Well, that was to be expected. A flat stage on a rainy day right before the start of the Pyrenees was bound to attract a breakaway that the peloton would only half-assedly try to catch. In the end, the breakaway was caught on the slight uphill to the finish.
Barcelona looked beautiful, but the rain kind of dampened the scenery today. The wet streets also claimed many riders, with crashes around the turns in the final few kilometers.
The past week has all been prelude to tomorrow’s ride up to Andorra. Look for Contador to try to make his mark on the race and put Lance Armstrong in his place. Lance is likely to ride conservatively, content to ensure that he doesn’t concede too much time to any of the other big names. I think you’ll see one of the main contenders win tomorrow, and one or two others will concede a lot of time.
Rider of the Day
David Millar – he rode on his own for much of the last 25K, and he nearly pulled off another successful breakaway. While his breakaway partners gave up (even Amets Txrruka, which was surprising), Millar continued fighting through the streets of Barcelona, looking for a stage win.
I’m not sure I ever would have been able to get into the Tour de France if these two weren’t covering it. They make long stages where not a lot is happening still be really interesting. Phil and Paul have a real knack for making cycling accessible for newbies, while still teaching things to people who have been watching the Tour for years.
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