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Wednesday, July 22. 2009
Back on Tour
As is always the case at this time of year, my early morning hours are spent watching the Tour de France. Today is Stage 17, the last stage of the Alps. A few days ago the question of who would be Team Astana’s leader was answered: Alberto Contador. It’s breathtaking to watch the Spaniard kick it into high gear and accelerate past his rivals to put himself minutes ahead of them when they cross the finish line.Contador can maintain a speed of over 20 mph going up a 10-12% grade for three miles. But then, so can the two Schleck brothers, Andy and Fränk, who kept pace with Contador as they hit the summit of the Col-de-Romme.
It’s a treacherous, technical descent from the summit to the finish line, 16 kilometers, almost 10 miles, of twisting asphalt barely two lanes wide in spots, providing plenty of places a rider can pay dearly for the slightest of errors or road idiosyncrasies.
During Stage 16 Saxo Bank rider, Jens Voigt of Germany paid just such price. On the descent from the Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard, when the speeds were reaching an astounding 80 kph (50 mph) Voigt’s back wheel hit a bump in the road and threw him to the pavement — at 50 mph. He slid on his right side for 15 meters, roughly 50 feet, until he came to rest, unconscious.
Years ago when riding a Huffy road bike I took one of those slides, the speed more like 15 mph and the distance was probably ten feet or less in gravel. The road rash, extending from just under my left armpit to my left ankle, was excruciating for weeks and a lady friend of mine tenderly assisted in changing the bandages, but the worst part of that spill was riding the Huffy home — about five miles — after the crash.Watching Jens Voigt take the fall Monday was painful. Anyone who has spent a lot of time riding bicycles can probably relate to the pain. Eventually, if you ride often enough and long enough, you’re going to go down. At any speed it hurts, sometimes a lot.
Just over three years ago, when coming down a rocky, sandy descent of a trail at Lake Miramar my front wheel caught a rock while turning and voila! I was sliding down the rocky, sandy trail. To this day the scar on my left calf is still visible. A big chunk of skin and flesh was left on that trail and it took weeks to heal.
It’s a good idea to bring a few bandages and tape along if you go riding and keep water in at least one bottle so you can clean wounds incurred on any falls. No one likes to plan or even think of going down while riding, but when you do hit the pavement, or a rocky, sandy trail, it’s nice to be able to clean up the wounds and protect them while you try to get home or back to your vehicle. Included in my backpack is some industrial strength Ibuprofen. Let’s face it the pain can be severe.Jens Voigt survived his crash, but he’s out of the Tour of course, if for no other reason than he didn’t finish the stage. But seriously, the German is seriously injured. According to reports, he broke his cheekbone and will be hospitalized for observation for a few days. American Levi Leipheimer took a serious fall earlier in the Tour and broke his wrist. He is now back home now in Santa Rosa, CA watching his Astana teammates finish, possibly taking all three podium positions in Paris.
If Lance Armstrong and Andreas Klöden can get past the Schleck Brothers of Team Saxo Bank and Luxembourg. Pushing Alberto Contador on the final climb, the two brothers elevated the pace and the three riders left not only Lance Armstrong, but Klöden, Vincenzo Nibali and Bradley Wiggins as well.
When the stage was over, Contador still wore the yellow jersey of the GC (General Classification) leader, but lance had dropped from 2nd place to 4th, Fränk and Andy Schleck taking 2nd and 3rd place respectively. Astana rider Andreas Klöden is in fourth and with Thursday’s time trial, both Armstrong and Klöden, both very experienced Tour riders and stellar time trial competitors, can overtake the Schleck Brothers. But can it last? Friday the Tour has another mountain stage. Not as severe as the Alps, but still a situation suited to the Schlecks.
There was something else in the news that caught my attention, but can’t remember what it is. Oh yeah, the “birthers,” those crazy conspiracy nuts that still don’t believe President Obama is a natural born citizen. They’re beginning to take over the Republican base and twelve Republican congressmen have introduced a bill to require presidential candidates to present a birth certificate when they apply to run for president. Even Lou Dobbs of CNN has gone off the deep end on this issue. But, it will have to wait for another day.
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