Lead Change In The Tour

Another great day in the Tour de France, but not without controversy.  And lately, if there is a controversy, it involves Alberto Contador.  The boos and jeers heard when he received his Yellow Jersey as the new tour leader should tell him what the fans thought of his attack on Andy Schleck when Andy was having a mechanical failure (chain came off) on the climb of the Port de Bales.  I know it is debatable whether he should have taken advantage of that situation, but I no longer respect Contador and am not surprised by his attack.  It is something any pro cyclist, with character, would not have done.  That is my opinion.  The best article I read on this situation was written for the **Tour de France Newsletter from Carmichael Training Systems. The Carmichael Commentary looks at both sides and his conclusion says it all.

**Beyond the Debate
My struggle is that for seemingly every defense of one argument, there’s an equally valid counter-argument. There really doesn’t seem to be one answer that’s clearly right or one that’s clearly wrong. In the end, and even though it’s directly contradicted by the Lance/Ullrich situation on Luz Ardiden in 2003, if I had to make a decision today I would say that it would have been nice to see Contador wait for Schleck, but I don’t think he was obligated to. The decision to press on, however, may well haunt Contador later in this race or in the future.
The peloton has its own sense of justice, and if the riders feel that Contador was wrong, they may find ways within races to let him know. I don’t mean they’ll do anything malicious like push him off the road, but they may decide not to work with him in a breakaway, or that they’ll chase him down to prevent him from winning when they otherwise would have cooperated with him. Perhaps in next year’s Tour, or in a stage later in this race, a rider who might otherwise work with Contador in a small group will decide to just sit on.
You have to remember that even though many fans only see riders like Sammy Sanchez or Andy Schleck once a year during the Tour de France, the riders see each other week in and week out for years. Many of the men in the Tour have been racing each other for the better part of a decade, some even longer. Many have raced together on the same teams, or will in the future, as contracts and sponsors change. The actions you take in races determine how you are perceived in the peloton, and over time you build a reputation based on fairness, competence, safety, work ethic, and friendliness. The night after a stage like today, we can all talk about the immediate implications that Schleck’s mechanical problem – and Contador’s response - had on the race. But right or wrong, the long-term consequences of Contador’s decision will be decided by the peloton.

Photo credit © Roberto Bettini

Not until the 100km mark of the stage would a breakaway succeed.  At that point 10 riders led by Liquigas-Doimo's Brian Vandborg and Milram rider Luke Roberts, along with Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-Transitions), Sergei Ivanov (Katusha), Alessandro Ballan (BMC Racing), Francesco Reda (Quick Step), Aitor Perez Arrieta (Footon-Servetto), Lloyd Mondory (AG2R - La Mondiale), Alan Perez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and two Bbox Bouygues Telecom riders Thomas Voeckler and Sebastian Turgot began a break that would take them out to almost an 11 minute lead on the peloton.  Six of the 10 were able to hold off a charging Contador along with Denis Menchov and Samuel Sanchez on the descent of the Port de Bales.  An attack by Voeckler with about 10 km to go on the climb gave him a 1:20 lead on the group and enabled him to coast to victory.
Schleck was unable to catch the Contador group a lost :39 seconds on that group relinquishing  his Yellow Jersey.
Prediction for Stage 16:  Andy Schleck is mad, very mad.  This may work for him or can also work against him.  Look for Andy to attack, attack and attack on the climbs, but he will be attacking the best cyclist and best climber in the Tour.  It will be interesting.

Results - Stage 15

1	Thomas Voeckler (FRA) Bbox Bouygues Telecom	4:44:51
2	Alessandro Ballan (ITA) BMC Racing Team	0:01:20
3	Aitor Perez Arrieta (ESP) Footon-Servetto
4	Lloyd Mondory (ESP) AG2R La Mondiale	0:02:50
5	Luke Roberts (AUS) Team Milram
6	Francesco Reda (ITA) Quick Step
7	Alberto Contador (ESP) Astana
8	Samuel Sánchez (ESP) Euskaltel - Euskadi
9	Denis Menchov (RUS) Rabobank
10	Brian Vandborg (DEN) Liquigas-Doimo
11	Johan Van Summeren (BEL) Garmin - Transitions
12	Andy Schleck (LUX) Team Saxo Bank	0:03:29
13	Jurgen Van Den Broeck (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto
14	Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ) Astana
15	Robert Gesink (NED) Rabobank	0:03:55
16	Ryder Hesjedal (CAN) Garmin - Transitions
17	Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack
18	John Gadret (FRA) AG2R La Mondiale
19	Roman Kreuziger (CZE) Liquigas-Doimo	0:04:08
20	Kevin De Weert (BEL) Quick Step

General Classification (Yellow Jersey)

1	Alberto Contador (ESP) Astana	72:50:42
2	Andy Schleck (LUX) Team Saxo Bank	0:00:08
3	Samuel Sánchez (ESP) Euskaltel - Euskadi	0:02:00
4	Denis Menchov (RUS) Rabobank	0:02:13
5	Jurgen Van Den Broeck (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto	0:03:39
6	Robert Gesink (NED) Rabobank	0:05:01
7	Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack	0:05:25
8	Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP) Team Katusha	0:05:45
9	Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ) Astana	0:07:12
10	Ryder Hesjedal (CAN) Garmin - Transitions	0:07:51

Point Standings (Green Jersey)

1	Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) Lampre-Farnese Vini	187	pts
2	Thor Hushovd (NOR) Cervelo Test Team	185
3	Mark Cavendish (GBR) Team HTC - Columbia	162
4	Jose Joaquin Rojas (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne	144
5	Robbie McEwen (AUS) Team Katusha	138
6	Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) Sky Professional Cycling Team	120
7	Sébastien Turgot (FRA) Bbox Bouygues Telecom	107
8	Gerald Ciolek (GER) Team Milram	102
9	Samuel Sánchez (ESP) Euskaltel - Euskadi	100
10	Alberto Contador (ESP) Astana	98

Mountain Classification (Polka Dot Jersey)

1	Anthony Charteau (FRA) Bbox Bouygues Telecom	115	pts
2	Jérôme Pineau (FRA) Quick Step	92
3	Thomas Voeckler (FRA) Bbox Bouygues Telecom	82
4	Andy Schleck (LUX) Team Saxo Bank	76
5	Alberto Contador (ESP) Astana	76
6	Samuel Sánchez (ESP) Euskaltel - Euskadi	72
7	Christophe Moreau (FRA) Caisse d'Epargne	68
8	Mario Aerts (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto	65
9	Damiano Cunego (ITA) Lampre-Farnese Vini	63
10	Christophe Riblon (FRA) AG2R La Mondiale	60