And so it is......

At the outset of the 2011 Tour de France, I placed some bets over in London. I picked seven riders to finish atop the podium. I guess 2 out of 7 isn't horrible - especially with the carnage we saw in the first week. I'm quite satisfied with the result this year and I'm happy to say this is one of the best Tours I've ever watched.

It was close, there was a parity of rider skill, and there was only one positive drug test (that I've heard of) in all of the 21 stages.

Thanks to Versus and Eurosport for your coverage. Thanks to UCI and LeTour for your efforts as well.

See you again in the fall when they announce the route for the 2012 Tour de France. I plan to be in France for the whole of that race if you need a person on the ground during that edition.

Au revoir.

Leipheimer info from LeTour

Here is the dispatch from the Tour de France official site...

12:13 - Leipheimer Abandons Le Tour 2009

The big news at the start of the 13th stage is the retirement of the rider ranked fourth overall after 12 stages. Levi Leipheimer (AST) crashed in the final three kilometers of the stage to Vittel and although he finished the stage, and appeared to be unharmed, x-rays this morning revealed a fracture of the scaphoid bone and he will not be at the start today.

So that's it.

Stage 5

So, the only spoiler I'll give you right off the bat about Stage 5 in the 2009 Tour de France is that my prediction of Contador's abandon did not happen.

What does that mean? Not sure. I see a complete shakeup when the teams hit the mountains, but for Astanà to get clarity and then focus on the win they must decide soon who is their leader.

If you've watched the Tour for any time, even one other time, you'll probably feel that this year's race has been sedate as far as abandons and crashes.

Sure, the early jitters are there (and even today -stage 5 - there was a crash in the neutral zone), but there are still only two riders to drop out over the first five stages.

Here's how the top 25 in stage 5 shook out...list courtesy of LeTour.fr.

1. VOECKLER Thomas 141 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 4h 29' 35"
2. IGNATIEV Mikhail 164 TEAM KATUSHA 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
3. CAVENDISH Mark 71 TEAM COLUMBIA - HTC 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
4. FARRAR Tyler 53 GARMIN - SLIPSTREAM 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
5. CIOLEK Gerald 182 TEAM MILRAM 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
6. NAPOLITANO Danilo 166 TEAM KATUSHA 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
7. ROJAS Jose Joaquin 117 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
8. MONDORY Lloyd 86 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
9. FREIRE Oscar 44 RABOBANK 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
10. HUSHOVD Thor 6 CERVELO TEST TEAM 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
11. FURLAN Angelo 134 LAMPRE - N.G.C 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
12. DUQUE Leonardo 124 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
13. FEILLU Romain 175 AGRITUBEL 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
14. VAN HUMMEL Kenny Robert 199 SKIL-SHIMANO 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
15. TIMMER Albert 198 SKIL-SHIMANO 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
16. FERNANDEZ Koldo 63 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
17. KLÖDEN Andréas 23 ASTANA 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
18. ARASHIRO Yukiya 142 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
19. KREUZIGER Roman 93 LIQUIGAS 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
20. RENSHAW Mark 78 TEAM COLUMBIA - HTC 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
21. BOONEN Tom 153 QUICK STEP 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
22. SABATINI Fabio 96 LIQUIGAS 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
23. DELAGE Mickaël 12 SILENCE - LOTTO 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
24. CANCELLARA Fabian 33 TEAM SAXO BANK 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"
25. VOIGT Jens 39 TEAM SAXO BANK 4h 29' 42" + 00' 07"

And even more from letour.fr

Just giving you some interesting stuff I've seen on letour.fr...

In 1989, Greg LeMond posted the fastest ever time in a race against the clock over 20km at the Tour de France when he won the final stage in the year of France’s bicentenary celebrations. He overtook Laurent Fignon and famously won the title by eight seconds.
In 1990, Greg LeMond overtook Claudio Chiappucci to take the yellow jersey. The stage was won by Erik Breukink and the American won the title without winning a stage.
In 2003, David Millar won the final time trial on a day or torrential rain but the general classification was confirmed when Lance Armstrong finished third and Jan Ullrich – who had been a challenger to the Texan for three weeks – crashed on a roundabout and lost any chance of making up the deficit to the overall leader.
In 2006, Floyd Landis’ took the yellow jersey off the shoulders of Oscar Pereiro on the penultimate day but it was a victory that wouldn’t last… as the American would surrender the title retrospectively after testing positive for testosterone.

