Thoughts on the 2007 Tour de France

Just some of my thoughts on the 2007 Tour.

• This year's race appears to be wide open. I am not sure who I would like to win there are couple of riders that I am hoping will do well. I have changed my mind about some riders.
• It might be better for European Cycling if a non American rider wins. Team Discovery appears to be riding well so they may get at least a podium position but it might not be an American
• I have decided that I do not want Michael Rasmussen to win. I have completely changed my mind about him. I was impressed with his climbing skills but there are so many other riders that I like better.
• It seems like there are alot more attacks this year than there have been in past years. Teams are really fighting.
• I was happy that Michael Rogers finally decided to withdraw. I would have like to see him in the Tour but he was in so much pain that it was uncomfortable to watch. What I saw of the crash looked bad and it did not get any better after multiple viewings. How David Arroyo was able to fall over a guard rail, down the hill and then climb up to get back on his bike was completely amazing. That has to be Mr. Arroyo's lottery win.
• Now that I now the story about the Astana team I have changed my position on them. Alexandre Vinokourov is riding very bravely. Mr. Vinokourov also has the coolest sunglasses on the tour. I wish I knew what kind they are. Astana's attack on Stage 11 made for a great stage race. The Astana team appears to be one of the toughest teams out there.
• Christophe Moreau of Ag2r gets points in my book for recognizing that pay back is a bitch and having a sense of humor about it.
• Now it seems like all the teams are working hard on both the flats and the climbs. While the Tour did not really start out this way it does appear that nobody is willing to concede anything.
• Fred Rodriguez of Predictor-Lotto certaintly knows how to complain but he might have a point. However, it does make for a thrilling race even though I hate to see crashes. As much as I was sorry to see Robbie McEwen leave the Tour I do think it was better for Cadel Evans and the rest of Predictor-Lotto. Since they appear to operate like a time they are my favorite to win the GC. Predictor-Lotto has two American's riding the above mentioned Fast Freddie and Chris Horner who appears to be having a great tour supporting Cadel Evans. Finally Predictor-Lotto has the best dual sponsorship on the tour. Predictor is a pregnancy test and Lotto is a European Lottery.
• The CSC Team has a warm spot in my heart since CSC was the company that moved me to New Jersey in 1988. Of course it was a different company then than it is now. When I work for them they mostly a government contract with dreams of making it big in the private sector. It would have been really cool if they had the cycling team when I worked for them. I might have stayed with them more than 2 years.
• If US Television operated the way German TV operated I would not be able to watch baseball or the NFL. Of course I have not been a baseball fan since the strike of the early 90s and I have never been a big NFL fan.

I am going to be busy on the morning of Stage 13 but since it is a Time Trial I do not think I will miss much by not watching it live.