The four days of Dunkerque will take five days this year and doesn't include an ITT (if my two years of high school French haven't completely deserted me). The race winds its way through the crowded but lovely countryside of northern France near the Belgium border and along the coast. The first stage from Dunkerque (natch) to Orchies is underway and can be followed through text updates here. This year Dunkerque overlaps with Il Giro, so the field is short on big names. If you want to see if you have some VDS hopes (those with Tommy Voeckler can anticipate some love), la liste des engages is here. Other riders with high hopes are Pozzato and defending champ Elmiger; Rabobank couldn't be bothered to field a team. Sunny weather for today's stage is on order. As is a sprint finish -- if my reading of the map is correct.

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From an IHT article:

Athletes who want to cheat by injecting themselves with a performance-enhancing drug that boosts their blood cell count can do so with little risk of getting caught, a new study indicates, possibly exposing another flaw in what is regarded as the world's toughest anti-doping program.

Does this mean a return to the bad old days of doping without fear?  Probably.  This may be the last TdF in a while that we can be at least somewhat confident the leaders are clean.

Professional cycling is entering the meat of its Spring season, with exciting finishes and entertaining races. And yet it can't shake its history of doping, as three recent articles from the BBC depressingly illustrates.

Poll

Do you think FLoyd Landis was guilty of doping in the 2006 TdF?

70%

Yes

17 votes

29%

No

7 votes

24 votes | Poll has closed

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