In 1968, Jan Janssen became the first Dutchman to win the Tour de France. He claimed the final stage, a time trial from Izier to Paris, and overtook Herman van Springel on the final day to take the title by 38”.
In 1977, Bernard Thevenet confirmed his victory over Hennie Kuiper by winning the last individual test.
In 1978, Joop Zoetemelk was 14 seconds ahead of Bernard Hinault before the final time trial but the rider from Brittany ended up winning the Tour by 3’56”.

According to the early results of our poll on LeTour.fr, many believe that this final time trial will determine a new leader of the general classification. In the post-WWII period (ie. races since 1947), the final time trial has contributed to a change of race leader 12 times.
In 1958, Charly Gaul won the final time trial and inherited the lead from Vito Favero in Dijon.
In 1962, Jacques Anquetil won the stage in Lyon and overtook Joseph Planckaert in the general classification.
In 1964, the final stage was a time trial from Versailles to Paris. Anquetil was just 14 seconds ahead Poulidor but his victory on the last day sealed his fifth victory.

More from letour.fr

13:15 - Redant – “We’re racing for yellow…”

Cadel Evans rode the course early today, starting at about 10.30am. “We left the hotel at nine,” said Silence-Lotto directeur sportif Hendrik Redant, “and we were on the course after a bit of a drive. Cadel rode the entire course to make sure he understands what lies ahead today. He does it as always: paying close attention to all the corners and even stopping, turning back and riding some again to make sure he understand what the best path to take is.
“There were some corners that he rode three or four times.
“It’s a course that suits him and I’m confident about his chances. We know what we’re here for: we’re racing for the yellow jersey!”
13:10 - Evans Has Just Returned From Reconnaissance...

LeTour.fr recently spoke to the man who will be calling the shots for Cadel Evans who is due to start the time trial at 4.17pm. Hendrik Redant explained, "The course suits him with plenty of power pieces, sections where he can really stamp on the pedals. This is where he’s going to gain a bit of time."
The Belgian directeur sportif will not follow any other riders from the Silence-Lotto team and is looking forward to the challenge that’s facing him this afternoon when he’s going to call the race for Evans. "I’ll be there in the car like I have been all through the Tour. Today it’s a little different but the atmosphere in the team is tranquil. Cadel is calm and I’m confident."

Stage 20 underway

Here's some neat info from letour.fr...

11:25 - Battle For ’Lanterne Rouge’ Begins... The first two men to start the 20th stage are on their way. Wim Vansevenant (SIL) has been the ’Lanterne Rouge’ (ie. the last rider in the general classification) in the two previous editions of the Tour de France. He has held the same position for much of the 2008 race but the rider who finished last in stage 19, Bernhard Eisel (COL), has stolen his ’title’ with two stages remaining this year.
Eisel is three hours, 47 minutes and 11 seconds behind Sastre after 3,362km of racing. Vansevenant is ranked 144th three hours, 46 minutes and 29 seconds behind the overall leader.

And......

11:56 - Vansevenant Could Be The First Triple ’Lanterne Rouge’

Before the 2008 Tour, six riders have finished as the last rider in the general classification of the Tour. The latest is Wim Vansevenant (2006 and 2007); he is currently ranked second last after 19 stages but challenging to become the first rider to finish last three times.
The other double ’lanterne rouge’ winners are: Masson (1922 and 1923); Schambacher (1979 and 1980); Hermans (1987 and 1989); Casper (2001 and 2004) and Flores (2002 and 2005).

I guess many of us focus too much on the first place rider and not on the maneuvering that's necessary to finish last.

More shortly.

As with yesterday, I'll post a couple more and then post the spoilers to appear AFTER 9PM EST.

