I know it's a little tainted with AC and his cronies being allowed in at the last minute, but at least I've got someone to cheer against. It'll be nice to see High Road with Wiggins and Cavendish riding. Weren't they excluded as well at one point?
I think di Luca and Contador are the favourites, but it'll be interesting to see how the third week pans out. I am looking forward to seeing Riccardo Ricco especially as he expressed his dislike of that watery twat Pelizotti.

Is Andy Schleck injured or is he being saved for the tour? Simoni is too old, Piepoli, MacEwan, Menchov, Pelizotti, Brushegin, Soler and Fothen for stage wins.

1.Contador
2.Ricco
3.di Luca

Say what you like about di Luca, he looked great in that pink skin suit yesterday, especially the time trial overshoes. I'd love to be able to where one of them around town. Imagine the abuse!

Pink always goes down well in Palermo.

My understanding is that Andy Schleck is focusing on the Tour. Lots of quotes from the Astana boys here about how they were on the beach when they heard they were in and haven't had any time to prepare, etc.

Kloden is the local bookies' favourite.

Schleck would be a serious contender wouldn't he.
Ricco was very impressive today wasn't he?

Agreed on both points, even if I saw none of today's stage given that we were at the Meazza watching Inter revert to their traditional form.

1.Ricco
2.Schleck
3.Simoni

Ricco thought that he broke a finger in one of today's pile-ups (not the one that has McEwan going home), but the x-rays have proven to be negative.

Didn't Cavendish win a stage today?

That's good isn't it?

I know bugger all about cycling.

Indeed he did. And that is a very good thing.

I missed yesterday's stage and waited around til 11 to see the Eurosport highlights, only to find minor boxing had pushed it back to 1140. 'Fuck that', I thought. 'Must've been an uninteresting stage'. Imagine my surprise when I find out who won.

Eurosport moves in mysterious ways.

I had the same problem Felicity but I recorded it and watched it this afternoon. Cavendish did brilliantly. A greta big pile up near the end with Nick Nuyens getting in an ambulance. Cavendish was very impressive and Bennati was very magnanimous.
That boxing was quite good though. Who won, the big German or the thuggish looking Italian veteran?
I haven't seen or heard about today's stage, but it's a high casualty count so far.

I stayed up for it last night, still glowing with happiness at Rangers' defeat and it was on at 11 this time. So I saw the previous day's finale, the pile-up etc.

No British joy this time, as Millar's chain snapped in the last few hundred metres, just as he was going onto the wheel of the eventual Russian winner. He stood looking back along the road, saw no team car, so threw the bike over the hoarding. Great stuff.

It was great wasn't it? He must have been sick. The thing is I just think of Kimmage's, "He does in his bollocks" quote every time I see or hear Millar now.
I'm not sure he would have won that stage anyway. I thought he looked a bit tired and Brutte played it perfectly. It was good to see someone almost too exhausted to raise his arm as he crossed the line.
I haven't watched yesterday's stage yet. I'll watch it this afternoon when I get home from work.

Interesting time trial stage yesterday, but no big moves up or down resulted from it.

I guess the big Q answered was 'is Contador in good shape?'

I didn't doubt that he was-the commentators made too much of his refusal to chase after the others the other day, but he knows there are far bigger mountains to, er, fry.

DiLuca was very disappointed, and rightly so.

It is going to be interesting to see what Astana's strategy is in the mountains.

I just don't understand Kloeden's mentality. He's a GC contender if ever I saw one. He's more than handy in the mountains, he can TT and he's got form. Why does he want to be a super domestique for a bloke in his early 20's?

Tomorrow should be very interesting.

I wonder if they have a deal in which they switch roles for Le Tour.