Posted on 07/02/2010 11:30:15 AM PDT by Ready4Freddy
14:03 - Noval Leads Peloton
There are a number of riders being dropped by the peloton. Noval of the Astana team is setting the pace of the yellow jersey’s peloton which is 8’40” behind the escapees.
14:00 - 1km To Climb
The leaders are 1km from the top of the col de Marie-Blanque. They are going cross-eyed from the effort of keeping on top of their gears and Kolobnev and Burghardt are struggling to maintain the tempo that’s being set by Boasson Hagen at the front of the escape.
13:57 - Sastre Closing In On Leaders
Carlos Sastre is closing in on the escapees who are now on the steep part of the Marie-Blanque climb - which essentially has a gradient steeper than 11 per cent for the final four kilometers. The 2008 Tour champion is 2’45” behind the seven stage leaders. The peloton is at 9’30” and riders - including Eisel, Cavendish, Roux - are being dropped.
Mornin’, MB.
I think we’ll see an attack from Andy of Tourmalet.
AC is saying he’ll go for win, but that weather may change plans.
He’ll lose some respect if he doesn’t attack, however.
14:06 - Sastre Takes Five Points
The eighth rider over the top of the Marie-Blanque is Sastre. His deficit was just 1’20” at the 56.5km mark.
14:05 - Results Of First Climb
1. Flecha (SKY) 15pts 2. Koren (LIQ) 13pts 3. Perez Moreno (EUS) 11pts 4. Pauriol (COF) 9pts 5. Kolobnev (KAT) 8pts 6. Burghardt (BMC) 7pts 7. Boasson Hagen (SKY) 6pts
Contador at front of peleton, surrounded by Astana mates.
Haven’t see Andy’s situation recently.
Wet wet wet descent, dicey stuff. ~57 deg F at finish rt now.
14:12 - Peloton At Top Of Marie-Blanque
Benjamin Noval (AST) led the peloton to the top of the second climb 7’50” behind Flecha’s septet.
That RINO Petacchi is off the back of the peleton, again. Good for Thor is he’s handy when they reach the 2nd sprint.
14:25 - Sean Kelly Climbed Tourmalet Yesterday...
Yesterday Sean Kelly was invited for a ride from St-Marie-de-Campan to the site of today’s stage finish on the col du Tourmalet. The former professional originally declined. “I don’t have a bike.” “That’s okay,” came the reply, “we’ll get you one.”
“But I don’t have any kit.”
“That’s okay, we’ll get you some... and shoes and all you need.”
“Okay.”
He was later presented with a bike that was from 1910 - single gear (”a 42x24” Kelly confirmed this morning). (continued...)
14:26 - Kelly Made It To The Top...
Kelly had agreed to do the ride and even though he was given a 100-year-old bike and old-style knitted knicks (ie. bike shorts), he went through with the deal and made it all the way to the top of the 2,115m high mountain pass.
14:40 - Comments From Sean Yates...
LeTour.fr recently contacted Sean Yates from Team Sky to get his thoughts on the stage. “It’s nice to have two guys in the move,” said the Brit about Flecha and Boasson Hagen. “We missed out in the last couple of stages... on the day to Pau we almost had someone in the move but they got pulled back just before Lance joined the breakaway and it was a bit of a shame really. “Today we said at the start that we really wanted to have someone in the breakaway and ’Eddy’ and Flecha went with the move.”
14:32 - Sun Breaks Through At Finish
The wind is strong at the finish and although it’s been very wet early today, the sun is now shining for the big crowd that has made the difficult journey to this spectacular location.
14:28 - 100km To Go
This is a rider from the Omega Pharma team at the head of the peloton, followed by Nicki Sorensen. They have increased their pace a little and one of the riders who has dropped behind a little is Nicolas Roche (ALM).
What little he has left, shall we say?
Good point on Canellara, tho AC doesn’t have to win the TT, he just has to beat Andy by a yet-to-be-determined interval.
Sastre is in 15th @ + 09’ 02”, btw, one slot and ~1’ behind Chris Horner of RSH
15:01 - Sastre Slips To 3’00” Behind
The escapees are pulling away from the chase by Sastre who has been on his own between the breakaway and the peloton since Konovalovas retreated to the peloton before the Marie-Blanque climb. The 2008 champion crested the second climb of the day 1’20” behind but he’s now at 3’00”. The peloton is at the 94km mark, 8’00” behind Flecha’s group of seven.
Thor joined Petacchi dropped off the back of the peleton on this 2nd climb.
No points for either this Stage.
15:33 - 5km From Top Of Soulor
The seven escapees are still all together as they pass the 5km to climb sign.
15:32 - Peloton Drops Ivanov and Valls Ferri
The bunch is 5’45” behind at the 8km to climb sign. Astana has spend seven of the last 10 minutes at the front of the peloton. The latest to lose contact with the yellow jersey’s group are the winner of stage 13 last year Serguei Ivanov (KAT) and the runner-up in stage seven, Valls Ferri (FOT).
Cancellara hanging tough for Andy through two Cat 1 climbs.
Looks like we are going to see the domestiques try to run each other out before the bosses go at it.
If nothing else Le Tour offers some awesome moments — can’t think of any other sport where a HERD OF SHEEP would suddenly appear on the road wreaking havoc with the riders. LOL
That will get your heart rate up
At least the sheep appeared during the climb and not in the fog on the decent. That could have been disasterous.
15KM from the base of Tourmalet. Saxo Bank has moved toward the front of the peleton and is beginning to ramp up the pace a little.
This climb is the entire tour. Andy Schleck must put a minimum of one minute, and ideally two minutes to have any chance of holding the lead in Saturday’s TT.
We will know in about an hour who this years champion will be.
LOL... It’s good to be the king! Pres. Sarkozy is in the Director’s car at the front of the Peleton - he gets a front row seat for all the action.
16:20 - Boom Leading Peloton
The bunch is now being led by Lars Boom of the Rabobank team. He is followed by Matti Breschel... the Astana team is well represented at the front of the bunch that’s 5’35” behind the seven escapees. In between the two groups of riders is Sastre at 4’25”.
16:18 - Sprint Results
The winners of sprint points in Adast are: 1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (SKY) 6pts 2. Alexandr Kolobnev (KAT) 4pts 3. Remi Pauriol (COF) 2pts
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