Finally, we get to invoke Rule 6

It reads as follows:

Any rider who is disqualified from the race for a doping violation (during the race) forfeits all his points. If he survives the race and gets busted later, you get to keep your points.

Astute readers like Jonny G will have noted that this particular rule is rather vaguely worded. It mentions nothing about a formal conviction. The only requirement is that a rider is booted from the race on account of a doping matter. Surprisingly, that has not happened in a long time. But it is exactly what happened on today's rest day.

It seems Remy Di Gregorio placed a phone call to a dealer and got snagged in the wire. Somewhere, Lester Freamon just flashed that big smile of his. Once hailed as the next great French climber--an heir to Richard Virenque, on the mountains, at least, if not the bedroom--Di Gregorio has been pretty much invisible as of late. But he did score 30 points for Olli on Stage 4. Those points have now been stricken from the record. And there could be more to come if the rumour mill is to be believed. Di Gregorio used to ride with Astana. And it sounds like this case is linked to his time with the boys from Kazakhstan. Some have suggested that there are more disqualifications to come for Vino's team. We like Vino. But it is only right that they should get punished for wearing that putrid Tar Heel blue.

Meanwhile, it sounds like my boyfriend has his bags packed and a helicopter waiting on account of a baby that is about to be born. We would miss him in the final time trial. But with Tony Martin quitting the race as well, that's shaping up to be a bit of a yawner anyway.

The list of withdrawals has been updated in light of these latest departures. Thomas has been hit the hardest. He only has five riders left on his squad. Amazingly, there are a handful of teams that are still intact. Have a look-see here.

And finally, tonight at the klubhaus, we will raise a glass of JD on behalf of the Honorary Captain to judge Sam Sparks, who opened a can of juridical whup-ass and sprayed it all over a certain Mr. Armstrong.

"This court is not inclined to indulge in Armstrong's desire for publicity, self-aggrandizement or vilification of Defendants, by sifting through eighty mostly unnecessary pages in search of the few kernels of factual material relevant to his claims," he said.

Nice.