Posts from — July 2012

Limoux to Foix

Distance: 191 kilometers.

This is the entry to the Pyrenees and it isn’t very kind: Category 2 – Col du Portel (601 m), intermediate sprint, Category 1 – Port de Lers (1517 m), and Category 1 – Mur de Péguère (1375 m).

The Mur is a bear. Parts of it are an 18% grade [18 feet up for 100 feet traveled] and the finish is 10.8%. If your bike isn’t in great shape, something will break, and you will need great brakes to go down the other side.

Luis-Leon Sanchez won the stage and was all alone when he did it, having broken away from the break-away group coming down the Mur. The peloton was tied up changing tires as some clown had apparently spread tacks on the roadway over the Mur.

Bradley Wiggins ( GB – SKY – 101 ) [Yellow]
Peter Sagan ( Svk – LIQ – 057 ) [Green] 333 points
Fredrik Kessiakoff ( Swe – AST – 187 ) [Polka Dot] 69 points
Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 009 ) 7 [White]

Team: RadioShack-Nissan ( 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Luis-Leon Sanchez ( Esp – RAB – 155 )
Combative: Peter Sagan ( Svk – LIQ – 057 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Bradley Wiggins ( G B – SKY – 101 )
2 Christopher Froome ( G B – SKY – 105 ) + 02′ 05”
3 Vincenzo Nibali ( Ita – LIQ – 051 ) + 02′ 23”
4 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 001 ) + 03′ 19”
5 Jurgen Van Den Broeck ( Bel – LTB – 111 ) + 04′ 48”
6 Haimar Zubeldia ( Esp – RNT – 019 ) + 06′ 15”
7 Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 009 ) + 06′ 57”
8 Janez Brajkovic ( Slo – AST – 181 ) + 07′ 30”
9 Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 029 ) + 08′ 31”
10 Thibaut Pinot ( Fra – FDJ – 146 ) + 08′ 51”

The Rest of the Top 50:
[Read more →]

Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Le Cap d’Agde

Distance: 217 kilometers.

Another long stage but there is only an intermediate sprint with a Category 3 [Mont Saint-Clair] climb near the end. There are hills, but nothing to compare to the last two days.

André Greipel managed to get half a wheel in front of Peter Sagan at the finish to win the stage. It has been a frustrating few days for Sagan filled with ‘almosts’ for finishes in stages and sprints. He is still looking good for wearing Green in Paris as he has a 64 point lead. Sebastien Hinault gave it his best, but he couldn’t manage more than fourth as the first French rider over the finish on Bastille Day.

Bradley Wiggins ( GB – SKY – 101 ) [Yellow]
Peter Sagan (Svk-LIQ-057) [Green] 296 points
Fredrik Kessiakoff ( Swe – AST – 187 ) [Polka Dot] 66 points
Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 009 ) 7 [White]

Team: RadioShack-Nissan ( 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: André Greipel ( Ger – LTB – 114 )
Combative: Michael Morkov ( Den – STB – 175 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Bradley Wiggins ( G B – SKY – 101 )
2 Christopher Froome ( G B – SKY – 105 ) + 02′ 05”
3 Vincenzo Nibali ( Ita – LIQ – 051 ) + 02′ 23”
4 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 001 ) + 03′ 19”
5 Jurgen Van Den Broeck ( Bel – LTB – 111 ) + 04′ 48”
6 Haimar Zubeldia ( Esp – RNT – 019 ) + 06′ 15”
7 Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 009 ) + 06′ 57”
8 Janez Brajkovic ( Slo – AST – 181 ) + 07′ 30”
9 Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 029 ) + 08′ 31”
10 Thibaut Pinot ( Fra – FDJ – 146 ) + 08′ 51”

The Rest of the Top 50:
[Read more →]

La Fête Nationale
Bastille Day

Thank you for the help with the Revolution.

Happy Birthday Александра.

Some background.

Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Annonay Davézieux

Distance: 226 kilometers.

This is the longest stage on Le Tour this year and it features two Category 1 climbs in the first half and a Category 3 at the end. Menu: Category 1 – Col du Grand Cucheron (1188 m), Category 1 – Col du Granier (1134 m), intermediate sprint, Category 3 – Côte d’Ardoix.

David Millar took the stage which was marked by almost nothing of interest being done by the leaders after yesterday’s grueling run. People and teams weren’t interested in taking chances with tired muscles.

There are 164 riders left, but that number may dip as riders leave Le Tour to participate in the London Olympics. I would also note that I am using the official site for the General Classification standings, but Cycling News for other things because the official site is so late and haphazard about updating.

