I went for an easy jog down by the river this morning before heading into work. I saw what I'm pretty sure was a river otter. It looked too long and sleek to be a beaver or muskrat, and I don't know else would be swimming along in a river like that.

My prediction of today's stage winner in the Tour de France was correct. Hooray! However, the finish didn't play out like I expected. Instead of seeing a long train of Quickstep riders depositing Boonen in the lead with 200 meters to go, I saw a full-on melee of elbows and thrashing wheels as Boonen bashed his way through the pack to victory. In fact, he made some very aggressive sideways motions into Freire's line in the last fifty meters. Hushovd was relegated last year for much lesser cause. Except for the last kilometer, the racing was rather lackluster.

Tomorrow's Stage: Stage 7 - Bourg-en-Bresse to Le Grand Bornand - (197.5km)

This is the first adventure into the high mountains, and I have no inkling of what to expect. So many riders have crashed that it's hard to tell who's healthy. Plus, the teams of the GC contenders will be marking each other closely. It's Bastille Day, so all the French riders will be shooting for the stage win. My gut tells me to pick Christophe Moreau, but I just can't bring myself to do it. He looked so strong in the Dauphine that I imagine none of the favorites will let him go. Plus, it seems like a Spanish rider has won on Bastille Day the past few years. I'm thinking Iban Mayo might be the man for the day. Perhaps Mercado can reprise last year's victory. Will Valverde want to make a mark? I have to think the climbers will want to save a little for the much tougher stage on Sunday, so I don't think it will be a real duke-it-out battle.

The more I think about it, the more I think Mayo is the man. I don't think anyone takes him seriously as a GC threat anymore, and as long as he has a small gap over the top of the last climb, he shouldn't get caught on the descent to the finish. Mayo it is.  ¶ 12:27 AM