‘In the (Time) Zone'
David Olle, France, +33 66 16 909 87

Tour de France, July 3 - 25, 2010, Report stage 8
Stage 8    Sunday, July 11    189 km     Station des Rousses → Morzine-Avoriaz

Results
1      Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank      4:54:11      
2     Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi           
3     Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank     0:00:10     

General classification
1      Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team      37:57:09      
2     Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank     0:00:20     
3     Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana     0:01:01

Luxembourg's Andy Schleck, Holland's Robert Gesink, Spain's Alberto Contador and Russia's Denis Menchov are all riding well and have had a good week.  Cadel has had a better one.  He now leads the world's biggest bike race.  Can he win it?  Just keep watching for the next two weeks!

Lance report:  The end of an era.  Lance lost more than eleven minutes today.  After the cobbled stage, where he lost two minutes, he said ‘some days you're the hammer, some days you're the nail, I've been the hammer, today I was the nail'.  Today he was nailed, well and truly.  I think we can write the old dog off now.  His 7 year run of good luck has come to an end.  Photos of his being held up at the Les Gets KOM here:  http://www.twitpic.com/24f8l0, http://www.twitpic.com/24f9vd, http://www.twitpic.com/24fahn, http://www.twitpic.com/24faxg

Skippy report:  Well, after Webber won the Formula 1, Cadel took the lead in the Tour de France.  Pity we're not in tonight's world cup.

Cuisine report:  Spent the afternoon in Hotel Boomerang (Les Gets) drinking beer and eating chips, watching the bike race go by, and then on the telly.

Tomorrow:  Rest day    Monday, July 12         Rest day in Morzine-Avoriaz
For those in Australia, SBS shows a daily report on the Tour de France, along with many stages broadcast live, catch them if you can.  
Not forgetting our own Topbike TV on digital channel 44, check your local guide for details.

‘In the (Time) Zone'
David Olle, France, +33 66 16 909 87

Tour de France, July 3 - 25, 2010, Report stage 6
Stage 6    Friday, July 9    225 km     Montargis → Gueugnon

Results
1      Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC - Columbia      5:37:42  
2     Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Transitions           
3     Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini
4      Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Katusha

General classification after stage 6
1     Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank     28:37:30     
2     Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team     0:00:20     
3     Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team     0:00:39     
4     Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions     0:00:46

Skippy report:  Robbie McEwen had a little ‘off' across the line, damaged his bike and spent time with the medical team.  Cursing the whole while.  Not having a good run, picked up his fourth fourth today, too.  Must be a record.  NB:  he said after his first fourth, I certainly didn't come here to place 4th...   Could be a skip in yellow tomorrow, watch this space.  No guessing who.

Cuisine report:  Magret de Canard (duck)last night.  Served with mushrooms, mashed potatoe and a jus.  Two out of 16 refused to eat the duck fat!  T'was the best part.

Tomorrow:  Stage 7    Saturday, July 10    161 km     Tournus → Station des Rousses
This stage between Tournus and the ski resort village of Station des Rousses provides the first mountain-top finish of the 2010 Tour. The climb to the Station des Rousses runs 14 kilometers and finishes at a relatively low 1140 meters in elevation. Though the Station des Rousses hosts the Tour for the first time, the Côte des Rousses commonly serves as a prelude to the col de Faucille, which has appeared in the Tour on more than 40 occasions since 1911.  (from steephill.tv)

‘In the (Time) Zone'
David Olle, France, +33 66 16 909 87

Tour de France, July 3 - 25, 2010, Report stage 5
Stage 5    Thursday, July 8    185 km     Epernay → Montargis
Results
1      Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC - Columbia      4:30:50      
2     Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Milram           
3     Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Professional Cycling Team

General classification after stage 5  
1     Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank     22:59:45     
2     Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team     0:00:23   3     Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team     0:00:39     

General report:  Ok, just how much money did Cav have on himself to win this stage....?   Good boy Cavvy!  Getting me (and everyone else) convinced he were nothing but a loser, then turns around and wins the next stage.  Took us all for a ride, he did.

Skippy report:  Cadel, at today's start in Epernay, did more interviews than any other GC rider, cool and calm all the while, answering questions in English, French and Italian.  So has he changed?  No, he's the same, just looking good, because everyone's attitude towards him has.  N'est pas?    

Cuisine report:  Annabella, Interviewing Carlos Sastre, ‘what do you eat first out of the musette (from a feedzone)?  Sastre:  The chocolate bar!  You, and the rest of the world, Carlos.

Tomorrow:  Stage 6    Friday, July 9    225 km     Montargis → Gueugnon
Make way for the sprinters to have their day....(we're in the mountains soon enough)