Posted on 07/17/2006 7:53:12 PM PDT by nutmeg
Stage 15: Gap to L'Alpe d'Huez - 187km
Course: There's no more spectacular finish than the 21-turn, 14km climb to L'Alpe d'Huez. This year it comes at the end of an already demanding 187km stage that climbs the hors-cat Col d'Izoard (14km at 7 percent) at 86km and Cat. 2 Col du Lautaret (12km at 4.4 percent) at 134km.
Then comes more than 30km of mainly descending roads, which will likely see the race come back together before the assault on the Alpe (14km at almost 8 percent).
History: This is the 25th time a Tour stage has finished at L'Alpe d'Huez since it was inaugurated - while still a dirt road - by Fausto Coppi winning a 266km stage from Lausanne in 1952. Coppi propagated the yellow-on-the-Alpe, yellow-in-Paris myth, which held true for Van Impe (1976), Thévenet (1977), Hinault (1979, 1981, 1982), Fignon (1983, 1984), LeMond (1986), Delgado (1988), Induráin (1991, 1992, 1994, 1995), Ullrich (1997) and Armstrong (1999, 2003, 2004). In fact, there were only five times it wasn't so: 1978, 1987, 1989, 1990 and 2001.
Favorites: L'Alpe d'Huez is a mountain with a spectacular quality that has created (and broken) reputations. With twice Alpe stage winner Lance Armstrong retired, who will be the star to emerge? Almost certainly, the fight for this prestigious victory will be between the five riders who dominated the Pla-de-Beret summit finish in the Pyrénées: Cadel Evans, Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer, Denis Menchov and Carlos Sastre. That climb did not particularly suit Evans or Leipheimer, so expect these two to fight it out on the Alpe, probably with Landis just behind.
Graphics by CyclingNews.com
Graphic by VeloNews.com
ummmm who is leading and where are the Americans? sorry i haven't watched or read any of the tour stuff....
OLN's US coverage for Stage 15 starts at 7:00am ET/ 4:00am PT
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Just remember Yogi's advice. It's not over until its over. And Stage 16 could be a killer.
No rider, and no team, has established control over the peleton in this first post-Lance Tour. The favourites for the podium on Sunday are Floyd Landis, Denis Menchov, Cadel Evans, and maybe Andreas Kloden of Germany. 3 buttmunch mountain stages in a row, then the last Individual Time Trial, where Landis is considered the strongest of the bunch, are next. You got here just in time! ;>)
Pos. N° Name Surname Team Nat. Gaps
1 097 PEREIRO SIO Oscar CEI ESP
2 071 LANDIS Floyd PHO USA 01' 29"
3 035 DESSEL Cyril A2R FRA 01' 37"
4 051 MENCHOV Denis RAB RUS 02' 30"
5 061 EVANS Cadel DVL AUS 02' 46"
6 014 SASTRE Carlos CSC ESP 03' 21"
7 021 KLÖDEN Andréas TMO GER 03' 58"
8 026 ROGERS Michael TMO AUS 04' 51"
9 191 MERCADO Juan Miguel AGR ESP 05' 02"
10 031 MOREAU Christophe A2R FRA 05' 13"
11 007 POPOVYCH Yaroslav DSC UKR 05' 44"
12 042 FOTHEN Marcus GST GER 05' 46"
13 129 ZUBELDIA Haimar EUS ESP 05' 55"
14 027 SINKEWITZ Patrik TMO GER 07' 07"
15 041 LEIPHEIMER Levi GST USA 07' 08"
Go Floyd right? :)
Go Floyd right?
It's not over until its over.
Every year, I think, "Can this stage possibly live up to the hype?" and yet, it never fails to disappoint.
HEY! Where is everybody? It's d'Huez or die day. Get outta bed!
Thanks. Getting ready to tune in.
ok. ok.
:-)
for information : Lens Armstrong is in L'Alpe d'Huez today
No idea really. Something like 3+ hours.
I have the fridge filled with geitost, so I am all set :-)
Oui, oui, C'est ce que j'ai entendu dire; il a monte d'Huez a bicyclette hier.
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