Call Me Sometime When You Have No Class

Joseba Beloki Contract Watch: No, but !@#$%*! Astana could've said so more nicely, instead thundering that the rumors of his signing were "absolutely false" and, moreover, snarking that all its riders must be an appropriate fit in both "sporting" and "image". Am I on complete crack here, or was Fuentes walking around with a business card with Vinokorouv's name on it, which is a hell of a lot less tenuous an association than Beloki's link to Op Puerto by his mere place on Liberty Seguros? Don't sign him?--no sweat, neither has anyone else after all. But to react with such a nasty attack on a guy who's already down over a simple rumor there's no show he even started is beyond a knife in the back. That's it--Vino's off my list for the Tour just for his team being such a wank. Allez Valverde!

The Real Hell of the North: well, the ink's barely dry on the history books, and every team that didn't win Paris-Roubaix is already eating their own young. Discovery DS Dirk Demol undiplomatically blasted Gusev, Devolder, and Vaitkus; Quick Step's master deflector of blame Patrick Lefevere whomped Van Petegem and Steegmans for their incompetence (Van Petegem) and lack of confidence (Steegmans); and pretty much everyone everywhere is slamming Boonen's pathetic performances all season, though I've heard the boy's actually pretty decent on a bike. That really oughta make your riders want to work for you, management!

Tour de Francs (Well, Euros): Finally, I see Floyd Landis is on a nationwide tour to raise money for his Fairness Fund legal defense by offering photo ops with starstruck fans for $25 a pop. I wonder what...y'know, I was about to ask something so beyond rude even by my standards, but I just couldn't do that to poor Floyd and his nice family, as after all I'm really deep down rooting for him. Forget I suggested anything!