Bradley Wiggins ( GB – SKY – 101 ) [Yellow]
Peter Sagan (Svk-LIQ-057) [Green] 254 points
Fredrik Kessiakoff ( Swe – AST – 187 ) [Polka Dot] 66 points
Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 009 ) 7 [White]

Team: RadioShack-Nissan ( 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: David Millar ( GB – GRS – 066 )
Combative: Robert Kiserlovski ( Cro – AST – 188 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Bradley Wiggins ( G B – SKY – 101 )
2 Christopher Froome ( G B – SKY – 105 ) + 02′ 05”
3 Vincenzo Nibali ( Ita – LIQ – 051 ) + 02′ 23”
4 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 001 ) + 03′ 19”
5 Jurgen Van Den Broeck ( Bel – LTB – 111 ) + 04′ 48”
6 Haimar Zubeldia ( Esp – RNT – 019 ) + 06′ 15”
7 Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 009 ) + 06′ 57”
8 Janez Brajkovic ( Slo – AST – 181 ) + 07′ 30”
9 Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 029 ) + 08′ 31”
10 Thibaut Pinot ( Fra – FDJ – 146 ) + 08′ 51”

The Rest of the Top 50:
[Read more →]

Ringo Update

Bogus picture!

[Editor: Ringo definitely doesn’t look like this at the moment. This is from last October, as it will be a while before she would be happy with a picture. The vet is satisfied with her progress, but the dental acrylic that is holding her broken bone in place won’t be removed for at least another month. She is gaining weight and now has the run of the bathroom, rather than spending time in the large cage. The antibiotics will be done in a couple of days, and the quantity of food is larger, but it is still liquid. The reason for the continued confinement is her preference for crunching on kibble, and she won’t be allowed to do that until the x-rays show the bone has healed.]

Friday Ark

Albertville to La Toussuire – Les Sybelles

Distance: 148 kilometers.

This is a brutal mountain stage with two Hors Catégorie [HC] climbs, a Cat 2, and then a Cat 1 crawl to the finish. This stage will probably break chains and sprockets, as well as people.

The menu: HC – Col de la Madeleine (2000 m), intermediate sprint, HC – Col de la Croix de Fer (2067 m), Category 2 – Col du Mollard (1638 m), Category 1 – La Toussuire (1705 m).

While Fabian Cancellara withdrew before the start to be with his wife who is having their second child, 5 riders had to withdraw during the race, and two more were outside the time limit.

It was a good stage for Pierre Rolland who was the first into La Toussuire and picked up the Red Numbers for being the most combative, and for Fredrik Kessiakoff who won back the Polka Dot jersey.

Cadel Evans attempted a breakaway, and ended up in trouble, falling to fourth place, 3 minutes and 19 seconds behind Bradley Wiggins.

[Note: the official site hasn’t updated everything for some reason, so the results are from Cycling News.]

Bradley Wiggins ( GB – SKY – 101 ) [Yellow]
Peter Sagan (Svk-LIQ-057) [Green] 232 points
Fredrik Kessiakoff ( Swe – AST – 187 ) [Polka Dot] 66 points
Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 009 ) 7 [White]

Team: RadioShack-Nissan ( 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 029 )
Combative: Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 029 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Bradley Wiggins ( G B – SKY – 101 )
2 Christopher Froome ( G B – SKY – 105 ) + 02′ 05”
3 Vincenzo Nibali ( Ita – LIQ – 051 ) + 02′ 23”
4 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 001 ) + 03′ 19”
5 Jurgen Van Den Broeck ( Bel – LTB – 111 ) + 04′ 48”
6 Haimar Zubeldia ( Esp – RNT – 019 ) + 06′ 15”
7 Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 009 ) + 06′ 57”
8 Janez Brajkovic ( Slo – AST – 181 ) + 07′ 30”
9 Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 029 ) + 08′ 31”
10 Thibaut Pinot ( Fra – FDJ – 146 ) + 08′ 51”

The Rest of the Top 50:
[Read more →]

Mâcon to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine

Distance: 194.5 kilometers.

A triple for Thomas Voeckler: Polka Dot Jersey, stage win, and most combative. This was a mountain stage [Category 2 – Côte de Corlier, intermediate sprint, Hors Catégorie – Col du Grand Colombie, and Category 3 – Col de Richemond] and he gave it his all – moving up 21 places from 52 to 31 in the General Classification.

