Tour de France - Contador on brink of glory
Eurosport - Sun, 26 Jul 17:20:00 2009
Astana's Alberto Contador all but sealed his second Tour de France victory after shadowing arch-rival Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) up the tortuous climb of Mont Ventoux on Stage 20 of the famous race.
Contador's fellow Spaniard Juan Manuel Garate (Rabobank) won the stage from a breakaway ahead of Germany's Tony Martin (Columbia), while Lance Armstrong finished just behind Contador and Andy Schleck in fifth to remain third on the general classification.
Britain's Bradley Wiggins produced a sterling effort to haul himself up the mountain in 10th, keeping his fourth place on the GC, which, barring any major mishaps, will not change in Sunday's final stage into Paris.
A large breakaway of 16 riders went clear in the opening kilometres and built a lead that grew to over 10 minutes over the peloton as they passed over the fourth-category Col de Fontaube.
The Saxo Bank team upped the tempo in the peloton on the descent to bring the breakaway back to within seven minutes, though only when the Danish squad, together with Astana, really put the hammer down inside the final 35 kilometres did the gap come tumbling down.
So great was the change in tempo that the peloton was even split in two before they reached Bedoin, the town that marks the start of the climb up Mont Ventoux. Perhaps having learnt their lessons from previous stages, all the top 10 of the GC were well placed in the front group.
As the gradient of the Ventoux increased, a series of attacks from the Schleck brothers decimated the yellow jersey group, though Andy Schleck, lying second overall, was unable to shake off Contador from his rear wheel.
Meanwhile, Garate attacked from the breakaway, and all but Martin and Ag2r's Christophe Riblon were immediately dropped.
With 9km to go, a huge attack from Andy Schleck saw everybody but Contador and Vincenzo Nibali distanced, though after working away for a long spell and failing to drop the Spaniard, the Luxembourg champion opted to drop the tempo and wait for the following group, containing his brother Frank, to rejoin.
The ploy effectively granted the breakaway trio a lifeline, while those dropped earlier were reeled in and passed.
As the pace then slacked off in the yellow jersey group once again, Liquigas's Franco Pellizotti attacked, perhaps sensing a chance to bridge the gap to the lead the trio and fight for stage glory.
The Italian's move prompted an immediate response from Garate, who attacked and moved clear of Martin, only for the plucky German to fight his way back onto his wheel.
Back down the road, Andy Schleck's tempo saw Wiggins dropped, while Andreas Kloeden (Astana) had long since lost contact, effectively ending any hopes the pair had of knocking Armstrong off his podium spot.
With 100 metres to go, Garate geared up for one final surge, and surged clear of Martin to claim the biggest win of his career to date.
A final dig from Andy Schleck saw Pellizotti caught and passed in the final kilometre, though in his wheel were Contador and Armstrong, ensuring Astana head into the final, largely processional stage with two riders in the top three, and three in the top six, though Kloeden was leapfrogged by Frank Schleck in the overall standings.
STAGE 21 LIVE at 1:15pm on Sunday on British Eurosport (Sky 410 / Virgin Media 521); Also available on your PC via the Eurosport Player - click on the link under the picture to subscribe
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Comment 58 - 77 of 77
Yeah but LA is such a SOOOORE LOSER!!!!! Even when everybody in the pelloton let AC lead the pack as a gesture in acknowledgement, this IDIOT LA goes and spoil it by interfering with the procession.
LA has NO respect for anybody. He is a Muppet and a Fool!!!
He thinks he is still the No1 by being different from everybody else but certainly he is a complete Idiot !!!
Is anyone else sick of the whole 'Lance beat cancer' rhetoric? One doesn't 'beat' cancer. Lance had the best medical treatment and a lot of luck. I'm obviously happy when anybody survives cancer, but LAs comments are dangerous. Is he saying that if a child dies of cancer he didn't want to survive hard enough or wasn't a 'winner'?
Mark-post 67. Jeez, I congratulated Lance. I thought he was great in his heyday, his performance this year was phenominal. What is it with you guys. If the word God is not mentioned in the same sentence as the words Lance or Armstrong then a hail of criticism ensues. I cannot understand how you are unable to accept my factual posting as anything other than an attack on your man because I didn't say he can cycle on water (can he?).
What an anti-climactic finish! I was hoping for a closer finish, more excitement, at Mont Ventoux.I was hoping for an upset today with the Schlecks turning the GC upside down. Alas, it was rather dull. Contador and Armstrong did not falter and the Schlecks could not spring their big surprise. So as the peloton rides into Paris tomorrow, Contador will keep the maillot jaune and win the Tour. Andy Schleck comes in second, and Armstrong holds onto third place.
I c future!!!! Frank, Mark and Bradley taking a taxi home!
Mont Ventoux=big fail.
The organizers wasted this year's Tour. They and that Fraudstrong loving station, Versus, over hyped Ventoux for three weeks. Please don't ever do that again. The only person trying to make Ventoux interesting was A. Schleck. This tour produced only one good moment. The dismantling of Dopestrong. Ventoux was a complete waste. The top GC barely made any gains on the top 2 because it became tactical and noone had the courage to race with Andy. Drugstrong did look funny staring at the Schlecks' rear ends all day. If Cheatstrong invites you for a late drink, don't go Schlecks. The guy might try to give you a rim job, and that rim isn't attached to any bike.
