Vinny Attacks And Wins

Photo credit © Fotoreporter Sirotti Today's stage went just about as predicted.  A small breakaway was caught inside the last 15 km with a sprint for Green Jersey points at the finish.  An attack by Alexander Vinokourov on the final climb kept the sprinters from the stage victory.  The only thing missing was a counter attack by Alberto Contador to chase down Vinokourov. A lot is now being said about the amiable relationship between Contador and Vinokourov.  Sounds much like the PR spins from last years Tour and the Contador/Armstrong relationship.  I wonder what the odds are that Team Astana will remain intact next year.  Any one really think that Vinny and Alberto will be on the same team? Again today there were no changes in the General Classification (Yellow Jersey). The more exciting race this year seems to be for the Green Jersey that was regained by Alessandro Petacchi today.  I am beginning to doubt whether Thor Husovd can win the jersey.  There are not that many more intermediate sprints left that Thor can break from the peloton and win and I doubt he will finish high enough on the Champs Elysees to overtake Petacchi. The Mountain Classification can also become interesting if Jerome Pineau and Anthony Charteau fail to win any more points.  There are enough points available on the Cat. 1 and Cat. HC to give Andy Schleck or Contador the Polka Dot Jersey if they can stay in the top 3 finishers over the mountains during the four days in the Pyrenees. Prediction for stage 14:  The first day in the Pyrenees is going to start out with a few rolling hills, much like today's stage, but two climbs at the end will definitely sort out the elite.  Look for attacks by Schleck and maybe Sammuel Sanchez.  Unless Schleck cracks, Contador will stay on his wheel, but if Schleck shows any weakness Contador will take off.  This will also be a good time for Sanchez or Denis Menchov to gain time.  I think Contador will go after the yellow and a stage victory in the mountains and end all hopes of any one challenging him for the Tour de France 2010 victory.

Results - Stage 13

1 Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ) Astana 4:26:26 2 Mark Cavendish (GBR) Team HTC - Columbia 0:00:13 3 Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) Lampre-Farnese Vini 4 Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) Sky Professional Cycling Team 5 Jose Joaquin Rojas (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne 6 Julian Dean (NZL) Garmin - Transitions 7 Anthony Geslin (FRA) Française des Jeux 8 Thor Hushovd (NOR) Cervelo Test Team 9 Grega Bole (SLO) Lampre-Farnese Vini 10 Lloyd Mondory (FRA) AG2R La Mondiale 11 Gerald Ciolek (GER) Team Milram 12 Martijn Maaskant (NED) Garmin - Transitions 13 Jurgen Roelandts (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto 14 Samuel Sánchez (ESP) Euskaltel - Euskadi 15 Christophe Moreau (FRA) Caisse d'Epargne 16 Juan Manuel Gárate (ESP) Rabobank 17 Martin Elmiger (SUI) AG2R La Mondiale 18 Denis Menchov (RUS) Rabobank 19 Yukiya Arashiro (JPN) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 20 Oscar Freire (ESP) Rabobank

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 Gerald Ciolek (GER) Team Milram 102 8 Sébastien Turgot (FRA) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 101 9 Jurgen Roelandts (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto 81 10 Alberto Contador (ESP) Astana 80

Mountain Classification (Polka Dot Jersey)

1 Anthony Charteau (FRA) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 107  pts 2 Jérôme Pineau (FRA) Quick Step 92 3 Mario Aerts (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto 65 4 Andy Schleck (LUX) Team Saxo Bank 64 5 Christophe Moreau (FRA) Caisse d'Epargne 62 6 Sandy Casar (FRA) Française des Jeux 56 7 Damiano Cunego (ITA) Lampre-Farnese Vini 56 8 Alberto Contador (ESP) Astana 52 9 Samuel Sánchez (ESP) Euskaltel - Euskadi 50 10 Luis León Sánchez (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne 48