Yesterday’s stage, the hardest mountain stage of the race thus far, is exactly what bike racing is all about. A race of constant motion, even when that motion is painfully beautiful or beautifully painful. Can’t ever quite tell which it is. Cadel Evans’ brave attack, the mechanical response of Sky and Chris Froome, and the momentarily fragile Brad Wiggins…It was all somehow perfect, no matter the result. And what a result it was for the rising hero of the forlorn French. Pierre Rolland, a revelation at last year’s Tour and a confirmed climbing specialist. A quiet nod to kolo t.c.’s favorite rider, Janez Brajkovic, jumped up from 13th to 8th place after bravely sticking to the back of the Sky duo of Wiggins and Froome. Janez is looking to move up to the top five with almost two full weeks of racing left. Allez, Janez!