Month: July 2010 (Page 2 of 7)

Stage 17 write-up to follow, first read Andy Schleck’s comments on Stage 17 – Love the guy!

From LeTour:  http://www.letour.fr/

Andy Schleck – “El Pistolero is strong, huh?”Only eight seconds separate first from second overall after 17 stages of the Tour de France. The climb up the col du Tourmalet was the platform for the best young rider to become the best in the Tour. Andy Schleck won the stage but Alberto Contador is winning the battle for the yellow jersey.

“I’m satisfied with the stage win but I also wanted to turn white into yellow but unfortunately it wasn’t possible. I really tried hard, you have to believe me about that. I changed rhythm and I tried everything but I think we’re on the same level on the climbs. Alberto attacked and I could go with him – it was a quick response – but in the end he didn’t sprint to win the stage because I did the most work. I have a lot of respect for that, it shows that he’s a great champion.

“I tried to find out how he was feeling. You need to look at someone to see how he was coping. I think you can find out a lot if you look someone in the eyes. He didn’t have the sunglasses on today so it was possible to see, that’s why I looked so many times. But he always looked good and that’s kind of what killed me.

“El Pistolero is strong, huh? I could no drop him. He was always there. I wanted to find out if he was getting weak but he didn’t succumb. He even attacked me to show, ‘Hey, listen young boy, I’m still here! You better stop playing these games with me.’

“I’m super happy to win this stage today – it’s the Queen stage of this year’s Tour. To win on the Tourmalet is like a win on Alpe d’Huez.

“When I turned to talk to him, I said: ‘You pass?’ And he didn’t. I would have done the same. Why should he pass me? In the end, he let me win the stage and I’m super happy.”

Stage 17 is the Queen stage of this year’s Tour, but it is the do or die stage for Andy Schleck.  To have any chance of winning in Paris, he has to take back the yellow jersey and the lead from rival Alberto Contador in Stage 17.

Consider this:  Tour de France riders have completed 16 stages, ridden over 3,000km, in 78 hours + and only 8 seconds separates the top to riders.  Amazing.

Stage 17 will have riders ascend the Col de Marie-Blanque, Col de Soulor, and the Col du Tourmalet. Although riders climbed the Col du Tourmalet just 2 days ago in Stage 16, Stage 17 marks the first ever summit finish on the Tourmalet.

The climb up the Tourmalet will decide everything for Schleck.  He must take back the yellow jersey on the Tourmalet to have any chance to win the Tour de France – unless something unforeseen (and unlikely) happens to Contador on or before Saturday’s time trial.

Tomorrow is truly D-Day.  Again, it is so unfortunate that Schleck had the mechanical when he did.  He appeared to be stronger than Contador in Stage 15 and without a doubt Schleck had the psychological advantage.  He had Contador on the ropes - and his chain slips!  I still can not believe it.  Contador’s quick decision to capitalize on Schleck’s misfortune was proof positive that he was not sure he could beat Schleck.

If only Schleck had that 31 seconds on Contador going into tomorrow.  It might seem like nothing in terms of time, but it would have changed everything in terms of the race.

I am hoping for a miracle tomorrow – or just a little Karma!

I had high expectations for today, of the latest battle in Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador war that was supposed to happen in Stage 16 today – it didn’t. They watched each other and waited.

I woke up just before 5am, could not go back to sleep so I got up to watch the stage. There was excitement from the start. For starters, there was the heated debate between Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen about Contador’s decision to race on with Schleck unable to due to the mechanical. Bob Roll and Craig Hummer seemed sort of uncomfortable with the dissension, kind of like kids act when mom and dad argue.

Secondly, there was the racing – the racing definitely started out exciting. Riders started attacking as soon as the neutral zone was clear. Lance Armstrong was finally in a break -  which was exciting.

