Stage 21: Vino outsprinting, Lance wins 7

Vino outfoxed the sprinters for the stage win, but the tour belongs to Lance

Stage 20 : Lance too Strong

It's in these words that Ullrich summed up the day .
Ullrich accomplished his mission finishing third on the podium. In his 8th Tour de France Ullrich never finshed worth than 4th.
But the day belonged to Lance. Lance won his first stage of the tour the same way he won all 7 of his TDF wins, in majestic fashion.
Lance can start drinking champain and enjoy the last race of an amazing career.

Rare good day for T-Mobile today!!

Ullrich had nothing to smile about in this year's tour. But after today Ullric was relieved, he could take time on Rasmussen and he's feeling confident.
So confident that for the first time he's mentioning next year's tour.
Ullrich said that with Armstrong gone, his chances to win the tour are very good. I don't disagree.
T-Mobile gained back the lead after today's stage. They lost it yesterday when Kloden had to withdraw with a wrist fracture.

Stage 18: Serrano wins

Marcos Serrano of team Liberty Seguros attacked on the final climb, leaving behind him Axel Merckx (Davitamon-Lotto) and Cedric Vasseur (Cofidis) to win the stage.
Aboard a break away group of 10 that almost had a 15 minutes advantage on the peloton, Serrano outfoxed the bunch for a very good win for team Liberty Seguros.
The main peloton broke apart on the last climb due to hard work by team CSC, eventually the usual suspects Lance, Basso and Ullrich found themselves with cadel Evans ahead of everybody. They stayed together till the end.
Ullrich gained a valuable 37 seconds on Rasmussen, Rasmussen is 2 minutes 12 seconds ahead of Ullrich now, with Ullrich probably making up that time in the time trial.
Rasmussen won the best climber jersey. It's already a successful tour for the Dane even if he doesn't finish on the podium come Paris time.
Tomorrow's stage is flat and is going to be disputed between sprinters. Mainly Hushevod, O'Grady and McEwen fighting off the green jersey.

Stage 16 17

Unfortunetly I was not able to watch those stages sue to an excess of work
A good source of information is
http://www.eurosport.com/

Stage 15: Hincapie well deserved

Hincapie won today his first ever TDF stage. After being the ultimate teammate for Lance for so long now, I can only say that's well deserved.
Hincapie managed to catch a break of 14 men, that at some point had 18 minutes advantage on the peloton.
The breakaway group contained Hincapie (Discovery Channel), Pereiro (Phonak), Oscar Sevilla (T-Mobile Team), Michael Boogerd (Rabobank), Pietro Caucchioli (Credit Agricole) and Laurent Brochard (Bouygues Telecom), Pereiro doing most of the work managed to pull away from everybody with only Hincapie on his wheels, Pereiro eventually finshed second and was awarded the combativity jersey.
Lance finished with Basso 5 minutes back but one minute ahead of Ullrich who couldn't stay with the 2 for the second straight day.
Basso moved to second overall overtaking Rasmussen, a fight for the third podium place will be between Rasmussen and Ullrich with Rasmussen having 1minute 50 seconds advantage, but Ullrich will pull back some time of the time trial.
Tomorrow is a rest day and tuesday is the last day in the mountains, final chance for people to attack Lance. Should be as exciting as today.

Stage 14: Totschnig the stage win, Armstrong the big winner

First stage at the pyreness came fast, exciting, and full of attacks.
The first one coming just 10 km after the start. It involved 10 men notably Totschnig, who attacked from the group at the foot of the Port de Pailhères, taking Liquigas' Stephano Garzelli and Boygues' Walter Bénéteau with him.
He would hang on to get win one of his most best rides in his career.
Texcitementent of the day was however coming from elsewhere, T-Mobile attacked as soon as the first climb started. The attack was so fierce that Armstrong found himself isolated without teammates very quickly, and the group reduced to a small select group of riders.
At the top of the first climb the group only contained the giants of the tour Ullrich, Armstrong and Basso.
On the descent other people could catch up, notably Vinokourov who seemed to be cracking at the first climb.
At the start of the final climb, Ullrich attacked again taking with him Armstrong , Basso , Landis and Leipheimer. That group found itself quickly reduced to 3. Ullrich cracked with less than 2 km to go, and Lance outsprinted Basso to finish second.
Today witnessed finally a good move by Ullrich, despite not winning the stage, Ullrich showed he had a big heart and courage.
Today Lance stamped authority on the tour relegating Rasmussen to 1'47 seconds.
Today we saw a very courageous ride by Vinokourov.
Today we saw Basso is here to stay, and clear indication that he will attack tomorrow.

Looking ahead to tomorrow's very tough day in the mountains.
I predict Basso as the winner of the stage putting at least a minute on everybody else.

Sploush

Stage13: McEwen master of the sprint, Valverde big disappointment

It's very rare that a sprinter wins a flat stage between the alps and the pyrenees.
Such stages are usually won by "baroudeurs", they did try today Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom), Carlos Da Cruz (FDJ), Juan Antonio Flecha (Fassa Bortolo), Ludovic Turpin (Ag2R), Sylvain Chavanel (cofidis) and Chris Horner (Saunier Duval) -- shuttled off the front just 25 km into Friday's race. But the crazy pace of the peoloton caught the last 2 just 200 meters beforet the finish. A good work by Lotto team propelled McEwen to an awesome sprint. Hushevod, the green jersey leader finished fifth and his lead is growing smaller by the stages.
Big disappointing news for Valverde today who withdrew because of a recurring knee injury, the star of the future was in tears today, but looking back later on his first TDF, he will be satisfied with his performance.
Look out for Valverde next year.
Tomorrow is the start of the pyrenees, it's Ullrich time. Ullrich will attack at some point tomorrow, and he will probably distance himself from everybody except Lance or maybe even Lance.
Tomorrow will be very exciting, I for one will wake early and enjoy it.

Sploush