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
Landis is now putting time into both Menchov and the yellow jersey.
16:15 CEST 177km/10km to go
Menchov cliimbs at his own tempo, but can't get back to the three favourites. Kloden looks good, doing all the work. Evans is glued to Landis' wheel. The crowds aren't insane, but that's probably a good thing.
The Landis group is at 2'50, and the maillot jaune is at 3'17.
Landis, Evans, and Kloden are now 0:25 ahead of the peloton.
I saw that! That is great!!!
LANDIS ATTACKING.
Kloden managed to answer Landis' attack, but Cadel Evans was left behind.
Cunego and Schleck lead
Mazzoleni - at 10"
Lobato - at 12"
Arroyo and Garzelli - at 22"
Garzelli - 35"
Hincapie and De la Fuente - at 45"
Landis, Evans, and Kloden - at 2:50
Peloton - at 3:17
Evans is caught by Voigt, Sastre and Leipheimer.
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"
Landis and Kloden have just dropped Cadel Evans.
Looks like Landis will retake the yellow.
Evans has been dropped by Sastre and Leipheimer.
The stage leaders are about halfway up.
Are Menchov and Pereiro in the peloton?
Great to see Landis attack at this point.
Looks like Leipheimer and Sastre might catch up with Kloden and Landis.
Landis has help once he reaches Axel Merckx.
I'm just amazed that Zabriskie is hanging in there. Must want to do an interview w/ his roomie when Floyd flys by...
I think they are at least a minute behind Landis.
Leipheimer and Sastre catching up with Landis and Co.
Was going to point out that both Kloden & Landis have 1 teammate each up ahead of them.
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