SCANDAL!

On the verge of the Tour de France, several of the pre-race favorites have been suspended for suspected drug use. Wow. It's like a Lakers-Celtics Championship (back in the day) without Magic, Kareem and Bird.

This still will be one to watch, with Lance retired after 7 straight yellow jerseys, and now the suspensions, the race is wiiide open. I'll be rooting for Americans George Hincapie (Lance's buddy) and Floyd Landis for the overall. (sidenote: even with Lance retired, I still see so many people wearing their yellow LiveStrong wristbands. It's not a fad for them, or me.)

Imagine, three weeks of racing covering over 2261 miles throughout France and Europe, with only two rest days. I'll be glued to my set. I love the suffering, the drama, the courage, the savvy tactics and race strategies, the mosh-pit sprints, the delirious climbs, the obssesive fans. Yes!

I read these two sites for all the stage previews, recaps and general info on the race: www.olntv.com/tdf and www.coachcarl.com.

Gotta go ride...