Originally Posted by merlinextraligh
In large measure this year's TDF is going about to form, if you set aside the unrealistic pre race hype. And to the extent its more wide open, its not because the leaders don't have their drugs, its because the patron of the peleton is gone.
Agree with this for the most part. I think we are seeing why the big guns (lance, Ulrich, ect) were big and why the B riders were B. Take George Hincapie, there is a big difference between setting the pace leading up to and taking on the race on the final climb. The greats are there and ready to do battle at crunch time, every day! The goods are there on thier good days, and off the back on the final climb the rest of the time.
So far we are seeing a battle of the "Goods". Perhaps a great rider will emerge?