Ahhh, du Galibier. Switchback after switchback of asphalt hell. Hell if you're on a bike, but heaven if you're watching the world's best cyclists do the work. For 18 kilometers, a ribbon of pain and lactic acid wobbles and weaves its way up the grotesque, treeless slopes of the great French kingmaker.

Yesterday in Stage 9, between Val-d'lsere and Briancon, the boys on the bikes rolled themselves up not only les col du Galibier and du telegraphe, but also the Beyond Category (HC)-rated Col de l'Iseran climb. Three rated climbs, 159.5 kilometers, more than 4 hours. Lots and lots of opportunities for General Classification (GC) contenders to attack and try to put time into their rivals.

Judgement day.

The peloton was between a rock and a steep place on du Galibier in Stage 9. Photo from cyclingnews.com.

Team Discovery Channel set the tone early by sending Yaroslav "Popo" Popovych out ahead of the peloton on the l'Iseran. Popo went boldly over the top alone ahead of the field, grabbing a bit of Alpine glory for himself and forcing team Rabobank to make a heavy tempo in support of Mickael "The Chicken" Rasmussen in the yellow jersey.

Popo's break was just the start of a heavy day of sprinting and bridging. Edgy with anticipation of the unknown and the knowledge of imminent glory, a cluster of GC favorites and their primary domestiques surged off the front of the main peloton on du telegraphe and spent the rest of the stage dueling with each other in wave upon wave of darting attacks and inspired regroups.

One of the boldest moves of the day -- and the most successful -- was Juan Mauricio Soler's breakout at the foot of du Galibier. After resting up in the peloton for the climb over du telegraphe, Soler leapt out of the field just past the village of St.-Michel-de-Maurienne and easily gapped up to Popo's six-man breakaway. Popo's pod nearly got whiplash watching Soler blow by them like their tires were made of bubble gum.

After an initial bobble, Popo gathered himself and regained Soler's wheel. But that was just a temporary mirage. With about 40 kilometers to go, high on the slopes of the Galibier, Soler dumped it into a whole 'nother gear and rode Popo right off his wheel en route to a brazen, ballsy, and brilliant 38-second stage win. It was the Columbian stick figure's first Tour stage win in his first Tour. "It's the most beautiful day of my life. I never thought I would win a stage in the Tour de France," said Soler. It was also South African team Barloworld's first Tour win.

Soler carried the day, but there was plenty of grab-assing going on among the GC hopefuls. Just as it started to get steep on du Galibier, the attacks began. First it was team Caisse d'Epargne's Alejandro Valverde, followed by Iban Mayo, with Aussie Cadel Evans, team Discovery Channel's newest flyboy Alberto Contador, and the Chicken also responding. Not keeping pace: Alexandre "Vino" Vinokourov and Andrey Kashechikin.

Most of the main counterattacks were initiated by Valverde, who was rewarded with a second-place finish and a valuable time bonus. He looks really strong and ready to flex his muscles in the Pyrenees. Mayo looked a little wobbly, but managed to do enough to be in the mix at the end. Evans is right there, but he's a grinder -- no great acceleration, no overwhelming power, he's just there.

Contador showed again today that he is the fastest climber in the tour, The dude has jets and when he turns them on, NOBODY in the field can stay with him, not even the Chicken. His acceleration is electric, Lance-like even.

Announcers Bob Roll and Al Trautwig were babbling on about "quarterback controversies" for several teams, meaning that some teams who came in supporting one rider for GC now find themselves having to re-evaluate who to support. Teams like Rabobank, Discovery Channel, and Astana may be going with new team leaders after Stage 9.

We have two for this one: Andreas Kloden waits for his double-whip, no-froth, Madagascar chai latte at the local java hut before hitting the slopes for Stage 9. And, "Now is the time on Sprockets when we dance." Photo from Yahoo Eurosport.

Up the Galibier, Discovery Channel henchman Georgie Hincappie was pulling for Contador instead of supposed team leader Levi Leipheimer, who had another undistinguished day in the saddle. And team Astana pretty much has no choice but to go with Andreas Kloden after Vino spent another day grimacing away minutes and Kloden powered his way to the front of the chase pack. Denis Menchov of team Rabobank: pretender. The Chicken is now Rabobank's man to the bitter end.

Look at the top five in the overall standings right now: that's your podium right there folks. French geezer (he's 36) Christophe Moreau refuses to say die and keeps French hopes alive for another day. He's a good time trialist, so he might get a faint whiff of the podium but probably doesn't have the legs to handle the Pyrenees. Kloden is lurking in the weeds, and will be a force in the last week of the Tour. Don't forget, Stage 19 is an individual time trial, and Kloden finished second to Fabian Cancellara in the Prologue TT. Leipheimer is clinging to life, and he may be pulling a Clyde Frazier until the Pyrenees, but to date, he has looked totally irrelevant. For everybody else, it's over.

Stage 10 is pretty flat on the run south from Tallard to Marseilles, but it will be long and hot, hot, hot. Look for a return of the sprinters -- what's left of them.