I rode out to the TT course and not a stitch of work has begun on Chestnut Ridge or Black Creek.  Signs everywhere though.  According to the Madison County web site all of Chestnut Ridge is due for a Road Rehab & Repaving.   Hopefully they will finish quickly and give us nice smooth surface.

I will try to call Madison County to see if they are starting tomorrow.  Let's plan on it being a go tomorrow.  

Weather forecast at start time (6:15pm):

Temperature -  79 degrees

 Wind -   5mph E shifting to the ESE  

Humidity -  approx 40%

Skies  -  Partly sunny

The wind will be coming from what I always say is the fastest direction.    Come on out and prove me right!

Stage 1 (Saturday):  The Tour de France started up with what was probably the most difficult first stage ever.   The course profile combined with 90 degree heat made for a stage that created a lot stress for the peloton. Frenchman Romain Bardet broke free from the peloton to bridge the gap to the break where his rookie team mate Van Den Broek was strategically place.  The two worked together to beat the peloton to the finish by only 5 seconds.  Bardet had announced that this was his last TDF. He had not won a stage in 7 years.   With the victory he took the yellow jersey.

Stage 2 (Sunday):  A very lumpy course with some leg stinging climbs throughout.  On the final climb with about 6 miles left,  Pogacar launched from the small remaining peloton and Vingegaard was able to match his pace.  No one else could.    The two co-favorites worked together to put distance between themselves and the other potential threats.  They stretched their lead on the chasing GC peloton to about 30 seconds.    But, with about .5 mile from the finish, Evenpoel and Carapaz gapped up to Pogacar/Vingegaard.   They finished 21 seconds ahead of the GC peloton which included Bardet in the yellow jersey.  He desperately tried to close the gap to 15 seconds in order to keep the yellow....   It was not to be.   It turns out Pogacar is in yellow by virtue of some tie breaker rules.   

Take-aways:   

Pogacar is on form.  He easily won the Giro d'Italia.   He's going for the rare Giro/Tour combo.

Vingegaard passed the test.  This is his first race since his bad crash in the early spring that put him in the hospital for 12 days.

Carapaz hadn't trained for several months for reasons I don't recall.   

Evenepoel has to happy he was able to pull Pogacar/Vingegaard back, but has to be concerned he could not respond to the initial acceleration.

Roglic ????  where the heck was he.   Hanging around the back eating a donut?    He's got to be ready to pounce when Pogacar launches.  

Cavendish -  will he recover enough to take a sprint and break Eddie Merckx's record?  

See ya on the course!  Get inspired!

Brian

TT Directeur

315-727-1458