| Stage 12 |
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07.20.01 Check today's standings.
166 of the original 189 riders took the line today as the Tour moves into the Pyrenees for 3 days of climbing. Most people think that the winner of the 2001 Tour will be determined in these mountains, Lance the leading contender. Today is the "easier" of the 3 upcoming stages, not that any of them are easy by any normal standards. Weather was not expected to be a factor today, some wind, but the climbs certainly would be. USPS's Steffen Kjaergaard crashed about 90 minutes into the stage but was soon back on - this was his 2nd time down in the last 3 stages. More seriously was a crash involving Rabobank's Bram de Groot and Serguei Ivanov (the Stage 9 winner). Both abandoned the race with relatively minor injuries and were ambulanced off the mountain course. Several attacks were mounted throughout the first half of the stage, surprisingly Stuart O'Grady up front in the battle, certainly looking for more sprint points in his battle with Zabel. None of the breaks were serious enough to gap any major time, and USPS was up front pacing the pack. Major news at 55km - Festina rider Christophe Moreau has abandoned! The Frenchman simply pulled over to the right, threw down his bike and stumbled into the team car - what an unfortunate result for the man who was 6th in the overall standings... Around 100 kms in and on the Cat 2 climb - O'Grady (CA) and Bettini (Mapei) had been off the front by as much as 3', and then Bettini shed Stuey quickly on the second set of climbs. 8 riders were now trying to bridge up, including American Bobby Julich (CA) , David Etxeberria (Euskaltel) , and Alexandre Vinokourov (Telekom). Exteberria goes off solo, so now there were 3 solo riders on point, 7 chasers, and the main pack not far behind at 4' to Bettini. None of the men up front were any real GC threats, Bettini at 1h 16' 50" - unless a large gap was allowed by the peloton. The odds of that today: zero. Benefiting the most so far today was Francois Simon, the GC leader. He had been able to ride pack, sometimes literally on LA's wheel, as Postal drug him up the mountainous stage - but the meaningful attacks had yet to come. As the race ground up to the two Cat 3 climbs, the peloton's pace was steadily bringing the initial 6 up front back into the fold. With about 40k to go they did indeed get the break away group, and now there were only 3 men 2' away before Bettini at 4' to the pack. The trio in the middle were looking like they were soon to be caught as well. Postal was still on point doing the lion's share of the work, all the GC faves - sans Moreau - were right there with them. Stuey took the final 4 points of the day after Exteberria and extended his Green jersey lead - and then he sat up to wait for the pack. So now it was just one rider away (Bettini), followed by two (Cardenas and Etxeberria), and the pack heating up. It was shaping up for another final assault up the 9.1 km Cat 1 climb to the Plateau de Bonsacre. 25k to go and over the top of the 2nd to last climb. There were now several riders a little off the front of the pack chasing Bettini, and the pack still coming at 4'. 10k to go and the Mapei rider was at the base of the final ascent, chased still by Etxeberria and Cardenas. And then the assault began - Ullrich went away from the pack! Lance immediately latched on and Kivilev comes too - and then he is dropped! It's Ullrich being forced to do all the work, mashing up the climb as LA marked time on his wheel. What a contrast in styles. As they progressed up the climb the 2 champions started to work 'together'. Cardenas and Etxeberria caught and dropped Bettini, then Cardenas attacked and no answer from the other two. Bad news though for the stage leaders: LA and Ullrich were just 1' back now - they first get Bettini and then Etxeberria. 4k and somehow Bettini and Etxeberria fight back on - now there were 4 in pursuit of Cardenas. Lance was looking focused but very much in control, Ullrich showing more strain but obviously feeling strong. 2k to go and Cardenas was still away, followed now by JU and LA only 40" back. And then Lance attacked Ullrich! JU has absolutely no answer and loses another 23" to Lance on the day. Cardenas holds on for the win - super effort, and Lance comes in 3rd for the day, Ullrich 4th... as for Kivilev he has another hard day and loses more time to LA and Ullrich. He remains in second in the GC - but for how long?.. |
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