Jul 22 2011

Le Tour- Stage 19

Modane Valfréjus to Alpe-d’Huez 69 miles

Le.  Tour.  De.  France.

As it turns out BruceMcF was quite right to suspect that yesterday the Mad Manx, Mark Cavendish, 4 Stage winner and leader in the points competition by a comfortable 35 would come under tremendous pressure to finish inside the time limit (which yesterday was 33:07) or be dropped from the Tour.

Well he didn’t do that, and was part of a group of 88 riders that finished 35:50 back.

But there is safety in numbers and as one can imagine the Tour organizers were kind of embarrassed at the prospect of losing about half the field, including some other high recognition sprinters like Gilbert and Hushovd, so instead they used a loophole in the rules designed for after a spectacular Peloton splitting crash and fined the all the riders in the group 20 points instead.

This did a bit of reshuffling of the sprinter standings from Wednesday to Thursday and instead of a commanding 35 point lead the Mad Manx has a margin of but a bare 15 and is headed to another day in the mountains.

At the front Andy Schleck put on quite a show with an early break away after the Casse Déserte that he maintained all the way up the Galibier and gained more than 4 Minutes over Alberto Contador who has defeated him for the past two years.  While the shuffling in the GC was not quite as dramatic there were still a few changes-

Rank Name Team ET delta
1 Thomas Voeckler Europcar 79h 34′ 06″
2 Andy Schleck Leopard Trek 79h 34′ 21″ + 00′ 15″
3 Frank Schleck Leopard Trek 79h 35′ 14″ + 01′ 08″
4 Cadel Evans BMC 79h 35′ 18″ + 01′ 12″
5 Damiano Cunego Lampre 79h 37′ 52″ + 03′ 46″
6 Ivan Basso Cannondale 79h 37′ 52″ + 03′ 46″
7 Alberto Contador Saxo Bank 79h 38′ 50″ + 04′ 44″
8 Samuel Sanchez Euskaltel 79h 39′ 26″ + 05′ 20″
9 Tom Danielson Garmin 79h 41′ 14″ + 07′ 08″
10 Jean-Christophe Peraud AG2R 79h 43′ 33″ + 09′ 27″

The most important thing is the deltas, the time margin between competitors, because after today it will be very difficult to make up more than a minute, maybe 2, in the Individual Time Trials without a major mistake or a disasterous crash.  The route tomorrow is relatively flat and short, only 27 miles.

Today’s Stage is the last in the Alps and contains 1 category 1 and 2 Unclassified climbs finishing uphill on the Alpe d’Huez.  It’s fairly short so you can expect climbing attacks early.

At about 56 miles there is a descent that looks in the profile like you’re dropping straight off a cliff.  They exaggerate the scale so the elevation changes are more visible but it is still a high speed and twisty bit and people, especially if they are tired and anxious, might make mistakes.

If there are any sprinters left, their checkpoint will be after that.

Tomorrow is a very busy day for me as I’ll also have Formula One Qualfying at Nurburgring at 8 am, the same time as Le Tour.  Today’s Vs. coverage starts at 8 am.

rustymancuso581

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  4. Bob (25)- Andy Schleck

    Paul (14)- Evans

    Paul is mathematically eliminated.

    No one picked Contador and Phil thinks he’s done except for pride.

  7. we finally get a chance to see the early part of them getting organized and the first attack.

  8. The Schlecks and Evans.

  12. Contador, Andy Schleck, Evans and Voeckler in the attacking group.

    No idea what happened to Frank.

  13. I’m including a more detailed map of the stage, click on image to enlarge:

      Photobucket

    This is the last kilometer, a steep climb up Alpe-d’Huez

      Photobucket



  16. The race starts in the town of Modane Valfréjus.

    The gateway between Savoie and Italy, and between the Haute Maurienne and the Haute-Alpes, Modane, at 1,000 metres, has, since the 1992 relaxing of border controls, had to accept the challenge of the tourism economy while continuing to develop other projects such as particle physics research at its underground laboratories and the rail link between Lyon and Turin, set for completion by 2020.

    The town’s history has been influenced by its geographical position, in the centre of trade between France and Italy, especially since the drilling of the Fréjus Tunnel. Next July, on the day after the Franco-Italian stage of the race, Modane will become a member of the Tour de France’s club of stage towns. It will become the nineteenth commune in Savoie to feature on the programme of the Grand Boucle (Big Loop) since 1947.

  17. The finish is at Alpe-d’Huez sitting on a plateau. It takes the riders up the mountain road with 21 hairpin turns for 14 kilometers. (click on image to enlarge)


    Both a winter and summer resort, Alpe d’Huez – nicknamed ‘the island of the sun’ – is at the heart of the Oisans massif, in Isère, just an hour away from Grenoble, two hours from Lyon and two and a half from Geneva. Perched at an altitude of 1,860 metres, on a south-facing plateau, the resort certainly lives up to its nickname, averaging 300 days of sun per year. Topping out at 3,300 metres, the panoramic viewpoint up at the Pic Blanc is quite something, giving views over one fifth of French territory, and from where you can see Mont Blanc, Mont Ventoux, the Massif Central, Switzerland and Italy. With so much space – 10,000 hectares of it – it’s the perfect area for a variety of outdoor activities

    From Fausto Coppi, who was the pioneer in 1952, to Carlos Sastre, who also built his success on the famous road with 21 bends in 2008, the list of winners of L’Alpe-d’Huez groups together the names of legendary champions, with six winners of the Tour in total. In 2011, the ascent to the resort will nevertheless remind many of the race’s followers and viewers of the heated exchange between Bernard Hinault and Laurent Fignon during the 1984 Tour. “The intellectual” with round glasses was the French Champion at that time, and perfectly manoeuvred his elder to secure the Yellow Jersey at the summit. Although the Colombian rider Luis Herrera went over the finishing line 49 seconds ahead of him, Fignon had just gained the decisive upper hand and had achieved one of his greatest performances.

