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STAGE 15: PONTARLIER - VERBIER (SWITZERLAND), 207.5 KM: TOUR DE FRANCE STAGE 15: CONTADOR CONQUERS VERBIER
By Chris Henry in Verbier
July 19, 2009
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Leaving everyone behind, Contador soared to victory in Verbier
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
With his trademark victory salute, 2007 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador fired another decisive shot at his rivals by storming away to a stage victory and the maillot jaune in Verbier, Switzerland. This was Contador's tenth victory of the year, and it may be the most important thus far, as he finally put some distance between himself and his rivals. In doing so, he firmly established his leadership at Astana as his teammate Lance Armstrong fell to 1:37 behind the unstoppable Spaniard.
"I am very happy with this result," a visibly elated Contador said following his win. "Today there were a lot of other riders who were very strong but there's still a lot of racing left."
"The climb wasn't too long but we started very quickly and I was able to do what I wanted to make a difference," he explained. "I saw that at 5km to go there were several riders ahead so I decided to try something."
With only one summit finish in the Alps, today was that day for anyone with hopes of winning this Tour to make a move. For Contador, leadership and pride were at stake more than time. For other favorites such as Sastre, the brothers Schleck, Evans, or Vande Velde, their efforts to salvage time lost in the first half of the race had to begin on the road to Verbier. There would be no hiding from responsibility today.
 Lance Armstrong put in a focused effort, but came up short on the day.
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
While today's 207 kilometer stage marked the first day in the Alps, it effectively boiled down to a showdown on the final climb to Verbier. The preamble was irrelevant and the moment of truth arrived over 8.8 snaking kilometers to the Swiss ski resort. Two more tough days in the Alps remain, but this summit finish on the eve of the Tour's second rest day was designed to provoke the anticipated attacks.
A breakaway group of ten riders set the rhythm from the 80km onward, never gaining more than 4:40 over the field, which today clearly had sights set on the stage victory as well as the Tour's overall classification. Attempts to fly solo by Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Slipstream) and later Simon Spilak (Lampre) failed to make a dent as the escapees were doomed to be swept under the rug by the main field, sweeping in behind like the valley wind blowing off the Lac Leman.
Team Saxo Bank was the primary instigator on the lower slopes of the climb as it looked to set up Andy Schleck for an attack. Swiss champion Cancellara, who figured in the breakaway, offered one final, desperate pull as he was caught by the peloton. Frank Schleck tried his own acceleration next, marking the opening of the hostilities among the favorites as the lead group thinned to an elite few.
Contador didn't wait long, however, sensing that the time was right to show the world just who has the best climbing legs. Speculation as to whether he would attack first or whether Armstrong might slingshot off another move was put to rest as the Spaniard- who has won all three of cycling's grand tours- flew the coop.
"To get any time [on the others], that's what you have to do," Contador said simply of his decision to attack early. "My legs were hurting. It was hurting me and it was hurting everyone else.... I gave it everything I had."
Andy Schleck was the only rider to come close to matching Contador's move, going clear from a group containing his brother Frank, Armstrong and Andreas Kloden, Bradley Wiggins and Christian Vande Velde (Garmin), Vicenzo Nibali (Liquigas) and Carlos Sastre. This group dwindled as Sastre and Vande Velde fell off the pace. The defending Tour champion Sastre would rally but the American would see the last of the leaders, likely ceding his position as leader to the winged Wiggins, who continues to enjoy an immensely successful outing as a born-again climber.
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Bradley Wiggins confirmed his climbing talents once more |
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
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The Classification Takes Shape
Luxembourg's national champion held Contador within 43 seconds by the finish, a satisfying result that moved him to fifth place overall, even if his time deficit to the Astana leader increased to 2:26. Armstrong, on the other hand, was clearly at his limit and rode to the finish with the help of the steady pace of Kloden. By the summit, the American was 1:35 behind his teammate.
"Armstrong came to the Tour to win but today we saw that Contador is the strongest in the mountains," Schleck explained, noting the time gaps between Astana's two captains. "This is only the first stage in the mountains and it's the least difficult. I think we're still going to see a great race."
"I feel really good and tomorrow is a rest day," he added. "After that, we'll be on the attack."
Schleck's performance was also enough to put him back in the white jersey of best young rider, displacing the German Tony Martin of Columbia-HTC. Franco Pellizotti and Thor Hushovd maintained their leads in the mountains and points competitions, respectively.
With Armstrong evidently set to assume a support role for Contador, the Spaniard d himself satisfied with his leadership role and praised the seven-time Tour winner in the process.
"It was a hard climb from the very bottom," Armstrong commented. "That's what days like this are for; they show you who's the best. Today Alberto put his stamp on the race and said 'I'm the best'."
"On days like this, when somebody says, 'the pressure is on me, I'm the best in the race, watch me,' and demonstrates that they're the best in the race, you can't deny that," Armstrong said, insisting that he would not launch any attacks to compromise Contador's yellow jersey. "That would be dishonest and it would be bad form."
Contador, meanwhile, is firmly in yellow. He admitted to feeling the pressure applied by Armstrong in the race's first week, finally able to express some relief in putting distance between himself and his teammate, to say nothing of the other favorites.
"It's an honor for me to have Armstrong working for me," Contador said, denying any worries about team strife going forward. "Armstrong's a great professional and everyone in the team has to work for the same goal."
Today was Contador's tenth victory of the season. If he wins the Tour in Paris, the road to Verbier will not have provided his biggest win, but it may have provided the most important. Today was a turning point, when hierarchies were established and favorites lived up to expectations.
Stage 15: July 19, Pontarlier to Verbier (Switzerland) 207.5km
1. Alberto Contador (ESP/Astana) 5h 03min 58sec
2. Andy Schleck (LUX/Saxo Bank) @ 0:43
3. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/Liquigas) @ 1:03
4. Frank Schleck (LUX/Saxo Bank) @ 1:06
5. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/Garmin-Slipstream)
6. Carlos Sastre (ESP/Cervélo TestTeam)
7. Cadel Evans (AUS/Silence-Lotto) @ 1:26
8. Andreas Kloden (GER/Astana) @ 1:29
9. Lance Armstrong (USA/Astana) @ 1:35
10. Kim Kirchen (LUX/Columbia-HTC) @ 1:55
Overall Classification After Stage 15
1. Alberto Contador (ESP/Astana) 63h 17min 56sec
2. Lance Armstrong (USA/Astana) @ 1:37
3. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/Garmin-Slipstream) @ 1:46
4. Andreas Kloden (GER/Astana) @ 2:17
5. Andy Schleck (LUX/Saxo Bank) @ 2:26
6. Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA/AG2R La Mondiale) @ 2:30
7. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/Liquigas) @ 2:51
8. Tony Martin (GER/Columbia-HTC) @ 3:07
9. Christophe Le Mevel (FRA/Française des Jeux) @ 3:09
10. Frank Schleck (LUX/Saxo Bank) @ 3:25
Other Classifications
Green Jersey: Thor Hushovd (NOR/Cervélo TestTeam)
Polka Dot Jersey: Franco Pellizotti (ITA/Liquigas)
White Jersey: Andy Schleck (LUX/Saxo Bank)
Teams: Astana
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