SPOILER - Stage 19 Wrap-Up and Winner

Here are the dispatches from letour.fr regarding the stage today...

17:14 - Sastre: 38th In Stage - First Overall...

As expected, there has been no change to the top order of the general classification after the 19th stage. The overall leader Carlos Sastre finished 38th in the stage, 1’13" behind Sylvain Chavanel. The Spaniard will be the last rider to start the 20th stage - a 53km time trial.
17:12 - Top 10 In Stage 19

The peloton finished 1’13" behind the two escapees who joined forces at the 81km mark. The top 10 in the 19th stage is:
1. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) COF
2. Jeremy Roy (FRA) FDJ at same time
3. Gerald Ciolek (GER) COL at 1’13"
4. Erik Zabel (GER) MRM at 1’13"
5. Heinrich Haussler (GER) GST at 1’13"
6. Leonardo Duque (COL) COF at 1’13"
7. Filippo Pozzato (ITA) LIQ at 1’13"
8. Thor Hushovd (NOR) C.A at 1’13"
9. Robert Forster (GER) GST at 1’13"
10. Julian Dean (NZL) GAR at 1’13"

Overall standings coming up.

Unfortunate for Cunego

While he may not have had a great chance at getting on the podium, a crash has all but taken Cunego out of the race.

According to a dispatch at letour.fr...

13:38 - Cunego Was 14th Overall...

After 3,000.5km of racing, Damiano Cunego was ranked 14th overall. His deficit to Sastre was 12’26" at the start of the day. He crashed at the 28km mark and is racing again with the help of three Lampre team-mates but the last time check had him 9’40" behind a fast moving peloton.

Supreme BUMMER.

First climb of the day

Courtesy of letour.fr...

The points for the first climb of stage 17 were won by:
1. Stefan Schumacher (GST) 4pts
2. Remy Di Gregorio (FDJ) 3pts
3. Ruben Perez (EUS) 2pts
4. Peter Velits (MRM) 1pt

The peloton seems as if it doesn't care about the group ahead, and based on the riders' positions that makes sense. But some teams want to ensure a team title in the 2008 Tour, so I bet CSC will start reeling these breakaway riders back in at some point before the next climb.

All that's left are hors category mountains culminating with the Alpe d'Huez.

Better Diagnosis for Pereiro

From letour.com,

Despite early diagnosis of a possible broken femur for Pereiro, the race director Christian Prudhomme has just confirmed that the 2006 Tour champion has sustained a broken shoulder; nothing else. He is on his way to hospital in Cuneo.

Better Diagnosis for Pereiro

From letour.com,

Despite early diagnosis of a possible broken femur for Pereiro, the race director Christian Prudhomme has just confirmed that the 2006 Tour champion has sustained a broken shoulder; nothing else. He is on his way to hospital in Cuneo.

The hors category climb

According to letour.com,

Details Of Col Agnel

The first ascent of the 15th stage is the Col Agnel. The sun is shining as Gerrans, Arrieta, Martinez and Pate make their way up the 2,744m high pass that peaks at the 58km mark. The climb is 20.5km long with an average gradient of 6.6 percent. The steepest sections are the 16th, 17th and 19th kilometers which are nine percent.

The breakaway group is at the base of this climb and has a lead in the range of 12 minutes over the peloton.

Less than 10KM into Stage 14, a 21-person breakaway

21 riders dashed away from the peloton today after less than 10KM. The size of the breakaway makes it likely that someone in this aggressive group will stay away for the entire 194.5KM.

Here's who's in the breakaway, courtesy of letour.fr...

At the 5km mark, Stijn Devolder instigated the first successful escape of stage 14. The riders involved are: O’Grady (CSC), Oroz and Txurruka (EUS), Garcia-Acosta and Gutierrez (GCE), Eisel (COL), Quinziato (LIQ), Bono (LAM), Bonnet (C.A), Devolder (QST), Riblon (ALM), Haussler (GST), Gonzalo Ramirez and Lelay (AGR), Tankink (RAB), Sprick and Voeckler (BTL), Velo (MRM), Casar and Sebastian Chavanel (FDJ), Frischkorn (GAR).
The teams not represented are: Silence-Lotto, Barloworld and Cofidis.

