Some random thoughts on the Tour and its riders..

What a heartbreaking picture Tuesday, as Dave Zabriskie rode slowly towards the finish line, alone, shorts torn open, blood dripping down his leg, which was hanging down and not pedalling - and followed by what seemed like hundreds of autos, motorcycles and photographers, all wanting to get a picture of the pathos.

I'm surely not the only one who exclaimed out loud when Zabriskie went down. It seems like every year a relative unknown like Zabriskie or Voeckler manages to take hold of the yellow jersey and our hearts with their fresh faces, energies and promise for the future. That they won't arrive in Paris in yellow - not yet! - is clear, but it always hurts a little to see them have to give it up. And it surely hurts Dave Zabariskie a lot right now. Fortunately he seems to have the teammates and SD who will help him at least emotionally recover.

Team Gerolsteiner has a lot of good riders and good management - but somehow they just don't seem to have any luck at the Tour. Their fifth place in the team time trial was not bad - could have been better - but what possessed them to forget three riders and leave them at the hotel? Fortunately it all worked out and they drove themselves in the team car to the start. Someone is going to take a while to live that one down!

Germany's BILD magazine - a tabloid, like they sell at the grocery store check-out counters in the US - seems to be obsessed with the sex lives (or lack thereof) of the TdF riders. "No Tour Sex for Lance!" is the headline today. Even though girlfriend Sheryl Crowe is traveling with the team! And they both have single rooms! So that she could sneak into his room at night for a little cuddle! But Lance says that the SDs don't want you to have any sex during the Tour. And Jan Ullrich (whose girlfriend is NOT accompanying the team) says no to sex during the Tour, too, he needs all his strength and concentration for the race.

Oh, well, everyone has his own problems.....