Bradley Wiggins ( GB – SKY – 101 ) [Yellow]
Peter Sagan (Svk-LIQ-057) [Green] 232 points
Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – EUC – 021 ) [Polka Dot] 28 points
Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 009 ) 10 [White]

Team: RadioShack-Nissan ( 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – EUC – 021 )
Combative: Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – EUC – 021 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Bradley Wiggins ( G B – SKY – 101 )
2 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 001 ) + 01′ 53”
3 Christopher Froome ( G B – SKY – 105 ) + 02′ 07”
4 Vincenzo Nibali ( Ita – LIQ – 051 ) + 02′ 23”
5 Denis Menchov ( Rus – KAT – 131 ) + 03′ 02”
6 Haimar Zubeldia ( Esp – RNT – 019 ) + 03′ 19”
7 Maxime Monfort ( Bel – RNT – 016 ) + 04′ 23”
8 Jurgen Van Den Broeck ( Bel – LTB – 111 ) + 04′ 48”
9 Nicolas Roche ( Irl – ALM – 079 ) + 05′ 29”
10 Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 009 ) + 05′ 31”

The Rest of the Top 50:
[Read more →]

It is a rest day for Le Tour, and the day for the big monthly food shopping, so I haven’t been on the computer very often.

Ringo is progressing, and may get a modified release from confinement after the vet checks her out tomorrow afternoon. I would really like to get my bathroom back, but I don’t want to end the confinement too soon and risk her re-injuring her jaw. I’m also hoping that I can introduce damp kibble to transition her back to what she normally eats.

I did find a ‘wonder cure’ for a lot of the things that really annoy me about Windows 7. If you chose the ‘Classic’ theme, it changes not just how things look, but the way many of them work to mimic the ‘look and feel’ of XP, with the added bonus of speeding things up. Things may be a bit boring, design-wise, but that transparency that occurs when you open things on top of each other are gone. More than a few times I have accidentally closed the wrong window by clicking on the ‘X’ that belonged to the underlying program, rather than the one I wanted to close. The fading in and out is gone, and the wait time with it. Linux may be still annoying me, but Windows just got a bit more tolerable.

That we have a governor who came from the health care industry to help the state through the changes that are coming. He obviously knows a lot about Medicare and Medicaid to have had the largest fines in the history of the programs levied against his corporation for fraud.

It is possible that he turned down the Medicaid expansion, to avoid having any Florida plan rejected because of his history with the program.

Of course it would be nice if he and his minions would stop doing stupid things like this:

JACKSONVILLE —The CDC officer had a serious warning for Florida health officials in April: A tuberculosis outbreak in Jacksonville was one of the worst his group had investigated in 20 years. Linked to 13 deaths and 99 illnesses, including six children, it would require concerted action to stop.

That report had been penned on April 5, exactly nine days after Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed the bill that shrank the Department of Health and required the closure of the A.G. Holley State Hospital in Lantana, where tough tuberculosis cases have been treated for more than 60 years.

I’m sure the Fraudster-in-chief is already looking for a for-profit hospital to take over the TB care for no more than three times what it would have cost at the state hospital, because everyone knows how much more efficient the private sector is than the public sector … 😈

Arc-et-Senans to Besançon

Distance: 41.5 kilometers.

This stage is a pair of time trials, but with some hills to favor the stronger riders, rather than the pure sprinters.

Bradley Wiggins did it up right by holding on to the Yellow, winning the stage, and increasing his lead over Cadel Evans from 10 seconds to almost two minutes.

Tejay Van Gardeneren managed to win back the White by moving ahead of Rein Taaramae in the standings.

Bradley Wiggins ( GB – SKY – 101 ) [Yellow]
Peter Sagan (Svk-LIQ-057) [Green] 217 points
Fredrik Kessiakoff ( Swe – AST – 187 ) [Polka Dot] 21 points
Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 009 ) 8 [White]

Team: RadioShack-Nissan ( 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Bradley Wiggins ( GB – SKY – 101 )
Combative: [Not awarded for time trials.]

Top Ten:

1 Bradley Wiggins ( GB – SKY – 101 )
2 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 001 ) + 01′ 53”
3 Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 105 ) + 02′ 07”
4 Vincenzo Nibali ( Ita – LIQ – 051 ) + 02′ 23”
5 Denis Menchov ( Rus – KAT – 131 ) + 03′ 02”
6 Haimar Zubeldia ( Esp – RNT – 019 ) + 03′ 19”
7 Maxime Monfort ( Bel – RNT – 016 ) + 04′ 23”
8 Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 009 ) + 05′ 14”
9 Jurgen Van Den Broeck ( Bel – LTB – 111 ) + 05′ 20”
10 Nicolas Roche ( Irl – ALM – 079 ) + 05′ 29”

The Rest of the Top 50:
[Read more →]

Belfort to Porrentruy

Distance: 157.5 kilometers.

RadioShack-Nissan is in firm control of the Team category with 6 riders in the top 20. Sky has only managed to keep 4 riders in the top 50. Thibaut Pinot timed his move with precision to take the stage win, but Fredrik Kessiakoff won the race to the Polka Dots.

