The first rest day is here, and boy am I pooped. Sure, the peloton has traveled 1620km over the past nine days, but I’ve had to watch that Bob Roll commercial 763 times, so I’m pretty sure we’re even.
It’s been an eventful start on the roads of France, Belgium and Switzerland (both legally annexed into France last February by race organizers), with pre-race favorite Bradley Wiggins already consolidating an almost two-minute lead over returning champion Cadel Evans. But you already know that story. So instead, let’s look back at a few of the week’s more entertaining highlights.
Tinkov, Taylor, Soldier, Sky
Don’t look now Johan, but there’s a Russian billionaire making bedroom eyes at Fabian Cancellara. After Spartacus assumed 2012’s first maillot jaune on the strength of his prologue TT, Oleg Tinkov — the Russian financier behind Tinkoff Bank (Saxo Bank’s new co-sponsor) — took straight to Twitter to begin wooing the RadioShack-Nissan rider, who is one of several he reportedly hopes to purchase as part of a Saxo-Tinkoff super team in 2013.
“What a win for Fabian. He is the best. He need [sic] to be @saxobanktinkoffbank,” wrote Tinkov.
Let’s hope everyone considers this carefully. If 2012 has shown us anything it’s that super teams aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be — and I think this ended poorly when it happened to Demi Moore in “An Indecent Proposal”.
Tyler Farrar: Boiling pot of restraint
Believe me when I say you couldn’t ask for a nicer guy than Garmin-Sharp’s Tyler Farrar, which is why I’ve occasionally questioned whether he has the right stuff to be a sprinter. In a discipline ruled by the brash and cocky, the Washington native is a guy you’d be happy to let date your daughter. Tyler’s got a gentle, Zen-like calm and a Tibetan “inner peace” tattoo to prove it.
Which is why it was fascinating to witness Farrar’s mannerly “meltdown” after Thursday’s stage 5. Following his third consecutive high-speed crash, a bloodied and visibly angered Farrar attempted to storm aboard the Argos-Shimano bus in search of rival Tom Veelers (who was apparently the last thing he remembered touching before the tarmac). Stopped by Argos staff — and eventually Jonathan Vaughters, who hightailed it over to ensure a pillow fight wasn’t about to break out — Farrar unleashed what may have been the most G-rated tongue-lashing in the history of road rash, tearfully requesting that
To read the whole story, visit here: http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/07/news/the-livestream-diaries-rest-day-roundup_228723
