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

Tour de France, July 3 - 25, 2010, Report Stage 17
Stage 17    Thursday, July 22    174 km     Pau → Col du Tourmalet

Results
1      Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank      5:03:29      
2     Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana           
3     Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha     0:01:18     

General classification after stage 17    
1     Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana     83:32:39     
2     Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank     0:00:08     
3     Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi     0:03:32     

General report:
Andy Schelck vs Alberto Contador, on Tourmalet, the final climb of the final hilltop finish of the 2010 Tour de France, didn't quite produce the fireworks that we all craved, but did show that AC is the best rider in the 2010 tour.  Barring mishaps in the ITT Saturday, the tour is his.

Skippy report:  
Today we saw Matty Lloyd riding a great race for his team leader Van den Broeck, Stuie O'Grady making himself almost unrecognizable, under the mask of pain, as he towed the CSC train up the first quarter of the Tourmalet, and Cadel drifting backwards as the former went forward.  Two out of three ain't bad.

Cuisine report:  Local market in Arreau today, fresh Paella (in the Pyrenees we are very close to Spain) purchased at 1pm, after we witnessed the commencement of the cooking at 9am.  Prawns, Scampi, mussels, chicken legs and the most delicious rice, two large containers for 20 euros, enough for four, but three of us did it easily.

Tomorrow:  Stage 18    Friday, July 23    190 km     Salies-de-Béarn → Bordeaux
Two stages, including the Tour's only long time trial, follow the finish on the Tourmalet before the Tour reaches its traditional finish in Paris.  The Tour turns northward and passes into the wine-growing regions of Aquitaine and the Gironde.  A flat stage running between Sailes-de-Béarn and Bordeaux offers the sprinters a chance to stretch their legs before their big appointment on the Champs Elysées.  Bordeux has hosted the Tour on 79 occasions. Only Paris has welcomed the Tour more often.  (from steephill.tv)