500 Words on the Tour for Neil

I started writing 500 words on the upcoming Tour de France for Neil on what seemed like a taunting challenge via Twitter. News of Chris Horner not being included on the Astana roster then derailed my original intensions. I drank some coke, ate too many snickers, and started writing a piece about what I’ll miss watching at this year; that would be Horner acting like a stud in every possible way for his leader(s). I then got distracted writing out that rant and ended up with the word vomit below. Neil… it’s on the upcoming Tour, it’s about 500 words, and most of those words hold little to no value. Enjoy.

The 2009 Tour de France is fast approaching, and without a decisive team stepping forward to control the race. Race organizers have thrown in their own little gems this year as well. For the first time ever a crucial mountain stage is slated the day before arriving on the Champs-Elisees, and race radios have been banned for stages 10 and 13. Whether those changes will make a difference in the overall has yet to be determined, but they open the opportunity for tactical breakaways.

When breaks are inevitably caught, it will be time for the sprinters to step forward, with the notable exceptions: Robbie McEwen, who will sit out with a knee injury, and Tom Boonen, who is banned. Sprinters have four stages with fresh legs before the course goes vertical. Rabobank’s Oscar Freire will defend his 2008 green jersey, and looking to add to his previous four stage wins. With Columbia-Highroad’s Mark Cavendish lining up, it is not a question whether he will win a stage, but whether he will take more then the four last year. Challenging the sprint to the line will no doubt be the Cervelo Test Team. Cervelo beat out Columbia-Highroad when they went head to head at the Tour of California, and Thor Hushovd’s proven strength guarantees he won’t go down without a fight. Heinrich Haussler won’t be getting the lead out, but he showed form at Milan-San Remo and is still looking for his first Tour stage. Sprinters will fight for the extra inch every chance they get.

General classification offers a handful of strong contenders, none guaranteed the win. Alberto Contador, Lance Armstrong, and Levi Leipheimer are all racing for the recently revived Team Astana, and all know what it feels like to stand on the podium in Paris. Cerelo’s Carlos Sastre will be looking to prove that his win last year was not circumstantial. He showed his climbing legs towards the end of the Giro, and will come prepared for the Alps. Rabobank’s Denis Menchov is coming off a Giro where he heroically defended the pink jersey and will be looking to get a yellow one as well. Rounding out the contenders are last year’s bridesmaid Cadell Evans of Silence-Lotto, Frank Schleck with Saxo Bank (whose team is not showing the organization they had as CSC), as well as Casse d’Epargne’s Alejandro Valverde and Columbia-Highroad’s Kim Kichen both of whom wore some yellow in 2008. Christian Vande Velde finished fifth in 2008, but his form is still in question. Garmin isn’t bringing the strongest GC team they have to offer. Their selection spreads team focus across the GC, sprints, and the TTT, looking like a bid for the overall team win.

Garmin has a chance at the overall along with Astana and Rabobank, who is packing surprising depth. Nothing in this years Tour is certain. Teams expected to show strength have, but all have also revealed weaknesses. With no category completely locked up, this year’s Tour promises excitement.

To meet the journalistic quota: Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Lance Armstrong.