Le Tour: thoughts on the prologue

Café du Nord: Menetou-Salon

Although I don't intend Jim's Loire to turn into a cycling blog during the three weeks of Le Tour de France, I am going to post on it from time to time.

Very good ride from Tony Martin yesterday only denied a prologue victory by the superlative Cancellara. Excellent rides from David Millar and Geraint Thomas but surprisingly poor from Bradley Wiggins whose gamble of an early start failed spectacularly when he got some of the worst of yesterday's rain. Best time trial by Lance Armstrong since his return from retirement but I'm not convinced that he will be strong enough in the mountains to hold onto the Schlecks and Contador. I doubt if Lance will improve on last year's third place. Reasonable ride from Cadel Evans, who may well enjoy the cobbles on Stage 3 following his great winning ride in the appalling stage to Montalcino in this year's Giro.

Not sure how much damage the Wall Street Journal article with Floyd Landis' doping allegations against Lance are doing him. Nor how credible they are. Undoubtedly Landis has lied repeatedly since the 2006 Tour. Could he finally be telling truth? Lance has never failed a drug's test alhough there are doubts about one sample in 1999 and a donation to UCI. Given that the Wall Street Journal is now owned by Rupert Murdoch as is the Sky cycling team I think that reduces the force of the story from a normally highly reputed neswpaper. However, although Lance has denied the allegations he has issued only general denials and attacked Landis' credibility but hasn't provided a detailed rebuttal.

Prediction for the overall winner: Contador.