Rose Cantine

Among the most impressive performances in the Tour this year are those of Michael Boogerd and Thomas Dekker of the Rabobank team. Boogerd and Dekker rode hard and fast for three weeks to help teammate and former yellow jersey holder, Michael Rasmussen. Alas, just as victory seemed within the grasp of the Rabo team, Rasmussen [...]

L’Equipe reports that tests on the second (B) sample taken from Alexander Vinokourov, the Kazakh rider who was thrown out of the Tour (with his team), shows that he indeed received a transfusion of someone else’s blood. Vino was ejected after winning the 13th stage of the Tour de France on 24 July 2007. Stage [...]

What an exciting stage! The last time trial (Cognac to Angouleme) is a battle among three guys: Leipheimer who did better than Evans and Contador. Leipheimer wins this stage.
The Classement General as of the end of the time trial today:
1. Alberto Contador: 87 h 09 min 18 sec
2. Cadel Evans: +23 sec
3. Levi Leipheimer: [...]

The Tour de France organization (ASO) held a press conference at 11 this morning but contrary to the rumors, made no announcements regarding doping. So the Soler rumor has (so far) turned out not to be true. Instead the ASO demanded that the management of the UCI (the cyclists’ union) resign on grounds of incompetence [...]

Andreas Klöden, a member of the Astana team (which abandoned the Tour after Vinokourov was found with someone else’s blood coursing in his veins), says he is seriously thinking of quitting the world of cycling. Klöden, who is 32 years old and was in the top 10 until they were ejected last week, expressed his [...]

A Danish newspaper claims that another case of doping has been discovered among one of the riders wearing a jersey (Contador, Boonen, Soler, Rasmussen) and that the culprit will be announced today at 11:00 am. A Belgian news site says it’s Mauricio Soler, the young Colombian rider from Barloworld who stunned everyone with his amazing [...]

Wim Vansevenant is only 2 stages away from earning his second lanterne rouge. The only two riders to hold this honor are the Belgian Daniel Masson (1922 and 1923) and Austrian Gerhard Schönbacher (1979 and 1980). Tomorrow’s time trial will be thrilling - who will come in last but not get eliminated?
Watch this video interview [...]