Showdown at the Classics Corral; and, Sissy-Boy Twit-Fights!

Yep, Race Radios Suck!: wow, congrats to Sebastien Langeveld on a bangin' pounce at the line over yes-I-thought-he'd-take-it-bite-me Juan Antonio Flecha at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and if today's thrilling end proved anything, it's that (1) Thor and Tommeke are lookin' on target for a few weeks from now (shut up! Thor sez he's happy), and (2) some riders--and we all know who they ain't--can actually think for themselves without total bloody implosion catastrophe. Let the MENSA inmates rule the asylum, baby! Here's the top two at war, the glance'n'dither ends and surge starts in earnest around 8:30: Over at the women's race, Emma Johansson grabbed the win in a whompin' sprint after strongwoman Grace Verbeke crashed out of the break (and presumably later beat the crap out of her hapless cringing mechanic) when her handlebars snapped. Here she comes: Now on to more cobbles at Kuurne tomorrow--Tyler, if you can just channel your inner Belgian for the freezing slop, I'm rooting for you kid!

Sissy-Boy Twit-Fight!: but, the 140-character slaughter over race radios continues unabated over in the Twit-sphere, with rabid control freak Johan Bruyneel outraged, outraged I say over anti-radio race purist Marc Madiot's hilarious, if perhaps slightly hypocritical, suggestion that *he* wouldn't like someone shriekin' in *his* ear all day. Gee, I hate to side with Johan--I mean really, watching-useless-Tour-de-France-coverage-of-some-!@#-kissing-glory-glomming-celebrity hate it--but I'm rather with him on this one--if *I* were Brad McGee, I'd have sat up on the time trial bike and blown the whole show just to jam a spoke in Madiot's mug. Besides, with Armstrong whipping the !@#$ out of his domestiques with a riding crop, who needs race radios, anyway?

He's Baaaaa-aaaaack (Again, and Again, and Again): tired of watching the new generation o' riders win clean all the time (hee!)? Nostalgic for the days when your own teammate would slash yer tires just to gain an advantage for himself on the Tourmalet? Long for the cheerful red of a drug-stoked blood-bag amidst the tired Easter-egg blue-and-yellow of your team kits? Never fear, my children: yep, completely reformed Alexander Vinokourov is leavin' it open to come back in 2012. Even better, if he retires anyway, he's promising to bring you "the next Vino." Tic-tic-tic...is it me, or did the stock-market price for a major medical equipment manufacturer just shoot up?

Yer Gratuitous Alberto Contador Ref o' the Week: and, for dear PJ and our other Contador loyalists, while nothin' much is going on with his case this week, I'm happy to report our doe-eyed climbing king *is* having a nice time in Mallorca with--and giving due compliments to--his teammates. Enjoy the quiet training while you can, Alberto--that, or stick to Spain!

Recovery Report: finally, best wishes for a quick recovery to training-concussed former-Lance-acolyte-supreme Taylor Phinney and, of course, Euskaltel sprinter (go to hell! they do so have one!) Koldo Fernandez, awaiting further news on what the hell besides his collarbone he's busted this time. Lookin' forward to seeing both of you back in action--but Taylor, maybe you're still a little more accustomed to the track?