The big mountains loom in Week 2 of the Tour de France, as the race turns south toward the Pyrenees. In Week 1, several contenders for the ultimate prize have crashed out or lost too much time on rivals, but the favorites have protected their positions and must launch their attacks in the coming days. The heated sprints will continue to entertain, though the yellow jersey will leave the shoulders of sprinter Thor Hushovd and pass to another man, perhaps the winner of the 2011 Tour de France.
Going into Week 2, Cadel Evans, Andy Schleck, and Alberto Contador are all within fighting reach. After Stage 8, Evans is 1 second behind Thor Hushovd, who will not retain the yellow jersey as his strengths are not in the mountains. Schleck is 12 seconds behind Hushovd, and Contador is 1 minute, 42 seconds behind. At this point in the race, these differences are not significant, though it may be noted that Schleck lost the 2010 race to Contador by 39 seconds. American cycling pioneer Greg LeMond won the 1989 Tour de France by the shortest gap, just 8 seconds over Laurent Fignon.
Among the other hopefuls, Team Sky’s plan for the yellow jersey was Bradley Wiggins, who broke his collarbone and abandoned the race on Stage 7. RadioShack started the competition with four riders in the mix for the overall win, and the American team is now down to one: Andreas Kloden, the German and two-time race runner-up. Janez Brajkovic crashed out of the race on Stage 5, followed by Chris Horner on Stage 7. Levi Leipheimer crashed and lost significant time on both Stage 6 and 7. With two men down and support riders like Yaroslav Popovych nursing crash injuries as well, the team is under pressure and will focus their efforts on Kloden going forward.
Contador has had some bad luck in the first week, some of which may have come from minor mistakes on his part, such as failing to ride at the front of peloton to avoid crashes. To defend his title, the Spaniard must attack in the coming week, while Schleck and Evans will do the same to avoid another finish as runner-up. Any other contenders must make their mark within the next five days. The attacks will most likely come in the Pyrenees starting on Stage 12, and Stage 14 will be a vicious battle to sort out the whole field.
On Sunday, Stage 9 is a long stage at 208 kilometers, featuring seven categorized climbs. Race organizers rate significant inclined sections, from 4 which is the “easiest” to 1 as extremely difficult. The most brutal climbs are rated as “hors categorie,” meaning “beyond category.” With three Category 2 climbs, the mountain men will come out to play. Watch for Astana’s Alexandre Vinokourov, Quick Step’s Sylvain Chavanel, and Europcar’s Thomas Voeckler, all feisty riders who love to attack. They will likely be joined by some riders whose G.C. hopes are over and now aim for glory from a stage win. The exciting climbs begin around 85 kilometers out, and in between, the speedy descents may make your palms sweat.
Monday, July 11th, is a rest day, meaning no racing. However, the cyclists will be out on their bikes, as they must keep their bodies accustomed to the physical punishment. Naturally, riders would like to take it easy, but that can take them off form. Garmin team manager Jonathan Vaughters criticized Christian Vande Velde for taking it too easy on a rest day at the 2008 Tour. The rider cracked the following day in the mountains. Versus, the cable channel airing the race, will broadcast a summary of the first week and preview of the days to come. It will be a good chance to catch up and see any highlights that you missed.
When racing resumes on Tuesday, Stage 10 will be neither mountainous nort truly flat. The Cat 3 and 4 climbs may allow a breakaway to steal the day, when a few riders (or even one) launches off the front of the main pack and tries to power to the finish for the stage win. The peloton normally works together to catch the break, but you never know when one will actually work, as in Stage 8. If the break is caught, the excitement will be a bunch sprint at the line. But if the break works, it will be a valiant, courageous effort to watch throughout.
The sprinters will be itching for another chance to fire their guns at Stage 11. HTC-Highroad’s Mark Cavendish will be seek his third win this year, his 17th career win. Yet rival Tyler Farrar will fight for his second win for Garmin-Cervelo. Jose Joaquin Rojas, Alessandro Petacchi, Andre Greipel, and others will contest the sprint, and Team Sky’s Edvald Boassen Hagen may receive more help from his team for this stage, given Wiggins is out of the race.
On Stage 12, the Tour de France enters the Pyrenees, and the race will blow up. The second half of the 211 kilometer course features a Category 1 climb and two HC climbs, so difficult they are beyond category. The first HC climb is the Col du Tourmalet, a famous cycling battlefield at over 7% grade, starting about 53 kilometers to the finish. Contador and Schleck went mano-a-mano at the Tourmalet last year. This year, the uphill finish is still further at Luz-Ardiden with section at 9% and 10% grade. Here, back in 2003, Lance Armstrong crashed after getting hooked on a spectator’s bag, then went on to win the day.
The climbing specialists will burst forth to capture the victory, but this is where the G.C. competition gets hot. Contador, Schleck, and Evans will look for any opportunity to shut down rivals, though they will need to keep some gas in the tank, given nine more stages to suffer through, including the next two days in the mountains. If one of the contenders has a bad day, his Tour hopes will be crushed. The bulk of the peloton will lose significant time on the race leader, and the sprinters will struggle to even finish the day within the time limits. Watch at least the second half of the stage, and if you record the first telecast on Versus, record extra time so you don’t miss the finish, which will be an exhilarating victory for… someone.
On Friday, a long, steep climb at Col d’Aubisque will be the defining moment of Stage 13. The climb is 16.4 kilometers, averaging 7.1% incline but reaching 9% and 10% in patches. To watch the cyclists ride faster than ever, tune in for the descent from d’Aubisque into the finish at Lourdes. Descending is a unique skill, and some riders will amaze—crouched low, speeding down the mountain, taking huge risks to gain time. Leopard-Trek rider Wouter Weylandt died from a crash during a descent at the Giro d’Italia in May, a reminder of the danger in the sport. Watch the climb starting at about 60K to the finish, then hang on for the descent.
The final day in the Pyrenees is Stage 14, which will delight with a hilltop finish at the historic Plateau de Beille, a hors categorie climb. The G.C. contenders will know that they have a chance to “rest” on the flat stage that follows, so they will turn on their engines to get time on each other. Contador, Schleck, and Contador will attack. They will also play poker, trying to assess how the others feel while not giving away their own conditions. They will launch attacks and hope that the rivals cannot keep up. At this point in the Tour de France, one of the favorites will have the yellow jersey.
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| Plateau de Beille |
As spectators, we will get another show in the Pyrenees, and that is the wild crowd of roadside fans. Thousands camp out days in advance to watch the mountain stages of the Tour de France, and after days of drinking, the fans get animated. Some dress up at the devil or Borat, others run alongside the riders carrying national flags. It is a circus-like atmosphere, and when the road narrows, with no barriers to keep the fans back, cyclists must stay alert to avoid accidents with the cheering fans. This is a day to watch the entire stage, from start to finish. The race is telecast on Versus, and NBC Sports offers live coverage online for a $29.95 subscription fee.
This time next week, one of the favorites will have the yellow jersey. Will he keep it through to Paris? That is for Week 3 to decide.
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Television coverage schedule: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/43440907/ns/sports-cycling/
