Absence makes the heart grow fonder, so you are all no doubt bummed to see that I am no longer absent. We have some catching up to do. Dauphine – Hincapie wins the prologue, one of four Americans (Leiphiemer, Landis and Armstrong were the others) in the top 5. Lance plays superdomestique for a day while Thor Hushovd takes the stage, until stage three when four frenchmen broke away, the eventual spoils going to Sam Dumolin.
USPRO – A mid-race move leaves favorites Bobby Julich and Fred Rodriguez SOL. Chris Wherry sneaks away for a solo win and Stars and Stripes jersey while Danny Pate and Chris Horner watch each other lose. Americans dominate their own national championship race for the first time ever, while HealthNet snares the Wachovia trifecta.