In addition, I just knew as I watched Schleck that he was going to ride up to Contador and rip the yellow jersey off him – not really but I thought there might be something. Of course nothing happened, in fact they rode along side each other and appeared to talk. Word has it that the feud is over; Schleck went so far as to ask fans to quit booing Contador. I have no doubt Schleck still feels Contador acted in an un-sportsman like way, but maybe has decided to let his racing do his talking. We can only hope he has his best legs on Thursday.

Despite the hype, today’s stage was not expected to be the stage that Schleck attacked Contador because of the long descent. If either rider obtained a gain, it could have easily been made up on the descent. I did have my hopes up that the breakaway would make it and that if Armstrong was still there at the end – and he was – he would find a way to cross the finish line first. He did not.

I didn’t understand Johan Bruynel’s tactics, unless what we saw wasn’t what he ordered – but was maybe all Armstrong could do. Quick Step had Carlos Barredo attack (although 40k out was too soon) and ride alone to about 1k from the finish, Chris Horner (Radio Shack) could have made a similar move for Radio Shack. In that case, Armstrong would not have had to work in the breakaway with his teammate up the road – he could have rested and waited.

Instead, Armstrong tried to out sprint a very fast Damiano Cunego (Lampre) and Pierrick Fedrigo (Bbox). He couldn’t and Fedrigo took the win. It was a great ride today by Armstrong; he raced well and looked strong, particularly in the early climbs.

No way to know if it would have worked for them to send Horner alone (like Quick Step did with Barredo), but it would have had a better chance for success than to try and win a bunch sprint against Fedrigo and Cunego. Armstrong made such a strong effort; it would have been nice if he could have been rewarded with a final stage win.

As difficult as Stage 16 was, with over 13,000 feet of climbing, somehow green jersey hunter, Thor Hushovd (Cervelo) managed to finish with the main group and regain the green jersey. Hushovd sprinted to the finish, coming in 10th and gaining six points toward the green jersey. Enough points to give him a four-point edge in the competition for the green over Allesandro Petacchi (Lampre).

The race tightened for the climber’s polka dot jersey as well with Christophe Moreau (Caisse d’Epargne) gaining ground on current jersey wearer, Anthony Charteau (Bbox).

Tomorrow is a “rest day”, with Thursday being D-Day. Do or Die for the Yellow Jersey.

*pictures are from Getty Images

Although I wrote an earlier post on Stage 15, it would not be right to ignore the sensational ride today by Thomas Voeckler (Bbox).

Voeckler is one of my favorite riders because he rides with courage and tenacity. In the 2004 Tour de France, Voeckler held the yellow jersey for 10 days – when he was often referred to as “little” Tommy Voeckler. He quickly became a Tour favorite of both the fans and the riders.

Voeckler got away in a ten man breakaway at about 100km out, including Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-Transitions), Sergei Ivanov (Katusha), Alessandro Ballan (BMC), Francesco Reda (Quick Step), Aitor Perez Arrieta (Footon), Lloyd Mondory (AG2R), Thomas Voeckler and Sebastian Turgot (both Bbox) and Alan Perez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) .

The breakaway had a gap of as much as 10:50 on the peloton, who after the tortuous pace of Stage 14, were happy to ride a moderate tempo. Once the breakaway was on the climb of the HC (beyond category) Port de Bales, riders started to drop.

Of the original ten riders, six continued to work together on the climb. Voeckler attacked in the steepest part – with gradients in excess of 10% – crossing the summit alone.

After the 20km descent, Voeckler, in his French champion’s jersey, claimed his much deserved, second Tour stage win.

Overall, Stage 15 had plenty of exciting racing and tactical maneuvering. Saxo Bank was impressive with the tempo they maintained on the climb of the Port de Bales.

Schleck never seemed in danger, and in fact seemed in control of the race – until the “chain reaction”.

Stage 16 will be a hotly contested stage. Both Schleck and Contador have something to prove and the other riders will be trying to do something positive with the stage too.

Tomorrow does not get any easier – there are two category 1 climbs and two HC (beyond category).  No doubt, Stage 16 will be another exciting, suspenseful day of racing in the Pyrenees.

*pictures are from Getty Images