Astana. Bull. Horns.

So the TTT is over, and as the smoke clears the devastation is plain to see. I have a strange feeling of de ja vu - memories of the same turquoise armada eating up the Spanish countryside, albeit led by faces we'd all rather forget.

BUT
What? (I hear you say - There are no buts) - but here it is. The tour suffers the same disease as the world cup final. I've said it before, but at the tour there is too much to loose. Riders risk their whole season to hit the top 10 in France in the summertime. Attack and hit the red zone? No thanks. This tends to make for defensive racing, especially from the leaders. Witness Menchov at the Giro - all he had to do was follow. Astana? How can they play the next 2+ weeks?

In my book the TTT was the best thing that could possibly happen to Evans, Sastre, the Schlecks and Denis. Now, they have nothing to loose. There is a bat's chance in hell that they will put 2 minutes into Contador in the hills, and if he falters there is always Levi, Lance, Kloden... No, these guys have to attack and attack hard.

My hope? That they quickly realise their predicament and start making friends. A marriage of convenience between Menchov and Evans? Astana letting Sastre run up the slopes for a bit? The best (and worst) days at the tour are born out of desperation, and after stage 4 there is plenty of that to go around.

It will only get better from here.