from Bruce Hildenbrand

It seems fitting that the rider who launched the biggest attack on the biggest climb of the biggest stage should win the 2008 Tour de France. And it is also appropriate for his team CSC Saxo Bank which put on a veritable bike racing 101 clinic in both the Pyrenees and the Alps to launch their squad into a winning position. Riders like Fabian Cancellara and Jens Voigt, who should be riding in the grupetto, were at the front setting the tempo on the huge, race-defining climbs. More than one noted climber was dropped by the pacesetting by these two big men.

Dr. Lim discusses the his strategy for the fastest time trial.

My older brother and his wife are going to have a baby in three weeks. It will be their first child -- the first of our family’s next generation. Between baby showers and trips to ‘Babies R Us,’ I’ve been taking every opportunity to make fun of him, razing him that he’s not going to have enough time to make it to ‘Bed Bath and Beyond’ before he has to convert his “man office” into the new “baby room,” pulling down in the process all the plaques, awards, and pictures that have marked his well -traveled career as a military helicopter pilot.

Hi Dr. Lim
I've been reading on the internet about TDF champions of the past having the magic power to weight ratio of 6.7 watts per kilo at threshold and vo2max's in the 85 to 90ml range. My question is are these numbers for real or have they been tweaked a little for the press and where do the average tour guys like Danny Pate, Trent Lowe, Will Frischkorn stack up against those numbers?
Also I hear you also do Nutella rice - any chance of posting the recipe?
Sam
Australia

from Bruce Hildenbrand

The Alps were supposed to be about how well the favorites climbed. Unfortunately, it seemed, for some of the contenders, it was also how well they could descend. To be sure, the stages to Prato Nevoso and l'Alpe d'Huez were battle royales by the uphill specialists providing some of the best excitement the Tour has seen in years. Team CSC Saxo Bank put on a bike racing clinic on all three Alpine stages and continued to impress, not only with their bonafide mountain goats, but also how they got such gravitationally-challenged riders as Jens Voigt and Fabian Cancellara over the big climbs and in a position to evoke damage.