So who do they support in the Tour. It looks like they are in a position like Disco, they have two viable contenders to put on the podium. With the mountains just starting and no one able to keep up with Rasmussan do they wing it till the time trial and then choose. I know the Chicken sucks during the TT but I have heard that he has actually been practicing so he has to have gotten better. Right now Rassmussen is 3.35 in front of Menchov... Can Menchov make up that much time or more during the two time trials. I love this Tour, so much intrigue...






1 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 4.49.40 (34.18 km/h)

9 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 3.35

well, personally, i would protect menchov.

this is not because i favor him more than rasmussen, and in fact i would love to see the chicken cross, uh, fly up the road faster than anyone.

but that is my point. in the flat stages, how much protecting does one truly need? and since rasmussen gets all his time in the mountains anyway, pretty much no one can follow him anyway....no point protecting what you can't keep up with.

protect menchov, allow the chicken to fly, and go for an orange and blue-ish purple 1,2 podium!!

leipheimer and who?

man, after today, am i glad i picked leipheimer as my disco representative on the GC podium.

leipheimer and who?

man, after today, am i glad i picked leipheimer as my disco representative on the GC podium.

i would assume he is referring to contador.

one problem i see with ras, other than the tt, is that he usually only does these types of rides once per tour. hes never shown he can attack every single day before.

someone else had an interesting ras or menchov idea in a different thread. since ras will needs gobs of time heading into the time trial, he will be forced to attack every day, and try to build a big lead, like he did today. menchov can then sit back, let the other teams with GC contenders do the work and try to reel him in. then menchov could get launched on the last climb by his fresh team. its a win win. if the break away suceeds, ras builds on his lead. if he gets caught, menchov is fresh for an attack of his own.

leipheimer and who?

man, after today, am i glad i picked leipheimer as my disco representative on the GC podium.

Was slightly faster than Leipheimer in the prologue and looked mighty fine climbing today. If he did not have a mechanical he would have stuck with the Moreau/Mayo/Valverde group. But...Leipheimer would have to be a better pick given his experience and time trialing ability. I should think that Disco will work for him primarily.

Did you mean that to be a pun?

In any case, I think that is what they will do. Neither Rasmussen nor Menchov will sacrifice themselves for the other in the 1 remaining mountain stage before the first ITT. At that point, they'll assess and see if one gets to be the outright leader.

Rasmussen says he hasn't been practicing TT's. I was amused by his comments about him "fiddling around on the pavement." I think he will do relativel better than in previous years, (or else crack completely again!) because he's more determined, one, and also the super-death-killer-(doper?) TT riders from the past 2 years are almost all gone.

He will have to eat his words on pure climbers and TT'ing if Contador and / or Levi lays the hurt on him in the time trial, though...

definetley.

levi has said time and time again that he is not in his strongest form yet, and is trying to peak for the pyrenees.

now i have no idea if this is a load of bull or what, but he certainly had no problem today keeping with the head guys, so i would definetley stick with him...

as for menchov....don't think he has it after today. the chicken looked like he's defended the jersey before, that was pretty cool.

also, nice to see evans attacking and being aggressive for a change. always liked him but he never seemed to have the confidence to go for it. valverde...we'll see if he crashes/bonks/whatever as we go.

who's my pick? i have no idea. do i love it? oh yea