Columbia - HTC (Page 4)

One of the nicest TTT pic I found is this one with Rabobank, riding Giant Trinity Advanced SL TTbikes.  They looked so good in the pic, you wouldn’t have guessed team leader Menchov fell early and his team could manage no better than 11th position, 2'20" back.

1. 310W - I can do half that, LOL

2. You think Contador made a mistake not latching on?  You think his leadership will be seriously questioned now?

3. Cav in green jersey - I HOPE SO.  GO COLUMBIA-HTC GO!!!

Ooooh those bikes are so PRETTY!

Another one for you, Magda - US cycling Team Columbia's Mark Cavendish of Great Britain in the green jersey and team-mates taking the “Highroad” in Stage 4 Team Time Trial 

Stage 5 - Le Cap d’Agde to Perpignan, 196.5-kilometer, July 8th          

Frenchman Thomas Voeckler wins stage 5 in Perpignan.  Cancellara's crew tries to break things up in the crosswinds; Rabobank's Gesink crashes and loses big time. Columbia-HTC's Mark Cavendish retains the green jersey and team-mate Tony Martin the white jersey.

Mark Cavendish of Britain, wearing the best sprinter's green jersey, Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and Tony Martin of Germany, wearing the best young rider's white jersey, left to right, take the start of the fifth stage of the TdF

Fine weather greets the riders as they begin Wednesdays’s 5th stage

Yellow jersey of overall leader, Danish cycling team Team Saxo Bank Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, rides in the pack on July 8, 2009 at the start of the 196,5 km fifth stage of the 2009 TdF

They may be temporarily frustrated, but teams with sprinters will not admit defeat so soon.  After a mtn stage or two, they'll come back to test Cav.  But you're right, they'll make it difficult for Columbia and will not do much work.  But they should not forget the lesson from Stage 3 - fall asleep at your own peril.  The excitment continues...

I love Cavendish's total green outfit - he's got the matching knicks, gloves, helmet, shoes & socks!!! There even appears to be some green on his handlebars. I wonder if he had all this worked out before the race, or if he just has some on-the-ball sponsors!!! LOL

Stage 6 – Girona to Barcelona, Spain, 181.5km, July 9th

On a day of crashes, wet roads and rolling climbs, Swiss cycling team Cervélo’s Thor Hushovd of Norway powered his way to a sprint win ahead of three-time world champion Oscar Freire (Rabobank) of Spain. Columbia-HTC's Mark Cavendish retains the green jersey, but just barely, while team-mate Tony Martin keeps his white jersey.

The pack with Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, center, and Mark Cavendish of Britain, wearing the best sprinter's green jersey, left, during the sixth stage of the TdF

The peloton rides past the Cristobal Colon statue in the rain in Barcelona in Stage 6

Seven-time Tour de France winner and Kazakh cycling team Astana's Lance Armstrong of the United States rides in the pack with teammates in Stage 6 of the TdF.   I’ve to admit I had no idea Astana is a Kazakh cycling team, and Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan (the last Soviet Republic to declare independence).  Riding in pouring rain – that’s fun, or not?

So what's on tap for the wkend?  I've Stage 3 of 7, maybe 50km, this is a recovery wk for me.  Good luck Wes & Adam on your races this wkend - Sprint like Cavendish!

Go Agritubel - Columbia - HTC !!!!!

Woo hoo for thread-crashing!!!!

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Well, with Agritubel crashing our thread, you know who won Stage 7.  But I'll continue to post update and pics only after the 24hr ban.

Stage 7 – Barcelona, Spain to Arcalis, Andorra, 224km, July 10th          

Agritubel’s Brice Feillu attacked his daylong breakaway companions to a stage win atop the hors catégorie Andorre Arcalis, as Astana’s Alberto Contador rocketed away from the main group to put time into his rivals for the overall. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r), who joined Feillu in the day’s big breakaway, held on to finish in between Feillu and Contador to take the yellow jersey.

Columbia-HTC's Mark Cavendish retains the green jersey, with Cervélo’s Thor Hushovd, just one point behind.  Columbia-HTC's Tony Martin also keeps his white jersey for another day, with Saxo Bank’s Andy Schleck just 49sec behind.

Tony Martin (L) of Germany and Columbia-HTC chats to team mate Mark Cavendish at the start stage seven of the 2009 TdF from Barcelona to Andorra, on July 10, 2009 in Barcelona, Spain.

The pack of riders cycles after the start of the seventh stage of the 96th Tour de France cycling race between Barcelona and Andorre Arcalis , July 10, 2009.

The pack sped past 'La Pedrera' designed by Gaudi during the seventh stage of the TdF cycling race, starting in Barcelona, Spain, and finishing in Arcalis Andorra, Friday July 10, 2009

Madness in the mountains - The pack with American seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, bottom left with black helmet, climbs Serra-Seca pass during the seventh stage of the TdF.  The 224 kilometer (139 miles) stage, the longest on the Tour this year, features the category 1 Col del Serra-Seca before the climb to Arcalis, which is classified "beyond category." The final ascent is 6.5 miles long and has an average gradient of 7.1 percent.