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2023 July — Why Now?
On-line Opinion Magazine…OK, it's a blog
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Posts from — July 2023

Le Tour 2023 – Stage 6

Tour de France Tarbes > Cauterets-Cambasque

Distance: 144.9 kilometers.

This is a Mountain stage with 4 Category climbs. It ends with a summit finish.

  • Côte de Capvern-les-Bains 29.2 km (Cat 3: 5.6km @ 4.8%)
  • Col d’Aspin 68.1 km (Cat 1: 12.0km @ 6.5%)
  • Col du Tourmalet 97.9 km (Hors Catégorie: 17.1km @ 7.3%)
  • Cauterets-Cambasque 144.9 km (Cat 1: 16.0km @ 5.4%)

The intermediate sprint is 49.2 km from the start at Sarrancolin.

Yellow Jersey Jonas Vingegaard (TJV – 001) [Yellow] 26h 10′ 44″
Green Jersey Jasper Philipsen (AFC – 106) [Green] 150 Points
Polka Dot Jersey Neilson Powless (EFE – 046) [Polka Dot] 36 points
White Jersey Tadej Pogačar (UAD – 011) [White] 2 +00h 00′ 25″

Stage winner: Tadej Pogačar (UAD – 011)
Combative: Wout van Aert (TJV – 006) [Tan numbers]
Team: Team Jumbo-Visma (TJV – 001-008) [Yellow numbers]

Top 10 below the fold
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July 6, 2023   Comments Off on Le Tour 2023 – Stage 6

Le Tour 2023 – Stage 5

Tour de France Pau > Laruns

Distance: 162.7 kilometers.

This is a Mountain stage with 3 Category climbs. It ends with a group sprint after a descent.

  • Col de Soudet 87.5 km (Hors Catégorie: 15.2km @ 7.2%)
  • Col d’Ichère 124.8 km (Cat 3: 4.2km @ 7.0%)
  • Col de Marie Blanque 144.2 km (Cat 1: 7.7km @ 8.6%)

The intermediate sprint is 48.8 km from the start at Lanne-En-Barétous.

Yellow Jersey Jai Hindley (BOH – 071) [Yellow] 22h 15′ 12″
Green Jersey Jasper Philipsen (AFC – 106) [Green] 150 Points
Polka Dot Jersey Felix Gall (ACT – 095) [Polka Dot] 28 points
White Jersey Tadej Pogačar (UAD – 011) [White] 6 +00h 01′ 40″

Stage winner: Jai Hindley (BOH – 071)
Combative: Wout van Aert (TJV – 006) [Tan numbers]
Team: Team Jumbo-Visma (TJV – 001-008) [Yellow numbers]

Top 10 below the fold
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July 5, 2023   Comments Off on Le Tour 2023 – Stage 5

Le Tour 2023 – Stage 4

Tour de France Dax > Nogaro

Distance: 181.8 kilometers.

This is a Flat stage with 1 Category climb. It ends with a group sprint.

  • Côte de Dému 154.4 km (Cat 4: 2.0km @ 3.5%)

The intermediate sprint is 93.6 km from the start at Notre Dame des Cyclistes.

Yellow Jersey Adam Yates (UAD – 019) [Yellow] 18h 18′ 01″
Green Jersey Jasper Philipsen (AFC – 106) [Green] 150 Points
Polka Dot Jersey Neilson Powless (EFE – 046) [Polka Dot] 18 points
White Jersey Tadej Pogačar (UAD – 011) [White] 2 +00h 00′ 06″

Stage winner: Jasper Philipsen (AFC – 106)
Combative: Benoit Cosnefroy (ACT – 093) [Tan numbers]
Team: Team Jumbo-Visma (TJV – 001-008) [Yellow numbers]

Top 10 below the fold
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July 4, 2023   Comments Off on Le Tour 2023 – Stage 4

Independence Day

John Trumbull's Signing the Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security…

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July 4, 2023   Comments Off on Independence Day

Le Tour 2023 – Stage 3

Tour de France Amorebieta-Etxano > Bayonne

Distance: 193.5 kilometers.

This is a Flat stage with 4 Category climbs that exit Spain. It ends with a group sprint in the Atlantic Pyrenees of France.

