In less than four hours, life will change for me. Things will be different, for the better.

Needless to say, posting will cease as life takes the center stage and opens a new chapter with a fresh page. I’m looking forward to writing each chapter from here on out, so stay tuned. It’ll be a great read.

Tuesday was a rest day at the Tour. Most rest days are laid back and uneventful. This one was not.

Alexandre Vinokourov tested positive for a banned blood transfusion and left the tour. The rest of the Astana team has also withdrawn from the remainder of the tour. Police raided the team hotel forcing many team riders to remain in the hotel as a search was conducted.
Vinokourov who won stages 13 and 15, after a several days of up and down riding, fell out of contention on Monday as he finished the stage and was some 28 minutes out.

Many questions have yet to be answered, but one thing is clear, Vinokourov is walking away from a sport which for a short time in the 2007 tour, he was viewed as a hero. Now he’ll be viewed as a cheater.

Tour Leader: Michael Rasmussen

Tuesday is a rest day on the Tour.

Wednesday is set up to be a grueling ride to round out the stages in the Pyrenees with a 135 mile ride from Orthez to Gourette-Col d’Aubisque. This painful ride features five climbs and an uphill finish guaranteed to push riders to the brink.

Tour Leader: Michael Rasmussen

Alexandre Vinokourov has yet to give up in the Tour de France. Vinokourov won Stage 15 on Monday showing that’s he not thrown in the towel just yet.

Vinokourov fought off several challenges from Discovery Channel rider Alberto Contador along the way to victory. Contador remains in second place overall, 2 minutes and 23 seconds behind leader Michael Rasmussen.

The stage was from Foix to Loudenvielle-Le Louron and made up 122 miles of Pyrenees mountains. Vinokourov finished the stage in 5 hours, 34 minutes, and 28 seconds.

Tour Leader: Michael Rasmussen