For a Friday, there sure is a lot of news. Maybe the UCI is borrowing press tactics from the White House. Meanwhile, out on the road...
- Petacchi gets payback in Algarve, beating my man Eisel and Tomas Vaitkus. Eisel has a three second overall lead. No text yet on how Ale-Jet pulled it off, but I'm guessing it had something to do with a big leadout and a long sprint.
- Sunday is the Tour du Haut Var, which last year kicked off the Coupe de France, a series of 14 races over seven months. I can't find the second race, the Classic Haribo, or any reference to a 2007 Coupe de France, but it's been running for 15 years, so I suspect it's there and I'm information-challenged. Anyway, per Cycling Start Lists (genuflecting), the heavy hitters include Casar, the Schlecks, Pozzato, Moreau, Dessel, Fedrigo, Hamilton, etc.
- Today's Solvang Time Trial is a bumpy loop up to Los Olivos, rising slowly for 6.5 km to a short climb, then gently descending for another 8km. Forecast is 60 and sunny, not sure about wind. The race starts at 11am, just about when I'll be getting in a car to go to a meeting an hour away. But whatever, it's not like the time trial is going to decide the overall or anything. Grrrr...