Rose Cantine

Imelda 2.0 says: high heeled strappy sandals and platforms are just the thing for late summer and early fall.

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I write a weekly article for NBC San Francisco Bay Area news fashion section. This week, it’s about cool luggage. Go to my article about Hideo Wakamatsu bags.

Also recently on Shopplr: beauty tips from Benjamin Puckey, international stylist, on how to contour the face. I know it sounds frightening in a retro 1980s sort of way but he tells you how to look natural.

Everything old is new again. Alexandre Vinokourov is back after a two-year suspension. Recall the scandal-ridden 2007 Tour de France where he was discovered to have been blood doping. After that, he and his team, Astana, were expelled from the Tour. That was the same Tour that saw Michael Rasmussen of Rabobank mysteriously kicked out by his team, not by the Tour, and we know now it’s because Rasmussen lied about his whereabouts during out-of-competition checks.

Anyway, Vino is back. He raced in the Castillon-La Bataille criterium in France last week. He plans to join his old team, Astana, which this year won the team award in the Tour de France. Lance Armstrong, back from retirement, raced for Astana, as did Alberto Contador, the 2009 Tour winner, but Armstrong has formed a new team with Radio Shack as the sponsor. Contador does not know yet where he will go.

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Now that the Tour de France 2009 is over, the fur is finally flying. Alberto Contador, winner of the Tour, has come out and told the world what his real feelings are towards Armstrong — that he has never admired Lance and never will – personally, that is. Professionally, it’s a different story, says Contador, but then again how do you separate feelings? Are they in different containers? One must spill out into the other.

Contador also said that being around Armstrong was much more difficult than the entire Tour. “The situation was very delicate and tense because the conflict with Armstrong spread to the rest of the team. I don’t know yet which team I will be joining after this but I need a team that stands by me 100 percent.”

Meow!

Embarrassing moment of the Tour: the Tour organization played the Danish national anthem, not the Spanish one, when Contador was on the stand.

Although everyone has known that the relationship between the two men had always been tense even before the Tour when Contador joined Astana (not knowing Armstrong would join later and challenge him as team leader), neither has openly come out against the other . . . until now. Read Lance Armstrong’s tweets.

Quite a dramatic finish today in Paris for the Tour de France 2009! Cavendish won the final stage in Paris, as his team, Columbia, outwitted Garmin once again. Cavendish should have won the green jersey but he was penalized a few stages ago, thereby giving Thor Hushovd the lead. Still, Cavendish won six stages which is more than any other British rider.

Final standings:

1st – Contador; 2nd – Andy Schleck; 3rd – Lance Armstrong

King of the Mountains (red peas jersey): Franco Pellizotti

Best young rider (white jersey): Andy Schleck

Best sprinter (green jersey): Thor Hushovd

Best team: Astana

What an anti-climactic finish! I was hoping for a closer finish, more excitement, at Mont Ventoux.I was hoping for an upset today with the Schlecks turning the GC upside down. Alas, it was rather dull. Contador and Armstrong did not falter and the Schlecks could not spring their big surprise. So as the peloton rides into Paris tomorrow, Contador will keep the maillot jaune and win the Tour. Andy Schleck comes in second, and Armstrong holds onto third place. I was hoping Frank Schleck would take third place but that did not happen today.

Alberto Contador won the time trial in Annecy, beating the time of Fabian Cancellara who ended up in second place. Contador continues to wear the maillot jaune as the Tour heads into the last three stages, the one on Saturday being the most awaited and feared — the climb to Mont Ventoux. Andy Schleck did very well but is still 4 min 11 sec behind Contador in 2nd place. Armstrong’s excellent time trial performance today moved him up to 3rd place. If Contador retains the lead after Mont Ventoux, he will win the Tour.