Only minutes left to post on today’s news! Don’t worry; not much to report. Item #1 – Dauphine Stage 3. Name four American ex-Posties, each riding for a different team now (though one still rides for Tailwind). Now list them in reverse alphabetical order. Now swap names two and three. There’s your top 4. Click here if that’s too complicated for you. Zabriskie reinforces his claim on most areodynamic, but will it be good enough to put him on the CSC Tour Squad? Apparently, VeloNews knows, because they’ve already put out their 2006 Tour de France Guide. Little premature, huh guys?
Anyway, other junk – Landis had the Praying Landis out, but couldn’t seem to work it to full effect, sliding about on the saddle and looking uncomfortable (well, more so than usual). Vinokourov (and, in fact, his whole team, apparently) rocked elliptical rings (apparently, they’re back in vogue – damn things are worse than bellbottoms). It didn’t help, though, as the Kazakh barely cracked the Top 20, just behind race leader Phillipe Gilbert, who did the jersey proud by only losing two and a half minutes (and I say this with a straight face). Of course, Tour favorites have been known to play possum during the Dauphine before. I, however, attribute his sub-par performance to a distinct lack of “venga venga venga!“.