[Sly Fox]

After today's stage, Lance was all but conceding the tour to his teammate Contador even though he's only 1:37 back. But the few kilometers today exposed Lance as not being back to full strength quite yet.

Anybody else care?

[Hold My Own]

I care....so it looks like it'll be his teammate? I have been outside of ESPN for the last 3 days

[Sly Fox]

When the stage was over, an exhausted and sweaty Armstrong congratulated Contador, vowing to not attack him in later stages of this race. That drama between them was over, Armstrong said, adding that the team’s interests had trumped it.

”As far as I’m concerned, I’m happy to be a domestique,” Armstrong said, using the French word for servant, which meant he would work to help Contador win. “I’m proud of him.”

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[HenryGale]

When the stage was over, an exhausted and sweaty Armstrong congratulated Contador, vowing to not attack him in later stages of this race. That drama between them was over, Armstrong said, adding that the team’s interests had trumped it.

”As far as I’m concerned, I’m happy to be a domestique,” Armstrong said, using the French word for servant, which meant he would work to help Contador win. “I’m proud of him.”

I don't get this about bicycle racing....you hear this all the time.... if you can beat somebody, you beat him. Why am I going to help you win when I can win?

[Sly Fox]

Teams are assembled to try and accomplish two missions:

• 1. Help Team Member win Individual Championship
  2. Win Team Title

As soon as a team determines who has the best chance to win the individual title they receive the most assistance from a team. In this case there were two top contenders ont he same team. So both had to be protected and assisted. Now Lance is acknowledging that right now Contador is the man on his team for now. But that doesn't mean Lance won't try to run him down the last couple of days.

[rogers3]

GO LANCE!

[01LUGrad]

I spend way too much time caring about this.
Lance looks like an old man compared to what he was 4 years ago. That being said, he is still hanging with the top cyclists in the world at the age of 37. The only guy he can't match is Contador. He shouldn't feel badly about that because no one can. I do have a few questions about Alberto's unbelievable improvement in the time trialing discipline. He also explodes uphill faster than the motorcycle carying the tv camera. I'm not saying he is doped, but, umm, okay, I am saying that.

By the way, only one rider has failed a test this Tour...that was Vladimir Karpets. He failed a rug test.

[kel varson]

I spend way too much time caring about this.
Lance looks like an old man compared to what he was 4 years ago. That being said, he is still hanging with the top cyclists in the world at the age of 37. The only guy he can't match is Contador. He shouldn't feel badly about that because no one can. I do have a few questions about Alberto's unbelievable improvement in the time trialing discipline. He also explodes uphill faster than the motorcycle carying the tv camera. I'm not saying he is doped, but, umm, okay, I am saying that.

By the way, only one rider has failed a test this Tour...that was Vladimir Karpets. He failed a rug test.

Lance was also able to explode uphill and dominate the time trials in his prime, so it is not unprecedented.

I also think Lance has said that he is still not quite in the "best shape possible." He intends on riding in the TDF again next year so I wouldn't be suprised to see him give Contador a run for the money in 2010.

Glad you guys are talking about the TDF, it really is quite a spectacle. This is the first year I have watched and I am really enjoying it. The racing is great and the scenery makes it that much better. The Alps looks like a great place to visit. The landscape and architecture looks like it hasn't changed in the last 100 years.

[01LUGrad]

If you want to see what the Tour is all about, don't miss tomorrow's stage (at least the last 45 minutes or so) on Versus. The climb of Mont Ventoux is pretty much as tough as it gets and will determine whether or not Lance will finish on the podium this year. If this sounds boring to you, give it a minute. The British announcers (Paul Sherwen and Phil Liggett) could make watching paint dry exciting.

By the way, the first stage of the Tour I ever watched was the famous "look" stage where Lance looked back at his closest rival (Ulrich) and then took off on him on the way up Alpe d'Huez in 2001. I've been hooked ever since. Fortunately, my job allows me to watch a lot of it each summer.

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[rogers3]

By the way, the first stage of the Tour I ever watched was the famous "look" stage where Lance looked back at his closest rival (Ulrich) and then took off on him on the way up Alpe d'Huez in 2001. I've been hooked ever since. Fortunately, my job allows me to watch a lot of it each summer.

I was putting in a lot of road miles weekly back then; Lance was quite an inspiration. That stage was amazing- whenever I was on a long climb, I'd think about that challenge he gave Ulrich with just one long look.

I want to watch in the morning and then get on the bike... uh... mtn. bike, and pull 2 kids for an hour or so. That's what 8 years can do!