Hamilton Abandons! Riders coming off the back like parts off a Hoopdie

[BiggJawn]

Tyler Hamilton has abandoned Le Tour, citing back pain. Guy must have shattered a vertebra in that crash earlier this week...
Details here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/3902981.stm

See you next year, Tyler! Good luck!

From the BBC ticker: (all times BST)

1541: Armstrong takes up the pace as Azevedo drops back. Now it is just the American champion and Basso - a repeat of the finish of Friday's stage.

1540: The leading trio, including Armstrong, is nearly a minute ahead of Jan Ullrich with the yellow jersey group over two minutes adrift. Armstrong needs to finish over five minutes in front of Voeckler to take the yellow jersey.

1535: A three-man group - Armstrong, his US Postal team-mate Jose Azevedo and Team CSC rider Ivan Basso - take over the lead with 10km to go.

1530: Jan Ullrich is struggling as US Postal rider Jose Luis Rubiera continues to turn the screw. The German drops off the back of the group.

1522: The ruthless pace set by the US Postal team claims another victim - Voeckler is the latest man to find the going tough and he is losing touch with Armstrong's group, which has fallen from about 30 to about a dozen in the first five minutes of the climb.

More here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/3902665.stm

I think today is the day Yellow finds a new back for the last time this tour.

[Dudley_DUright]

1. Can get live stream (audio) here

http://www.letour.fr/2004/us/index.html

Armstrong and Basso battling it out just like yesterday. :-)

[BiggJawn]

2. Armstrong takes the stage!

Waiting for the Malliot Jeune right now....