So Alberto Contador leaves Astana. And our commentator on Eurosport Russia was so sure he will stay, he was talking about it during all the stages. There we go. Russian speaking Asatana fans are very dissapointed.
Some possible scenarios:

- Contador to Quickstep. They were interested in him a year ago. Of course, everybody is interested in him, but maybe Quickstep has (or had) enough money?

- Contador to Caisse Depargne. Or how the team will name? Did they found a new sponsor? Anyway, why not? Spanish team, plus Velverde is suspended...

- Contador to Uncle Bjarne. Seems like Danish media are sure he will go this way. But Riis is mute, he still has the Schlecks. It's sad, he definitely love them more then just good riders. Or maybe now it's more like love/hate relationships.
honestly I don't want Schlecks to leave. I'm not sure that new team will be better then Saxo, at least at first. And without a good team Andy nor Frank won't win the Tour. There are so many superb helpers-leaders as Fabian, Stuey, Jens... And... So many aspects.

- Contador to his own team. What? There were the rumours a while ago. If it happens I'm sure it will be only for Spanish riders.

Individual:

1. Alberto Contador - 527 points
2. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte - 483
3. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez - 357 (omg, THREE Spaniard in the top-3! It's too much. To be honest, I like Carlos Sastre and dislike other Spanish riders)
4. Andy Schleck - 334 (he missed just 23 points! *cries*)
5. Cadel Evans - 333 (awwww... he missed just one point to Andy! hehe:)) Sorry, Cadel)
6. Edvard Boasson Hagen - 322 (this guy looks like a little boy... Such a Babyface. Even Andy looks older:) At first I thought he is 17 or something)
7. Roman Kreuziger - 319 (and Roman looks older)
8. Mark Cavendish - 304 (I thought he has more. Seems like he won every sprint this year:))
9. Philippe Gilbert - 295 (Allez Phil! I like him)
10. Robert Gesink - 266 (poor Robert, tough season for him)
11. Allan Davis - 249 (the most dissapointed thing for Allan that he didn't ride the Tour)
12. Damiano Cunego - 235 (I think Damiano isn't very happy of his season)
13. *thirrrrteeeen place!* Andreas Kloden - 232
14. Ivan Basso - 229 (not bad for the person who wasn't compete for two years)
15. Denis Menchov - 218
16. Heinrich Haussler - 217 (oh, just one point!)
17. Thor Hushovd - 216 (again just one point)
18. Tylar Farrar - 212
19. Frank Schleck - 212 (Hey?! Wuzzup?! Why Franky is lower than Farrar?! He had such a hard season, he deserves high place!)
20. Luis Leon Sanchez - 211

Canc 23rd, Armstrong 31st, Boonen 38th (than Wiggo, Tony Martin and Matti), Jacob 50th, Lovkvist 55th, Vandevelde 64th, Jens 97th (??!!).

In the Teams standings Saxo Bank 4th after Astana, Caisse and Columbia. Grrr, they should be in the top-3!
National standings: Spain, Italy, Australia, yeah... Luxembourg is 7th:)

(c)EPA/CAROLINE BLUMBERG

Vinokourov, 35, returned to racing after serving a two-year doping ban which followed a positive test on the 2007 Tour de France, and has indicated that he would like to rejoin his former team, Astana.

We'll see new Astana very sune, I'm sure. Contador, Armstrong and other "big" riders gone (or not gone, but thinking about it), now the team mostly consists of post-USSR riders. They are good, but are they so good to continue team domination in cycling and on TDF? I think no. But maybe they found a new star? We'll see...

P.S. Love Andy's pic on Twitter. I have that one bigger and it's so nice - his eyes are so sparkly:) !

So, what was hot and what was not.

++++++

1. Team Saxo Bank looked as a great team. They always look as a great team, but on TDF it's especially good:) And thanks to them for the great site with many videos!
2. I was pleased to see Heinrich Haussler's victory. He cried and it was so touched...
3. Thor in green. I'm happy for him. Not because he beat Cavendish (he is great sprinter, no doubt), but just because Thor is a cool guy and he deserves his spot on the podium. And his solo breakaway in mountains was impressive.
4. Frank's victory. No comments:)
5. Canc in yellow (and Canc - the winner of the first stage)
6. Andy on the podium. That's the main plus:)

------
1. Kurt and Jens crashed:( And another bad crashes for Gesink, Leipheimer, Menchov and others.
2. Bastille Day without radios - not a good idea to test it on the grand tour.
3. Poor results from Evans, Sastre and Menchov - I think, if these guys were in a good shape, the battle would be much more interesting. Because only the Shlecks tried to stir the peloton (maybe, Evans on a first two weeks).
4. Boring Pyrenees.
5. Doping rumours. Yes, we had no many rumours during the race (except Di Luca positive test on Giro), but it begins now - this article (click to read) says about "doping announcement" this Thursday. And they decided to re-test some samples from last year's Tour (and not just Tour, if I meant right). Every of these rumours is killing me! I know I should be confident, but I can't. I looked through some Russian cycling boards - people write stupid things. I know, I know, they don't know anything, they just can't know, but it's so in my style - to believe in stupid rumours. I should do something with myself:)

And, as I don't want to end my post in such a bad way, here is a Twit from Kurt-Asle Arvesen:
"Andy is a natural born talent. Not only in cycling, yesterday night he took our dinner/party by storm with his speech!"