Habla Espanol? Well, you better get started, ‘cause word is that Johan is signing Spanish riders. Like Egoi Martinez of Euskaltel, José Angel Gomez Marchante of Saunier Duval and maybe Xabier Zandio of Illes Balears. Obviously, Johan plans on beefing up the climbing team - not many racers can hold their own solo, like Lance did...

And how about that Bobby Julich? Wow - burning thru the TT and moving from 12th place to top spot on the podium. Quite an accomplishment - Congrats, Bobby! He sure has found his niche now that he is with CSC.

And Popo got married in Italy - civil ceremony, with the big wedding scheduled for December in Ukraine. Popo was fantastic at the Tour, winning Best Young Rider and finishing 12th in the GC. He’s a great guy: very gregarious and social, always laughing and joking. He readily signed autographs and chatted with the fans at the Tour. But you can tell that he has that Lance brand of grit and determination.

And bummer that Paolo is out of commission for the rest of the season. He will have to have surgery on a cyst that is extremely painful on his bum... Those cysts, or boils, are a real hazard to the riders - they occur rather often, and just knock the guy off the bike for a long time. When you see guys smearing jars of chamois butter on their shorts as well as on all regions south, it’s for a good reason!

Photo of Popo was taken before the start of Stage 16, TdF 2005...