Less than a week in and the mountains arrive with the first Hors Category climb of the race. Not only does this stage introduce the peloton to this Tour’s mountains but it is also the longest stage of the race at 224kms.
Early on the riders crest and descend the fourth category Cote de Montserrat, from then on it is virtually a non stop drag up towards the Pyrenees. The peloton’s legs get their first real test on the category one Col de Serra-Seca, a climb of over 7.5kms to 1,160 metres, they then climb higher, to 1,249 metres on the Port del Comte before plummeting back down to 560 metres. And then the fun begins.
The Hors Category Arcalis climb is officially listed at being 10.6kms in length, with an average gradient of 7.1%. In reality though the climbing to Arcalis starts with still over 40 km to go until the finish. With so long still to go in the race it is unlikely that any of the main contenders will look to gain time here, rather just content themselves with making sure they don’t lose any to their rivals. This stage then could be a pure climber’s best shout for a win.
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General Classification after Stage Four
1. Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) 19:29:22
2. Lance Armstrong (Astana) @ 00‘00”
3. Alberto Contador (Astana) @ 00‘19”
Points Classification after Stage Four
1. Mark Cavendish (Columbia – HTC) 106pts
2. Thor Hushovd (Cervelo) 105pts
3. Gerald Ciolek (Milram) 66pts
King of the Mountains Classification after Stage Four
1 Stéphane Auge (Cofidis) 14pts
2. Jussi Veikkanen (Francaise des Jeux) 9pts
3. David Millar (Garmin-Slipstream) 8pts
Yong Riders Classifcation after Stage Four
1. Tony Martin (Columbia HTC) 19:30:14
2. Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 00‘39”
3. Vicenzo Nibali (Liquigas) @ 00’44”
News from the startline
ROGERS BATTLING ON – The Columbia rider was heavily involved in a crash yesterday negating a roundabout. He went down with Haussler and Farrar. All riders will front up for stage 7.
SASTRE ATTACK? – Cervélo sport director Jean-Paul Van Poppel has confidence that Sastre will be ready to make a move, but suggested that the Tour’s final week across the Alps is better suited for the Spanish climber. “If Carlos has the legs, he will make a move. He knows what he has to do,” Van Poppel said. “Carlos said the final week is better for him. The climbs are harder and everyone will be fatigued. Carlos is one of the best climbers in the world and we have a good team to support him.”
Live Coverage of Stage 7
Reporting by Chris Graetz
G’day and welcome to stage 7 of the Tour de France. This stage promises to be exciting and a mystery surrounds as to what is going to happen at the end of the day. Logic suggests that Cancellara might lose his yellow jersey today and an Astana rider, Lance Armstrong or Alberto Contador will wear it after today. Will Carlos Sastre, Cadel Evans and Denis Menchov try and make up lost time?
I’m Chris Graetz and I’ll be bringing you live coverage of stage 7.
1145 CEST – 199km to go
The riders have ridden 26km and there was an immediate attack 1.5km into the course. That attack was gobbled up by the peloton.
Those riders that attacked were: Jose Luis Arrieta (Ag2r), José Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d’Epargne) and Peter Velits (Milram) Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Silence Lotto), Oscar Freire (Rabobank), Egoi Martinez and Amets Txurruka (Euskatel)
At the 8km mark, Egoi Martinez (Euskatel), Christophe Riblon (Ag2r) and Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d’Epargne) attacked the peloton and got a break immediately of around half a minute. There were 20 riders to tried to go after them including Jens Voigt (Saxo-Bank) and Astana’s Yaroslav Popovych, but with those two riders in that group, naturally they weren’t allowed to get away.
There are now six riders who are trying to bridge the gap. They are: Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r), Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas), Christophe Kern (Cofidis), Jerome Pineau (Quick-Step), Brice Feillu (Agritubel) and Johannes Frohlinger (Milram). They currently have 30 seconds in arrears of the three escapees with the peloton 3′10 behind. It appears, that this will be the escape of the day if these riders can catch the trio, which is looking likely.
1200 CEST – 193km to go
The riders have just passed the first climb of the day, the Category 4 Côte de Montserrat. This climb is 4.1km long with a gradient of up to 3.8%.
The chase group caught the break and we now have 9 riders in the lead on the descent of the climb.
1204 CEST – The lead group now have five minutes on the peloton. I suspect that this could go up to around 10 minutes. Now that the break has been established, let’s acknowledge the riders.
Euskatel’s Egoi Martinez came second last year in stage 15 from a breakaway group. This year he has won the mountains classification in the Tirreno-Adriatico and he was 2nd in Klaika Primavera. The 31 year old has good climbing ability and it doesn’t surprise me he is in the break today.
Caisse d’Epargne’s Jose Ivan Gutierrez was awarded the most attacking rider award in stage 14 in last year’s Tour. His best result this year was a 3rd place in stage 2 of the Meditteranean Tour. The 32 year old will be looking to go for a stage win today or if he can’t, drop back to help his team-mates on the final climb of the day.
Milram’s Johannes Frohlinger is only young at 24 years of age. The German’s best result this year was a 3rd in GP Triberg Schwarzwald last month.
1214 CEST – 176km to go
The break is now up to 7′20.
Ag2r’s duo of 31 year old Italian Rinaldo Nocentini and 28 year old Frenchman Christophe Riblon have good experience between them. Nocentini won stage 7 of the Tour of California earlier this year. Riblon won stage 3 of Route du Sud last month and that win was the key for him being selected on Ag2r’s team for this year’s tour.
