The favorites rested up and maintained their positions in the GC while a few went stage win hunting.
Another courageous effort by Frenchman, Jeremy Roy! How he found the energy and wherewithal to take off and stay away today too – after yesterday’s enormous effort to win and falling short – is beyond me. Roy has been the most aggressive rider of the Tour, getting in numerous breakaways throughout the Tour this year only to lose. He seemed heart broken when he crossed the finish line in third.
Another aggressive man in this year’s Tour rode a PERFECT race today. No one would have picked him to win Stage 13, he’s not even a climber (at least by reputation), he’s a sprinter. The fact is that he has said recently that since he is no longer able to compete and win sprint stages, he’s spent a lot of time training in the mountains near his home in Monaco.
It shows.
Thor Hushovd has arguably had the best 2011 Tour of anyone. Wearing the yellow jersey for 7 days and then today, winning the stage. Not just any stage, but a stage in the brutal Pyrenees mountains. A stage that a climber was expected to win.
It has to be the biggest stage win of his career.
I hope Roy gets a stage win before the Tour ends in a couple of weeks.
Thomas Voeckler and his team took care of business today keeping him in the yellow jersey going into the beyond category Stage 14 tomorrow.
Beyond category in difficulty: 6 categorized climbs (2 cat 1’s, 2 cat 2’s, cat 3 and HC) culminating in a mountain top finish on the HC (beyond category) the Plateau de Beille.
Stage 14 is arguably the Queen Stage (toughest stage)of this year’s Tour although I haven’t heard it referred to as that. Stage 18 with 3 HC climbs may be just as brutal if not more so.
The GC will look a lot different after Stage 14 and as much as I hate to say it, unless something unforeseen happens we’ll have a new yellow jersey wearer.
Not going out on a limb I realize, but it will most likely be Frank Schleck, Cadel Evans or Ivan Basso who takes yellow tomorrow.
Enjoy it while you have it Thomas!
