It’s been a long decade for Spanish cycling fans.

By the 1990s, fans south of the Pyrénées became accustomed to toasting victory in Paris with wins by Pedro Delgado in 1988 and Miguel Indurain with five straight yellow jerseys from 1991-95.

It’s been a long wait ever since. Riders such as Abraham Olano, Fernandro Escartín and Joseba Beloki all came close, but could never quite live up to the Indurain legacy.

The 2007 Tour marks the return of the Spanish Armada. With four riders securely in the top 10 coming out of the Alps, many are hoping that this is the year to see a Spanish spoken once again on the Champs Élysées.

“There are a lot of Spanish riders doing good this year. It’s nice to see. We had a few years when were struggling, but now you see riders like Valverde and Contador coming up,” said Team CSC’s Carlos Sastre, before adding with a grin. “I hope there is a Spanish winner this year and I hope it is me.”

Sastre – now seventh overall at 3:39 back -- leads the latest Spanish invasion that includes some new faces and some more familiar ones.

Sastre, 32, is starting his seventh Tour and finished a career-best fourth overall last year, dropping from second to fourth in the final time trial disappointment.

This year he’s more confident than ever and, for the first time of his long career spent working for such captains as Tyler Hamilton and Ivan Basso, he’s receiving the full support of his team.

“Everything will be decided in the Pyrénées,” Sastre said after surviving Wednesday’s cooker. “The Albi time trial will put things in order, but the Pyrénées are especially hard this year. I hope my legs respond and I can make a move.”

Then there’s Oscar Pereiro – who actually could become the first Spanish winner since the Indurain era ended if Floyd Landis fails to fend off doping allegations – who hasn’t given up hope in 14th at 6:36 back.

In fact, there are eight Spanish riders in the top 20, a sure sign that the Armada is sailing toward better days. Two long time trials might take the wind out of some of their GC hopes.

Iban Mayo – a ghost of Tour’s past -- is enjoying a surge since switching from his longtime home at Euskaltel-Euskadi for seven years to Saunier Duval-Prodir.

The Basque climber is third overall at 2:39 back and powered to second at the summit finish at Tignes, a result that has many believing he’s returned to the rider that won at L’Alpe d’Huez and finished sixth in 2003.

“I have my old confidence back,” Mayo said on the rest day. “I don’t want to think about the GC. There are two long time trials so that plays against me. The most important goal is to win a stage. The Pyrénées would be perfect because a lot of my fans will be there.”

With the resurgent Spanish tide, tens of thousands of fans are expected to pour over the French border to cheer on their mountain goats in what they consider “their” mountains in a trio of decisive climbing stages across the steep, uneven roads of the rocky spine that divides France from Spain.

Leading the Spanish wave is climbing sensation Alberto Contador. The 24-year-old was on his deathbed in 2004 when he suffered a brain hemorrhage that required emergency surgery.

After his named was cleared of the Puerto doping scandal, Contador has gone from strength to strength since joining Discovery Channel. Team captain Levi Leipheimer said he’s never seen anyone attack with such explosiveness when Contador shot away from the favorites over the Galibier in Tuesday’s ninth stage.

Now fifth overall at 3:08, Contador is firmly in control of the best young rider’s white jersey, but is cautious about thinking of more.

“I am young and the third week of a grand tour is something new to me,” said Contador, making his second Tour start that’s also only his second grand tour of his career. (he was 31st in the Tour debut in 2005). “I prefer to take it day to day. Levi is our captain for the GC. I can dream of winning a stage.”

The rider generating the most heat hasn’t even arrived to the Paris in two starts.

Many believe that if a Spaniard is going to win this year, it will be Alejandro Valverde. The Caisse d’Epargne captain is poised in second place at 2:35 behind Michael Rasmussen.

Despite a spring dogged by accusations of links to the Puerto doping scandal in Spain, a confident Valverde has arrived at the Tour in the best shape of his career.

Improvements in the time trial will boost his candidacy in a Tour that everyone agrees will be decided on the steep switchbacks of the Plateau de Beille and Aubisque climbs.

“We came here to win the Tour. Things are going well. I haven’t taken unnecessary risks,” Valverde said. “Sometimes the best offense is a good defense. That will change in the Pyrénées. Anything is possible in this Tour.”

It’s only appropriate that the Tour has a minor detour into Spain in this year of the Armada’s revival.

The decisive 16th stage from Orthez to the Aubisque summit swings some 42.5km through Spanish roads.
By Andrew Hood

Smoldering heat lashes riders coming out of the Alps
With the thermometer nearly hitting 100 degrees before stage 9 started, riders took shelter wherever they could find it.

Like dogs under a porch, the 171 racers remaining in the Tour de France squeezed together under trees or in the shadow of buildings while waiting for the delayed start in Tallard.

Scot David Millar (Saunier Duval-Prodir) started the five-hour-plus afternoon race wearing sleeves cut off of a skinsuit to protect himself from the sun; on stage 8 he broke out in an allergic rash from overexposure to the sun.

Although the race headed south to the Mediterranean and slightly cooler temps, the sun gave everyone a beating.

"It was a long hot day and a lot of guys were suffering in the heat," said Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank), who retained the overall lead. "The heat takes a toll on everybody."

Despite the warmth, it wasn’t a lazy group ride down to the sea after three days in the Alps.

“The start was quick ’cause there’s like 150 guys who realized that the break was going to go today,” said Brit Charlie Wegelius (Liquigas).

Sure enough, riders eagerly tried breakaways right from the gun, with a number of small moves chased down before the final group of 11 was allowed to form.

“It was really hard on those little small roads, and, yeah, hot,” said Wegelius, a Brit who lives in Italy and rode in the pack today. “But hot is nice. It’s better than rain. I’m accustomed to the heat. And I’m a skinny guy as well, so it’s better being hot than being cold.”

Which is a good thing, as the forecast calls for more of the same for the next two flat stages and the crucial stage-13 time trial before the race heads into the Pyrénées.
By Ben Delaney

Millar to Slipstream?
Several European media outlets have reported that Saunier Duval’s David Millar has inked a deal with the American Slipstream team for next year.

Millar, however, said Wednesday that while he might be interested in a deal with the team run by former Credit Agricole rider Jonathan Vaughters, there have been no pens put to paper.

“I’m certainly aware of the reports out there, but there's nothing signed at this point, so I don't know where they're getting that,” Millar told VeloNews on Wednesday. “I know JV and have followed the (Slipstream) project. It is something special, that's for sure and, yes, I am very interested, but we don't have anything on paper yet."

Vaughters confirmed that he’s talked to Millar, but says any talk of a deal is premature.

"Dave and I are very good friends and I would love to have him with us next year," Vaughters said.

The Slipstream team was one of the first professional teams to adopt an aggressive and transparent anti-doping program. Millar, who was suspended for using EPO, has since become a vocal anti-doping campaigner and says that the Slipstream effort is one that he respects.

Vaughters said he hopes to sign several top-ranked pros for next season and has been working hard for a wild-card berth in next year’s Tour.
by – Charles Pelkey