High Mountains Stage
Tues, July 13—starts at 1130 local time

About Stage 9
By Chris Brewer
Hope the riders got plenty of rest yesterday, as today is another monster day of climbing.  Five rated climbs, including two Cat 1’s and a finale up the fearsome Col de la Madeleine all lead to a harrowing 32km descent to the line.  Expect a select group to be there at the end going for the stage win, and happy to have survived the day.

By Chris Brewer
Following the tumultuous first week for Team RadioShack at the 2010 Tour de France, a fair question would be – with Lance Armstrong almost assuredly out of the overall running – now what?  In a previous iteration for many on this squad we faced a similar situation in 2006, with one significant difference.
Back in the Discovery Channel days, Lance had retired and we went into the Tour basically hoping that someone, most likely George Hincapie, would take over the reigns.  However on Stage 11 with a summit finish atop Pla-de-Beret, those hopes were dashed with a massive deficit to Rabo’s Denis Menchov and a certain Gerolsteiner rider, one Levi Leipheimer.  With no one really in contention for the overall title the team went on a stage hunting campaign, answered literally the next day when “Popo” Popovych won via a series of inspirational attacks against Oscar Friere at the stage’s end.

Team RadioShack fans have been in for a real treat recently with the RadioShack TV commercials featuring Lance Armstrong as the Chief Mobility Officer of the company airing on many channels, including on Versus during the Tour de France. The spots tickle the funny bone and introduce Lance fans to his “assistant” Alphonse.  So who is this actor playing the comedic role to Lance’s more serious corporate officer?  The Mehlting Pot got busy and discovered it’s long-time actor Matt Griesser.   Let’s get to know Matt a little better.
Cathy:  How did the RadioShack job come to you?
Matt:  I got a chance to audition for the part in Los Angeles.  I knew it was for RadioShack, but only after I saw some script pages at the 1st audition did I realize it would involve playing a role as Lance Armstrong's assistant. 

Check out today's Behind The Lines shots from the rest day at the Tour de France. 

Lance Armstrong and Graham Watson share a word on the way down the mountain yesterday.

Team RadioShack's Director of Sports Science, Dr. Allen Lim took time out to give us look into the post race rehydration techniques used by the team. 

Check out the latest "Behind The Lines" from stage eight of the Tour de France.

Check out the photos from stage 8 of the Tour de France.

Tour de France
Stage 8: Station Des Rousses to Morzine-Avoriaz, 189km/117mi
By Cathy Mehl

It was a big day of re-shuffling on the general classification and a new leader has emerged for Team RadioShack with Levi Leipheimer moving into eighth place after nine days of racing.   Several crashes ended Lance Armstrong’s hopes for a win in this year’s Tour and Leipheimer stepped into the role of best-placed team rider.  Saxo Bank’s Andy Schleck attacked from the group of favorites as he went under the red kite signaling 1000 meters to go, and was immediately followed by Samuel Sanchez of Euskaltel Euskadi.  Sanchez battled Schleck to the line, but in the closing meters Andy came around the Olympic champion to claim his first Tour stage win and moved into second place at 20-seconds behind new race leader and world champion Cadel Evans (BMC).   Third place is held by Alberto Contador of Astana at 1:01off Evans’ time.

by Chris Brewer
Team RadioShack fans watched in serious concern when team leader Lance Armstrong went down just a couple of kilometers before the start of the second-to-last climb.  The Shack boys were soon marshaled to get him back to the main group, having to burn precious matches of energy, each one wondering what damage he had incurred after he hit the ground.

Crashing your bike has multiple impacts to a rider and his team, aside from the obvious.  When you go down - and I have personal experience in both of these manners - it's usually in one of two manners.