What gorgeous scenery in today’s Stage 6 of the Tour de Suisse - just beautiful on cycling.tv. Koldo Gil of Saunier Duval attacked and took the stage win and the over all GC lead. Ulrich chased during the last few kilometers, but couldn’t catch Gil, coming in second by four or so seconds. Anthony Crossen of cycling.tv commented that Jan’s legs just didn’t have the zip today. Jan took the last corner very gingerly and seemed to wobble a bit. Jan better get his groove, and his leg zip, real soon for the Tour.

What impressed me the most about today’s stage? It was Gil, on the podium, very elegantly taking a yellow rose out of his winner’s bouquet and giving it to each of the podium girls as they did the kiss-kiss-kiss thing. For both the stage win, and for the GC presentation, it was so classy to see him, beaming with joy, handing the podie gals each a yellow rose. Wow - what a guy! Contrast that to the schmucks who have soaked the podium girls with champagne. No contest about who wins the Most Classy Winner Award from me....

Now, this is gonna be real long, but some of you have asked me about OLN’s coverage of the Tour, so here is their schedule promo that I found for the month of July:

OLN has complete coverage of the 2006 Tour de France airing from July 1 to July 23. For the sixth consecutive year, OLN follows the Tour de France at every stage including: nine flat stages, four medium mountain stages, five mountain stages and two individual time-trial stages. The 23-day race - which includes only two rest days - will cover nearly 3,600 kilometres. Incorporated into each broadcast, live race commentary by Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin and reporters Craig Hummer and Frankie Andreu, offer insight and context on individual racers, teams, equipment and terrain throughout the Tour. For the primetime rebroadcast of the morning races, Al Trautwig and Bob Roll join the lineup, providing commentary and perspective on the day's events.

Leading up to the Tour de France, OLN will broadcast two specials celebrating this amazing event. Road To The Tour, premiering Fri., June 30 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT will chronicle the past year and the events that have led to the 2006 Tour de France. Then, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT relive the 2005 Tour de France through the one-hour special In Lance's Words. Narrated by Lance Armstrong, the winner of the 2005 Tour de France, this special chronicles last year's event - and Armstrong's record breaking victory.

Last year, American cyclist and cancer survivor/activist Lance Armstrong retired on top, having won his seventh consecutive yellow jersey. Previously, only four other cyclists came close to Armstrong's amazing feat - each winning the yellow jersey five times - including Jacques Anquetil of France (1957, 1961-64), Eddie Merckx of Belgium (1969-72, 1974), Bernard Hinault of France (1978-79, 1981-82, 1985) and Miguel Indurain of Spain (1991-95). Find out who will succeed Armstrong when the Tour de France kicks off July 1 on OLN.

OLN's complete 2006 Tour de France schedule is as follows:
Day 1
Tour de France Special, Sat., July 1 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT (repeat at 3p.m. ET/ 12 noon PT)
Tour de France Prologue Stage,
Strasbourg - Strasbourg, day total: 7.1 km,
Sat., July 1 at 11:30 a.m. ET/12 noon PT (repeat at 3p.m. ET/ 12 noon PT)

Day 2
Tour De France: Stage 1,
Strasbourg - Strasbourg, day total: 184.5 km,
Sun., July 2 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT (repeat at 3p.m. ET/ 12 noon PT and one-hour encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 3
Tour de France: Stage 2
Obernai - Esch-sur-Alzette, day total: 228.5 km,
Mon., July 3 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT (one-hour encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 4
Tour de France: Stage 3,
Esch-sur-Alzette - Valkenburg, day total: 216.5 km,
Tues., July 4 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT (one-hour encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 5
Tour de France: Stage 4,
Huy - Saint Quentin, day total: 270 km,
Wed., July 5 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT (one-hour encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 6
Tour de France: Stage 5
Beauvais - Caen, day total: 225 km
Thurs., July 6 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT (encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 7
Tour de France: Stage 6
Lisieux - Vitré, day total: 189 km
Fri., July 7 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT (encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 8
Tour de France: Stage 7
Saint Grégoire - Rennes, day total: 52 km
Sat., July 8 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT (repeat at 3p.m. ET/ 12 noon PT and encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 9
Tour de France: Stage 8
Saint-Méen-le-Grand - Lorient, day total: 181 km
Sun., July 9 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT (repeat at 3p.m. ET/ 12 noon PT and encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Rest Day
Tour de France: Rest Day, Bordeaux
Stage 8 encore presentation repack to air Mon., July 10 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT and 8 p.m. PT/9 p.m. PT

Day 10
Tour de France: Stage 9
Bordeaux - Dax, day total: 169.5 km
Tues., July 11 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT (encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 11
Tour de France: Stage 10
Cambo-les-Bains - Pau day total: 206.5
Wed., July 12 at 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT (encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 12
Tour de France: Stage 11
Tarbes - Vald'Aran-Pla-de-Beret day total: 206.5 km,
Thurs., July 13 at 6:30 a.m. ET/3:30 a.m. PT (encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 13
Tour De France: Stage 12
Luchon - Carcassonne, day total: 211.5 km
Fri., July 14 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT (encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 14
Tour de France: Stage 13
Béziers Méditerranée - Montélimar, day total: 230 km
Sat., July 15 at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT (encore presentation at 3 p.m. ET/12 noon PT, with an encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 15
Tour de France: Stage 14,
Montélimar - Gap, day total: 180.5 km,
Sun., July 16 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT (encore presentation at 3 p.m. ET/12 noon PT, with an encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Rest Day
Tour de France: Rest Day, Gap,
Stage 14 encore presentation repack to air Mon., July 17 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT and 8 p.m. PT/9 p.m. PT

Day 16
Tour de France: Stage 15,
Gap - L'Alpe d-Huez, day total: 187 km
Tues., July 18 at 7 a.m. ET/4 a.m. PT (encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 17
Tour de France: Stage 16
Bourg d'Oisans - La Toussuire Les Sybelles, day total: 182 km
Wed., July 19 at 6:30 a.m. ET/3:30 a.m. PT (encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 18
Tour de France: Stage 17
Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne - Morzine-Avoriaz, day total: 200.5 km
Thurs., July 20 at 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT (encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 19
Tour de France: Stage 18
Morzine-Avoriaz - Mâcon, day total: 197 km
Fri., July 21 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT (encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 20
Tour de France: Stage 19
Le Creusot - Montceau-les-mines, day total: 56 km
Sat., July 22 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT (encore presentation at 3 p.m. ET/12 noon PT with an encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)

Day 21
Tour de France: Stage 20
Sceaux-Antony - Paris Champs-Élysées, day total: 152 km
Sun., July 23 at 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT (encore presentation at 3 p.m. ET/12 noon PT, with an encore presentation repack at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT)