Holy Crap!

Holy crap!

Some stuff happened this weekend (during the Tour), but it is inconsequential compared with what occurred in today's stage - something that changed this year's race and something no one would have ever expected. On the climb up the Port de Balès, Thomas Voeckler timed a break perfectly and held on to win stage 15. He built up a sizable lead on the climb and continued to extend it on the decent, resulting in an easy win in the French National Champion Tricolour jersey:

Maybe Thomas had been planning it for the last couple stages that he dogged it on, or maybe it was the short-shorts he was wearing. Either way he did the champ's jersey proud.

Oh yeah, there was also the little bit with Andy Schleck (an oversized one at that) pulling a sweet endo on the Balès:

Look at how he dwarfs Vino. What is he on? Not sure if pulling an endo in front of a competitor on a climb is akin to mooning someone in Luxembourg, but I think Andy got a little too confident. And wouldn't you know, as he was taunting the boys from Astana, his chain derails. How's that for karma? If he had pulled it off, "The Endo" would have gone down in TdF lore like "The Look" and "The Shortcut."

I know that when asked Andy said that he wouldn't have done what Alberto did today (counter Schleck's attack and then keep going up the mountain without looking back - looking back means you're weak). I believe that when asked Andy gave an honest answer, but I am not sure that if the roles were reversed if he would have stopped and waited. Maybe, only because he is so strong this year. Do I think what AC did was right? Sure, it's racing. Do I understand both sides of the argument? Yeah, I do.

I would hate to be the bike manufacturer for Team Saxo Bank right now. I mean, a mechanical takes the maillot jaune away during what is an amazing attack? Nope, wait, Astana and Saxo Bank both ride Specialized SL3s. Damn chain.

On other fronts, I am enjoying my TV and cable, but I'm getting real sick of the stupid marketing companies use. In Europe I didn't watch TV that often and when I did it was really only sporting events so I didn't need to understand the language. That made commercials much more tolerable. What I'm getting at is this new automatic soap dispenser from Lysol:

Seriously Lysol, the top of the soap dispenser pump may very well be full of germs, but I touch that dispenser to dispense soap I plan to wash my hands with. Once I complete my hand washing I rinse them and dry them off. The next time I will touch that potentially germ-infested dispenser is the next time I need soap to wash my hands. I hope that the marketing executives at Lysol don't actually think that I rub my hands on the soap dispenser after I wash my hands. Douche bags.

Ok, time to go, I have to study for the LSAT (there's a first time for everything).

Enjoy the sun, ride the bikes, and support successful break aways.