Mark Cavendish Wins Stage Eleven of the 2011 TDF

Stage 11-167.5 km
Blaye-les-Mines to Lavaur

In two hours two heroes will be at O’Hare to catch a plane to France. We are going to be camping in the Pyrenees and the Alps to watch as the famous folk of the Pro Peloton pass by. If you are in France and see a guy with a beard and another guy with glasses, say “hi.”

We find that if you are really interested on staying abreast of TDF action stay home and watch on your computer. In 2009 we mistranslated “Hincapie misses yellow by 5 seconds,” as “Hincapie gets yellow by five seconds.” Our ignorance was bliss until the next day when Big George rode by in a very un-maillot jaune.

But this year will have a translator. Today she reads “Encore une Fois le Miel Badger Wins!” as Mark “Honey Badger” Cavendish wins his 18th career Tour de France stage, beating Greipel by a bike length and taking the Green Jersey from The Great Gilbert. After Omega Pharma-Lotto’s performance, and Gilbert’s courageous attack on stage ten, the Heroes are sad to see green go away, but as we know, the Honey Badger takes what it wants: cobras, bees, jerseys, whatever.

For tomorrow’s climb up the Hourquette d’Ancizan followed by the Tourmalet: Tenspeed Hero Plainspeak Expert Analysis says “if we don’t see Contador do something, Andy Schleck will win the Tour de France.” Au revoir for now. See you in France.