stage 13

So what do you do when your teammate denies you a stage win?

So, how bad does Cav miss Renshaw "the Ram" as a leadout man? Well as far as I could tell... not that much. If it had not been for the solo redemption effort that Vino put down, Cavo would have another stage in the bag. Sans "the Ram". I'm sure Cavo misses him at the dinner table and on the bus, but he got the job done without a leadout today.

I love the mountain stages, but this race for the green jersey is white hot. Wish there were a few more "sprinter friendly" stages just for the fireworks that have been going off. Thor and Petacchi have been passing around that jersey, and Cavo has been clawing his way up into the third spot. Should make for a good show.

I am not a big fan of Vino, heck I'm not a fan at all. I will however be the first to say that what Al did to him yesterday was wrong, yes he was trying to gain time on Andy, but don't do it at the expense of your teammate. Do not deny the people who work for you, "theirs". These guys ride themselves into the ground for their leaders. They fetch food and water, they give up wheels, they pace you back into the group, they are there to do one job and one job only. Domistiques make le Tour go round. Leadout men, breakaway specialists, and of course the train (HTC) can pull in a break like no other.

Vino used that big ball of hate and turned it into a stage win, Which he deserved. It looked like Ballan and Cunego were going to have a go, but were easily pulled in. Thomas sprouted wings with hopes of bagging another stage for France but faded into a surging peloton.