My guess for the two guys who might stick it out and win today's stage are Voeckler and Chavanel.

SPOILER - Winner of Stage 13 in Nimes

With 10KM to go, the breakaway ended and Terpstra was caught after being on the attack for 172KM.

After the capture, the teams put on a furious pace to the finish line. They were moving along fine when at about 8KM, Sylvain Chavanel attacked and opened a lead of 150 meters. He was caught at the 3KM mark.

Team Columbia then took over the pacemaking for a bit and then QuickStep and Milram came front.

Only one KM away, it's a morass of wheels and riders and different colored jerseys at the front.

And with so much confusion at the front, and such a fantastic speed, who but Robbie Mc Ewen could blast ahead for the win? I'll tell you who! Mark Cavendish!

The Englishman has won his FOURTH stage of the 2008 Tour de France.

Here are the top 10 of the 182km stage from Narbonne to Nimes:
1. Mark Cavendish (GBR) COL - 182km in 4h25’42"
2. Robbie McEwen (AUS) SIL
3. Roman Feillu (FRA) AGR
4. Heinrich Haussler (GER) GST
5. Oscar Freire (ESP) RAB
6. Thor Hushovd (NOR) C.A
7. Leonardo Duque (COL) COF
8. Erik Zabel (GER) MRM
9. Julian Dean (NZL) TSL
10. Sebastian Chavanel (FRA) FDJ

According to letour,

Cavendish is making this sprinting game look easy. He was blocked in the middle of the bunch with 500m to go but when he opened it up, there was no one who could get close. Stage win number four for the Columbia rider!

More info in the next post.

More Nimes info from LeTour.fr

Today is the 16th time that a stage of the Tour de France has concluded in Nimes. The last time was in 2004 when Aitor Gonzalez won the stage, relegating Nicolas Jalabert to second place in a stage from Carcassonne.
Before that, the previous stage finish in Nimes was in 1986 when Frank Hoste claimed the victory in a two-up sprint against Silvano Contini in in the 225.5km 15th stage from Carcassonne.

Nimes

According to letour.fr,

The last time a stage of the Tour de France concluded in Nimes, the runner-up was Nicolas Jalabert. He was part of an escape group on the day the Tour visited this city in the Gard department in 2004. The winner was Aitor Gonzalez who was riding for the Fassa Bortolo team at the time.
Jalabert has just been seen hovering around the rear of the peloton expressing little interest in racing too hard in the first half of the 13th stage.

Pretty cool. I was in France in 2004 and actually in Nimes, as mentioned in an earlier post.

Unfortunately, I left the country before the start of the Tour.

SPOILER - Col del Bouich

From letour.fr.

The Col del Bouich is a 5.2km climb with an average gradient of 3.8 percent. Its summit is 22.5km from the finish of the 11th stage.

So it's a fairly quick mountain with a moderate grade. I'm thinking the group will gather together on the slopes here and then all 12 of them will rocket into the finish.

It's 10:20AM locally, so I don't know what's about to happen. I'm watching and writing. SOOOO COOL!

Shared info from letour.fr

Some people aren't allowed to get international Websites on their work computers. Here's how letour.fr explains the points and jersey classifications as they stand now...

12:33 - Classification Leaders: Part 04 (White Jersey)

The former leader of the youth classification, Andy Schleck (CSC) suffered a collapse on the final ascent of stage 10, finishing 28th, 8’59” behind Leonardo Piepoli and a little over six minute behind Riccardo Ricco. The Luxembourger slipped down the rankings in the race for the white jersey from first to fifth after the stage to Hautacam.
Ricco was ranked fourth but now he leads the category that’s open to riders born after 1 January 1983 by 1’49”. Second is Vincenzo Nibali of the Liquigas team and third is currently held by the young Belgian Maxime Montfort (COF).
Ricco is the only rider eligible for the youth classification to be ranked in the top 10 of the general classification (ninth, 2’29” behind Evans).
12:26 - Classification Leaders: Part 03 (Polka-Dot Jersey)

