13 days to go
The roads were melting in the heat today as stage 9 claimed Joseba Beloki who retired with multiple fractures. No wonder I always tell the kids to wear their cycle helmets.
Armstrong retained the yellow with a 4th place. But the biggest result for him today must be the forced retiral of Beloki who was one of his main rivals. All Armstrong's hard work last night in the bicycle sheds with wire clippers has really paid off.
Today's real hero was Kazak, Alexandre Vinokourov who came home first - 36 seconds clear of the pack. He is riding for Team Telekom. Another advance in the cause of pigeon freedom - they've finally moved communications on to bicycle in Kazakhstan.
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Armstrong's escape |
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| As the saying goes, there's no such thing as a free breakfast. And Lance Armstrong nearly paid in full when he almost collided with a brioche left in the road by another team. |
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There are plenty of close-ups of sponsors logos in these photos from today's stage. But there are also a couple of excellent shots showing the scenery, which is both a fantastic backdrop to the race and a superb advert for gear manufacturers. I wish I was there...
3:07:37 PM 
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