Demise

of Discovery makes me a bit sad!

Pain

Words from Jens Voight (whom I have watched in awe for the last 5 years now)…

“I am fed up with this. They make our life difficult and complicated. Through their obvious stupidity, they risk the existence of the teams, including soigneurs, mechanics, bus drivers and so on.”

and…

“These people go home now and hide behind their attorneys. But I stand here on the front line. I have to answer all the questions and talk about doping. And I don’t have anything to do with it”

This doesn’t end here. Hear out Michael Boogerd (who worked his ass off for Rasmussen in Alps and Pyrennees and I started admiring him)…

“At Boxmeer you come to the start and the announce will say, ‘Look, here we have Michael Boogerd, who rode for Rasmussen for weeks.’ I find it terrible. To ride for four more days in the Tour for nobody? don’t know what I should think of all this. I want to go home immediately.”

The pain in these words is…..well, just horrible! No wonder, I felt this.

Update: Just came to know that Jens Voight is in a break away and leading the main group by 8+ minutes. An unbelievable bike rider!

 

On 15th

The stage is like this:

I am betting on Rasmussen or Levi attacking in this stage at after 150 kms from the start and Contador matching them. I am also betting on Cadel Evans losing further ground.

Update: Contador and Rasmussen went ahead with no one to match. Cadel Evans lost more time. So far so good (w.r.t my prediction). Levi didn’t do much!! I got carried away by his claims on the lines of “Wait for Pyrennees to come and then watch for what I am goanna do”…Glad that I didn’t bet on him winning the stage!

Lost in the 13th, here is my bet for the 14th

Lost the bet. Kloden is 3rd in GC, with Rasmussen and Evans ahead of him! I don’t mind Rasmussen being ahead (w.r.t to my earlier prediction), nobody expected him to do as well as he did (next TT is on flat surface…so Rasmussen must attack and so should other riders, in the Pyrennees). But how on earth I missed Cadel Evans!!! I should have betted on him (I’d have lost anyway, but that’s beyond the point!). I simply forgot Cadel Evans is around!

Update: Kloden is 4th. Contador (his first appearance in tour!!) is also ahead!! But, I should have betted on Evans Anyways, I am going ahead with today’s prediction.

Today’s is a mountain top finish. Check out the route profile…amazing

There is going to be an attack on Rasmussen by someone (Valverde may be) and the attack is going to succeed. I doubt whether Evans would attack. May be Vino, leaving Kloden with the peleton or Levi, leaving Contador in the peleton. Some of the contenders should attack. May be Rasmussen tries to attack!! Depends solely on who still feels fresh after doing what they did in yesterday’s time trial

Well, I have given almost all permutations!! Ok…here is my bet..Some one from the leading climbers group is going to attack and succeed.

Another Update: I was right. Contador attacked and everybody but Rasmussen cracked.