellent, look for Mike to make sure that things continue to run smoothly.

Also on the team are Brad White, Jonathan Chadroff, Cam Evans, Andrew Pinfold, Bobby Lea, Roman Kilun. Check out their website at www.teamouch.com.

Have at it boys!

Bruce

Team Ouch in Every Sense of the Word

Bruce Hildenbrand — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 07:38:18 GMT

Team Ouch

Probably the best way to understand Team Ouch is to go on a ride with the squad that can only be described with in one word, 'ouch'. It must be remembered that Team Ouch is the re-tooled Health Net-Maxxis squad which has added one Mr. Floyd Landis to it's 2009 roster. The Health Net boys have won the prestigious National Racing Calendar title, signifying the best team and best rider in the USA, since their inception in 2004. Mr. Landis has won the Tour of California, Paris-Nice, Tour of Georgia and the Tour de France.

So, agreeing to head out on the road with these guys has the potential to send mere mortals crying for their mommas or just seriously questioning their passion for cycling. After all, it really isn't all about the bike. But, it wasn't the first half of the ride which prompted such heavy introspection. No, it was when the team got back to the hotel and Floyd decided that he hadn't had enough fun for the day.

Dr. Brent Kay, Floyd's long-time friend, co-founder of Ouch Medical the team's title sponsor and part-time hammer on the bike suggested that Landis take a few of us on an "hour of power". When Dr. Kay wouldn't exactly disclose all the details of the proposed route, I should have been suspicious, but since he was joining us, I thought all would be fine.

Would you buy a used bike ride from these two guys (Dr. Kay(l), Floyd(r))?

Yeah, right. After the first 21% wall, it didn't get much easier for the next hour and a half as one steep pitch after pitch followed. I saw 30% once and even 38% on one particularly bad patch. When it was 27% (the grade of a black diamond ski run) things seemed to be manageable. Granted these ultra-steeps were only 200-600 yards long, but, that's about the length of the climbs in the Tour of Flanders and nobody is calling those a cake walk.

This is what a 30+% hill looks like.

Enough of my whining. All seven of us survived and though I will not be at the starting line of Floyd's first big race, the Amgen Tour of California, I can tell you that from my perspective, the boy is looking pretty darn fit. Welcome back.

Bruce

Final Team for Amgen Tour of California Announced

Bruce Hildenbrand — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 09:19:45 GMT

The remaining nine teams for the 2009 Tour of California were announced today and there weren't too many surprises. One fun factoid worth reporting is that there were sixteen(16) teams participating in the first Amgen Tour of California comprised of eight Pro Tour and eight non-Pro Tour squads. In 2007 and 2008, eighteen teams toed the line composed of nine Pro Tour and nine non-Pro Tour squads.

In 2009, there will be seventeen total teams, eight Pro Tour and nine non-Pro Tour which is a bit of a departure from previous years. Rumour has it that two Pro Tour teams Fuji-Servetto and Milram tried to obtain a slot in the race, but obviously they did not make the cut. So, it is a bit of a mystery why the race organizers didn't even out the Pro Tour and non-Pro Tour squads by inviting either Fuji-Servetto or Milram.

The original eight teams (all part of the Pro Tour) announced last month are:

AG2R- La Mondiale, Astana, Garmin-Chipotle, Liquigas, Quick Step, Rabobank, Saxo Bank, Team Columbia.

The final nine teams (all non-Pro Tour) announced today are:

Bissell Pro Cycling Team, BMC Racing Team, Cervelo Test Team, Colavita/Sutter Home Presented by Cooking Light, Fly V Australia presented by Successful Living Foundation Team, Jelly Belly Cycling Team, Ouch Presented by Maxxis, Rock Racing, Team Type 1.

It looks like the predictions I made last month when the Pro Tour teams were announced were pretty spot on with Colavita and Cervelo Test Team replacing Kelly Benefits on my potential list.

