You appear to be saying that ego is what has hurt Radio Shack...:-) The Shack has had some VERY bad luck.... Would love to hear how they don't have their act together?

That doesn't mention the fact that Radio Shack is currently in 2nd as a team....
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Paulinho did something good for Radio Shack today.
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I don't see how bad luck for RS could be counted as not having their act together. Yesterday they had a very good day. Today they won the stage. It has definately not been the Tour they had envisioned but I still think they are having a good tour overall.
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Lance would've never made such tactical errors, what about Kloden? These guys have not been as well executed as years past with Bruyneel. Yes, there is bad luck, but his teams have been so well polished, it's like bad luck did not exist. In all reality, they have the same shakes as every team this tour, but got caught out at some crucial times. Points is about all they can shot for at this stage. A few stage wins, I doubt they'll win the individual time trial.

Saxo Bank is looking really great, but I want Contador to win. I question Andy Schleck's mental toughness. Contador and Vino are cool as they get. Jens Voight as great as he is, can only give so much.
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Bruyneel said (my guess) "Since our tour is blown, why don't you go for the break away?" I bet they'll try to put their domestiques into each break away for the rest of the race. They need to give RS their money's worth and there could be stipulations on bonuses based on overall win, points, stages... Since the crown jewel is, time to get what you can.

We could see Lance or Levi in the polka dots for instance.
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Other than RS (Lance) the only other team I think that you could compare that has had as bad luck this year would be Garmin. The timing of the crashes and flats Lance had this year made it humanly impossible for him to make up the ground he lost and still stay with the lead group on the tough climbs. If Alberto or Andy would have had the same flats and crashes in the places Lance has had this year they would be out of the race as well. The difference in my opinion is that if it would have happened to Astana any hopes they have for any success would be dashed if it were to happen to Alberto. Saxo is probably the closest to RS as far as depth this year imo.
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Exactly what tactical errors? I really don't know what you are referring to...:-)

I have not seen, nor have I heard discussed LA, Johan or Team Shack making tactical errors that have cost them.... Though there has been a lot of talk about things that happen in long stage races that just suck... Much like Saxo losing Frank.... That was not a tactical error by Saxo or Frank...just something that happens....

In the end, it is a long stage race and things happen.... A flat in the cobbles with no support, going down at 36MPH and having to try to catch a jumping field, on a second bike, right before a climb.... It didn't work out for the Shacks GC #1 to win the tour....however unlikely that would have been...

Like I said before, I think it is Contadors' race to lose.... If A. Schleck was better in the ITT, I'd give him the edge...
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There is no question who the two deepest teams are.
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Classless move by Contador to attack when the yellow goes down to mechanical....

Add to this, the thought is, Contador is already right where he wants to be.... To take Yellow by attacking when Yellow goes down to a mechanical....or wreck...is just total douche.... He didn't need this time....it is a WTF move....:-)
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I disagree. I am no Contador fan, not at all, but every rider would have done the same. He saw a chance and he took it.
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So by every rider, like Lance attacking when Ulrich went off the road on the descent....or Ulrich hammering down when Lance was pulled down by the musette.....:-)
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He probably should have sat up and waited, but I'm sure his excuse is going to be Menchov & Sanchez had no intentions and he couldn't let them gain time.
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Lance vs Ulrich, Lance in the yellow with more than a 3 minute lead. Whole different story than Contador vs Schleck where Schleck leads by 31 seconds.

Ulrich did wait indeed, that's why he only one the tour once.

How much I want Schleck (or Menchov, or Gesink, or Leipheimer) to beat Contador, I can't blame him for taking the opportunity.
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I didn't see it but Contador has shown to be classless in general so it doesn't surprise me. Historically it is my understanding that it didn't matter whether the yellow had a ten second or a ten minute lead other GC riders did not take advantage of falls or mechanical issues.
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Back in the day this kind of stuff happened all the time, so historically Contador did what he had to do. A bad chain, a flat, stuff like that is part of the course and throughout all history riders took advantage of that. Now a pee-break or a nasty fall, that's another issue.
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:-)

The major icons of cycling like Hinault were interviewed about this and all said "it's a part of racing, tough luck".

SRAM both won and lost the TdF in an instant. :-)
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Absolultely not! Schleck can't adjust his derailleur so everyone should hold his hand? Stuff like this is all part of the breaks
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Contador waited on Schleck in Spa, he can't keep waiting can he?

Erik Breukink, teammanager of Rabo and former top 5 rider in the TdF, said the same thing as Hinault.
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Even though I can't stand Contador I can't fault him for this. If you recall he was only 10 seconds back on the climb. He lost the majority of his time on the descent. Schlek is not a very good descender so he very well could have lost the jersey today anyways if they would have finished the climb together.
Also if I remember corectly it was the Saxo team that was drilling it when Lance had his crash that esseentially put him out of contention this year.
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You cannot compare leaving a rider who went down and leaving yellow after a wreck/mechanical....????



Johan Bruyneel also doesn't fault Contador for hammering down.....



That said, I still don't like the move....
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