Jodie Batchelor

Jodie is the current Victorian Vets Criterium and Road champion in her age group. She has been racing for several years now and likes any event that involves sprinting and not too many hills. She initially used cycling as an important part of her rehabilitation from a mountaineering accident in New Zealand. She then got into racing as a replacement for martial arts in which she represented Australia and won Gold, Silver & Bronze medals in the Martial Arts World Games in 2000.

I thought last nights tactics by Silence Lotto to have Popovych in the break away group rather strange. The last few mountain stages he had been virtually behind Cadel and not offering much support once the road starts going up. I would have thought that he would have been better support for Cadel riding with Cadel - I mean that's why he was included in the team. Also he would have used a fair amount of energy in the breakaway that he might have been better off reserving for tonight's biggest and hardest ascents in the Tour - Alpe d'Huez.

Tonight is the last of the Alp stages and Cadel has to stay with the top of the leader board right until the finish line. Any time Cadel loses tonight he will need to make up on the penultimate stage - the time trial. He is currently 8 seconds from the prized jersey. I am sure he will be on the podium in Paris, I just don't know which position - my confidence is wavering. Cadel is 41 seconds in front of the rider in 4th position - Sastre and over minute ahead of Menchov who is 5th and can time trial.

Team CSC-Saxo Bank will probably try to work Cadel over, particularly if he has no team mates with him. CSC throughout the race have had many workers on the climbs, perhaps some of them wont be there tonight, then perhaps this is just wishful thinking by me!

I will feel compelled to watch the entire stage tonight - and like the other night when the attacks started, I will feel compelled to start yelling at the TV for Cadel to go with them. I just hope that he can and he takes the yellow jersey back tonight, a stage win would be the fairy tale end.

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