KABOOOM!! (Stage 10 spoiler)

[Legspeed]

Well, the echo from the opening stage BANG just revertebrated through the Tour's first serious mountain stage.

Let's recap the "contenders" losses on the day:

T-(Slo)mobile
========
Kloden: 2:14
Ullrich: 2:14 (dragged to the line by Kloden, btw)
Vino: 5:18 (tell me again why would Disco be interested in his services)

Team CSC (Can't Seemto Climb)
==========
Basso: 1:02
Julich: 5:18

Phonak Hearing (or is it Crawling) Systems
========
Landis: 2:14
Botero: 2:50

Liberty Seguros-Würth(less in the mountains)
======
Beloki: 5:36
Heras: 9:49!!!

Jens Voigt: 31:29 (Sadly, LA donned the yellow jersey before Jens finished)

[Cheeze]

Legs you think the French Press are going to request another "random drug test" after todays stage. WOW!!! Didn't get alot of work done this morning.

The Cheezism

[Legspeed]

I do indeed...this time, testing for barbituates in the teams mentioned above!

The LA from two years ago woulda won that stage.

[JFK]

That was fun. Can we do it again? :D Nice team names, Legs. It's not like the tactics are a surprise to anyone after 7 years. It was especially nice to see the Disco boys put it to the peloton after everyone was predicting their demise the other day. And someone should tell Phil that Lance did not win today's stage....

[Legspeed]

Liggett declared Lance the winner because he is on probation with OLN pending an appeal of his summary dismissal. Picked this up on the wires from last week.


News Flash: OLN Fires Phil Liggett


Failed to Meet Contractual Obligation to Mention Lance
Armstrong Three Times Per Minute, Sources Say

Paris, July 5 (Fat Cyclist News Service) - Outdoor Life Network today indicated it would severe its contract with Phil Liggett, a perennial favorite cycling announcer both in England and in the United States. A spokespersonfor Outdoor Life Network said, "We regret having to let Phil go, but he knew the terms of our agreement when he signed on. Namely, he is required to allude to Lance Armstrong three times per minute, with at least one of those mentions being by name. Most importantly, at no point in time shall forty seconds ever elapse without a mention of Lance Armstrong."

"Today, sadly, Mr. Liggett broke the terms of that agreement. When David Zabriskie had his unfortunate accident today, Phil failed for 40 seconds to put it in the context of whether this would impact Lance Armstrong or whether Lance Armstrong would would have fallen, or asking what Lance Armstrong must be thinking about this accident right that moment."

When reached for comment, co-commentator Paul Sherwin said, "I had my 'Lance Stopwatch' going -- it's what we use to help remind us when it's time to mention Lance again.” Continued Sherwin, “When Zabriskie fell, Liggett started actually talking about how disastrous it was for the rider, instead of -- as is proper -- talking about this would affect Lance and how he would no doubt have words of advice on the proper way to ride a bicycle for young Zabriskie. When twenty seconds elapsed, I signaled to the timer. Then thirty seconds elapsed -- still no mention, so I made the sign of the Texas Longhorn, the code we use to signal that we need to immediately divert the conversation toward Armstrong. Still nothing.”

Visibly shaken, Sherwin finished, “After forty-five seconds, Phil managed to bring the conversation back round to Armstrong, but by then it was too late. OLN Security was knocking at the door, ready to escort Phil from the premises.”

Interviewed in his hotel room in Paris, Liggett looked like a man who has lost his best friend. “I’m a huge fan of Armstrong,” said Liggett. “I haven’t pretended to be impartial for years. But between Bob Roll and that marionette Al Trautwig, our Armstrong-centricism seemed pretty well covered, and I suppose I briefly let my guard down. I wonder what Lance Armstrong thinks about that?” Then, realizing the habit of mentioning Armstrong even when completely irrelevant was still with him, Liggett briefly looked melancholy -- which is the British equivalent of an American having a complete nervous breakdown.

OLN has moved swiftly to replace Liggett, putting former color-commentator Al Trautwig in his spot. Said Trautwig regarding his promotion, “Lance Armstrong. Lance Lance Lance Armstrong. Armstrong Armstrong Lance Lance Lance Lance. Six-time Tour de France winner.
Lance Armstrong Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong.”

“This is going to work out just fine,” said the OLN spokesperson