By Chris Brewer
Rest Day 2 literally is the calm before the storm, but the reality is that it’s an isolated thunder boomer, set directly at Teams Astana and Saxo Bank, with a secondary front aimed at Euskaltel, Rabobank, and Lotto.  But before we head there, what about yesterday?  That was a great stage, and one Team RadioShack, and of course Lance Armstrong, should be really proud of.
Stage 16 – the day that was: The heads-up that the day was going to be full gas from the start was foreshadowed by Lance and Andreas Klöden actually going out on the bike BEFORE the stage and warming up.  Suffice to say that NEVER happens before a road stage, the riders preferring to use the neutral start and then spin up as things get going.  But if you’re going to give it one last shot, and from the gun it’s an 11km 7.4% ascent, you better be loose and ready.

Check out the photos from Stage 16 of the Tour de France.

Tour de France
Stage 16:  Bagnères-de-Luchon to Pau, 199.5km/124mi
By Cathy Mehl

An attack from the beginning of the stage put seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong into a successful breakaway that held off the peloton all the way to Pau.  Climbing more than 15,000 feet throughout the day, Lance and teammate Chris Horner formed up a group of nine that held a large gap of almost seven minutes at the finish line.  Revving up for the sprint, Armstrong tried to go for the win but it was two-in-a-row for  Bbox Bouygues Telecom with Pierrick Fedrigo  easily taking the victory over  Sandy Casar (FdJ) and  Ruben Plaza Molina (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne.   With an average age of 33 for the riders in the group, it was a good day for Lance to showcase his good form despite his age as he rides his final Tour.

Check out the "Behind The Lines" from the climbs of Stage sixteen on the Col Du Tourmalet and the Col D'Aubisque. 

High Mountains Stage
Tue, July 20 —starts at 11:30 local time

About Stage 16
By Chris Brewer
Definitely a day for amazing scenery in the high mountains.  Today’s stage is a little odd in that the hardest part of the stage – no less than two Cat 1’s and two Hors category climbs – occur in the first two-thirds of the stage, not the end.  Very familiar climbs are on hand to Tour fans: the Col d’Aspin, the Tourmalet, and the Col d’Aubisque.  But unless someone cracks, I don’t expect any big movement in the overall standings with a 61km descent and run-in to the line.