Posted on 07/17/2005 1:34:43 AM PDT by Aeronaut
Four cat 1 climbs ending with an HC climb!
Please FReepmail nutmeg if you want on or off the Tour de France 2005 list.
I hope Lance's team steps up and helps him out big time today. He seams to have been on his own these past few days.
"I hope Lance's team steps up and helps him out big time today. He seams to have been on his own these past few days."
They seemed to get blown away more easily than they shoud've yesterday. But then Armstrong is benefiting from the infighting in Team Telekom, Vino needs to get himself a new team pretty sharpish as he obviously has no future in that one after Ulrich has repeatedly stabbed him in the back.
I think that might be getting overplayed a bit. Yesterday Ullrich had a teammate in the final challenge, but Lance didn't, and neither did anyone else. But, I do agree completely with your first sentence.
when does the race start?
About 4:10 AM CDT.
Is that Central Time US/Canada?
could of just said in about 17 minutes.. :D
Yes. It is 11:10 AM in frensh time.
Who is going to win this stage? Make your bets now!
LANCE... he hasn't won a stage in awhile, maybe he wants to rub their noses in it. :D
The 15th stage of the 2005 Tour de France, from Lezat-sur-Leze to Saint-Lar-Soulon (Pla-d’Adet), will get underway at 11.10am (4:10 CDT). There is only 600m of neutral zone before the flag will fall to signal the start of the hardest stage of the 92nd edition of the race.
The 15th stage features no less than six difficult climbs. It will be an emotional day as the peloton passes the memorial to Fabio Casartelli who lost his life because of injuries sustained in a crash during the Tour de France 10 years ago. The race direction will stop on the first climb to pay tribute to the 1992 Olympic road race champion.
The climbs today are:
The cat-two Col du Portet d’Aspet (at 85km)
The cat-1 Col de Mente (at 100.5km)
The cat-1 Col du Portillon (at 137.5km)
The cat-1 Col de Peyresourde (at 162km)
The cat-1 Col de Val-Louron Azet (at 182.5km)
And the final ascent to the ‘hors category’ summit at Pla-d’Adet
...a new contract with the Discovery Channel required him to ride at least once more. He decided to get it over with and do it this year.
5 km The peloton is all together after five kilometers.
Good Morning!
;-)
Break has 14:25 now.
The 14 Escapees...
Pereiro (PHO) 24th @24'40
Hincapie (DSC) 25th @24'59
Boogerd (RAB) 29th @32'54
Dekker (RAB) 120th @2h15'27
Kroon (RAB) 152nd @2h38'21
Astarloza (A2R) 31st @34'33
Sevilla (TMO) 34th @37'27
Brochard (BTL) 37th @50'15
Pineau (BTL) 55th @1h10'21
Caucchioli (C.A) 43rd @59'25
Camano (EUS) 95th @1h44'12
Bertogliati (SDV) 107th @1h59'25
Davis (LSW) 117th @2h07'01
Bertolini (DOM) 132nd @2h24'04
They are beginning the first of six climbs:
Km 85 - Col du Portet d'Aspet (souvenir Casartelli) - 5.9 km climb to 6.9 % - 2 Category
There is an award in memorial to Fabio Cassartelli for the first over the top.
Will it be Cassatelli's former Motorola teammate, Hincapie?
WAKE UP EVERYBODY! There is a race on! ;-)
Dekker takes the Souvenir Cassartelli.
Lance's team isn't designed to respond to attacks so much as it is designed to set blistering paces that widdle down the main group. I don't think you saw a true meltdown on Disco's part.
13:30 - Peloton At 1st Summit
At the top of the Col du Portet d’Aspet, the peloton’s deficit to the 14 leaders was 17’20".
That's nuts! LOTS of racing left tho'.
How is Hincapie doing in the overall standings?
Sorry , saw now in earlier post 25th at 24'59" behind Lance.
The course profile today looks just incredible - up and down and up and down....
Hincapie is now 25th overall.
HINCAPIE IS IN THE FIRST BREAKAWAY!
This is going to be an amazing stage.
You finally have a cup of coffee? ;-)
LOL !
yep... Movin'.... slow.
Kind of like the peloton...
14:21 - Peloton Behind By 18’45"
The peloton was 18’45" behind the 14 escapees at the feedzone (110km).
14:18 - Peloton In Saint-Beat
The peloton has arrived in Saint-Beat (at the 110km mark) the site of today’s feedzone which is at the base of the Col de Mente.
Almost in Spain...
And I'm off for a ride.
Go George!
Armstrong gave an interview today before the start of the race and he mentioned his team were crowded out from their defensive stance. He mentioned yesterday turned into a race of individuals.... not teams.
Don't know if he was upset by this or just making a statement. Hard to tell - being interviewed before today's chaos was kind of tough for him - but he responded kindly.
Some riders would have put the microphone in the interviewer's ear.
Bon Chance Lance!
Discovery boys having trouble again. Lance looks to be on his own.
The lead break has 14 minutes, down from 18.
The leaders, as riders are shed from the break:
Pereiro (PHO) 24th @24'40
Hincapie (DSC) 25th @24'59
Boogerd (RAB) 29th @32'54
Sevilla (TMO) 34th @37'27
Brochard (BTL) 37th @50'15
Caucchioli (C.A) 43rd @59'25
@40 seconds
Davis (LSW) 117th @2h07'01
In no-man's land:
Dekker (RAB) 120th @2h15'27
Kroon (RAB) 152nd @2h38'21
Astarloza (A2R) 31st @34'33
Pineau (BTL) 55th @1h10'21
Camano (EUS) 95th @1h44'12
Bertogliati (SDV) 107th @1h59'25
Bertolini (DOM) 132nd @2h24'04
15:30 - The Yellow Jersey’s Group
The riders in the yellow jersey’s peloton are:
Armstrong, Azevedo, Popovych, Rubiera, Savoldelli (DSC), Ullrich, Kloden, Vinokourov (TMO), Basso, Sastre (CSC), Mancebo, Arroyo (IBA), Evans (DVL), Rasmussen (RAB), Landis (PHO), Horner, Piepoli (SDV), Contador, Jaksche (LSW), Moreau, Kashechkin (C.A), Mazzoleni (LAM), Leipheimer (GST).
Armstrog + 4 Disco boys.
The lead is coming down: 14'26"
Rasmussen, Ullrich and Basso are in Armstrongs group. This is great news for Lance.
Armstrong's group has dwindled to 22 riders early in the 4th climb (Col de Peyrsourde). The break is near the top and scattered in between.
I saw an interview in which he said cancer had spread, and I thought he said to his brain, but I could not determine if that was a new interview or not! I think he did say this is the last one...but if he said that last year, who knows? I think things are pretty serious with Sheryl Crow...
Hincapie looks comfortable in the lead group, with Lance following surrounded by three teammates about 11:30 behind with Rasmussen and Ullrich on his wheel.
...and down, and soon up again for the 5th climb today. Lead down to 11'20".
Still three Disco riders together with Lance.
Armstrong group has slowed a bit with several riders catching back on, now over the Col de Peyresourde 11:27 behind the leaders.
CSC trying to up the pace of the Armstrong group, but the Disco boys hanging in.
Vino trying to break out of Armstrong group. can the Disco boys stay with him, looks like two have dropped out.
Basso, Ullrich Armstrong break out!!
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