Velochimp: Astrochimp on Cycling

AP Photo/Elsbeth Schouten

Alberto Contador gave Discovery Channel and the Tour de France organization A.S.O. a surprise win today. The 24 year old Spaniard also won the white jersey of best young rider to boot. Hopefully he will avoid the same fate as the last man to wear Yellow and White in Paris, Jan Ullrich. Contador [...]

AP Photo/Bas Czerwinski

The order of the top three in the Tour did not get shuffled, but everyone is closer in time. This will probably not matter as Levi has already declared he will not challenge Evans for the number to spot and pull a “Vinokourov” on him. The reference to Vino is from two years [...]

AP Photo/Antonio Calanni

Michael Rasmussen is still reeling from his firing from Team Rabobank. The 33 year old racer is back home giving interviews about his sudden sacking while leading the Tour. Whether he was doping or not, the missed tests and obfuscation of his whereabouts created enough concern from Rabobank management to sack the racer [...]

The real reason Michael Rasmussen was dumped from the Tour? According to The Daily Show not only was he suspected of doping, he was also smuggling plums.

One reassuring aspect of all of the latest doping related news is that the perception inside the peloton is changing. Cyclist are now angry at the dopers because they see sponsors going away and jobs being lost. Doping inside the peloton may be see as a reckless way to get ahead, with the doping racer [...]

FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images

With all of the stress both on and off the bike it seems like a great day to let a breakaway go for the win. Eight men moved clear of the peloton and gained a big lead that ended up with Daniele Bennati easily taking the win over the remaining three breakaway companions. [...]

Active.com takes a quick look into the team buses. Team CSC looks clean and modern, Scandinavian style. Stuart O’Grady’s number is up as a homage to the hurt racer. Saunier Duval seems to have a mor eluxurious bus with a built in espresso machine, various sodas on tap and a swanky second level. By contrast [...]

JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images)

Team Rabobank has pulled Yellow Jersey wearer Michael Rasmussen out of the Tour de France. Rasmussen is also out of a job to boot. This was a result of violating team rules on the issue of his missed out of competition tests. Basically Rasmussen was lying to team management about his wearabouts saying [...]

Vino is an ass. (AP Photo/Bas Czerwinski)

This is totally unbelievable. What is it with these people that makes them continue to do this shit? I do not understand what the motivation is to still dope after all that has happened. From the Festina affair to Floyd Landis and Ivan Basso. These guys have thick heads [...]

FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images

The Pyrenees stages of the Tour have whittled down the list of contenders for the 2007 Tour de France to two names. Michael Rasmussen is still in Yellow but has a relentless Contador ready to pounce into the lead. After yesterday’s well played out win on Plateau de Beille, Contador and Discovery Channel [...]