  18. on the timing of Contador’s attack in 2010 when Andy Schleck dropped a chain. Today when Evans had some mechanical problems as the riders who finished first and second last year continues to accelerate. This is viewed as un-sportsmanlike.

  19. Is Contador and Andy setting the pace and a group of Evans, Frank, Voeckler, and Basso chasing.

  20. The 4 leaders are still ahead by 1 min 7 sec. Voeckler has dropped back into the second group with Evans who has made up some time and is the lead in that croup

  21. and is chasing Sanchez.

  22. Two of his team mates are now pursuing Evans

  23. followed by Contador

  24. is now only 28 sec behind the lead

  25. Evans and Frank 44 Seconds behind.

    Voeckler has picked up his team and is trying to get back in it on the descent.

  26. He is 1 min 37 sec back

  27. and Evans 20 sec back

  28. has now joined the leaders. Voeckler is still losing time, nearly 2 min behind  

  29. that is 20 sec off the lead

  30. has nearly caught the leaders. Evans is just 12 sec behind Contador

  31. He may well wear the white jersey (youth) at the end of the day

  32. just 1 min behind the leaders.  

  34. Except for how tired they are.

  36. the weather is great

  37. Andy and Evans in chase.

  39. 3 miles to go.

  43. Evans and Andy make a move.  Frank rides back into it.

  44. are racing for the overall lead

  46. the first stage of this race won by a Frenchman and also takes the white jersey

  47. Sanchez

    Contador

    Evans

    Andy (maillot jaune)

  49. Stage 17 Top Finishers:

    1. ROLLAND Pierre

    2. SANCHEZ Samuel

    3. CONTADOR Alberto

    4. VELITS Peter

    5. EVANS Cadel

    6. DE GENDT Thomas

    7. CUNEGO Damiano

    8. SCHLECK Frank

    9. SCHLECK Andy

    10. HESJEDAL Ryder

    Overall Standing on Time (yellow jersey):

    1. SCHLECK Andy  

    2. SCHLECK Frank

    3. EVANS Cadel

    4. VOECKLER Thomas

    5. CUNEGO Damiano

    6. CONTADOR Alberto

    7. SANCHEZ Samuel

    8. BASSO Ivan

    9. DANIELSON Tom

    10. ROLLAND Pierre

    Overall Points Standing (green jersey):

    1. CAVENDISH Mark   280 pts

    2. ROJAS Jose Joaquin 265 pts

    3. GILBERT Philippe 230 pts

    4. HUSHOVD Thor 195 pts

    5. EVANS Cadel         191 pts

    6. HAGEN Edvald Boasson 153 pts

    7. GREIPEL André 130 pts

    8. FARRAR Tyler 101 pts

    9. SANCHEZ Samuel 96 pts

    10. SCHLECK Frank               94 pts

    Overall Climber (red & white polka dot jersey):

    1. SANCHEZ Samuel          108 pts

    2. SCHLECK Andy        98 pts

    3. VANENDERT Jelle 74 pts

    4. EVANS Cadel 58 pts

    5. SCHLECK Frank 56 pts

    6. CONTADOR Alberto 51 pts

    7. ROY Jérémy 45 pts

    8. ROLLAND Pierre 44 pts

    9. IGLINSKIY Maxim 40 pts

    10. HOOGERLAND Johnny 40 pts

    Overall Youth (white jersey):

    1. ROLLAND Pierre

    2. TAARAMAE Rein

    3. COPPEL Jérôme

    4. JEANNESSON Arnold

    5. RUIJGH Rob

    6. URAN Rigoberto

    7. THOMAS Geraint

    8. GESINK Robert

    9. GAUTIER Cyril

    10. ZEITS Andrey

    Overall Team

    1. TEAM GARMIN – CERVELO

    2. AG2R LA MONDIALE

    3. TEAM LEOPARD-TREK

    4. TEAM EUROPCAR

    5. EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI

    6. SKY PROCYCLING

    7. KATUSHA TEAM

    8. SAXO BANK SUNGARD

    9. FDJ

    10. COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE

  50. … selects the King of the Mountain Sammy Sanchez, provided he can stay upright and inside the time limit Saturday and Sunday ~ since Alpe D’Huez was the last mountain points of the 2011 Tour.

    Tomorrow finalizes the GC podium with Andy Schleck and Cadel Evans fighting out the top two steps and Frank Schleck, Tommy Voeckler, and possibly Damiano Cunego or Ivan Basso fighting for the third step. Fabian Cancellara will be aiming to win the ITT, and with Fabian on their squad, Leopard Trek is the only team that could hope to unseat Garmin with their almost 12:00 advantage in the Team competition ~ where the three fastest riders from each team for each day are added together for a total team time.

    And the Young Rider is also to be decided ~ I do not know whether the second rider in the competition is the more fancied rider against the clock, or whether the current leader is.

    Nobody expects Mark Cavnedish to lose the Green Jersey with 15 points ahead of JJ Rojas, who is not expected to be within three or four places of Mark on the line on Sunday.

    However, the Champs Elysee is the last Flat Sprinty Sprint Sprint stage, with the famous bunch sprint still ahead to decide the most prestigious of the stage winners. Though Tyler Farrar and Andre Griepel long ago gave up hopes of the Green Jersye, they will both be looking for the stage winner of the last day.

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