Landis attacks in mountains, climbs to third
I told him how much I was looking forward to Saturday’s time trial, when he would have the opportunity to salvage something from a Tour gone awry.
His smile came back. “You know,” he said, “we may be able to get some of that time back today.”
He meant every syllable of that. Somehow, word got out in the peloton that the Phonaks were going to try something preposterous. By doing so, they would be inflicting suffering on the rest of a Tour-weary bunch. Which explains why a number of riders coasted up to Landis before the first mountain, imploring him not to attempt something so foolhardy. As Landis would later recall, “I just told ’em, Go drink some Coke, ’cause we’re leaving on the first climb if you want to come along.'”
Go for broke, Floyd. Go for broke.