Sunday, July 10, 2011

Just when you thought it couldn't get any crazier

Vino lands in a tree and breaks his pelvis, femur, and elbow. Van den Broeck went down in the same crash and was served a concussion with a side of broken shoulder blade. Dave Z broke his wrist and Willems is also out of the race with a broken collarbone. Earlier in the race Vladimir Karpets bodychecked Clenbutador into a spectator. El Pistolero is fine. But Karpets might find himself sent home by the race commissaires. And as if that wasn't enough, a French TV car caught up to the breakaway and threw a viscious bodycheck into Juan Antonio Flecha, which in turn caused Flecha to send Highpants Hoogerland tumbling arse over tit into a barbed wire fence. Turns out Hoogerland's pants weren't quite high enough to avoid all the barbs. Yikes! It's badder than bad out there, boys and girls. As The Stranger would say, "Darkness warshed over the Tour de France - darker'n a black steer's tookus on a moonless prairie night. There was no bottom." Thank goodness they get a rest day tomorrow.

With Vino and VDB out of the race, Vanessa and Pete both lost their two GC men. Vanessa is down to just six riders, having lost Kiryienka earlier in the race. Jay is also down to six riders. Of the 46 teams in the pool, only 16 are still riding with all 9 riders. Ouch.

Thor did not SMASH today. He gave up his yellow jersey to the tongue wagging Thomas Voeckler. RRR is in mourning. But this should keep the French fans excited for the next couple of days.

Over in the Pool, the Fraggle ate a little more into the Impaler's lead. With 245 points, she won today's stage. Greg the Lunchbucket Kid was second with 195 points. Darryl and Val tied for third on the day. They had 170 points apiece.

There is no change to the top three overall. But Hal was one of 9 teams to lay a goose egg today. That is no way to win a stage race. Rachel is now just 22 points from the final podium spot. And Chris O has returned to the top five.

Full results and overall standings here.

5 comments:

PaddyH said...

holy shit.

KK said...

So sad...but it was a really impressive run. It will be hard to get used to him in the regular kit.

halloewen said...

and now begins my slide into the middle of the pack. hope I can stay at least in the peloton and not get spit out the back

mhandsco said...

What a day... I don't think I've ever watched as much Tour as I have this first week and today had me watching through my fingers...

Entirely appropriate that my WV is essen.

http://www.thirdway.com/menno/?Page=1915

Le Brun said...

Wow, buried 46 ft. deep is not how i envisoned this. i`d like to thank the full fleet of escorts i have in front of me as they lead my funeral procession of riders to their grave.