Sports

TdF: Sastre takes yellow and Alpe d'Huez

by kferaday | July 23, 2008 at 09:08 am

210 views | 14 Recommendations | 6 comments

OK I admit it. I was on a conference call this morning AND watching today's "Queen" stage to l'Alpe d'Huez. If you're a cycling fan then you've got no choice. I'm going to watch it again tonight for sure. Again today, the Tour offered us more drama and more excitement than in years.

As expected CSC controlled the race, "crucifying" the pretenders on the Croix de Fer and setting up the Schleck brothers and Carlos Sastre for an all out assault on the Alpe d'Huez (thank you very much Fabian Cancellara). It didn't take long, as Sastre attacked at the base of the climb, setting a torrid pace that no one could (or likely would want to) follow.

The counter attacks came, first from Menchov who quickly went back out the other end of the small lead group, and then repeatedly from Bernhard Kohl. Thanks to Andy Schleck, however, these attacks came to nothing and took alot of the impetus out of the group and allowing Sastre to build up a bigger lead.

Finally in the last couple of kilometres Evans came to the front and killed himself to limit the damage -- 2:15 at the end. Sastre ends the day in yellow with about a minute and a half lead on Evans. Will it be enough? Maybe, but only if Sastre has the TT of his life on Saturday. It's too bad Andy Schleck couldn't have got more out of the day though. He was my pick to win the stage and he had complete control over the favourites' group. Next year his time trialling should be better and then look for him to win the overall.

In a brilliant display of team tactics, CSC-Saxo Bank's Carlos Sastre launched an unmatched attack at the base of the Alpe d'Huez and rode solo into the overall lead and the stage win. With his team-mates, yellow jersey Fränk Schleck and brother Andy controlling the chase from behind, Sastre picked up over two minutes on the main group of favourites. Samuel Sanchez of Euskaltel-Euskadi attacked in the final kilometre to take second ahead of Andy Schleck.

Cadel Evans and Denis Menchov all conceded time to Sastre, but will have not given up hopes of taking home the yellow jersey. Both are considered to be the strongest time trialists of the major contenders. Evans is now 1'34 behind Sastre, with Menchov a further minute and five seconds back.

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Rachel Nixon

at 09:27 on July 23rd, 2008

Thanks for the race update, kferaday! Working and watching?

Here's another post on the race from Barbara McPherson.

kferaday

at 09:37 on July 23rd, 2008

In my defense I had the sound down during the call. It was however 7am so I don't feel too bad.

optic

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 09:34 on July 23rd, 2008

Good Stuff, the 5am wake-up was worth it. I decided to take time to answer my pile of emails while I had one eye glued to the race. I think this could have been worse for Menchov than it turned out to be, it looked like he cooked himself trying to follow Sastre at the foot of the climb, but he managed to claw back into the group. For a brief moment it looked like the Schleck brothers and Valverede would go clear of Evans and Kohl... but it didn't look like Frank had the legs. I was a bit surprised that Andy Schleck followed Samuel Sanchez's attack near the end of the climb. The younger Schleck looks like a future contender. All in all a fantastic stage where CSC did about as much damage as could reasonably be expected on a single climb.

dougal

at 12:24 on July 23rd, 2008

Not sure it was worth watching the whole stage, only the last 25 minutes had what we were waiting for.

I do think that CSC have missed their chance to put Evans out of the picture, they should have done this on the previous two stages, rather than just playing with him.

(Image is Stage 10 Hautacam BTW, if you haven't been to see a tour stage yourself, GO, it's amazing)