Just watching todays Due Mari Stage 6 (which is working great, thank you c.tv) when I had to stop part way through and write this down.  Tony is the man!  All through the highlights you can see him running the peloton, ordering people around, directing traffic.

In a, dare I say it, Hinault-like manner he was constantly near the front. In control.  Schlek the Younger scampers up to ask his wishes, disappears back into the group and returns with reinforcements.  

He started the race by co-leading a rider protest (Hinault '78) and then was just the man all day long.  When Gasparatto went on the last time up the hill, the big man controlled the climber like the pro he is, allowing him to pound away while he sat on his wheel, then powering up beside and around him as they his the top of the steep section.  "Take that beyotch..."

You want to win Flanders this year?  If your name ain't Tony Spartacus, you'd best be scared!  He is really great to watch ride and I believe, the perfect remedy to the ASO/UCI malaise.

Oh yeah, Oscarito is also in wicked form (but is an anti-patron) and is my pick for MSR.