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
LOL.
'course, Lemond's legendary ride (1989) was an actual ITT into Paris as the last Stage. Still my most memorable stage ever!
What can Sastre possibly do on Saturday to top this?
Dessel crashes.
Dessel crashes, but gets back on his bike.
What a head over head just now in slo mo on OLN
Forgot about that - I know in the past when it wasn't an ITT, people would get upset if the yellow was attacked on the last stage.
No! Cereal hit the tarmac!
17:12 CEST
Pereiro leads his group on the descent, now at 5 km to go. He's at 7'20. Landis might not take yellow today, but he's got a great chance on Saturday.
Current race situation
Floyd Landis (Phonak - 11th on GC at 8'08)
Carlos Sastre (CSC) at 5'24
Christophe Moreau (AG2R) at 5'59
Damiano Cuengo (Lampre) at 6'19
Frank Schleck (CSC), Michael Boogerd (Rabobank), Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne) maillot jaune, Haimar Zubeldia (Euskaltel), Andreas Kloden, Patrik Sinkewitz (T-Mobile), Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) at 6'52
Denis Menchov, Michael Rasmusssen (Rabobank), Cadel Evans (Davitamon)
Cyril Dessel (AG2R) at 8'18
Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner), George Hincapie (Discovery), various others
start | prev | 28 of 28 | latest
Says now Sastre needs inside of 6'
5KM to go for Perreiro. Gonna be close as to who is in Yellow. The whole complexion of the race has changed yet again.
5 minutes 41 seconds it is.
Landis 30 seconds behind in the GC.
Sastre in yellow?
What's the unofficial protocol on the last stage, no attacks on Yellow unless the lead is less than :60 seconds?
Sastre in final KM..gonna be close.
Nope.
:-)
Yeah, it was usually a parade into Paris, but the leader usually also had 4-6 min on 2nd place. Naaahhhh gonna happen this year, I suspect.
17:15 CEST
Sastre is home now, after descending well and keeping it upright. The CSC sprints full out. The gap at the finish is 5'40. That puts him 20 seconds ahead of Floyd on GC. Moreau is third at 5'57.
Results
Provisional
1 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak 5.23.36
2 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 5.40
3 Christophe Moreau (Fra) AG2R-Prevoyance 5.57
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