Rest Day Wreckage! Watch Out for RadioShack in the Pyrénées!

I thought there would be nothing to write about today–the Tour’s second rest day. Wrong!

Tonight we learn that Frank Schleck has left the race. He has tested positive for a prohibited diuretic. The test did not require immediate expulsion, but Team RadioShack has announced his withdrawal. This is only the latest blow to a team that had high hopes for the yellow jersey. A month ago, Andy Schleck suffered a broken pelvis and was scratched from the TDF roster. Next there was squabbling between coach Johan Bruyneel and riders Frank Schleck and Chris Horner over their participation in the lead-up races (Italy and Switzerland). Horner defied Bruyneel at the risk of being cut from the Tour roster. In the end, Bruyneel skipped the Tour because he was caught-up in the Armstrong doping accusations, and Hormer made the roster in spite of Bruyneel. Cancellara bailed out early, not with injuries or illness, but to attend the birth of his child. At least that’s the official reason. It may have had more to do with wanting to prepare for the Olympics, and being mad at the team for not paying his salary. Meanwhile, Tour hopeful Jakob Fuglsang feels insulted for being excluded from the roster and assigned to ride in Poland. Are we surprised that he is suing the team for not paying his salary? Now we learn that the Schlecks have also not been paid! But wait! The Luxembourg sponsor Léopard says it’s not the team’s fault–the riders wanted their pay to go to "non-transparent accounts," and the team will not be party to money laundering!  Quelle comédie!  (What a soap opera!)  All that was the prelude to today’s withdrawal of Frank Schleck because of the positive drug test.

You think I’m making this up? The best one-stop place for the details is found at ESPN Cycling: http://espn.go.com/olympics/tdf2012/story/_/id/8175134/2012-tour-de-france-frank-schleck-controversy-deepens-radioshack-woes

So, where does that leave RadioShack for this year’s Tour?  Do not look for the entire team to withdraw. They still lead in the team classification, and have expressed their intention to defend that prize all the way to Paris. They still have the horses to do it.  In fact, with their top two GC captains gone (the Schleck brothers), there is nothing to prevent any or all of their remaining trio of mountain climbers from throwing an all-out attack at Wiggins, Froome, Nibali and Evans for the yellow jersey! I look for spirted attacks or even breakaways in the Pyrénées on Wednesday and Thursday from Haimar Zubeldia, Andréas Klöden and Chris Horner. Their current placements are 6^th, 11^th and 15^th, and they trail Wiggins by only 6'15", 9'29" and 12'41" respectively. If they go for broke, they could spread the first real panic among the leaders. They could completely re-arrange the top 15. It’s now or never. The next two days could be explosive!

Remember, you read it here first.

I am reprising this photo, to show that not only Andy, but also Frank, Schleck is missing on tomorrow's road to the Col du Tourmalet.  (This is an avalanche shed on the road up to the Col du Tourmalet.)

Yes, sports fans.  Tomorrow is the day when the Tour finally climbs the famous Col du Tourmalet.  In this photo the sign at the summit is almost lost in the clouds and mist that often haunt this TDF icon.