  • Côte de Trabakua 13.8 km (Cat 3: 4.1km @ 5.4%)
  • Côte de Milloi 32.8 km (Cat 4: 2.3km @ 4.5%)
  • Col d’Itziar 70.9 km (Cat 3: 5.1km @ 6.3%)
  • Côte d’Orioko Benta 102.0 km (Cat 4: 4.6km @ 6.3%)

The intermediate sprint is 65.7 km from the start at Deba.

Yellow Jersey Adam Yates (UAD – 019) [Yellow] 13h 52′ 33″
Green Jersey Victor Lafay (COF – 125) [Green] 80 Points
Polka Dot Jersey Neilson Powless (EFE – 046) [Polka Dot] 18 points
White Jersey Tadej Pogačar (UAD – 011) [White] 2 +00h 00′ 06″

Stage winner: Jasper Philipsen (AFC – 106)
Combative: Laurent Pichon (ARK – 178) [Tan numbers]
Team: Team Jumbo-Visma (TJV – 001-008) [Yellow numbers]

Top 10 below the fold
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July 3, 2023   Comments Off on Le Tour 2023 – Stage 3

Le Tour 2023 – Stage 2

Tour de France Vitoria-Gasteiz > Saint-Sébastien

Distance: 209.0 kilometers.

The longest stage on this Tour it is a Hilly stage with 5 Category climbs, it ends with a 440 meter drop in altitude and an 8 km sprint.

  • Col d’Udana 81.3 km (Cat 3: 4.5km @ 5.1%)
  • Côte d’Aztiria 87.6 km (Cat 4: 2.7km @ 5.3%)
  • Côte d’Alkiza 140.9 km (Cat 3: 4.2km @ 5.7%)
  • Côte de Gurutze 174.2 km (Cat 4: 2.6km @ 4.7%)
  • Jaizkibel 192.4 km (Cat 2: 8.1km @ 5.3%)

The intermediate sprint is 40.6 km from the start at Legutio.

Yellow Jersey Adam Yates (UAD – 019) [Yellow] 09h 09′ 18″
Green Jersey Victor Lafay (COF – 125) [Green] 65 Points
Polka Dot Jersey Neilson Powless (EFE – 046) [Polka Dot] 11 points
White Jersey Tadej Pogačar (UAD – 011) [White] 2 +00h 00′ 06″

Stage winner: Victor Lafay (COF – 125)
Combative: Neilson Powless (EFE – 046) [Tan numbers]

Team: Team Jumbo-Visma (TJV – 001-008) [Yellow numbers]

Did not start:
Richard Carapaz (EFE – 041)
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July 2, 2023   Comments Off on Le Tour 2023 – Stage 2

Le Tour 2023 – Stage 1

Tour de France Bilbao > Bilbao

Distance: 182.0 kilometers.

A Hilly stage with 5 Category climbs, it ends with a downhill sprint.

  • Côte de Laukiz 13.8 km (Cat 3: 2.2km @ 6.9%)
  • Côte de San Juan de Gaztelugatxe 67.8 km (Cat 3: 3.5km @ 7.6%)
  • Col de Morga 140.9 km (Cat 4: 3.9km @ 4.1%)
  • Côte de Vivero 154.9 km (Cat 2: 4.2km @ 7.3%)
  • Côte de Pike 172.4 km (Cat 3: 2.0km @ 10.0%)

The intermediate sprint is 88.2 km from the start at Gernika-Lumo.

Yellow Jersey Adam Yates (UAD – 019) [Yellow] 4h 22′ 00″
Green Jersey Adam Yates (UAD – 019) [Green] 30 Points
Polka Dot Jersey Neilson Powless (EFE – 046) [Polka Dot] 5 points
White Jersey Tadej Pogačar (UAD – 011) [White] 3

Stage winner: Adam Yates (UAD – 019)
Combative: Adam Yates (UAD – 019) [Tan numbers]

Team: Team Jumbo-Visma (TJV – 001-008) [Yellow numbers]

Withdrew:

Enric Mas (131 – MOV)
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July 2, 2023   Comments Off on Le Tour 2023 – Stage 1

Happy Canada Day

La fête du
Canada
Day

Canada

Thank you for not yet building a fence along your southern or western border, and for brewing great beer.

This is the 156th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution Act of 1867.

Schedule of Ottawa events and some background.

July 1, 2023   Comments Off on Happy Canada Day