Today was a flat stage before the big "ride of truth," as they call the individual time trial, and poor Levi Leipheimer missed out on another stage win. But everyone at the tour is still buzzing about Landis' Launch yesterday. Speaking of buzzing, I was talking to my brother last night, and he related to me that after Floyd got into the yellow jersey the second time, he traded away one of his signed yellow jerseys to a tourist for a six pack of beer. No word on the brand, because you should never drink it again! On the next day, he promptly lost eight minutes on the climb up to La Toussuire. Obviously, training has been hard on Floyd, and beer has been on his mind. Beer has also been on the mind of Patrick O'Grady from Velonews, who asks the important questions, but gets no answers. O'Grady wants to ask the very crucial follow-up:
Asked why he kept calling for water, more water, alternately drinking it and pouring it over his head, Landis quipped: "It was very hot. Maybe that was the explanation, or maybe it was the beer I had last night." No follow-up question. Good Lord, what the hell are they teaching in journalism schools these days? Stenography? Sobriety? The man has discovered the elixir of the gods in some anonymous French taproom and the sporting press just stands there like so many badly dressed mannequins, pondering their next hoary cliche.
For the record, according to Robbie Ventura, Floyd's personal coach, Landis consumed (drank, doused, and emptied) 71 water bottles on the road.
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