It’s been a pretty good race thus far for the two American teams at the Tour de France.

– Columbia’s Kim Kirchen had a chance to win in each of the first two stages and is in the green sprinter’s jersey after three days of the race. More importantly, Columbia’s big hope for the G.C. is in the group of contenders within seven seconds of each other from fourth (Alejandro Valverde, 1:45 behind leader Romain Feillu of Agritubel) through 37th (Columbia’s Thomas Lovkvist, 1:52 behind Feillu).

– Will Frischkorn of Garmin-Chipotle rode an amazing stage Monday with his three breakaway partners, with Frischkorn attacking from the very start of the race and the group staying away against all odds for 208 kilometers. Frischkorn, Feillu, Samuel Dumoulin of Cofidis and Paolo Longo Borghini of Barloworld worked together to build a lead of 15 minutes, too much for the seemingly disinterested peloton to overcome.

In watching the 85 replays of the finish on Versus’ virtually all-day coverage, you could almost imagine the lactic acid build-up in Frischkorn’s legs in watching him trying to catch Dumoulin at the finishing line. He rode on Feillu’s wheel for a bit to recoup some energy before giving it one last shot that fell just short of Dumoulin. Frischkorn also is third overall.

– Expect some big fireworks Tuesday in the 29.5 kilometer circuit that begins and ends in Cholet. World time trial champ Fabian Cancellara of CSC-Saxo Bank is the prohibitive favourite, but one-time time trial champ David Millar of Garmin-Chipotle will be gunning for the stage win and perhaps the yellow jersey. Millar is 1:46 behind Feillu.

Christian Vande Velde, also of Garmin-Chipotle, is a good time trialist, as indicated by his TT win at the Circuit de la Sarthe. George Hincapie of Columbia is a good time trialist as well. Both are 1:52 behind the yellow jersey. Overall contenders Valverde and Cadel Evans of Silence-Lotto will need big performances Tuesday in their quest for the G.C. Valverder is 1:45 behind Feillu and Evans is 1:46 in arrears.

In the time trial at the Tour of California, Millar beat Vande Velde by just 16 seconds and he finished 1:35 ahead of Cancellara. Levi Leipheimer of Astana won the TT at the ToC, but of course he isn’t in France because ASO banned his team.

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