Stages 14-21

And suddenly, we are in the final third of this years Tour! And as always, I'm always stunned that it got here SO FAST!

Anyway, Stage 14...more WOW! Alaphilipe was fantastic! Stayed with the lead group all the way, and even after GT was DROPPED! Bernal hung in there and was better, but GC lost MORE TIME! I had goose bumps! Watching the other GC hopefuls drop off 1 by 1...I was really hoping Rigo would hang and even gain some time back, but even he dropped.

And if there was any more surprise, it was Team Jumbo! They were still there with 2 guys when Ineos was down to just Bernal and GT! I think the era of the Superteam is over....things are a LOT more even now...other teams staying with them, and that they are BEHIND blows my mind...in a GOOD way!

My other takeway is that I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to ride the Col du Tourmalet one day while I am still young enough to enjoy it. That climb looks fantastic! It's very similar in length and altitude gained to our own Figueroa Mt that I ride a few times a year...it's a 40 mile loop from where I park...one way it's 7 miles to the base of the climb, then a 10 mile climb with about 4000' of climbing, 10 miles down the other side, and then 14 miles back to my car where I refill my water bottles and get food, and then take off again going the opposite direction and do the entire loop a 2nd time, netting me 80 miles and just under 10,000' of climbing. This is the mountain that many teams come to our area every January to train on, as it's very similar to the big climbs of le Tour (Lance and US Postal/Discovery came here every year during his heyday, and they stayed in Solvang and trained on our local Santa Ynez valley roads including Fig Mt. I may not be fast but I can ride all day, and it's kind of funny that I dont' know anybody who wants to ride the double Fig loop with me. That's my kind of ride...a grinding hour and a half climb, twice (it's rated HC and there's only one other one in this entire area rated that, and it's out of Santa Barbara....Gibraltar Rd...which is also a great climb!)

OK. I need to get some sleep...did a road ride today with my local bike shop group, and hope to take the Mt bike out tomorrow and do a few laps on our local little hill....I REALLY need to get some saddle time in as I'm in just about my worst fitness of the year right now.

Tour ON!

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Stages 7 thru 13

OK....another sprint stage is done and done. Gronevagen (sp? that's a HARD one to spell w/out cheating and looking it up) won finally, good for him!

Also, I was confused this morning during the pre-stage when they were showing TJ...I totally thought they were saying he crashed YESTERDAY during the big climbs day...but no, he crashed THIS MORNING! So what was his deal yesterday then? Today I certainly understand him being off the back dying...he's hurt for sure. So he goes to the hospital after the stage today and tomorrow we will find out how he is. Well, you all will find out...I am headed to Las Vegas (again)...my dad's birthday is Monday. Little bro is flying in from Houston, big bro WAS flying in tomorrow night but his work is sucking his will to live and he had to cancel. So little bro Dave and I will hang out w/ Dad for a day and a half or so...take him out to eat, hot tubbing, and sight-seeing (he lives in an assisted living facility). He will be 88...WOW!

So anyway...I will be away from the TV and computer for the next few days (I drive home on Monday)...I gather tomorrow is another hard stage...likely I won't be able to catch up on viewing as it just doesn't work that way...I MIGHT peek in on my phone to see who won Sat and Sunday...Monday likely I will not look as I can see some/most of that stage when I get home.

OK. Gotta hit the sack...getting up at 3am, ugh. Have a nice weekend...

Viva le Tour!

Tour Time!

YES! The day has arrived! The START of the 2019 Tour de France!

I admit that for unknown reasons I'm not quite as "into" it as I typically would be. Maybe it's because I JUST got back from vacation, and right before that work travel.

Maybe it's because a few of the top  pre-race favorites won't be there.

Whatever the reason, I'm just not as in to it as I usually would be.

That all said, I did watch the entire Stage 1 today, and wow! What a finish! I was rooting for Sagan, but the youngster Mike T (won't even TRY to spell that last name) who nipped Peter by a few inches at the line is a breath of fresh air! It was sad to see his sprinter (and likely the TOP sprinter in this years race) go down in the final chaotic moments...but he was there and fresh and went for it...LOVED IT!

I'm sad that Cav won't be there but he has been sucking all year, so I personally doubt very much he'd be in contention for any wins, and he wouln't have lasted very long anyway. This is a tough year for the pure sprinters for sure. I do like the fact that this is one of the rare "wide open" races. The kind of year where a Carlos Sastre wins (wasn't THAT a surprise!). TJ is there, but seriously...I just don't see him staying with Thomas, and don't really see HIM staying with Bernal. We have Uran, and Nibili, and Porte, but I just don't see any of them staying with Bernal in the mountains...maybe this will be the year a true young'un wins it! (during the broadcast it was mentioned that IF Bernal were to win it he'd be the 4th youngest overall, and THE youngest in decades. And nobody can deny that Team Ineos (aka Sky) STILL has the best team. Whoever they put their chips behind has a very good shot, providing he also has 21 days of good luck (or at least no BAD LUCK). I heard Thomas went down today, and we saw Dylan G. go down...you have to wonder how hurt he is. And how about Jacob Fugslang...blood pouring down his face....be interesting to see how hurt he was/is, as he is one of the top contenders IMO.

Tomorrow (Sunday) is the TTT, and the big deal out of that at the end of the day will be what GC wanna-bees will lose what kind of time to the other wanna-bees.

OK...won't be too chatty just yet....have to pace myself!

Tour ON!

Cheers!