Cancellara's great downhill on stage 7 TDF

Amazing descent by Fabian Cancellara on Stage 7 or the Tour. He needed a bike change, and this is him catching back up. DON'T TRY TO RIDE LIKE THIS! Look at how far he leans his bike over! Can't believe the Motorcyclist with the Cameraman kept up! As my friend says... the motorcycle crew probably needed a change of leathers after this ride! Wow!

TDF fun

We hosted a ride then watch the TT (Time Trial) party today - 3rd annual of such fest's. Gave prizes in the category of YELLOW-most French like; POLKA DOT-commentator imitation; and GREEN-to the attendee that came from the furthest without driving!

YELLOW went to Martin and Rene as they are "most racer like" then French like -  but deserving, as he did something like 75 miles today, and still functioned, she ran some kind of enormous half marathon or something like that. Prize wine was a Yellow Tail Reserve from Australia... hoping to predict Cadel Evans in Yellow, but just wasn't his day. A tough decision between prize winners, as debatable as to whether Martin came the furthest - as he rode to the party as well as Michel, but as part of his "other ride" hadn't ridden our TDF group ride. The officials had to methodically flip coins to precisely make the final decision.

POLKA DOT went to Athena - not for any type of commentator imitation, but the REAL DEAL! She drove from the farthest distance, brought the most goodies (Farmers market bootie) and kept climbing up Montebello when the hostess (ahem... me) turned around to go home. We still owe you the bottle of "Red Bicycle" wine -  forgot to award this before you left!

GREEN went to Michel. Holy cow, he commuted via bike with zero carbon footprint... and on an ancient steel Sirrus Specialized bike no less - deemed "Le Anchor". Using his old bike, and not consuming more than his share by buying a new one yet - easily gives him this award hands down. 

It's not about the bike! We could have given Michel and Christine the full lot, just like often a yellow jersey holder is also a points holder, and mountain jersey leader... a they were definitely the most "French like" being actually from Belgium! They clearly had the best accents. But Green it was - and they took home a "sustainable Red wine"- California grown!

Tomorrow - the Champs Elyseé~

TDF final time trial tomorrow

This is Lances last TDF ride other than Champs Elyseé the next day. 

Saint Entienne '05, our friend Kirk took this picture as we were on opposite sides. We rode the course the previous day- and it was darn hilly for a TT! On the far side, you can see me in my turquois (Gerolsteiner/Levi Leipheimer) cowboy hat and Terry still aiming with our camera towards the start of the corner. That's how fast Lance goes- still looking right, and Lance is passed us to our left! My favorite part of the picture is the little kid on the left edge, yelling in French!

Tomorrow will Cadel Evans do the "time trial of his life" and take the Tour's coveted Yellow Jersey for the ride to Paris? We shall see! 

Tour de France fever - Month of July

July is a month that my husband and I burn the candle at 2 ends. We record and watch sometimes 2 different broadcasts of the Tour de France (TDF). Or like in this picture, in 2005, we actually went to France, and chased, sometimes rode, a few stages. 

This picture was taken the morning after a fantastic mountain finish of stage 14, where Austrian Georg Totschnig from Gerolsteiner won the stage. We got to hang out at the teams hotel and eat the same dinner one table over, while they celebrated. Levi Leipheimer was on that team then. (I'll look for a couple pictures from that night and day). Anyhow, then a butt ugly early rising from Toulouse, crazy driving and navigating to the next stages start. This is the reason we are very tired - but happy to take toursity pictures of the famous "Caravan" that parades through the entire stage - tossing samples of sponsors food items, hats and noise makers - about 1 hour before the riders pass by.  

WHAT'S WITH THE LYON?

A major sponsor of the TDF is Credit Layonnais - and they hand the stuffed Lions to the Yellow Jersey winners each stage!

Congrats to the 2 new American teams of Columbia and Garmin - they are kicking some tarmac!

More TDF trivia and memoirs to come this last week of the' 08 tour.