Posted on 07/10/2006 8:59:43 PM PDT by nutmeg
Stage 10: Cambo-les-Bains to Pau - 190.5km
Course: This is a much easier introduction to the mountains than in recent years. Instead of a mountaintop finish, the last of three climbs on this 190.5km stage across the Basque part of the Pyrénées is 42.5km from the finish in Pau. That means that riders dropped on the Col de Marie-Blanque will have a chance to chase back to the peloton. Breakaways will inevitably go clear on the rolling roads that precede the day's major obstacle, the Col de Soudet, that climbs for almost 15km at over 7 percent, with some much steeper pitches on the upper reaches of the bumpy, narrow road that leads to the 5052-foot summit. The organizers have given the Soudet an hors-catégorie rating, which means that it's one of the toughest climbs of this Tour. The Marie-Blanque, another 40km along the way, is shorter but even steeper, and could easily spring a breakaway group.
History: There have been more than 50 stage finishes at Pau, but the only similar stages coming from the Atlantic coast were in the mid-1980s. The closest to this one was from Bayonne to Pau in 1987, when the very tough Burdincurutcheta climb preceded the Soudet and Marie-Blanque. That stage saw a four-man break go clear of a 34-strong lead group on the last climb, with Dutchman Erik Breukink winning the stage ahead of Frenchman Jean-François Bernard and Colombians Pablo Wilches and Lucho Herrera, 3:45 ahead of the next group. Bernard and Herrera went on to finish that Tour in the top five. Last year. Oscar Pereiro won the stage into Pau from a small breakaway group started by Cadel Evans on the Col d'Aubisque.
Favorites: The two main climbs will definitely break up the race, but a large group is likely to arrive in Pau to contest the stage win. The most likely stage winner is a climber not yet in contention, perhaps Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Fondital), who is a great sprinter in a small group.
Graphics by CyclingNews.com
Looking at tomorrow's route might be the best explanation of why the peloton is letting the breakaways run away today.
MERCADO gets it at the line. Hell of a sprint finish for two guys who have worked thier butt off all day. No matter where these two finish in Paris, they put on one hell of show today.
OHyeah. Tomorrow has the chance to really throw things into turmoil. The first climb alone could completely shred the entire field apart.
No matter where these two finish in Paris, they put on one hell of show today.
The first climb alone could will completely shred the entire field apart.
Ok I officially Impressed with the finish of the peleton. The were 9:30 back at 10KM and finished 7:23 back.
Just quick calcs, Don't know exact time bonuses etc. It looks like Gonchar will be around 4 min back, Landis 5, min and Hincapie 7 Min at the start tomorrow.
From about 1km to 500m to go, Dessel and Mercado were going quite slow side-by-side trying to set up the sprint. That's where most of the time was made up. Silly of Dessel if you ask me, but maybe his aspirations aren't that high...
I figurd they could cut some time off the leaders. 2'+ in 10km is impressive, prolly just trying to limit the damage. It was TMO leading the charge, tho there were plenty others willing to step in.
An early report that Leipheimer was dropped was premature; he's listed in the peloton group at -7:23.
Overall 1. Cyril Dessel (F), Ag2r Prevoyance 2. Juan Miguel Mercado (Sp), Agritubel, 02:34 3. Sergei Gontchar (Ukr), T-Mobile, 03:45 4. Cristian Moreni (I), Cofidis, 03:51 5. Floyd Landis (USA), Phonak, 04:45 6. Michael Rogers (Aus), T-Mobile, 04:53 7. Inigo Landaluze (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 05:22 8. Patrik Sinkewitz (G), T-Mobile, 05:30 9. Andréas Klöden (G), T-Mobile, 05:35 10. Vladimir Karpets (Rus), Caisse d'Epargne-I.B., 05:37 11. Cadel Evans (Aus), Davitamon-Lotto, 05:37 12. David Zabriskie (USA), CSC, 05:38 13. Marcus Fothen (G), Gerolsteiner, 05:48 14. Christophe Moreau (F), Ag2r Prevoyance, 05:52 15. Paolo Savoldelli (I), Discovery Channel, 05:55 16. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, 05:58
Hincapie looks to be at 6:15.
He was dropped on the climbs just like Gonchar. both were able to catch back up on the descents. THere will be no such catching up tomorrow.
Close enuff, commish!! - 3'45" / 4'45" / 6'15", respectively.
We will have a lot of big names out to make up time, and have a field killer climb right out of the chute followed by 4 more Cat 1's. Tomorrow will set the field for the rest of this week, and set up one heck of a battle in the Alps.
Amazing that Gontchar was able to keep an exactly 1 minute advantage on Landis after all this.
I recall Armstrong recently saying CSC was all talk, no action, as far as the TDF is concerned. Looks like he might be right. They might not have anyone in the top 15 by the time it's over.
They both finished in the peloton again today, so received the same time. Their differential was 1'00" at end of stage 7, and has remained there.
Cya tomorrow, commish, thanks!
Who is Moreni? I haven't heard his name until now. Will he disappear tomorrow?
Iban Mayo - 24'24" behind the stage winner. That's a little hard to understand. Either he's a total headcase, or his 2003 performance was fueled by something other than hard work and guts. How else to explain his total collapse the last couple years?
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