US Stage 1 Spain Stage 3...

Photo Courtesy of Steephill/Reuters

With the tough pace at the end of Stage 2, and roughly twenty more days to go, what will Stage 3 manifest? It is still too early on to say too much, or these guys are starting to feel France catching up to them... Cavendish, Cancellara, most of their teammates, dropped in the heat of Spain. Movi Star led by Pablo Lastras, and Liquigas with a nice team effort, looked very strong today. However, it is still early on. 

The Spanish roads are gorgeous! What a beautiful country is Spain!!! The snake trail of mountain roads look like a riders dream! I would love to have ridden the Alto de la Santa. It was a tough climb, but the descent looked amazing!!! Fast, sharp switch backs, and "S's" that pushed riders to the roads edge, and the tires edge. The mountains in Spain look a lot like the mountains here in North Carolina. I love the fast twisty downhills!

Plus if you like bicycle racing and an Irish accent, you simply have to listen to Sean Kelly call a race! An American broadcaster would say, "He's thirty, or thirty-five seconds back of the leader," and Mr. Kelly says, "He's torty, torty-fyev seconds back o' tha leada."  I could listen to this guy talk all day!!!

Movi Star rider Pablo Lastras made a fabulous move and led the break away. He was up by what appeared to be a 30 or so second lead. He left the attack group behind, and dropped a few seconds to them and was up by 17 seconds, and looked very strong. The attack group finished just 10 seconds off his pace, and the peleton came in a few minutes later. This Pablo's victory was clear, and not an abstract and in need of interpretation like the other Pablo's art. Mr. Lastras' moniker could indeed be Picasso after Stage three, because his portrait was painted in vibrant living color that was a masterpiece titled, "The Perfect Breakaway."

Trek still has a great presence, and strong showing with three riders in the Top 10. Trek Leopard teammates Fuglsang and Monfort are in fifth and sixth place respectively and Team Radio Shack rider Markel Irizar  is in third place in the General Classification. The Leader Jersey may have been short lived for a Trek rider, but being in only the third stage, one would have to admit, there is still a good deal of racing left. I am eager to see who can last, and put together the best strategy in the Spanish sun, and mountains.

Photos courtesy of Shack Tracker

Meanwhile back in the good ol' US of A, the Time Trials show favorable for a couple of Trek riders, and not so much so for others. Leopard Trek favorites Frank and Andy Schleck, finished well off the pace and show in 60th and 57th places. While teammate Jens Voigt had a strong finish in the Prologue, and rests in 5th position after day one. Team Radio Shack saw Levi Leipheimer (winner of the 2011 Tour of Utah) did well finishing seventh in the opening day, with teammate Benjamin King (21 yr old US National Champ) finishing in a well respected 17th. Question is now can Leipheimer do it again in Colorado? Does he have enough in the tank to out last Cadel Evans, or Evans' American teammate George "King George" Hincapie? The American and German riders hold 80% of the Top 10 to this point, with the American riders controlling 50% of the Top 10. HTC Specialized riders had great individual Time Trials, taking the top spot with a time of 8 minutes and 27 seconds put in by 24 year old German rider Patrick Gretsch. Specialized now claims Stage victories in the Tour de France, and in the USA Cycling Challenge, and could quite possibly take a TT in the Vuelta as well. That would be impressive, but I am banking on Fabian Cancellara to redeem himself in the Vuelta if crashes, or brutal fatigue do not play the spoiler. Well two wheeled fanatics, it is time for this tired biker to ride through Napperstown. Good night.