Three more riders are out, including Samuel Sanchez, Euskaltel-Euskadi’s team leader.

This was definitely a stage for the climbers who faced in order: 4 – Côte de Bondeva, 3 – Côte du Passage de la Douleur, 2 – Côte de Maison-Rouge, 2 – Côte de Saignelégier, 2 – Côte de Saulcy, 2 – Côte de la Caquerelle, and 1 – Col de la Croix.

Tomorrow is a short day for time trials, and a rest day afterwards.

Bradley Wiggins ( GB – SKY – 101 ) [Yellow]
Peter Sagan (Svk-LIQ-057) [Green] 217 points
Fredrik Kessiakoff ( Swe – AST – 187 ) [Polka Dot] 21 points
Rein Taaramae ( Est – COF – 081 ) 4 [White]

Team: RadioShack-Nissan ( 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Thibaut Pinot ( Fra – FDJ – 146 )
Combative: Fredrik Kessiakoff ( Swe – AST – 187 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Bradley Wiggins ( G B – SKY – 101 )
2 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 001 ) + 00′ 10”
3 Vincenzo Nibali ( Ita – LIQ – 051 ) + 00′ 16”
4 Denis Menchov ( Rus – KAT – 131 ) + 00′ 54”
5 Haimar Zubeldia ( Esp – RNT – 019 ) + 00′ 59”
6 Christopher Froome ( G B – SKY – 105 ) + 01′ 32”
7 Maxime Monfort ( Bel – RNT – 016 ) + 02′ 08”
8 Jurgen Van Den Broeck ( Bel – LTB – 111 ) + 02′ 11”
9 Nicolas Roche ( Irl – ALM – 079 ) + 02′ 21”
10 Rein Taaramae ( Est – COF – 081 ) + 02′ 27”

The Rest of the Top 50:
[Read more →]

Tomblaine to La Planche des Belles Filles

Distance: 199 kilometers.

This is the first mountain stage and it features an intermediate sprint followed by two Category 3 climbs [Col de Grosse Pierre, Col du Mont de Fourche], and finishing with the Category 1, La Planche des Belles Filles. The difference is obvious from the wardrobe changes that you will see below, and the much larger deficits between riders.

Another change is the loss of 9 more riders, 8 of whom did not show up for the start, including the lead rider on the Garmin-Sharp team, Canadian Ryder Hesjedal.

Sky Procycling, OTOH, had a great day with Bradley Wiggins putting on Yellow and Christopher Froome winning the stage and the Polka Dots, while retaining the yellow numbers and helmets of the lead team.

Bradley Wiggins ( GB – SKY – 101 ) [Yellow]
Peter Sagan (Svk-LIQ-057) [Green] 217 points
Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 105 ) [Polka Dot] 20 points
Rein Taaramae ( Est – COF – 081 ) 4 [White]

Team: Sky Procycling ( 101-109 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 105 )
Combative: Luis-Leon Sanchez ( Esp – RAB – 155 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Bradley Wiggins ( G B – SKY – 101 )
2 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 001 ) + 00′ 10”
3 Vincenzo Nibali ( Ita – LIQ – 051 ) + 00′ 16”
4 Rein Taaramae ( Est – COF – 081 ) + 00′ 32”
5 Denis Menchov ( Rus – KAT – 131 ) + 00′ 54”
6 Haimar Zubeldia ( Esp – RNT – 019 ) + 00′ 59”
7 Maxime Monfort ( Bel – RNT – 016 ) + 01′ 09”
8 Nicolas Roche ( Irl – ALM – 079 ) + 01′ 22”
9 Christopher Froome ( G B – SKY – 105 ) + 01′ 32”
10 Michael Rogers ( Aus – SKY – 108 ) + 01′ 40”

The Rest of the Top 50:
[Read more →]

July 7^th, 2005, London

BBC In Depth and the Wikipedia articles on the bombing.

I picked up Ringo today but don’t expect a picture anytime soon, as she needs time to regrow hair where she was shaved for surgery to repair her lower mandible.

She is eating like crazy and gaining weight as she is getting a quarter can of Science Diet AD that is thinned with water four times a day. She has gained a pound since entering the vet’s office. Twice a day the food contains an antibiotic to help her cope with possible infection.

She is unhappy because she is confined for the moment in a cage much of the time. I only let her out when I can be with her and make sure she doesn’t try something stupid, like leaping for a high place that she isn’t strong enough to reach. I may be able to let her loose in the bathroom tomorrow. I don’t want the other cats to be able to reach her yet, as they may lick her wounds and open them. It will take time for her to heal.