Voeckler wins solo, Andy loses Yellow.

19 July 2010

photo: Getty images

Today the stage brings the riders from Pamiers to Bagnères de Luchon a ride of 187km with 1 climb of the 4^th category, 2 of the second category and in the final the Port Balès has to climbed one of the hors category.  The first one of the second category is the Col du Portet d'Aspet, one with a famous downhill parts where Fabio Casartelli fell and died in the Tour of 1995.
As the peloton lead by O'Grady passes the memorial statue, O'Grady  pays his respect as he goes downhill.

Brian Vandborg (Liquigas-Doimo), Johan Van Summeren (Garmin - Transitions), Sergei Ivanov (Team Katusha), Lloyd Mondory (AG2R La Mondiale), Alessandro Ballan (BMC), Francesco Reda (Quick Step), Luke Roberts (Team Milram), Thomas Voeckler and Sebastian Turgot (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) and Aitor Perez (Footon-Servetto) are the riders in the front. It took several attacks before the peloton let these riders go.

The riders got a max. gap of about 11 minutes. Saxobank is the team that leads the peloton. In the front there are no riders that can be a threat to the yellow jersey so they keep the gap steady.

The Port Balès is a dangerous climb, about 19 km long with gradients of 10.9% and 11.2%. Small not so good roads going up but also going down.

Starting on the climb O'Grady speeds up the pace and the peloton splits in the back, riders have to let go. The peloton is stretched. Andy still has 5 riders around him. O'Grady did his job and Jens Voigt is taking over. Matti Breschel has to leave the Saxo train.  The gap with the leaders is getting smaller. The leaders are on a difficult passage of the climb. There is a small attack Ivanov, Voeckler, van Summeren, Perez and Ballan jump away from the others.

In the peloton Jens Voigt did his job and Nicky Sorensen takes over. In the back a lot of riders have to let go of the group. Charteau, the rider in the polka dot is one of them.

In the front Vanborg comes back to the leading group where he had to let go earlier. But as soon Voeckler attacks he has to let go. Voekcler attacks on the part where the steepness is about 10% and gets a small gap, Ballan tries to get to him. The front group has split. It's everyone for himself.

Nicky Sorensen and Jakob Fuglsang did their job for Andy and Chris Anker Sorensen takes over, he is the last team mate of Andy he has to finish it, his team worked hard and good. Wiggens has to let go in the back.
Contador is in Andy's wheel with team-mates around him. Andy takes the lead now and five riders take off. Andy, Contador, Sanchez, Mentjov and van der Broek. The top 5 of the GC. Andy takes the lead.

But the hole group is back together and Contador stays in the wheel of Andy.  Meanwhile in the front Voeckler is still standing. With just behind him Ballan and Perez.

Andy attacks but he loses his chain and Contador is gone, with Sanchez and Mentjov. Andy is on his bike again. He had Contador in his attack and now he has to go all the way back without  team-mates. But it looks so simple he passes everybody who is in his way, back to Contador?

Now the downhill part, he lost 20 seconds. In the group Contador, Contador is taking the lead and Andy takes all risk to get back. Sanchez is the man for the downhills and takes over from Contador. (I'm typing this with seat in my hands and a heartbeat you don't want to know).

Voeckler still in the front. Taking also all risk and almost hits a farmhouse that's in his way.

Vino joins the Andy and van der Broeck. Behind them group Leipheimer and Gesink. Andy goes down like a mad man.

Voeckler is the man of the day and solo's to the finish. He bows and kisses his French National Jersey.  Perez is second and Ballan is third.

Contador takes the Yellow Jersey. The day that he wanted to attack and get more minutes to Contador, Andy loses his Yellow Jersey.

What a day, What a race, What a bad luck...

Stage results:
1. Voeckler
2. Perez
3. Ballan
Andy Schleck

General Classification:
1. Contador
2. Andy Schleck with 8 seconds.
3. Sanchez

Polkadot:
1. Charteau
2. Pineau
3. Voeckler

Green Jersey:
1. Patacchi
2. Hushovd
3. Cavandish

White Jersey:
1. Andy Schleck
2. Gesink
3. Kreuziger

Grey Jersey:
1. Leipheimer
2. Vino
3. Sastre

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