 News Letter
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In The (Time) Zone by David Olle, France, +39 333 5959 217 (twitter feed @DavidOLLE)
Back again. We missed a couple of days there, the transition from the Pyrenees to the alps, via provence, kept us busy.
Stage 17 , July 20, Gap - Pinerolo, 179 km
TdF Report: This is a golden tour, one of the best in years. If only for the little kid that caused a crash on the first day, losing Contador more than a minute. Don't miss a moment of it.
Results:
1 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling 4:18:00
2 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:00:40
3 Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ 0:00:50
General Classification:
1 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 73:23:49
2 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:01:18
3 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:01:22
Viking report: Yesterday's winning break of 3 was made up of 2.5 norwegians. Thor, Edvaldo and Ryder Hesjedal, who is Canadian, but has one Norwegian parent.
Skippy report: Well, it's all about Cadel really. Just cross your fingers, it looks good at present.
Yellow Jersey Report: Today we witnessed the race leader, Tommy Voeckler over run a corner, and end up in a private carpark, the 2nd Frenchman to do so today. None hurt, so all we can do is giggle, and smirk. It did cost him a few seconds at the end. (plus, see below)
Tommy Voeckler Report: If he had been taking drugs, like many others, for the last few years, we wouldn't all be so pop-eyed at present.
Don't miss this: Giant are sponsoring real people, instead of just prof athletes. 30 riders of any age, style or ability will be chosen.
Cuisine Report: Duck Shanks last night, not that they called them that, but you can't fool us. And Aligot, which is the cheesy mashed potatoe dish from the Aveyron...must have been brought to the alps by merchants.
Tomorrow: Stage 18 July 21 Pinerolo - Galibier Serre-Chevalier 189 km
FYI this is the Topbike riders doing part of stage 18, 2 years ago - Col Agnel and Col d'Izoard - a course we have ridden with our ‘Two Frontiers' group for the past few years. Yes, Le Tour copied us.
And this is David Olle (moi) sussing out Agnello (Agnel if you are French) for Le Tour organization.....
The Bike Race:
The 2011 Tour de France started Saturday July 2, in the Vendee region, west-south-west of Paris. 198 riders representing 22 teams are competing for the prestige of wearing the yellow jersey into Paris, three weeks later. Col de Galibier is climbed twice, with 23 level 2, 1 or HC (unclassified) mountain passes or summit finishes, along with two rest days, covering 3,430.5k, running July 2 - 22.
The Writer: This is my 10th TdF, at the barriers, and my 24th grand tour, enough said.
These reports are independent, opinionated, Australian biased, and could miss a day here and there, along with containing the odd error.
We also run good bike tours.
David Olle
Topbike Tours (you'll never ride alone)
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Thanks, as always to GIANT bikes, Excell Travel, Nalini Clothing, CycleCover, Divella pasta, MTBskills.com.au, Videocraft, Channel 31, Cyclingtips and cyclesportnews.com.
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