Landis ...
And I thought that today's surreal adventures were over....
I'm in shock. Floyd Landis's implosion here today has turned the Tour de France upside down. He lost eight minutes.
Eight. Minutes.
All his top rivals -- Cadel Evans, Andreas Kloden, Carlos Sastre, and even Levi Leipheimer, who now ranks above Landis in the standings -- rode away from him on today's final climb. They looked like schoolyard bullies kicking the crap out of a teacher's pet (I mean, who doesn't love Floyd? Even the European press compliments him). The attack group's energy was palpable and ruthless, especially when word came over the race radio that Landis had cracked and was slipping further and further behind, like a man who has fallen into the ocean watching his rescue boat disappear over the horizon.
Landis looked tired and hopeless, incapable of turning the pedals a single bit faster. In those moments, the yellow jersey was lifted from his back. The collective gasp that shot around this ski resort as fans watched the collapse on a jumbotron was unparalleled. It was Landis's race to lose and, more than likely, he did.
I'd say Landis's chances of Tour victory are through, and that my invitation to his victory party will not be forthcoming. But too many screwy things have happened here at this Tour. He needs to recover tonight and do somethin utterly audacious tomorrow, or he will go down in Tour history as a man who had victory within reach and then let it slip away. All along he's been saying that he didn't care whether he wore yellow this week, just so long as he wears it this Sunday, at sometime around 7 pm Paris time. How he rallies tomorrow is a chance to show whether or not that was just a glib retort, or something he truly believes. Tomorrow's stage is longer than today's, with four tough ascents, and a final climb up the hors categorie Col de Joux-Plane that will make today's La Toussouire finish look like child's play.
Geez, I hope he can do something (and forget making it up in the time trial, because that's just not happening). I like Floyd. He's a man of honor and integrity. Not that those qualities can or should guarantee him a victory, but I like rooting for a guy like that.
I'm in shock. Floyd Landis's implosion here today has turned the Tour de France upside down. He lost eight minutes.
Eight. Minutes.
All his top rivals -- Cadel Evans, Andreas Kloden, Carlos Sastre, and even Levi Leipheimer, who now ranks above Landis in the standings -- rode away from him on today's final climb. They looked like schoolyard bullies kicking the crap out of a teacher's pet (I mean, who doesn't love Floyd? Even the European press compliments him). The attack group's energy was palpable and ruthless, especially when word came over the race radio that Landis had cracked and was slipping further and further behind, like a man who has fallen into the ocean watching his rescue boat disappear over the horizon.
Landis looked tired and hopeless, incapable of turning the pedals a single bit faster. In those moments, the yellow jersey was lifted from his back. The collective gasp that shot around this ski resort as fans watched the collapse on a jumbotron was unparalleled. It was Landis's race to lose and, more than likely, he did.
I'd say Landis's chances of Tour victory are through, and that my invitation to his victory party will not be forthcoming. But too many screwy things have happened here at this Tour. He needs to recover tonight and do somethin utterly audacious tomorrow, or he will go down in Tour history as a man who had victory within reach and then let it slip away. All along he's been saying that he didn't care whether he wore yellow this week, just so long as he wears it this Sunday, at sometime around 7 pm Paris time. How he rallies tomorrow is a chance to show whether or not that was just a glib retort, or something he truly believes. Tomorrow's stage is longer than today's, with four tough ascents, and a final climb up the hors categorie Col de Joux-Plane that will make today's La Toussouire finish look like child's play.
Geez, I hope he can do something (and forget making it up in the time trial, because that's just not happening). I like Floyd. He's a man of honor and integrity. Not that those qualities can or should guarantee him a victory, but I like rooting for a guy like that.
Martin Dugard is the New York Times bestselling author of Chasing Lance (Little, Brown), a behind-the-scenes look at life at the Tour de France. His dispatches have appeared in Sports Illustrated, Esquire and GQ. You may purchase a copy of Chasing Lance by 
20 Comments:
Tour gods have a very twisted sense of humor.
Prophetic, indeed. I was rather heartbroken reading the minute-by-minute reporting of the stage. Rather overshadows Rasmussen's impressive ride.
Quite like a Tour deity was jealous of Floyd's race...
Quel major bonk for Landis.
Any chance this will make the French miss Lance after all? I agree with the posts that point out that the Tour feels shapeless without that amazing moment where someone takes charge for the world to see, and one gets shivers watching ("the look" in 2002 being a great example, but I remember Indurain also doing this on certain mountain stages when he would get in a monster gear and just blow everyone away).
The image of you partying with Jake and Lance and the Grand Mere girls and then sucking benzene from a tube? PRICELESS!
As sad as I am about today's turn for Floyd, I haven't lost hope for him to make a good final showing (on the podium at least? Top 5? Top 7?) after all his effort. And you know he gutted it out as long as he could, and then it was "oh the humanity!" to quote another commenter. I do give Levi credit for answering the door when opportunity knocked. I salute both of them for doing all they could, and you know they did.
As far as the French maybe missing Lance now, I don't Think so. They have two men ahead of our Americans right now and I bet they couldn't be happier. And maybe I'm just weird but to me all this unpredictability is really exciting. I can't imagine how all these guys go to sleep at night with all the possibilities swirling in their heads. Except, oh yeah, they're WIPED OUT!!
Let's all wish Floyd and Levi a restful night tonight and much luck and 2nd wind the next few days. And same to all the others... hey, it's exciting!
I too am in absolute shock! What happened to Floyd. Marty, maybe you were right about the coughing and hacking. I just fail to believe Floyd was not sick. I know he's not one to make excuses but I can not believe the way he was dropped today.
