Tour de France Stage 21 2013

Tonight's final stage

reports I peruse

including the Guardian

and Cycling News 

Featuring beaux Parisian views 

And a final sprint which Cav did lose

Marcel Kittel took the stage

A studly sprint after scenic parade

Chris Froome in Yellow

Celebrates on the Champs

Consolidating Sky's victory dance

Le Tour one oh oh is now part of history

How the riders survived it

is still quite a mystery

Tour de France Stage 20 2013

Tour de France Stage 20 2013

This Saturday in Annecy

The weather is sunny

Also dispositions

jockeying for podium position

in the final minutes of the final stage

(Jens Voigt simply won't act his age)

Pierre Rolland craves the Polka Dots

Talansky wants to show what he's got

Quintano waiting in the wings

Alberto C--one of those things. . .

78 miles of Alpine climbs

The finish is uphill

These steep and final inclines

Are sure to give a thrill

Who will taste of victory

 and who a bitter pill?

On whom will Lady Luck confer

that extra bit of will?

Second to fifth place

are in dispute

Who will go to Paris

having earned winners' repute?

Five brutal climbs put all to the test

But Truth won't be told 'til the final minutes

Movistar are motivated

Both for Quintana and the team

Tinkoff-Saxo disagrees

they'd like to spoil that dream

Jens Voigt all natures' laws defying

Pulls away--he's flying

Up the heights of Mont Revard

Zoot Alors! He's riding hard!

TeJay and Gilbert take a try

Voigt is still the leading guy

by more than 3 minutes half-way up

Mont Revard

It's hard to believe he has come so far

With brains and brawn belying his age

he could actually win this stage

He takes points at the top

Why the heck not?

Chis Froome looks strong 

As he powers along

Contador loses ground

Rodriguez looks for third

Quintana two

Andrew Talansky 

Sacre blu!

The crowd is a zoo!

Froome and Quintana

battle it out

Nairo knows what he's about

Taking KOM as well as the stage

A veterans' run at a rookies age

He wins the White jersey and podiums two

Rodriguez takes three

We're proud of you!

All the top ten have earned their oats

The GC also fulfills our hopes

100th  edition of Le Tour

in hearts and minds will long endure!

Tour de France Stage 19 2013

Tour de France Stage 19 2013

Right out of the gate

is Hesjedal, Ryder

and also Izaguirre

'tho mighty peaks await them

which must engender fear

It's three AM in Cali

and I am on the case

my inner alarm clock

has adjusted to this race

All eyes are on the yellow 

Is Chris a tired fellow?

Five brutal climbs ahead

Does he wish he'd stayed in bed?

Rain ramps up the dread

Skies overhead are lead

The Col de Madeline

Humbling to all men

Looms like a giant 

stunning but malevolent

Bob Dole says he's never seen

a race so hard by increment

Ryder and Rolland take the peak

with mutual compliment 

Team Sky has unzipped their kit

Yumminess you must admit

30 KM of descent

Challenges with no relent

Sieberg faces abandonment

A flat for Rolland, Pierre

with chase group on his derrière

Ryder is left in his dust

Has his brave ride become a bust?

Rolland tops le Col de Tamie

He looks like a winner today

11 minutes on the peloton

Hesjedal remains long gone ;0(

Chasers are gaining on Pierre

It's tough to be a solitaire

Saxo-Tinkoff leads the main group

hoping to give Sky the boot

and help their chances of Best Team

as they climb the Col de l'Epine

Rolland gets closer to mountain king

Wonder what he must be thinking?

Storm clouds gather with thunder

Will rain decide the race,

I wonder?

The final climb Col de la Croix Fry

Is known for being grizzly

Navarro attacks 

Nieve as well

Costa is there

Rolland's in hell

The rain pours down 

A total bummer

Bad luck for these Lads of

Summer

Rui Costa rides alone

I'm chilled to the bone

watching them struggle home

Rodriguez attacks

Froome fights back

Costa wins the stage

Kloden two despite his age

Bakelants is third

Radio-Shacks' bright bird

All tour leaders finish as One

Stage 19 was too much fun!

