Had a car pick me up for a 545am start to take me to City Airport for a flight to Amsterdam to face the music. On arrival in Amsterdam I had an hour to kill so jumped in the €90k Tessler taxi (the aiport has bought a bunch) and headed to the Anne Frank museum followed by a bite to eat at my regular haunt, the Pulitzer Hotel. Glorious day in Amsterdam on the canals.
Post meetings headed back to Schiphol Airport, perfectly timed to watch the final 25km shift up the Plateau De Beille. There are simply not enough superlatives to describe Graint Thomas. Forget Porte defecting and becoming a GC contender next year, give GT a handsome pay rise and wrap him up in cotton wool! He has now officially jumped to #1 in my favourite rider list. Great ride too by the little 36 year old maestro JR (Rodriguez) to win his second stage.
Froomie showed some weaknesses in the cold today (he is Kenyan after all) and as a result I can report there will be no videos of Froome's predicted wattage, P2W ratio, VO2 etc. released any time soon. Crafty buggers those DOUBTERS.
My win of the day was successfully managing to direct conversion between the Dutch lawyers and I towards the Tour (the universal European language) and there was no stopping them. I am obliged to keep this blog honest and must reveal that there were DOUBTERS in the room. They are frigging everywhere!
This became painfully obvious when after realing off my first #3 of my #9 bucket list I could tell they thought I also had been drinking the 'magic potion' (more on that to come). Within seconds they had defaulted back to the matter in hand. You see now what those flammin' DOUBTERS are doing to our sport!
Fair play to the Aussies who fought back today and scored a lot of runs. Is only right to give credit where credit is due. This is about as good as the banter got today -Watto on 12th man duty:
Shane's carrying the drinks today. The grumpiest waiter in town?
"How's that wine for you, sir?"
"Nice, thank you."
"Are you sure? Do you want to review that decision?"
Managed to get a 9km run in on the home circuit this evening. Ankle was okish and happy to have gotten round in 4.10s. Relief though anxious about any long stuff.
Our Tommy has his last day of Primary School tomorrow. There are going to be a few tears shed. A real landmark day for us. Will be working from home tomorrow and will walk with him to school for the last time. Over the years I have always tried to make the effort to walk the boys to school, in Manly along the beach even. Oh boy how things have changed! Trivial perhaps but something I have taken great joy from.
Here is what the Dutch press are making of Froome. Translation is along the lines of 'how come he is so good in the mountains?' and 'is he winning the Tour using a magic potion?'. Make of it what you wish.
That hair is looking good Sammy
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