Quick Five: Stage 14

1)Schleck and Contador think they have this in the bag. Watching them sit up off the back of the leaders' group today solely to track each other was ridiculous. That kind of riding can quite easily cost them the race - Menchov and Sanchez nearly made them pay dearly today, that pair could have taken thirty seconds or more and were unfortunate to only seize about fifteen. Schleck and Contador are the strongest men in the race, but that doesn't make winning automatic.

2)The French are having a cracking Tour. Four stage wins, a couple of days in yellow, and they've owned the polka-dot jersey...well, never mind with that last point (see #5). Even so, they have their best win haul in some time and those wins have been hard-fought ones as well. While it doesn't look like they'll win the Tour any time soon, at least they are seeing some success in their home race.

3)Alexander Vinokourov is the worst teammate ever. It's not news but it was emphasized today - instead of setting a vicious tempo, he attacked. Just like when he was at T-Mobile, the only way he knows how to race is to attack. It's very exciting and great to watch as a fan (although a bit less so now that he's been exposed as a cheat), but it can't be good for the leader he's supposed to be "pacing".

4)Dennis Menchov could win the Tour. I'm serious. He's about two and three-quarter minutes back, but if he can chip of a few more seconds from Schleck and Contador in the Pyrenees, which seems reasonable based on their tactics today, he could nick this in the final time trial. Menchov beat Contador by fifty seconds over a slightly shorter effort during the Dauphine, and that was a much hillier course that would have suited Contador more then Menchov. A minute and a half would not be an unreasonable time gain for the former Vuelta winner.

5)The King of the Mountains jersey is a joke. Charteau is quite clearly the only guy who cares about it at this point, and he's a thoroughly mediocre climber. It's a sad state of affairs when this guy is leading the KoM classification rather comfortably is plainly nowhere near the top level of the climbers.