Oh, Floyd! (Deux)

Unbegoddamnlievable! After optimistically promising to fight on at the post-race conference yesterday, at which time he was promptly if discreetly written off by the sympathetic press anyway, Landis attacks on the first climb, smokes the field, decimates his most conspicious prior GC threats, and makes up most of his time to be within spittin' distance of the yellow jersey if he can put in his usual time trial. Dear little Sastre (nicely set up by Voigt smacking around the field again--can you imagine what this guy could do if he *were* on dope?)is the only one who can even come close(ish), nearly takes the maillot jaune, and Pereiro, discounted as usual, valiantly surges back though left virtually alone by his team to retain it by a squeak.

I am about to keel over from the roller-coaster, and running on no sleep and total tour-induced disorientation barely have any idea what the hell I do for a living, much less who's going to take the next 3 days and then the Tour. It oughta be a bunch sprint today, but with Quick Step having lost their man and Daniele Bennati out, that pretty much leaves just Hushovd McEwen and maybe Zabel's boys to control the field, and if I were as far behind as Menchov with the KOM in the bag already and still dreaming of the podium, I'd attack today, and who the hell knows if Phonak and Landis would be any shape whatsoever to go after him. God, can the peloton get it together to do anything in some coordination anymore without Johan Bruyneel and Discovery to boss them around?

We love Floyd for his great comeback no matter where he ends up in Paris. And Sastre, who after being so accustomed to selflessly killing himself for Basso in the mountains in everything but the Vuelta has so gracefully adapted to his unexpected team leadership. I have no idea who will be on the podium but am now hoping brave Pereiro is on it as well. And I hope Levi's got one more good year left in him--I'd like to see him live up to his prome of the last few years. Oh and poor Fothen--I'd utterly discounted Cunego in the running for best young rider because it's been 2 years already since he won the Giro and I'd forgotten he was such a baby when he got it, but that's that I suppose.

Forza Floyd!