Stage 16

Tuesday’s Stage 16 out of the Pyrenees was pretty uneventful for the most part. Good’ole TMobile rider Alexander Vinokourov launched several attacks against Lance throughout the stage but Lance was able to answer them with no problems. Lance commented after the race that he feels really good, better than when the tour started! Maybe it was the day off, but it must be demoralizing to the rest of the field to hear comments like those, 2/3 of the way through the Tour, when everyone else is beat.

CONTROVERSY. After Hincapie’s win over Oscar Periero (Phonak) at the end of Stage 15, Phonak and Periero launched a verbal attack against Team Discovery. Team Phonak was livid about the fact that Hincapie rode the coat tails of Periero the entire race and then didn’t let Periero win at the end. Earth to Team Phonak, the Tour de France is a bike race not Shriners in the Macy’s Day Parade. Just because your rider was in front the whole way doesn’t mean he deserves to cross the line first. No one mandated that Periero try so hard, if he didn’t want second place he should have slowed down.

So then comes Stage 16, Periero attacks again and rides with a group of 4 to the finish. Except this time Periero doesn’t lead the group to the line, he rides in 3rd position behind Cadel Evans who has been busting his hump all day. At the very last second, Periero sprints around Evans to win the stage. Any apologies from Team Phonak to Discovery or Cadel Evans (Davitamon-Lotto)…cricket…cricket…

Cadel Evans rode Stage 16 like a man possessed. Over the Tour rest day, some of Evans close friends and fellow racing team members from Australia, were hit by a car in a freak accident while training in Europe. One girl was killed and two are still in critical condition. Evans dedicated Stage 16 to them and raced for a win in their honor. He rode with the strength of 5 racers and then at the very end some prick from team Phonak passed him for the win. Oh, congratulations on your win Periero……