Bastille Day

Can anyone beat Mark Cavendish in the sprint? Answer: Probably not, but in order to find out, they'd have to outmaneuver his lead-out men first. Renshaw and Hincapie? Wow. They've been throwing down some nasty blocks out there in the final 200. How can you know if you can beat a man if you can't even get on his wheel?

Not that I think anyone could beat him. I love watching him sprint; he's like a raving jungle cat. I've never seen that animal quality in a sprinter before. Fluid, powerful... scary.

Before watching today's finish, I went out on a sparkling morning -- warm in the sun, cool in the shade, my favorite weather -- and climbed Gulf Road, my little local Ventoux, in honor of my brothers in the peloton finishing up the Pyrenees. It was fun to think of them on their bikes as I was on mine.

I believe it was a fine way to mark Bastille Day. Chapeau, monsieurs!