I watched this long Google TechTalk by Dylan Casey, who was on Armstring's team then, and now works for Google.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVcKzzB-eF0

He provides some interesting insights, and one of them is about "The Look". It turns out that Armstrong turned around to see how blown apart the peloton was after Postal had done what Leopard-Trek did yesterday, setting an unbearable pace to lose the pretenders. Once it was blown apart, Lance attacked, just as Schleck did yesterday, but without as much gain for Frank, especially since it was so late in the climb.

Another interesting bit is him saying how, before he went pro, he was like the rest of us, obsessing over every little detail of his bike, like how many links there were in his chain. He sounds just like a BF'er. When he got the major pro gig, his bike became a tool someone else worried about, and the obsession was gone. He talks about there being three road bikes for each rider: The main bike, the backup bike, and the "home bike" that stays with them. Periodically, a bike will be re-done or replaced, and the bikes would rotate. The home bike was essentially the second backup, and oldest.

It's high time one of the contenders shows his colors this year and launches a hard and earlier attack. Have some cajones, guys! There is clearly a chess match going on, and AC is a master chess player. But the skeptic in me thinks the level-looking playing field may have more to do with fears of improved testing protocols preventing anyone from having a truly dominant day.