After the first stage in the Alps, it looks like our 2-man race may have become a 1-man victory lap. Alberto Contador looked head and shoulders better than anyone else in the race. There are still quite a few mountain stages left, and we’ve seen larger gaps recovered in the past, but the way Contador is riding, it’s difficult to imagine anyone gaining 2+ minutes on him.
Lance Armstrong looked old for the first time this year, and even though he’s still one of the top 10 riders in the Tour, he admitted that he’s not the strongest rider anymore. I think you’ll see Lance supporting Contador more, and the Astana strategy will shift to a singular focus on keeping Contador in yellow. Armstrong still has a great shot at a podium finish, but he won’t gain time on his teammate.
Andy Schleck also turned in an impressive performance, but unfortunately it only highlighted the fact that Contador is simply a stronger rider than he is. Schleck should also compete for a podium finish, and he may gain some time on Contador in one of the remaining mountain stages, but it would be shocking to see him gain the yellow jersey at this point.
After a rest day tomorrow, there’s another big mountain stage that could shuffle some of the standings, but if Contador looks half as strong as he did today, he’ll easily stay in the lead.
Rider of the Day
Reasons I Love the Tour #15 - The Crowds
The mountain stages bring out legions of fanatic cycling followers. They crowd the narrow roads, dress in crazy costumes, and run alongside the riders, often frustrating them. But there’s something about the energy of the fans along the mountain roads that raises the intensity of the stages and makes them even more exciting sitting home and watching them on TV.
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