Tour de France Stage 18 2013

TeJay van Garderen with Moser

and Christophe Riblon

has merrily been rolling along

until his gears go out of whack

Leaving him open to attack

Riblon goes off  into a ditch

The Col de Serenne is a bitch

Moser regains his spot in the lead

TeJay is back on the road

contending with a heavy load

Contador attacks on the descent

a champion spoiler is a compliment

Working with Kreuziger his teammate

 rough roads and rain complicate

Sky must wait out this move by Tinkoff- Saxo

having  l'Alpe d'Huez times two to go

The Sky team holds pat

Taking the risk 

That Contador can't continue like this

The lead group of three

Re-forms with TeJay

Who's having a wonderful ride today

Sky muscles on 

At the end there will be a weighing of bikes

Disqualifying those that are too light 

Scrambling for Quintano is Movistar

Hoping he can go be the new star

No more Mr Nice Guy

TeJay looks a brute

He could win this stage

Wouldn't that be cute?

Riche Porte is on fire

Is Chris Froome tired  ?

Five miles straight up

TeJay tries his luck

Nairo follows Chris

Seeks podium bliss

Quintana hangs tough

Can Chris do enough?

Contador runs out of gas

The crowd shows its' ass

Literally, in fact

We've had quite enough of that!!!!

Richie Porte revivified 

 Froomes' Sherpa guide

TeJay holds his line in

mob madness 

Shows one and all he is a badass

Chris is in trouble

Porte feeds him like a bird

Quintana takes his chance to be heard

Riblon fights hard for the French

He passes TeJay-- a Gallic mench

100 years of history

A hungry French crowd goes crazy!!!

TJ comes two in a valiant ride

Did his mechanical turn the tide?

Chris and Rich try to limit their loses

Contador fate once again crosses

A dejected TeJay so near but so far

Chris hits the wall

But Richie took the hit

You want to see teamwork :

This is it

Chris increases his lead

Something he'll need

Riblon wins the ride

What joy for French pride

Tour de France Stage 17 2013--ITT

Le Tour golden boy Chris Froome

Eclipsed Alberto

Perhaps it was the bike change ?

Tour de France Stage 16 2013

A big, brawny breakaway

dominates the stage today

Although Sky team leads the pack

They're more than twelve minutes back

Not trying to the break attack

As it races to the town of Gap

In front group is Philippe G

Ridin for Team BMC

He wants to win

As World Champion

You know my heart goes out to him

The Col de Manse a cat 2 climb

begins the bells of pain to chime

for twenty plus escapees

like tired mouses chasing cheese

Contador wants to gain some time

Rui Costa leads the climb

A dizzying descent for the Portuge

at speeds above KM fifty

He wins the stage handily

A second race for the GC

Is fought with Froome and Albert C

Chris aided by stalwart Richie P

Ends the day quite happily

Before tomorrow's TT

Tour de France Stage 15 2013

Today the climb of Mont Ventoux

makes veterans and neophytes

tremble in their boots collective

A brutish climb from base to tip

All tremble at the sight of it

A terrible objective

Of anguish non-selective

Inspiring extreme invective

of fear and loathing reflective

Mont Ventoux Provenc-ial Beast

Just tap away and grit your teeth

The first three hours of the race

have been run at a ripping pace

of thirty miles P H

Where peloton its' fate will face

on rocky crags which give no grace

Thirteen hard miles the will erase

for cowardice there is no place

Mont Ventoux--the cyclists' grail

Each one prays that he won't fail

A high profile breakaway

Would like to win this Bastille Day

Including Roy and Chavanel

A Gallic victory would be swell

Spoil the lad and spare the rod

In territoire of Marquis de Sade

MoviStar has lead the charge

Hopes Quintana will live large

21 KM of straight up pain

The victors will have earned their fame

On Green Pete S keeps his grip

With this sprint he may have clinched it

Anticipation makes me weak

Empathy from a non-athelete 

In a plot line straight from

Marquis de Sade

This is the Charge of the Light Brigade

Sky leads the pack

Will Contador attack?

Valverde is alive

Schleck has imploded

Bakelants survives

Quintana exploded with 7 miles to climb

He'd like to take 5 mins of time

Sky sneaks a meal in the final ten

There will be fines for them

Kennaugh cracks after giving his all

The harder they climb

The further they fall

Quintana moves like an Aztec eagle

Richie Porte plays a role regal

Protecting rule of king Froome 

Chris is free! He starts to zoom

Alberto cracked

Quint has yellow at his back!

It's Nairo and Chris amazingly

Dueling up the grade

This is the sort of moment

Where history is made

Chris dominates

Mont Ventoux

A textbook ride

Respect to you!!!

Sky's hand is shown

The penny dropped 

Chris Froome is 

the man on top!