This just goes to show how amazing Lance's seven Tour run was. Think about it. He only had one bad day in seven years and that was because he bonked and still only lost a couple minutes. I think we are all too used to Lance's invincibility on these kinds of stages. You would have never seen Lance crack like that. I still feel really bad for Floyd becuase he seems like a really nice guy. What a shame.
Nothing personal but I've been dancing all day at work. I'm not a Floyd fan. This tour needs to go classic. Rabobank has the right idea, be up front and push! It's how it's done. It's been an open tour since day one and no one has any luxuries.
This wide open Tour has just been blown wide open, if that makes any sense. Even though Landis had only held the reins very loosely thus far, he was still the dominant force shaping this Tour. Can you imagine how INSANE it is going to be tomorrow? As good as Oscar Pereiro looked toward the end of today, he's going to have to fight off attack after attack tomorrow. I hope he has it in him. Hindsight is 20-20 and we now know that Landis wasn't playing some cagey strategy by not throwing down the hammer. He couldn't have. He had been pushed to his limit and his team was well beyond their limits. Sad for Landis and the U.S., but this is the most exciting Tour I've seen! And we haven't even gotten to tomorrow which I guarantee will be the most INSANE day yet. You watch. I will be.
The Tour is hardly "wide open." There are, as always, about 10 riders who have any chance at all. Rasmussen is not one of the 10. Clearly Landis may no longer be so considered. Who then? It's Oskar's to lose if he keeps on riding as he has all this week. Floyd is a hero and has immense heart but, yes, he bonked big time. Remember to eat on the way up the mountain!
I'm stunned. I'm afraid the "Lance perfection" did make me think Floyd had it in the bag. If not, at least podium finish. He still could turn around and have some really great days. But, he has no excuses. Just said he felt bad from the beginning of the stage. The attacks are going to be wild and wooly tomorrow!! I still think he's great.
Clearly Landis Bonked, and as great as he's been doing all year, he doesn't deserve the TdF top title if he can't work out his diet needs to finish off the stage in yellow. Sadly that's a rookie move that is below his calipar of professionalism. Nope, Lance wouldn't have let this slip away. Hopefully he's got some Lance-like magic up his sleeve, cause I too like the guy.
Yes what an insane day.
The race became so much more fun to watch. Sure I liked it when Lance or Indurain just put in another gear and pushed it harder than everyone else. But this year ... what drama. Its a total classic. This day will go to the history books. And I am NOT talking about Landis bonking. I am talking about the single most astonishing ride a human being has ever performed in TdF for over 30 years.
Rasmussen goes practically solo from the 6 km mark. 6 KM MARK!!!!
In these conditions (road level temp 99 degrees) and with 4 MONSTER climbs (2 hors, 1 cat1 and 1 cat2) he pushes through and wins. What an amazing ride.
I don't think it was a case of Landis bonking. Surely the nutrition needs were dialed in. As somebody else said, he just didn't have the legs all day. Sometimes you have those kinds of days.
I think Floyd's problems were a combination of things. Under the weather, no legs, and bonking. The reason he bonked was because he had no teammates to go to the car and get him food. Floyd can't just jump out of the peloton, when they are in full flight, and go back to the car. That is why you NEED a strong team!! To do the work for you, and sadly once again Phonak was not up to the task.
It always took me days to adjust to altitudes over 7,000 feet in my backpacking days (however, I was coming from sea level)--headache, nausea, shortness of breath, cough--I wonder if that was a factor today for Landis; although I know that the riders train for altitude.
I agree with Magnus and prefer to focus on the amazing ride by Rasmussen. Exactly why did so many think Landis had it tied up? I think you have not watched many other bicycle races.
Tough day for Floyd, great win for Rassmussen.
Phonak, except for Axel, were invisible today. I guess they are still tired! The 29 minutes they gave to Periero last week was a rookie mistake on the part of team management. At the time I said you cannot give up that much time to anybody at this stage of the race, whether he can time trial or not. Now he can win the whole thing.
What if Sastre wins? CSC with six riders! Wow!
Exciting, if disorienting tour. I watch at night, avoiding the news during the day. A friend called me on my cell and told me Floyd was in 11th place and I almost drove off the road. Not really, but I was shocked.
This just goes to prove that you need a great team AND a great leader. Discovery was a great team, but without their leader they were farther back than Landis. Kloden and T-Mobile rode great and as well as CSC.
NOW the race is exciting!!
I can't wait for tomorrow. It's every man for himself and this race won't be over till Saturday's time trial. Welcome to the post-Armstrong era!
Not to beat a dead horse but to win the TdF you need team support, which Landis does not get much of from his Phonak compatriots. You would have thought that lesson would have been well-learned from his days with Postal.
I had that same strange, melancholy feeling you describe after I found out what happened yesterday. I really like Landis and wanted him to go all the way. I hope he can recover and gut it out and surely he will win the respect of the press and more importantly but this behind him. He doesn't seem like a guy to make excuses. I am glad I can just wait until this afternoon, log on and immediately find outwhat happened because the agony of watching the stage in real timeis too emotional for me! I loved this post, thanks.
New government intelligence reports shows France's complicity with the Al-Qaida terrorists who framed Floyd Landis in order to embarrass America.
Read about the terrorist plot to frame Floyd Landis here: http://richardquick.blogspot.com/2006/08/tour-de-america-tribute-to-patriot.html
I implore you all to show your support for American hero Floyd Landis by holding up signs everywhere you go. Any of the following are acceptable: "Bomb France!" "Landis was Framed!" "Al-Qaida Framed Landis!" "Tour de America 2007!" "Seize the Tour de Farce!" or "Osama Don't Bike!"
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