2015 Tour de France Stage 13

Although not quite each man for himself

Team cooperation has been put on the shelf

Giant really wants the stage for John Degenkolb

But have they the troops to finish the job?

TeJay Van Garderen is still sitting pretty

With his eyes on the prize at a certain French city

Greipel and Sagan dual for green

But the heat today is more than mean

Scorching hot with crosswinds for breeze

The last 45 miles have no moments of ease

Tinkoff and Giant chase down the break

A lumpy course adds to heartache

Sagan finally gets team respect

Has Contador folded?

We don’t know that yet

 Sagan is working hard for Tink

He might be Plan B, don’t you think?

It’s up and down all the way to the end

adding pressure for overheated men

Peraud goes down in a crosswind

A split in the peloton 

things get grim

Nibali punctures

He’s far back

Astana gathers to pace him on track

All eyes are on Pete Sagan

For the day, at least,

Tink-Saxo’s man

BMC enters the fray

Flexing muscles for TeJay

Le Cote de La Pomparie 

Comes with miles left twenty-three

Orica Green would like a shot

‘Tho Mathew’s back in form—or not?

The six man break struggles in the heat

So many men to be beat

The break is doomed

According to Jens

Lots of work for tired men

The finish is tricky

with corners tight

Patience is part of the final fight

The final climb!

1 KM to go

Greg Van Avermaet takes it!

Narrowly nosing out Pete

BMC cheers

The break ends in tears

And everyone runs from the heat

The GC stays pretty intact

Stage 13 done and dusted

That’s that about that!

2015 Tour de France Stage 12

It’s hot!hot!hot! in the Pyrenees 

bringing tired riders to their knees

Miles and miles of climbing steep

Fighting gradient and heat

Taking the sprint Greipel, A

On his 33rd birthday!

And what about #2— van G, TeJay?

Rodriguez and Contador seek wins—Olé

Ditto Quintana wearing white

He won’t fade without a fight

The break is large but not a threat

Movistar hasn’t shown up yet

Climbing Col de Portet-d’Aspet

takes gallons of water to rehydrate

And, I guess, more time for natural breaks?

It’s hot!hot!hot! with a lot at stake

Col de la Core pain concentrates

Everyone poised for Froome to stumble

but soaring temps their hopes might humble

Born and raised in steamy Nairobi

He’ll be cooler than one from somewhere snowy

The final climb Plateau de Beille

a brute which will cause fear today

Rains come down and cools the course

But might make the descent much worse

Mother Nature will have her say

Right to the height of Plateau de Beille

Kwiatkowski regains his groove

Sep Vanmarcke proves that he can move

It’s hailing at the finish line

Hope the road dries up in time!

The climb begins Sky and Movistar surge

Rodriguez continues to try to emerge

Contador attacks as does Nibali

It’s a war of nerves and the weather is dribbily

Now Valverde! They’re pressuring Sky

There’s only so much they can do for their guy

Quintana goes G. Thomas is left

Valverde is awesome 

Rodriguez leads the rest

Froome attacks! 

Rodriquez wins!

Geraint Thomas shines in style and deed

The race opens up in the Pyrenees

Valverde excels 

TeJay still succeeds

Sky dominates and takes care of their man 

The rain was a blessing—Thank you, ma’am!

2015 Tour de France Stage 11

Warm temps and clear skies

beckon the group 

Nibali visits Cathedral at

Lourdes, while on the route

Light a flame for Vincenzo

He has  a deep wound

to his ego

Teammate J Fuglsang is now 

Astana’s go to fellow

Nibali a mere shadow of

the guy who once wore Yellow

Dan Martin climbs the Col d’Aspin

Unwilling to be an also ran

He’s stalking the break

 KOM in mind

Creating a chance to shine

Man on a Mission for Cannondale-G

In Tommy V he finds good company

He made a huge effort to bridge up to the break

Three minutes evaporate like a mountain breeze

He takes 10 points on Col d’Aspin with ease

Ahead the Tourmelet with 5,000 euros for the peak

A battle for the KOM

Everyone must eat

Roman Bardet has heat stroke

Vansummeran crashes out

Ditto Daniele Bennati

To the fallen a shout out!

Almost 7 minutes to the gap

I’d like to lie down and take a nap

But no rest for the wicked

It’s Le Tour 

Astana raises the pace 

A miracle at Lourdes?

