Hellooooo? Anyone watching the Tour?

[7rider]

I'm loving Johan Bruyneel's contribution to the broadcast. It's so great to really get inside the race.

Is it just me, or does Bruyneel look unbelievably bored every time he's on camera??? I love his insight, but geez, the guy looks like he's a million miles away (probably wishing he were in a team car, instead).

[SouthernBelle]

Bruyneel is probably thinking about what Astana could be doing in this field. I have to wonder that myself.

[arielmoon]

That was my thought too.



The course yesterday was incredible! Both scenic and scarey!

[Geonz]

I am bummed because there doesn't seem to be a way to follow the tour on my 'puter at work. Some years there have been cute little icons of bicycles on a virtual track... or even live video...

[Kalidurga]

Geonz, check out Yahoo! Sport. That link should take you directly to today's coverage. They've got the bicycle icons and there's a link for live audio (if you can wade through Sean Kelly's impenetrable accent to understand it).

[Norse]

Geonz, check out velonews.com.

After boycotting the first few weeks of Le Tour, I broke down yesterday - too much excitement with the Alps and so many guys bunched tightly together. Still, I wonder how different the dynamics would be if the strongest pro team, and defending yellow jersey, had been allowed to race.

[Kalidurga]

Still, I wonder how different the dynamics would be if the strongest pro team, and defending yellow jersey, had been allowed to race.

I dunno about that. It appears that the strongest pro team is racing, and is currently defending the yellow jersey. CSC has been amazing in the Tour this year.

[Norse]

CSC is clearly the strongest pro team at the Tour, but their main competition is not there so it's unknown which team may have been the strongest this year.

[tulip]

You can't judge the race by what it couldawouldashoulda been. It is what it is, and it is fantastic this year. If you are missing it, you are missing a great, great Tour.

[bmccasland]

I am in absolute awe that anyone can accelerate going UP the Alps.

And I can see me going head-over-tea-kettle missing a hairpin curve on the way down too.

[Possegal]

here is where my brother in law has been watching it online

www.justin.tv

http://www.justin.tv/kamtronistv <---------- i think that is the direct link.

[Possegal]

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/s...ortsOther/home

interesting story - so the drug manufacturer of the new ESA intentionally labeled it with something for the purposes of easier detection for illegal use. interesting collaboration of us science geeks on the right side of the law, and the sporting federations.

i like the story of how ricco tried to evade testing and that lead them to say he put a target on his own back. so it seems it was more than just an abnormal pre-race test that had them following him.

[rij73]

it almost looks like he was trying to commit suicide.
No attempt to turn at all, just straight over

I swear I saw that in slow motion when it was happening. I think I even screamed. He did so well to stop himself. It was practically a vertical wall. Does anyone know how far his bike fell?

[Possegal]

it's the Alps, his bike is probably still falling. i just told a friend - come on, let's go, there is a $10,000 bike waiting for us somewhere at the foot of the Alps.

[Kalidurga]

Well, this is fairly disgusting, but not entirely surprising. The following tidbits have been included in today's live coverage at Yahoo! Sport (not a spoiler):

More breaking news from Reuters: French customs officers stopped and searched a car driven by Johnny Schleck, the father of riders Frank and Andy, during Thursday's 18th stage, witnesses said. Customs officers first stopped a press car with Luxemburg number plates and searched it 35km into the day's 196.5km ride from Bourg d'Oisans to St Etienne. They then stopped a second car, driven by Johnny Schleck, whose sons are riders from Luxembourg representing the CSC team on the Tour de France. We'll keep you updated when we hear more.

Papa Schleck update from Reuters. Looks to our untrained eyes like much ado about nothing: Johnny Schleck, who drives guests around for one of the Tour sponsors, was asked to step out of the car at a roundabout and was searched by a police officer. He was then asked to drive the car towards the other side of the roundabout, where the vehicle was searched by customs officers for 30 minutes. "We will search the car," a customs officer told Reuters without giving any further details. The car later continued on the stage course behind a customs vehicle towards Grenoble.

A quote from the custom officials who searched Johnny Schleck's car: "We were looking for doping substances but the check was negative so we let him (Johnny Schleck) go," a customs spokesman told Reuters.

Oy.