Probably the most interesting tidbit from today's announcement is that with the inclusion of Ouch Medical, it means that the first ever winner of the Amgen Tour of California, Floyd Landis, will make is return to racing at the California event. In a year of comebacks, will Floyd be as welcomed as that guy named Lance?

Bruce

Amgen Tour of California Announces Eight Team for 2009 Race

Bruce Hildenbrand — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:05:47 GMT

Today the race organizers of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California announced the list of ProTour teams who will be participating in the race. A number of US-based teams such as Garmin-Slipstream and Team Columbia Highroad were on the list as well as the squad of two-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer, Team Astana who will most likely bring his new teammate Lance Armstrong along with him. Team Saxo Bank, the new sponsor of the old Team CSC as well as Tom Boonen's Quick-Step squad also made the cut.

Not surprisingly, Rabobank and their ace climber Robert Gesink (that's Hesink to you) will be there. They recently signed on a a major co-sponsor of the event.Look for Gesink to be lighting it up on Bonny Doon Road during stage 2. Surprisingly, the French team Ag2r-La Mondial will be making their first appearance in California.

Even more surprisingly, Liquigas is also invited and that means the potential participation of Ivan Basso who rode alongside Levi at the Tour of California in 2007. Basso is returning from a drug suspension. There used to be a rule that any rider who is serving a drug suspension cannot ride for a ProTour team for an additional two years after the end of his sentence. When the UCI was questioned about this apparent breach of the ProTour rules, they responded that the additional two year suspension was part of a "code of ethics" agreed to by all the ProTour teams and not part of the UCI's official rules. Huh? What? Would the UCI look the other way if Floyd Landis signed with a ProTour team?

It is interesting to note that there will only be eight ProTour teams in 2009 down from nine in 2008. By UCI rules, that means that there can only be eight non-ProTour teams invited so, there will be two fewer teams(16) than in 2008(18). I hope this isn't a cost-cutting measure by the organizers of the race. But, the three-year old event has never made money and in this economic downturn it is unlikely to do so in 2009.

So, which non-ProTour teams will get the remaining eight spots? It seems like Ouch Medical, BMC Racing, Rock Racing, Bissel, Jelly Belly and Kelly Benefits have the inside track which leaves just two other slots open one of which might just go to the recently announced merger of Successful Living and Australia's Virgin Blue squads with the remaining spot going to Team Type 1.

Stay tuned to see which domestic pro squads secure a coveted berth in America's premier stage race. Anybody else got any ideas?

Bruce

ps - one of last year's AToC ProTour teams, Saunier Duval-Scott, has been reborn as Fuji-Servetto. As Fuji is an American-based bicycle manufacturer it is not clear if they applied or were considered for one of the ProTour slots in the 2009 race. More as details become available.

2009 Amgen Tour of California Route Announced

Bruce Hildenbrand — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:49:19 GMT

The route of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California was announced today and not surprisingly, my predictions as to the actual course were not far off. I can't understand why the AToC isn't going to pay homage to James Dean when they pass the site of his tragic auto accident on Stage 5. Members of the organizing committee, you have been warned. Rather than re-hash all the stuff from my previous blog, I thought I would post a few pics of the route.

Here is the stunning redwood forest on Tunitas Creek Road the first big ascent of stage 2. This is a great climb, the meat is about 1200 feet in 3 miles with sections up to 10%. Overall, the total ascent is 2000 feet spread over about eight miles. Too bad Tunitas Creek comes way too far from the finish to have any effect on the race. BTW, there was a major repaving effort on Tunitas Creek this past summer specifically to get the climb ready for the ATOC. Unfortunately, the repavers left the lower two miles of the aforementioned three mile steep section untouched which means the peloton will be riding over a lot of bad, heavily potholed pavement. For some reason, they repaved a lot of the less-steep sections. What a pity.