Agritubel’s Brice Feillu is only young at 23 years of age. The Frenchman has yet to pick up a victory this year, however he’s had a few top 10 results, one being in the Circuit de Lorraine. His brother Roman, also rides for Agritubel.
Liquigas rider Aleksandr Kuschynski has made the break today. The 29 year old rider from Belarus has had an excellent result this year. Whilst it wasn’t a win, he came 2nd in Gent – Wevelgem. He will be in this break today to not only attempt a stage win, but he might be a good ally for his team-mates, Pellizotti, Kreuziger and Nibali on the final climb today.
1226 CEST – 168km to go
The gap is now out to 10′30. The peloton are strolling along today knowing that this stage is long and they can bridge down the gap. Nocentini is the virtual leader on the road at the moment starting the day 32nd overall, 3′13 down on Cancellara.
28 year old Frenchman, Christophe Kern from the Cofidis team, hasn’t had any success this year as of yet. However, he has, in his career, won the Under 23 Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Quick-Step’s Jerome Pineau finished 27th overall in the 2004 Tour de France. He, like everyone in this break has yet to win a Tour stage. The 29 year old Frenchman hasn’t won any races this year, but he has been second on two occasions; Brabantse Pijl and Stage 2 of the Tour of Catalonia.
1234 CEST – 162km to go
The gap is now 12′10. The break is working well together.
Now onto my tip for today’s stage. Naturally, Contador would be the favourite here. He would be desperate to show his leadership at Astana. I think that one or two of the GC contenders are going to attack today and might not be chased down by Astana. Someone like Carlos Sastre, Cadel Evans or Denis Menchov come to mind. They’re all more than 2 minutes behind and might be allowed to peg back 30 seconds. Again, Astana might show their true dominance.
My selection would be Carlos Sastre. Yes, he is usually good in the third week of a Grand Tour, but he has an opportunity today to attack. If he is in that position and his legs are feeling well, he should take it. There are only 3 summit finishes on this year’s tour and with limited opportunities, you need to make it count today.
I think Contador will come second with Luis Leon Sanchez third.
Kreuziger, Evans and maybe Menchov will be up there too with Armstrong and the rest of the bunch coming in around a minute later.
1244 CEST – 158km to go
The break is now out to 14′20. There is not one team at the front of the peloton that is leading. The yellow jersey looks comfortable aswell as the white jersey of Tony Martin.
Speaking of the White Jersey, Tony Martin is only 39 seconds ahead of Roman Kreuziger. Martin can climb but I have ear-marked Kreuziger to do something on the final climb today, the hors category Arcalis.
We would suspect that the yellow jersey will change hands. To who, that is anyone’s guess. The green jersey won’t. Stephane Auge should keep his polka dot jersey.
1250 CEST – 152km to go
There are four Astana men at the head of the peloton. Lance Armstrong is one of them. I can’t wait till later on in the stage. I suspect the Tour will be the Astana show with all 9 riders driving the peloton at huge speeds like they tried to accomplish yesterday.
1258 CEST – 145km to go
The gap is now down to 13′55. Whilst it hasn’t decreased by much, Astana are still leading the peloton. This is a sign of things to come. Once they start riding, I would hate to be the sprinters.
Soon, the break will be reaching the next categorised climb of the day, the cat 3 Port de Solsona. The 5.8km to 4.3% gradient is going to test their legs as not long after is the feed station located at Solsona then they hit the only category 1 climb of today, the Col de Serra-Seca. The 7.1km climb to 7.1% gradient I think is where Astana might lift the pace on the peloton to test the legs of their rivals.
Yesterday’s stage was tough on the medical teams. 13 riders fell without injury but 8 riders needed attention. Let’s hope today’s stage is safer for the riders.
1312 CEST – 134km to go
Astana still lead the peloton with a few Saxo Bank riders there protecting Cancellara. The gap is now 13′15
The break is now on the next climb of the day.
How about Columbia? Well, Columbia came into this tour hunting for stage wins and potentially the green jersey for Mark Cavendish. With one of their favourites for the GC, Michael Rogers losing 13 minutes yesterday, their three main chances of producing excellent results are George Hincapie, Kim Kirchen and Tony Martin. Whilst they may not be riding for the GC, I would suspect that they will be looking at stage wins over the next few days. Hincapie is one rider in particular who is looking for a win. Both stages on the weekend look like good breakaway stages. Could he perhaps choose his attack then?
There is one team who havn’t been heard from in the tour yet. That is the Liquigas team. They have three chances for the overall. Franco Pellizotti, Vincenzo Nibali and Roman Kreuziger. With having a representative today in the break in Kuschynski, I suspect we may see the men in lime green make a move today.
1330 CEST – 127km to go
Astana are moving the gap down ever so slightly. The gap is now 12′20 as the break is nearing the top of the climb.
1333 CEST – 126km to go
Not much movement to report in the peloton. All the riders are still together despite the slight incline of the stage today. I do suspect that the action is going to heat up soon. That Astana team is looking pretty strong out there. Bring on the fireworks I say.
1340 CEST – 125km to go
The break have now passed over the Port de Solsona and after the descent will be passing through the feed station. Riblon was first over gaining 4 points following by Kuschynski (3pts), Martinez (2pts) and Feillu (1pt). Speaking of Kuschynski – you got to love that name. Rolls off the tongue. It’s also easy to type believe it or not.
The break is now 11 minutes.
The peloton is still being led by the Astana team as they pass the top of the climb.
1350 CEST – 118km to go
The first of three intermediate sprints was contested today. The results were: Guitterez 6pts, Kuschynski 4pts and Martinez 2pts.
source:www.dailypeloton.com
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