Dennis Menchov wins Stage 11, Floyd Landis takes the yellow jersey, Levi Leipheimer remembers where he put his legs and gets second place on the day. Oh what a few Category 1 mountains can do to a peloton...
"Road racing requires stamina, strength, mental focus and fortitude. But the rewards are huge and grow the more effort you put into it.
More and more men are discovering that riding a road bike can be the perfect counterpoint to our cosseted and quick-fix modern lives. We’ve become so used to instant gratification and sanitised pleasure that we have forgotten that the greatest highs come from the deepest lows, that there is a unique satisfaction from applying yourself totally, then seeing the results. From pain comes pleasure."