Le Kazakh a perdu 1'20".
One of those days. It starts with the helmet not feeling quite right. The strap bothers my left ear (yet no one has touched the strap in months – it’s just today that it isn’t right!!!); the sunglasses aren’t as crystal clear as they should (how clear should they normally be?!!!); my shorts feel too lose (they are size large and I wear medium but I swear the medium was too tight when I bought these!!!); and, I’m breathing hard on the first little climb and my heart rate is barely 117 (whatever that means – I could be dying – it felt that way!!!).The last time I felt like this I bonked pretty damn good. I didn’t bonk today, yet somehow I didn’t feel very hydrated. I ended up drinking 5 12-once cans of whatever Isotonic drink I had at hand. And I wanted more. I gotta blame something, don’t I?
Not a great ride.
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2 comments:
Vino's had a tough couple years - the rest of his team getting kicked out of the tour last year, and his chain snapping this year (and his super-teammate Kloden getting hurt!).
The Tour is still really fun with it wide open like this though eh? Wondering if Levi/Rasmussen/Mayo/Sastre can pull something out here or there to finish a few seconds ahead of all the others. More fun than the Lance "terminator" years.
Tuco -- Lot's of us are hoping for Vino to do well (though as a Spaniard/American I got other bets too). If Vino recovers he can pull something off; I've no doubt. He already showed Valverde in last year's Vuelta, coming back from more than two minutes down. If Valverde is healthy though, I don't see anyone taking him down. Unlike Vino though he must rely on his team and if they are not there he'll start looking back going up those hills and may crumble. (He did in the Vuelta and looked very lonely.) Levi better start waking up. He's got young blood in front like Alberto Contador who can pull lots for him. (Did you see that kid climb the other day after getting a flat tire -- he broke the whole race by himself in my opinion. Would Levi have tried to bridge with him if it weren't for the flat tire? I think he might have.) But I must admit Sastre is my old time favorite; he's so deserving; such a good cyclist; solid head, hard worker; he's been there in all the big ones -- all of them! and just lacks the explosion. It's a feeling that must suck to just be a steady diesel engine and to know it. But he'll be there and may be the surprise in this tour. They'll watch him like hawks in the mountain stages from now on (like Rasmussen)so their chances are very limited. Like in last year's Vuelta it'll be down to Valverde and Vino and if Vino is not healthy watch out for Kasheschkin. He can take Valverde but must push hm in a long, long climb. Finally, we'll have to see how Mayo's head is doing. He looked strong as ever and when he's on in the climbs -- we saw it the other day -- the rest of the boys can't keep up with him. But his head is a big if.
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