Today's stage: 5.2 mi prologue time-trial to get the race started.
Who won today's stage? Patrick Gretsch (HTC-High Road) got his second win of the season stunning everyone by winning the prologue over the more established specialists like David Zabriskie (Garmin-Cervelo), Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) and Cadel Evans (BMC)
What matters in the GC race? Leipheimer, winner of the Tour of Utah last week is the top GC guy in 7th overall unless second place Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Cervelo) is in much better form than he has shown in recent years. Tour de France winner Evans sits right behind Leipheimer in 9th right now. Further down, Andy Schleck (Leopard-Trek), Frank Schleck (Leopard-Trek) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) all had weak time trials and dug themselves holes early on.
What matters in the other competitions?
With the first stage having been a time-trial, there are no other jerseys to speak of. Gretsch absorbed all of them (including the young rider jersey).
Biggest surprise: The early men on the course all rode very quickly. With the exception of Vande Velde, all of the major time trial specialists and GC contenders rode at the end of the day and all wilted on the final run in to the finish that was the only uphill portion of the course.
Biggest disappointment: The Schleck brothers, Andy in particular, haven't improved in the time trial. It's both of their Achilles heel and Andy really has a chance to improve and win a major Grand Tour at some point if he does.
Other items of note: The race pretty much turns uphill from now until the end of the race on Sunday.
What is coming tomorrow? Just like the Vuelta, mountain carnage. We summit a mountain over 11,000 ft and then finish on top of Mount Crested Butte. The lead should change hands as Gretsch is not a great climber at all.
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