Greig Leach

No matter how much a rider trains, no matter how fit they may be or emotionally strong. Even in the old days, no matter how much they doped. Lady luck still can be a very large factor in the out come of a rider's Tour de France. Two different men while wearing the Maillot Jaune have had to leave this Tour due to bad luck and injury, many others have been unable to finish for the same reason. Of the 198 riders who began way back in Utrecht, only 160 are still in the race at the end of the penultimate stage of the 102nd Tour de France. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) used a brilliant ride yesterday to move him self up into the top five on the General Classification. Only to have a very badly timed flat tire, right at the base of the ascent up the Alp d'Huez. Despite how quickly he got a new wheel it still meant he would be having to ride up the monster of the Alps faster than any other of the contenders just to rejoin the main body of the race. Unlucky.