The winner of stages six and nine, Riccardo Ricco claimed the lead in the climbers’ category after finishing stage 10 in sixth place. Until then, he’d only collected points for first place at the Tour climbs that featured double points as they were the final ascents of the stage and ranked category-two or higher. The Saunier Duval-Scott rider now has 77 points, 12 more than the former leader, team-mate David De La Fuente.
Gerolsteiner’s time trial specialist Sebastian Lang is ranked third thanks to the points he acquired during a long escape in the ninth stage. He has 57 points, all of which were earned on the stage to Bagnerre-de-Bigorre.
Bernhard Kohl (GST) is closing in quickly on the polka-dot jersey, rising up the rankings from eighth to fourth with 56 points, 10 more than Frank Schleck and 15 more than the winner at Hautacam, Leonardo Piepoli.
Ricco also leads the youth classification but he will wear the polka-dot jersey in stage 11.
12:24 - Classification Leaders: Part 02 (Green Jersey)

Oscar Freire started the 10th stage four points points shy of Kim Kirchen’s lead in the category that is dubbed the sprint classification. The Spaniard is a renowned sprinter but the Luxembourger has earned his points with good results in sprints, time trials and stages more suited to climbers. An escape in the early part of the stage to Hautacam enabled Freire to add 12 points to his collection.
The Rabobanker was in the green jersey for stage 10, but it was only because Kirchen was still clad in yellow. Freire will wear green again today while the former overall leader will be back in his Columbia team colors for the first time since stage five. So far this year, Kirchen has led the points classification for six days and the general classification for four days.
Freire has 131 points, Kirchen 124 and the winners of stages two and one, Hushovd (C.A) and Valverde (GCE), respectively, are ranked third and fourth with 105 and 96 points.
12:17 - Classification Leaders: Part 01 (Yellow Jersey)

Only one second separates the riders ranked first and second overall after 10 stages of the 2008 Tour de France. Cadel Evans (SIL) is the fifth Australian to wear the yellow jersey – after Phil Anderson, Stuart O’Grady, Brad McGee and Robbie McEwen – and he’s achieved this despite suffering a fall in the ninth stage.
“So far, so good.” That should be part of the sound-track for the Evans’ fourth Tour. It’s all about consistency for the Silence-Lotto rider who has finished in the top 10 in four stages so far. Frank Schleck has been equally impressive with three top 10 stage placings in the first 10 days. His 46th place in the time trial of stage four, finishing 2’14” behind Schumacher (while Evans lost 27 seconds) was the one sign of weakness from the winner of the stage to L’Alpe d’Huez in 2006.
Garmin-Chipotle’s team leader Chrisitian Vande Velde is ranked third, 38 seconds behind Evans. Austrian climbing specialist Bernhard Kohl was impressive on the stage to Hautacam, finishing fourth, a result that lifted him up the GC rankings from 13th to fourth!

From time to time I'll give some letour info. I will attribute it as such so you'll know that it's coming from people at the side of the race. And also so that when they screw up badly (as they do once a stage) you'll know that it wasn't my mistake. :-)

SPOILER - New Leader of the TDF

From letour.fr...

With his eighth place in the stage, Cadel Evans has pushed his way into the lead of the Tour de France. He has an advantage of one second over Frank Schleck.

24 in breakaway

Here's who is about a minute ahead of the peloton in the breakaway group. We're less than 75KM into the race, so this will most certainly change.

The 24 escapees began their move at the 10km mark. The riders involved are: Popovych (SIL), Cancellara (CSC), Gutierrez (GCE), Burghardt (THR), Augustyn and Cheula (BAR), Pozzato (LIQ), Le Mevel (C.A), Tosatto (QST), Dupont (ALM), Fothen, Lang and Wegmann (GST), Feillu and Vogondy (AGR), Freire (RAB), Fedrigo (BTL), Chavanel, Di Gregorio and Roy (FDJ), Bertogliati and De La Fuente (SDV) and Duque (COF).

That info courtesy of letour.fr.