Here is a video recap of today's stage of the Tour de France. Poor George Hincapie! He began the day in 28th place, 5:25 behind the leader, Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy. George worked hard in a 12-man breakaway all day, only to fall five seconds short of the yellow jersey. George blamed Astana (Lance Armstrong's team) and Garmin (an American team) for keeping the jersey from him. Both teams worked to keep the breakaway's time gap to a minimum, even though neither team had a reason to do so. (George is not a threat for the overall title.) What some of you may not know is that George was a domestique for Lance Armstrong during all seven of the latter's Tour victories, so George must wonder why Lance's team worked against him. My theory is that Astana wanted George to take the jersey, but not by more than a minute or so. Unfortunately, near the end of the stage, Garmin and other teams took over and closed the gap to within 5:25. Do you follow me? Yes, Astana rode at the front, but not to deprive George of the jersey. Astana (and Lance) wanted George to capture the jersey. The problem is that when Astana eased up, having brought the gap down to about six minutes, other teams, such as Garmin, took over. I'm sure Lance will explain this to George, but George may not be mollified. Here is tomorrow's crucial stage. I can't wait.
Addendum: I know it sounds crazy, but George's own team, Columbia, is at least partly to blame for his failure to take the yellow jersey. In the final kilometer or so, Columbia sent riders to the front of the peloton to carry their sprinter, Mark Cavendish, to the line. Cavendish is competing for the green jersey. The increased pace of the peloton, caused by Columbia's effort, may have cost George five seconds or more. George's team, in effect, chased George down. That's a hell of a way to repay George for all the work he has done for Cavendish. If I were George, I would direct my ire at my own team manager rather than at Lance.
Addendum 2: I just read this. Astana's manager, Johan Bruyneel, blames Garmin for keeping George from taking the yellow jersey. The story quotes Lance as saying that he (Lance) wanted George to take the jersey. I knew he would. George is an icon to American cycling fans, and Lance is greatly indebted to him. I think a lot of American fans will turn on Garmin for its spiteful behavior. It appears that one American team (Garmin) tried to keep another American team (Columbia) from taking the yellow jersey.
Addendum 3: If you're not a cycling fan (but are still reading this!), you may wonder why it's such a big deal to fall five seconds short of yellow. Can't George make it up in days to come? The answer is no. George is not a climber. The Tour moves into the Alps tomorrow. Had George won yellow today, he would have worn the jersey for one day, perhaps two. As a result of today's fiasco, he will not wear it this year. Since his career is near its end, he will probably never wear it again.
Addendum 4: Wow! I just checked Lance's Twitter feed. He emphatically denies that his team (Astana) tried to keep George out of yellow. He says he wanted George to take yellow—by about two minutes. It was Garmin and AG2R (Nocentini's team) who chased. AG2R had a reason to chase, but Garmin did not (unless you count spite as a reason). Another Twitterer (to whom Lance responded) says that the Internet is full of chatter about how awful Garmin is. It would be fitting if Garmin suffered a public-relations disaster after trying to thwart a rival American team. I don't expect American teams to help each other, but I do expect them not to try to hurt each other merely because they're both American.
Addendum 5: Garmin's owner (and former cyclist) Jonathan Vaughters denies doing anything out of spite. American cycling fans will have to make up their own minds, based on what they saw on the road today and what the various parties have said. My view? There is a tremendous rivalry between the two American teams, Columbia and Garmin. Columbia has dominated. I think Garmin acted out of spite today. Because I believe that, and because I believe that people should get what they deserve, I hope Garmin suffers a public-relations disaster as a result of today's fiasco. I, for one, will be rooting against Garmin from now on.
Addendum 6: Here is the New York Times story.
Addendum 7: There are many dimensions to this story, so I apologize for all the addenda. Read this. Lance Armstrong and Johan Bruyneel are coming down hard on Garmin, perhaps because it deflects criticism from themselves. I can't believe this is in either Lance's or the team's interest. Why? Because Garmin's management and riders are bound to be upset by it. They can gang up on Lance in the mountains. Lance has already lost his lieutenant, Levi Leipheimer. If Christian Vandevelde, David Zabriskie, David Millar, and Bradley Wiggins gang up on Lance, it could be hard for him to win the Tour. Stay tuned!
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 
