Landis kicks ass at the TDF stage 17. Not surprising considering the foreshadowing thrown down at Paris Nice:

The crux moment arrived in Stage 6, on the way to Cannes. Halfway into the race, a group of 19 broke away, and none of the other teams were willing to help Phonak chase them down. With the gap widening and the race becoming dangerously unstable, Landis decided to send a message.

At the base of a climb, he ordered his team to the front and told them to go full throttle. They blasted for three, five, ten minutes, and when everyone behind was gasping and hurting, Landis turned to address the peloton.

“You want more of that, motherfuckers?” he asked loudly. “Because if you do, we’ve got plenty.”

A-Train tells me that Eddy Merckx’ real name is Isreal Stein.

I’m still in a stupor from yesterdays events. I don’t quite know what to think. First is the shake-up at the TDF and then there was wild crazy pandemonium at Seattle Critical Mass as gorilla undercover cops beat down two Mass riders. The scene happened right behind me as we crested a small hill and turned left.
“Has the whole world gone crazy? Am I the only one around here who gives a shit about the rules? Mark it zero!”

On the other hand it was good to see Thor win the prologue. Got to hand it to the Vikings. They knew the importance of stretching before and attack!