Palomar Mountain is the last big climb of the AToC. However, the ascent comes way too early in the stage to have any effect on the overall standings. Race organizers have called this the equivalent of a mountain top finish. Huh? What? Not even close. It makes one wonder. Here is a photo of Floyd and the current sponsor of his 2009 team, Dr. Brent Kay of Ouch Medical Center, riding up the lower slopes of Palomar with the bulk of the mountain visible ahead of them.

It can get pretty cold up on Palomar Mountain during winter!

Coming up, how to view the race and get in a ride to boot!

Bruce

Tyler and Floyd: A Tale of Two Comebacks

Bruce Hildenbrand — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:23:17 GMT

While the cycling world is still reeling from the revelation that Lance Armstrong will make a comeback, several other high profile American riders are staging comebacks of their own. However, unlike Lance, who has never tested positive for performance enhancing drugs (PED's) both Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton did test positive. Hamilton served his two year suspension and returned to the pro peloton in 2007 with Rock Racing while Landis' suspension ends in January 2009; he has been linked to the Momentum Sports Group which has Health Net as it's title sponsor.

Tyler's comeback got off to a rocky start when he was initially excluded from the Tour of California then at the last minute given the green light to participate. He chose to support his other two excluded teammates Santiago Botero and Oscar Sevilla and not start as well. His form gradually increased throughout the season and peaked in mid-summer with a win at the Tour of Quinhai Lake a week-long UCI-rated stage race in China. However, his biggest win was undoubtedly the USPRO road championship in Greenville, South Carolina which will enable the 37-year old Boulder resident the privilege of wearing the so-called "Captain America" jersey next year.

Though there is no official verification, Floyd Landis has been linked to team Health Net-Maxxis' management company, Momentum Sports Group. Health Net is discontinuing its sponsorship at the end of 2008, the rumour is that Smith&Nephew, the company which makes Floyd's artificial hip will step in as title sponsor.

While just about everybody is hailing Lance's comeback, both Tyler's and Floyd's return to the pro peloton are being met with mixed reaction. Many are unhappy that two riders, who have never confessed to their doping positives, are back in the fold. Others feel that Floyd's and Tyler's positive results were fraught with enough doubt that they should never have had to be sanctioned in the first place.

Regardless of how one feels the facts are that both Tyler and Floyd will have served the entire length of their suspensions and by the regulations that govern professional cycling, they are now free and clear to return to racing. If the governing body of the sport is able to grant the riders a second chance shouldn't the fans be able to do the same? Even if you feel that they cheated, under the rules of the sport as they stand now, they are allowed to return. Can the fans forgive?

How do you feel about the situation?

Bruce

Dealing with PMD

Bruce Hildenbrand — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:30:34 GMT

PMD or "post mountains depression" is something that afflicts all Tour junkies. After two or three days of non-stop excitement, the race exits onto the plains of France and it is back to watching the French riders try to regain some respect for their countrymen. The peloton is by now extremely tired and those who still have some strength left are trying to conserve for the final time trial. It is kind of like dogs fighting over table scraps. Don't get me wrong, to win any stage of the Tour is a huge accomplishment. It is just that after watching all the heavy hitters take shots at each other in the mountains it just seems a bit anti-climactic.

Over the past few days I have been keeping my eye out for anything interesting that you might not see on TV, below are some things I hope you will enjoy.

Raymond Poulidor, or 'Poo Poo', never won the Tour, but while his countryman, Jacques Anquetil, was winning five Tours with surgical precision in the 1960's, Poo Poo's many second place finishes endeared him to French fans who saw his courage and most likely identified with his struggles. While Anquetil got the yellow jerseys, Poo Poo won the hearts of the French. He had another nickname, 'the Eternal Second', due to his many near misses. These days he works for the Tour organization doing PR at in the start village. I asked Raymond whom he thought would win the Tour and he picked Cadel Evans.

With the probable demise of the Pro Tour, Floyd Landis could be back racing in the European pro peloton next year. One of the rules of the Pro Tour was that any racer convicted of a doping offense had an additional two years added to his suspension. With the Pro Tour headed south, Floyd should be cleared to ride when his suspension ends in January 2009. Let's hope Floyd gets that chance to return to competition as have lots of riders who have served out their suspensions.

