*** OFFICIAL Lance in France with Tight Pants thread ***

[on_thg]

How Discovery does in the big mountains is probably the second biggest wild card in determining whether Lance wins again (the first being Lance's own health and form). I wouldn't read too much into Saturday's "failure". Beltran, Azevedo and Rubiera are all exceptional climbers. If anything, I would expect that Armstrong will do virtually no work unless he has to cover a breakaway attempt and will have energy to do what he needs to do.

Query: If one of T-Mobile's big three does get away, will the other two be able to check their egos enough to force Lance (and, say, Heras, Leipheimer, Landis, Basso, etc) to do all the work chasing him down?

I'll also be interested to hear the commentary on Moreau's chances. He's solid, but is a bit old (34) and couldn't keep up with the best of the best last year on the major climbs.