... watching Contador take off like that.

He gave a hint of how he was feeling the night before when he flicked off the front of the pack and nearly ran down the gutsy Oscar Gatto on the uphill finish of Stage 8. Gatto must have been feeling so good when he sprinted clear on the final climb. He took a quick look over his shoulder to check his lead, only to see Alberto closing in like an Exocet missile... Can you imagine what he thought. ''Oh God, anyone but him...'' Fortunately his legs didn't quaver, and he held on to win by a length.

But anyone doubting Contador's form and resolve from that second placing, has been well  silenced after last night on Mount Etna. What a jaw-dropping performance. We went from a situation where the commentators were starting to back the breakaway to hold on, to  Contador blowing past everyone - in the Big Ring - seemingly within seconds.  But I have to hand it to the little Venezuelean bugger, all 49kg of him riding a kids bike, for chasing Alberto like that. Oh, to be half my weight *sigh*.

To The Game<click: What a shake up. Rob B (Robby as he likes to be called) and his Pom's Pacers have been sneaking quietly up the ranking over the last few nights, and he's burst through to take the lead. And he's done it without resorting to using Contador as well, which is worth bonus points in my eyes. Tiny Avenger has also soared to second, although, yes, she does have Contador in her team.

(hmmm- I'm gunna have to get over this Contador thing or it's going to be an uncomfortable two weeks ahead)

Perhaps my feelings about Bertie are best described in this post from The Church of the Big Ring<click blog.

Watch the video too. I've always been a huge fan of The Big Lebowski, but I never noticed that if Alberto grew a pony and a goatie beard, he'd be the spitting image of Jesus Quintana.

HA!- Who'd have thought.