I spent quite a bit of time with Paul and Phil at a party during the Tour of California. They are both delightful men. According to them, the coverage they provide is totally not scripted. They sit in a both and see what we see on the television. They create the commentary as they see the pictures. They have been doing this for years which is why they do very well. If I tried to do what they do, it would be a disaster. I would get 99% of it wrong. They are as professional at what they do as the cyclists are competing in the race.

I can see why Phil likes Contador. First AC has a track record and winning grand tours. He looked very good in the last couple of stages both climbing and descending. A 6% grade climb is not enough to break up a group of Tdf GC contenders. The problem is when one of them accelerates, the climbing speed is high enough so that other can benefit from the draft. Alpe D'Huez is an average 8.2% grade with switchbacks that are even more steep. I think AC will gap the other GC men and they will not have a large enough power to weight ratio to catch him or hold his wheel.

From Saxobank, Leopard Trek and BMCs' point of view, it was good to have T.V. in yellow. His team has expended the energy to hold on to the jersey and the other teams are ready for the really hard climbs. I expect AC to send his climbers to the front at the start of Alpe D'Huez to kill the pace. And of course there is the ever present Jens Voight who will probably join in to deliver some pain. It is going to be a slug fest.