CEBU, Philippines – Levi Leipheimer, whose role in team ASTANA is undefined, is out of the Tour after he broke his wrist in a fluke crash in yesterday's stage. Leipheimer was 39 seconds back and in 4th place behind yellow jersey Rinaldo Nocentini.
But what is the effect of Leipheimer's loss?
Leipheimer is a perfect domestique. He rides like a diesel so he can motor all day long. And because his speed rarely changes, it would be easy to ride with him. It is the constant change in pace that will sap the strength of even the strongest rider.
Theoretically, it weakens ASTANA. But ASTANA is obscenely strong that I don't think that it will affect them in any way. If you remember, Leipheimer rarely showed his face at the front yet, they still controlled the race. One thing though, this will make the race more exciting. His departure also meant that there is one less rival for Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong because even if he clearly was a domestique for both, he was a legitimate contender for the Tour. What is clearly evident is that Armstrong lost one loyal ally within the team in his rivalry with Contador. How this will work out starting this Sunday will be interesting to see.
Riders shot
One of the great things about cycling is that the fans can get personal with their heroes. On the flip side, this could also be downright dangerous for the fans and the cyclists. Some crazy fans have been able to get into the baseball, tennis and football games, to name a few, to hurt an athlete.
Yesterday, Oscar Freire of RABOBANK and Julian Dean of GARMIN were hit by pellets shot fired from an air rifle. While they came out ok, it is a scary proposition to be shot at. Fortunately, the pellet hit Freire on the leg and Dean on his thumb, but what if it hit their eyes? What if it hit Armstrong or Contador?
The most famous attack on a cyclist occurred in 1974 when an unidentified French fan punched the great Eddy Merckx on the kidney. Painful as it was, Merckx would limp home and compounded by a crash a few days later that would limit his breathing, he would lose the Tour.
WORD OF THE DAY: "Accordion" is the movement of the peloton as it comes out from the corner. In this situation, the first few riders are already sprinting ahead while those at the back are still slowing down to negotiate the corner, stretching the peloton thin that when viewed from the top, looks like the musical instrument when its played. – THE FREEMAN