What a shame that Andy decided to help his brother today. The way he was racing he could have crushed the competition. Big thumbs down to Contador and Dopestrong. P.S. Cheatstrong, staring at Andy's @#$% just shows how desperate of a rider you have become. Andy, cheers for you for dragging all those gutless zeroes up the mountain. I even lost a little respect for El Pistolero. Where is your spirit?? Drugstrong. you have a full year to perfect your enhanced blood doping program. Don't embarrass yourself in 2010 like you did this year. Andy, thank you for showing that heroes can ride clean.
I have to say how much I have enjoyed Phil Liggett's and Paul Sherwan's commentating during the Tour de France. In what other sport would you have such knowledgeable sportscasters with a good command of the French language, the history of the Tour, and who can translate interviews in several languages? Chapeau, Messieurs!
Contador is the strongest rider this year, but hats off to Armstrong, at 38 years old...he's still hanging on in the mountain with those younger riders..I'm still riding my bike occassionally at 39 but Armstrong inspired me to join the Tour of Peninsula charity cycling this August..Calling all the 38's and 50's to join us in this charity ride.
i honestly think that there is a great amount of respect between armstrong and contador, armstrong knows that contador is the best and alberto knows that lance is the grand master of the tour and has i believe very much modeled himself on armstrongs style of controlling a race and destroying the opposition early on and stamping his authority as he did in andorra arkalis. not a big surprise really since armstrong was albertos hero as a young cyclist. his gesture at the end was genuine joy at having helped armstrong get third place. even though they have had there differences as true rivals would there is still a huge amount of mutual respect between the 2 of them.
By the way, what was with the live video blurring out Martin's midrift during the climb? Was he showing something the producers thought might offend the ladies?
terry trudguian, yes ac won 4 grand tours before the age of 26 and Lance didnt win his first until age 27. true but you forgot to mention Lance had cancer. duhhhhh.
Firstly well done to Bradley.. you surpassed yourself and have shown you can contest the big tours, good on ya... Well done AC you are the strongest rider... well done Andy Schlek I hope to see these 2 battling out tours in future. thought Saxo tactics were wrong though.. EVERYONE could see Frank S was suffering big time and was not going to break LA .... Riis should have told Any to persist with his effort and go for the stage win at 7-8k's left, he would have easily bridged to Garate and flown past.. only AC may have held his wheel and he may not have even contested the sprint .. but no Andy waited rode completely for his bro.. who only made up 1 place and was not on a good day... This tour was good for the green jersey battles and some good breaks as others have told me previously... HOWEVER the GC battle has been BORING.. bar Contadors attacks and 1 Schlek bro's duo attack it's been all too predictable ...
Mr Prudhome what happened to this "great showdown on Ventoux".. it tuned out to be a damp squib... roll on 2010 and I hope we have some mountain stages that really make a difference to the GC ....
PS - Have to congratulate Nibali... definately 1 to watch for the future I think
A very good race for AC and LA... Here in stage 20 the two astana boys did show that they are team mates.. A series of attack came from andy in the punishing road going up to mont ventoux but AC and LA really did a great job..
AC can do the attack anytime during the last kilometer but he didn't because he is thinking of LA in fact he just contented on following Andy S. up to the finish. Before he cross on the finishing line AC looked back and when he noticed that LA is next to him he raised his hands for their success...
LA can be a dangerous treat in last stage.. hehehe He might not be as young as Andy S but he still have the winning performance..
Would have loved to have seen Schleck (Andy) & Contador sprint up the mountain for the finish! Wonder who would win?
Armstrong and Wiggins were the revelations of the tour. Funny to say that about Armstrong, but I'm pretty blown away that a guy at 38 can do that. I think everyone else pretty much finished where they were supposed to. Evans had a bad tour (it happens). VdV had limited training following the collarbone break, but still did OK. Kloeden was a bit surprising, but look at this history. Lance comes on a bit strong sometimes, but hats off to him. He makes a old fatr like me look at himself in the mirror and say why can't I expect more from myself.
Good to see Rabobank get something from a dreadful tour for them.
I'm not a fan of Armstrong - the man - but chapeaux au loin to him today!
On a personal note: I rode 40 miles in 104 degree temps and 90% humidity this morning and was blown at mile 12. I need to take in more fluid and sodium. Still managed 17 1/2 MPH average over the 40 miles though.
Chapeau Wiggo! Top ride geezer, saw you at the Beaumont and knew you were in great form but didn't know you'd done THAT much work. PS - great champ that he is, Lemond is talking Le merde in Le Monde.
what was Andy thinking, surely he could see Frank was struggling, he could have gone on and contseted the stage with Contador, who would have let him have it, he will regret not going for the win on Mt Ventoux..Lance did really well, impressive comeback disappointed he on podium, would be nice to see a new face coming through..
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