Cadel Evans had a problem with his front wheel just before the start of yesterday's stage to St. Etienne. It appeared that the wheel was rubbing his brakes, so he got a change, but he seemed unhappy with the new wheel as well. My guess is that when you are the favorite to wear yellow into Paris and it is only a few days away you start getting pretty nervous about everything.

Sometimes at the sign-in there is a group of young cyclists who get a chance to meet the stars of the Tour.

There is a lot of action in the start village. One of the daily acts is a trials rider who keeps us all entertained with a whole host of tricks that if I tried to do myself would put me up in the hospital.

An artist paints a portrait each day. Here he is working on his next creation.

Race Notes

Tomorrow's 53km (33 mile) time trial will determine the victor and the podium of the Tour(well, duh). Most pundits are tipping Cadel Evans to move from fourth to yellow figuring that he will take about 2-3 minutes out of Sastre. If you remember the 2006 Tour, Floyd Landis beat Oscar Periero by about four minutes in the first time trial, but when the yellow jersey was on the line, Landis only took a little more than a minute out of him in the final time trial. The power of the yellow is strong. Don't count Sastre out.

It will be critical for Sastre to pace himself and not go out too hard. Evans will be starting three places ahead of him which is about 10 minutes. That should allow Sastre and his Team CSC Saxo Bank the ability to guage what they need to do to ride a more controlled time trial. Evans on the other hand won't be getting time checks on Carlos until possibly halfway into his race. This is all pure speculation as most riders will tell you that they don't ride a time trial against their competition. Rather they set a schedule and try to do their own ride. We will see.

Denis Menchov looks to be in the best position to claim the final spot on the podium. However, while he is fast against the clock, he can also be inconsistent which opens the door for somebody like Christian Vandevelde who has an outside shot at the podium. Christian seems to get stronger at the end of the third week of a grand tour compared to his competition. He rode exceptionally well in the final time trial of the Giro and if he can repeat that feat he may claim third.

CAS Rejects Floyd Landis Appeal

Bruce Hildenbrand — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:07:24 GMT

The Court for Arbitration in Sport (CAS) has rejected the appeal of Floyd Landis effectively ending the 2006 Tour de France Champion's legal options regarding his two-year suspension for returning a positive test for testosterone at the 20006 Tour de France. There was a glimmer of hope for the Landis camp after the results of the Unites States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) hearing late last year when the panel of arbitrators found that the French testing lab, LNDD, had run the initial T/E screening test improperly.

While the USADA panel found that the subsequent exogenous testosterone test had been run properly, Landis and his defense team argued that since the screening test determines if the exogenous test should be run, it was a case of "fruit of the poisoned tree" and the results of that exogenous test should be ruled invalid.

Unfortunately, the CAS arbitration panel not only didn't accept that defense, the very strong wording of their decision indicates that they were very upset at the way Landis and his defense team mounted their case. In an unprecedented move not only did they find against Floyd, but they also stipulated that Landis pay $100,000 of the USADA's legal costs.

Floyd and his defense team issued a press release indicating that Landis is weighing his options, but it appears that he has none. His two-year suspension ends in January of 2009, but Floyd has stated that if he is found guilty by CAS he would quit cycling. Landis has ridden a few 100-mile MTB endurance races this year, but he was clearly distracted by the CAS hearing and not at his top form. A few weeks ago, Landis was announcing a bike race in Dan Point, California.

How history will view Floyd Landis is yet to be seen. I have to tell you that I was present with Floyd at a number of the events described in his book "Positively False" and everything he describes in the book is as I remember it. No embellishments, not white lies, just the truth, straight up. Even if you believe that he took testosterone, there is no scientific link between that drug and his unbelievable comeback to win the 2006 Tour. Will this be the unfortunate case of getting the death penalty for jaywalking?

What are your thoughts?

Bruce