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Tour de France, France

Stage 16, Mourenx - Pau, 180.5K

19 July

The Dust Devil's Daily Wrap
Revenge! Spanish Style

Stages and Maps, The Dust Devil's Daily Wrap

I'm sure that Oscar Pereiro has been seeing red since his victory was "taken" from him on Sunday by George Hincapie. Well, today he got revenge, Spanish style. He was bound and determined not to leave the Tour de France empty handed.

Although I was a little curious if anybody noticed that his tactics today, though gaining Phonak a stage win actually cost Floyd Landis his 7th place on GC. But, in my opinion a stage victory is worth more than splitting hairs over 7th, 8th or 9th place.

In spite of there being quite a display of offensive power amongst the GC big hitters, nothing really changed today. The climb was just a little bit too far from the finish to keep things broken up. You notice that Armstrong went over the climb isolated, and then finished with five teammates.

A few years ago when Ullrich won his first and only Tour de France (1997), Miguel Indurain criticized Marco Pantani and Richard Virenque for not attacking "decisively". I think that statement fits perfectly to this situation with Basso and Ullrich. They both try to attack, but lack the ability to lay down a serious offensive that will put Armstrong against the ropes. It's nothing I haven't said before, but it's the biggest factor as to why those two riders are not in yellow. You either have it or you don't. And it would appear they don't.

I've heard Andy Hampsten say (in regards to his 1988 Giro d'Italia victory) that in order to win, he had to be willing to risk losing. And that is precisely the sort of mentality that is missing. I do not mean to say that Ullrich and Basso are not brave riders or strong riders. Far from it! It just looks to me like conservation is the name of the game. For them fear of taking too big a risk, and losing big, is not worth the gamble.

That's why I long for the days of Marco Pantani and Jose Maria Jimenez. Although they were often unpredictable, and sometimes even careless while racing, when it was showtime ... IT WAS SHOWTIME! Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. But to put yourself out on the attack, and really put your neck on the line, is a lost art. You don't see it too much anymore from the GC riders anyway. Sure there are suicide attacks all over the place from riders who are scrambling for some TV exposure, but those guys often have everything to gain and nothing to lose. That's why it's not very exciting when they are caught.

Seeing Pantani go off the front and set the road alight was something. He may make it work, he may not, but in either case the leaders are in a panic because he's dangerous! That's what racing is all about. Sport is about seeing a spectacle, a show.
- The Dust Devil

Results: 4'38", ave 38.7 K/h
1 Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spa) Phonak
2 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Illes Balears
3 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Lampre-Caffita
4 Cadel Evans (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto