MONDAY 19TH JULY 2010.
PHEW ! Who would have thought that today’s stage would have become so dramatic ?
Stage 15 over 188km was from Pamiers to Bagners de Luchon with the hors-category Port de Bales near the finish before a very steep and fast decent which requires skilled descenders;
Alberto Contador took advantage of Andy Schleck’s misfortune on the 15th stage of the Tour to take the overall lead from his nearest rival by 8 second ! Schleck,attempting to attack the defending champion near the summit of the final climb of the day, saw his chain jump off and jam his rear wheel. Contador seized the chance to strike and overturned a 31 second deficit; Frenchman Thomas Voeckier,the French champion won the stage, Schleck was furious with Contador,a friend up to now,for having taken advantage of his mechanical failure, “ My stomach is full of anger,the race is not finished and I want to take my revenge,I can end it like a champion ”
Contador should have sit up on the decent,once he heard, it is race etiquette,it’s not the done thing in cycling to take advantage of a leaders mechanical problem,normally a rival would not take advantage !
PS; Contador has just apologised,this morning " The race was in full gear and well,maybe I made a mistake,I'm sorry "
Tomorrow’s stage from Bagners de Luchon to Pau has to be the toughest stage on this years Tour with four huge and famous climbs in the 196km; After the two hors-category Col de Tourmalet and Col d’Aubisque there is still over 60km to the finish !! The stage is a tribute to the great Eddy Mercks from Belgium who was victorious after a 180km breakaway over the same mountains in 1969.
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