Bob Roll’s Tour Report: C’est la vie Lance

Well, today was a not a good day for the red, white and blue, at least the Texas tri-color. It appears that Lance has been wedded to misfortune this year ? I doubt if it could get much worse.

Overall, I’d say that Alberto didn’t look that great today, but it was a great day for Andy Schleck. The young Austrian fought a pitched battle to the very end with Sanchez who kept looking back has he led Andy out, but he soon realized that there was no chance to shake Schleck. What a thrill it must’ve been for both of them to drop Contador on a climb. That is such a rare feat, but the two of them pulled it off.

It looks like America’s hopes now rest with Levi. I don’t think he can win, but as he’s already shown in the past, he can make the podium in Paris. In fact, I think he has a better chance at it than Cadel, Gesink or Wiggins. Either way, right now it’s clearly the Alberto and Andy show.

Today, Lance learned what he’s always known, you can’t make any mistakes in the Tour de France if you want to win. That second crash wasn’t even his fault, but the Tour is a not the type of race that takes that into consideration. To win you have to not only be on top of your own game, but all the other riders as well.
So now Cadel is in yellow. As the race wears on I wouldn’t be surprised to see him taken to task by his own worst enemy ? himself. History has shown that Cadel can get victimized by his nerves and when the human computer goes south there’s no time in the Tour for rebooting! If Cadel’s old demons come calling, the next two weeks will be long indeed for the Australian.

I have to say there seems to be more Americans here than ever before. And it might not be the sort of observation I’d make when I’m at home in Durango and all the tourists from Texas are pulling into town, but the Americans are a good looking crew ? especially compared to the French mountain trolls who we run into each year. Unfortunately, too much inbreeding has left the trolls all twisted up, whereas the Americans make the show with straight up posture and good hair.

Now we have a rest day where I plan to sleep in, take a long lunch then go back to bed. I would never compare my effort at the Tour with that of the riders, but after all the drama of this last week, I’d say we all deserve a day off.

Bobke