(Could it be that???)

Ravel Majka leads the way

Tinkoff-Saxo’s hope today

6 KM to go Martin surges

But Majka crests the hill

And takes the stage

Nibali cracks again

Martin takes two!

A brilliant ride for him and Majka, too

2015 Tour de France Stage 10

Exceeding expectations Quintana and Froome

Nibali  and Contador fade

But as Le Tour heads to the mountains

New reputations are made

TJ Van G for BMC has learned from mistakes

Taklehaimanot African history makes

His polka dots may slip away

But he’s King of the Mountains on this Bastille Day

A nasty fall slows down Warren Barguil

Watching on route his whole family

He’s having a miracle recovery

Hope he’s fit to support Giant star John D

The green goes to Greipel out on the road

The big climb of today is now straight ahead

The sprinters fall out

Rui Costa too

Movistar leads, a vision in blue

Valverde attacks

Pressuring Sky

Robert Gesink still leads

Lotto’s surprise

Contador cracks!

Froome attacks

Followed by Quintana

Richie Porte follows

2 KM to go!

Chris dominates

Surprising Nairo!

He’s gaining time

with every stroke

What a victory for Sky’s white hope

Kenya’s son mounts La Pierre-Saint-Martin

Porte pips Quintano 

Gesink keeps chargin’

Contador loses time

As Sky wins one two

Quintana takes three

Gesink takes four

I call that victory

Rolland and Gallopin

are Frenchmen in top ten

Valverde comes fifth

Geraint Thomas six

All should be proud to be in that mix!

2015 Tour de France Stage 9

The TTT is tense 

A moment of truth

Orica-GreenEDGE

in the starter booth

Decimated by crashes

their tour hopes in ashes

they are a brave band of six

Heart alone keeps them in the mix

Every rider is under a microscope

Some teams have legitimate hope

Other just trying to dodge disaster

A world broadcast meltdown

is not what they’re after

Astana loses two guys down to five

IAM Cycling keeps their hopes alive

Astana pushes hard

after Nibali’s bad day

Their battle plan in disarray

They did pretty well

I’d say “hooray”

A reading of Vincenzo’s mind

might spell relief they didn’t lose MORE time

It seems he went too hard too soon

Dropping teammate Lars Boom

Here comes Sky down the shoot

Movistar is looking cute

Peter Sagan’s Pops is on the scene

making sure Oleg isn’t too mean?

BMC is popping style

A mean machine mile after mile

TJ is coming into his own

as he powers his team home

It’s all about the last two KM

BMC looks like parts of a puzzle

They pull off the TTT with plenty of hustle

Congrats to TJ and BMC

Let’s reconvene on Tuesday

2015 Tour de France Stage 8

Under Bretagne skies and soleil

Greipel takes the intermediate today

AG2R wins the stage 

Vuillermoz their man

A move too late for Martin, Dan

He takes two, Valverde three

The French team today tastes Victory!!!

The race first hand I did not see

Owing to a great visit from my Sis Mimi

Tomorrow’s TTT falls on Sunday

I will try to see

dès le début de la course

 jusqu'à ce que l' extrémité

2015 Tour de France Stage 7

2015 Tour de France Stage 7

Tony leaves the race in an ambulance

A victim of unhappy happenstance

His collarbone fracture is compound

We’ll miss having him around

Today is the last day for Cavendish

To win the sprint is his fond wish

A good lead out aims Etixx-Quick

Without Tony Martin a sticky wick

A sprint for green is Degenkolb;

Sagan, and then Greipel, A

So it’s sure to be an exciting day

I wouldn’t want to be in Markey’s shoes

Fickle fans are singing the blues

When you’re number one 

there is so much to lose

And then there’s that massive ego bruise

Th weather is lovely this Saturday

A crash free stage—I hope and pray

As we march on to the finish line

anticipation and worry combine

Sky looks strong 

Ditto BMC

Giant sneaks up

John D in their midst

FDJ appears

Demure is here

As is Etixx

Lotto is third

Cavendish takes it!!!

So haters—take that!!!

To the Manx Man I  remove my hat

Brittany is cycling ground zero

And Mark is still cycling’s hero

Mark says patience was the key to victory

and perhaps hanging at the hotel with his family

He says he felt relaxed at the start

Markey Mark— once again

you’ve won my heart!