Posted on 07/19/2006 9:15:41 PM PDT by nutmeg
Stage 17: St. Jean de Maurienne to Morzine-Avoriaz -200.5km
Course: This is almost identical to the stage in 2000 when Marco Pantani attacked on the first climb (the 15km, 6.4-percent Saisies) and forced Armstrong's U.S. Postal squad to chase for 100km over the Aravis, Colombière and Châtillon climbs to the foot of the day's main obstacle: the mighty Col de Joux-Plane (11.7km at 8.7 percent). It was partway up the Joux-Plane that Armstrong bonked and could only watch as Ullrich and others rode away from him, and he conceded almost two minutes by the finish in Morzine.
History: Morzine has seen 13 finishes of the Tour, including that one six years ago, which was the last time the ultra-steep Joux-Plane was climbed in the Tour. The only Tour winner to win a stage into Morzine was Pantani, who scored a solo victory here in 1997, the year before he won the Tour. Morzine's mountaintop neighbor, Avoriaz, has seen stage wins by two other Tour champions, Lucien Van Impe and Bernard Hinault.
Favorites: If riders are still battling for podium spots, then the Joux-Plane climb and descent suits Leipheimer and Landis. But it's more likely that a long-distance break will succeed, giving a rider like Michael Rasmussen a chance to win the stage and the King of the Mountains competition.
Graphics by CyclingNews.com
Add Cadel to that list...
Is this a record for posts? We blew through 350! :-D
16:40 CEST 183.5km/17km to go
Floyd is 5 km from the top, and it should get a bit easier now. Sastre already has 1'00 on Pereiro.
Current race situation
Floyd Landis (Phonak - 11th on GC at 8'08)
Patrik Sinkewitz (T-Mobile) at 3'00"
Carlos Sastre (CSC) at 5'46
Christophe Moreau (AG2R) at 6'07>/li>
Cadel Evans (Davitamon), Michael Boogerd (Rabobank), Denis Menchov (Rabobank), Damiano Cuengo (Lampre), Frank Schleck (CSC) at ?
Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne)maillot jaune at 6'48
Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner), George Hincapie (Discovery), various others
Floyd is looking a little rough now. C'mon Floyd ..5 km to go..you are almost out of the steep part..hold it together.
Pereiro Sio, Kloden, and the rest continue to lose time... now down 6'48".
Thanks. I get engrossed by that ticker on the bottom of OLN screen, too.
It might be.
Floyd's effort today is worthy of a thousand posts :-)
What's the time bonus for a win?
16:40 - Landis: The 10th American Stage Winner...?
Landis appears destined to win the stage but Sastre is looking like the candidate to take the yellow jersey.
If Landis wins he will be the 10th American to claim a stage of the Tour de France.
If Sastre takes the yellow jersey, he will be the 8th rider to lead the 2006 Tour de France... equal to the record number of leaders.
4:42 PM Sastre
trails Sinkewitz by 1:35 and is 5:37 behind Landis. Moreau is 40 seconds behind Sastre... and is followed by Schleck, Evans, Cunego, Boogerd and Menchov.
Besides floyd, todays big winner looks to be Sastre. He is almost in "virtual Yellow" at the moment
20 seconds IIRC....12 for 2nd
16:41 CEST 184km/16.5km to go
Behind Sastre, Moreau is still alone, then Boogerd, Schleck, Menchov and Cunego. Then the group maillot jaune, led by T-Mobile. Moreau is about 20 seconds behind Sastre, and the maillot jaune is still a minute behind the CSC rider. Sastre needs 1'50 to take yellow.
Current race situation
Floyd Landis (Phonak - 11th on GC at 8'08)
Patrik Sinkewitz (T-Mobile) at 3'00"
Carlos Sastre (CSC) at 5'46
Christophe Moreau (AG2R) at 6'07>/li>
Cadel Evans (Davitamon), Michael Boogerd (Rabobank), Denis Menchov (Rabobank), Damiano Cuengo (Lampre), Frank Schleck (CSC) at ?
Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne)maillot jaune at 6'48
Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner), George Hincapie (Discovery), various others
Sastre losing time... now back 5'49". Moreau 6'10", Evans/Menchov 6'20", Pereiro sio, etc. 6'50"
Le "poulet volant" is still with Pereiro !
How did Floyd do compared to Sastre in the TT? I cannot remember....
5:47 and Sastre is looking rough now too. Sinkewitz is back with Sastre. Maillot Juene at around 6:45
We had 356 yesterday, I'm guessing an easy 450 for today?
Sastre Into Second Place...
Sastre has caught Sinkewitz with about 17.5km to go. The CSC rider is now in second place and he leads Menchov’s group by 40".
[Those extra bonus seconds will help him take the race lead...]
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