At the end of today's 7th stage, Astana showed why they're the best. They kept up a punishing tempo for kilometer after kilometer in an attempt to crack yellow jersey holder, Fabian Cancellara. They succeeded. The mailot jaune dropped off their pace barely half way up the final climb and far from the finish line. Hats (or helmets) off to the Swiss rider. He kept the leader's cloak for six stages.
Astana did not, however, take the yellow jersey today. Nocentini, an Italian in the day's breakaway, held off a charging Contador to take first place by six seconds. Armstrong is just two seconds back in third and Leipheimer thirty-one seconds in arrears to the Livestrong man. Kloden finished in the leader's group and remains in the top ten. That's four riders in the top ten for Astana. Not bad.
I can see an Astana one-two-three at the finish if their pacemaking can continue to punish the field in the mountains. Wouldn't that be a feat? There's a long way to go and a lot of riders to destroy before that happens.
Here's to tomorrow! Go Astana!
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