Neck on block time.

Okay, it's time for Le Tour. So, what's there to get excited about this year?
Lance coming back to his old stomping ground? Pretty big call from a man not used to being viewed as fallible. So far this season he seems to have had fun, broken a bone and ridden the Giro d'Italia for the first time in his career, not a bad return to the pro ranks.
Carlos going for the back to back? Meh. He might be a nice guy, he is Mr Consistant, but he just doesn't engage me either way.
Cadel going one step higher? I'd love to see an Antipodean on the top step, but can he? With his team? His form in the Dauphine was excellent and it was great to see some aggression, but I have some nagging doubts as to what he'll be like in July.
Alberto? He's got the pedigree, he's won before, all three Grand Tours, the Giro d'Italia, Le Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana, his TT ability has improved, he's the real deal. BUT who is going to be top dog in Astana, Alberto or Lance? Or are we going to see another twin leader implosion like T-Mobile in 2005 with Vino and de Kaiser duking it out?
My pick - Dennis Menchov. The Russian won the Giro d'Italia with a very calculated and controlled ride, pouncing on the leader's jersey in the long time trial and then hanging onto the shadow of his only real threat Danilo DiLuca to ensure the top spot. Sure, he delivered a fair bit of blood-pounding excitment with his last stage final kilometre crash, but overall he was as cool as a cucumber. He has won the Giro, he's won the Vuelta a Espana, his team are focussed and on song, when he wins Le Tour he will be the only rider of the current generation to have won both the Giro and Le Tour in a single season (last time Marco Pantani 1998) and one of six riders to ever have won all three.
All of that aside, and unlike some previous years where the latter stages of le Tour which have been pretty much a procession for GC and opportunities for breakaway specialists, come the second to last day with it's defining climb up Mont Ventoux, there still won't be a clear winner for the overall tour until the finish line of that stage has been crossed.