Stage 14 Overview, Picks and Comment

With a couple of category 4 climbs and a 194.5KM journey to the Alps, stage 14 is going to shake out a few riders I bet.

We'll probably see a little larger rift in the field as some of the sprinters realize their chance is gone for glory with Cavendish slamming home win after win. Teams will look at Columbia and realize that team glory is going to have to come in second place because Columbia now has a ton of money and a bunch of wins.

My guess for this stage is the predicted winners will take over unless the entire peloton is surprised by a major breakaway.

Stage 14 will either go to Menchov, Evans, Vandevelde or Valverde. They're going to have to start battling because anything can happen with Alpe d'Huez around the bend.

If it's not a major name in this stage, it's gonna be someone like Kim Kirchen or Damiano Cunego. I've been wrong 13 times in a row, let's keep up my perfect record.

By the way, tomorrow and Sunday I'm covering events for the Boston Globe. I will get to my recaps and commentary at some point before the weekend is over, but I urge you to catch some of the British Open and the Tour de France on TV and I'll see you back here in earnest on Tuesday.

MONDAY IS A REST DAY. SUNDAY and TUESDAY are the ONLY days the Tour is in a country other than France this year. And only for the end of one stage and the beginning of another. The country is Italy. More on that before the weekend is over.