Lance drops the hammer

“I have been following "Le Tour" on line, live.

It is even more compelling than Trail Talk!!!!!!


Lance is simply amazing. He hung out at 3 minutes behind the leader until the final climb in today's stage. Then his team George Hincape led the Postal group at a strong pace that separated them from the rest of the peleton. When some distance opened up, Roberto Heras, another Postal guy, accelerated the pace with Lance hanging right by his wheel. They opened up the gap on the peleton further and started reeling in the fellow who had been leading all day Laurence Jalbert. Eventually everyone fell off the lead Postal Group, including the Tour leader thus far Igor Gonzales de Galdenao.

The reeled in Jalbert, and just blew by him. It was a pack of three down to the finish. Heras still leading and setting the pace for Lance, with one hanger on, Beloki. Beloki is a team ONCE rider as is Igor Gonzales de Galdeano.

Lance just hung out in third place until the last 100 meters, then stood up on his pedals and accelerated even further. He went by Heras (who did a magnificent job of pace settting and leading right to that point) and by Beloki.

Lance won the stage and is now the overall leader by just over one minute.”

“Sweet!!!”

“One of the greatest athletes of all time.”

“Just like he planned it. An artiste! The man does love the mountains!”

“From Cnn/SI:

Their desciption of the ride. I forgot one player on the Postal team who helped rachet up the pace: Rubiera

Le Tour”

“Lee your narrative gave me goosebumps

Phil Ligget had better watch out!”

“I listen to it live on the net also. There is usally a small gang around my desk when they are close to the finish. We are thinking about going to Texas to ride in the Hotter N Hell 100 on August 24. Anyone interested?”

“I've done that ride several times Arky, it's an awesome spectacle. Well organized, well supported. I can't go this year but I highly recommend anyone going... even just to watch. I don't know if they are going to do it this year, but when I've ridden it the route went ON THE FREEWAY for a bit. That was the most fun I've ever had on a bicycle”

“Where are you guys listining on the net? I've been bugging my neighboors with cable to let me come over and check it out, but they are never home. I'd love to listen in.”

“Go to www.olntv.com and look for the live broadcast. It starts at 8:30 am central time.
Donman, the ride sounds fun. One of my buddies has a Winnebago (named Cousin Eddie) that we will load up for the trip.”

“So that'll be on TV tonight?”

“Yea. It comes on at 8:00pm central time on OLN.”

“Thanks, I've been catching some of the broadcasts each night. That should be a blast to watch.”

“He's really riding out of his skin as Phil Ligget would say. Pretty amazing.”

“Lance's peleton is 5 minutes behind an escape group of three with about 50km to go.

The Postal peleton is currently being lead by Hincape.”

“They are heading to the Plateau de Beilles, a 16 km uphill 'from hell' as the commentator said. Lance is the man!”

“Lead is down to 3'40" 20km to go.

GO POSTAL!!”

“in 5 minutes of riding they have gained over a minute on the escape groupof three.

As Tango said . . they are now ont he final climb.


They are reeling in the escapees . . .”

“keep the updates coming! I can't listen at work.”

“Pathman . .

You don't have to listen . . .go to Letour. (google it).


I am not listening . . they provide minute by minute narratives.

Byt he time I finish typing this they will have caught Jalbert . .the last of the escapees with about 10k to go. They just ramped up the speed incredibly. The lead peleton is dropping riders right and lefft and has just vaccumed up the escapees.

The ONCE team is still hanging tight with Gonzales de Gzldeano and Botero still in the hunt with the Postal peleton. They need to lose those guys to make up time.


I probably won't be back here until after its done (its pretty close now).”

“Thanks!

Le Tour”

“I had to come back . .


Lance just said F-it and took off. He blew around the pack and now out by himself.

No one is hanging on.

MACHINE!!!!”

“I have opened up two browsers (t1 line) . . .Lance is out of his seat and CRANKING!!!!”

“14 seconds and opening up”

“He's got 5km to go and is trying to open up as much time on Beloki as he can.”

“Lance now 28" ahead of Beloki (#2 in the standings) and 18" ahead of his teammate Roberto Heras.”

“Heras had faded and is now back with Beloki . . .30" behind Lance”

“Is he human?”

“32"”

“Lance is wicked fast!”

“55" . .he isback in his saddle but still cranking.”

“back up on his pedals . ... right at the finish”

“HE WINS!!!! 6 hours and 29 seconds of pedaling up mountains!!”

“I am exhuasted!”

“2'28"! What a great number!

USA USA USA USA”

“There is a fire along the route!”

“yeah, i just heard them say that also.”

“The killer mountain is coming up tomorrow. Another day in the yellow for Lance. Woo Hoo!!”

“Lance "IS" the fire!”

“what can I say!”

“It doesn't take balls to be a great athlete!”

“Go! Lance Go!!”

“Why was he holding a hammer in the first place? Wouldn't that slow him down a lot?

<shakes head>”

“Helps on the downhill, momentum!

Another yellow shirt! Or is it the same one? Yuch!”

“Shoot, yesterday he was sprinting uphill!”

“I thought this was a bike race...”

“There you go thinking again--bit!!”

“My brain is getting in the way again. Should I just stop thinking and cheer for this Lance guy who's running in a bike race while carrying a hammer? No wait, he dropped the hammer.

He really should take better care of his tools.”

“All together now . . .
"If I had a hammer,
I'd ride my bike up big hills
I'd ride my bike down them,
And start all over again.

I ride through windstorms,
I ride through rain storms,
I'd ride on pavement, and cobbles,
All over this world.”

“lol”