Archive: July 17, 2009

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TDF stage 12 - Leipheimer out with broken wrist

Friday,  07/17/09  06:53 AM

Man, this sucks... Levi Leipheimer was involved in a crash in yesterday's stage 12; initially it looked like he was okay, he got up and finished, but later it turned out he'd broken his wrist and had to withdraw from the tour.  Reminds me of the injury George Hincapie sustained a few years ago in the Tour of California...  anyway this really sucks, Levi is such a great guy, and Lance and Alberto are really going to miss him in the alps.  Not to mention he was sitting fourth on GC. 

It will make today's stage even more interesting... they're riding even as I type.  This does change the dynamic; it makes Astana a little more vulnerable, and may motivate some of the other teams to attack.  Stay tuned.

[ Tour de France 2009: all postsindex ]

 

TDF stage 13 / climb? - Haussler wins big, GC unchanged, Hushovd green, Pellizotti spotted

Friday,  07/17/09  08:46 AM

Heinrich Haussler attacked from an early break and stayed out all day for a wire-to-wire win in today's 99km TDF stage from Colmar to Besançon.  He was 105 in GC and unbothered by the peloton, who rode as a clump with little action, despite five catagorized climbs and rain.  In other action Thor Hushovd grabbed sprint points to take the green jersey back; he might not be able to beat Mark Cavendish in a raw sprint, but he's wiley, and Franco Pellizotti took the KOM jersey from Igor Martinez by launching out and scooping up points on each climb.

I am confused by the strategy of would-be GC contenders like Cadel Evans, Denis Menchov, Andy Schleck, and Christian Vande Velde.  They need to pick up minutes on Lance and Alberto somewhere, today would have been a good chance.  Everyone is waiting for everyone else, and meanwhile AG2R holds yellow and Astana is in the catbird seat.  Verrry interrresting...

[ Tour de France 2009: all postsindex ]

 

Zac is back

Friday,  07/17/09  10:45 PM

Just wanted to recognize the incredible achievement of my fellow Westlake Yacht Club member Zac Sunderland, who yesterday became, at 17, the youngest sailor ever to circumnavigate the globe alone.  He sailed his 36-foot Islander into Marina Del Rey yesterday after a 13 month voyage, greeted by an avalanche of media and friends, including a sizable contingent from our yacht club. 

Sunderland, whose voyage spanned three oceans, five seas and twice led him across the equator, once spent 60 hours without sleeping, while trying to fix broken rigging in 15-foot seas and gale-force winds.

"I think society puts young people in a box - people 15, 16, 17 - and does not expect them to do much but go to high school and play football and stuff like that," Sunderland said. "This just shows they can do a lot more with some strong ambition and desire.  My [advice] is to get out there and do your thing with all you got."

(Thanks for my friend Franklin for the pictures below...)


Zac sails into Marina Del Rey with quite an armada


The press outnumbered family and friends :)


WLYC Commodore Michael Broggie marks the moment

 
 

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