Stage 18: Gap - Alpe d'Huez (172.5km). Today is a killer of a stage - as a result of climbing the Alpe twice within 60km. Some hard work - 1 x Cat 3; 3 x Cat 2; 2 x HC. Saxo-Tinkoff will be out to get Contador into the lead, but Sky will probably need to do more than hold Froome's Yellow Jersey. Quintana could well have a crack at the stage win, as could Valverde. It is now, quite simply, the key to the Tour.
....and Froome takes almost a minute out of Contador! Stage 18 Results FRA 1 RIBLON, Christophe (AG2R LA MONDIALE) 4:51:32 USA 2 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay (BMC RACING) + 59 ITA 3 MOSER, Moreno (CANNONDALE PRO CYCLING) + 1:27 COL 4 QUINTANA ROJAS, Nairo Alexander (MOVISTAR TEAM) + 2:12 ESP 5 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER, Joaquin (KATUSHA) + 2:15 AUS 6 PORTE, Richie (SKY PROCYCLING) + 3:18 GBR 7 FROOME, Christopher (SKY PROCYCLING) ESP 8 VALVERDE BELMONTE, Alejandro (MOVISTAR TEAM) + 3:22 ESP 9 NIEVE ITURALDE, Mikel (EUSKALTEL EUSKADI) + 4:15 DEN 10 FUGLSANG, Jakob (ASTANA PRO TEAM) ESP 11 CONTADOR VELASCO, Alberto (SAXO-TINKOFF) General Classification after Stage 18 GBR 1 FROOME, Christopher (SKY PROCYCLING) 71:02:19 ESP 2 CONTADOR VELASCO, Alberto (SAXO-TINKOFF) + 5:11 COL 3 QUINTANA ROJAS, Nairo Alexander (MOVISTAR TEAM) + 5:32 CZE 4 KREUZIGER, Roman (SAXO-TINKOFF) + 5:44 ESP 5 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER, Joaquin (KATUSHA) + 5:58
Stage 19: Bourg d'Oisans - Le Grand Bornand (205km). Only 3 stages remaining (some of you will be glad to hear!) but it's not over yet. This is a hilly stage - 1 x Cat 2; 2 x Cat 1; 2 x HC. The day starts with a hard climb up a Cat 1, so a breakaway is likely. Overall, Quintana is a good bet for the stage win (with Froome not far away from him!).
Yep - Rui Costa. Froome and Contador finished in same time, so overall placings are still the same. Stage 19 Results POR 1 FARIA DA COSTA, Rui Alberto (MOVISTAR TEAM) 5:59:01 GER 2 KLÃDEN, Andreas (RADIOSHACK LEOPARD) + 48 BEL 3 BAKELANTS, Jan (RADIOSHACK LEOPARD) + 1:44 FRA 4 GENIEZ, Alexandre (FDJ) + 1:52 ESP 5 NAVARRO GARCIA, Daniel (COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS) + 1:55 BEL 6 DE CLERCQ, Bart (LOTTO BELISOL) + 1:58 NED 7 GESINK, Robert (BELKIN PRO CYCLING) + 2:03 ITA 8 DE MARCHI, Alessandro (CANNONDALE PRO CYCLING) + 2:05 ESP 9 NIEVE ITURALDE, Mikel (EUSKALTEL EUSKADI) + 2:16 ESP 10 PLAZA MOLINA, Ruben (MOVISTAR TEAM) + 2:44 General Classification after Stage 19 GBR 1 FROOME, Christopher (SKY PROCYCLING) 77:10:00 ESP 2 CONTADOR VELASCO, Alberto (SAXO-TINKOFF) + 5:11 COL 3 QUINTANA ROJAS, Nairo Alexander (MOVISTAR TEAM) + 5:32 CZE 4 KREUZIGER, Roman (SAXO-TINKOFF) + 5:44 ESP 5 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER, Joaquin (KATUSHA) + 5:58 NED 6 MOLLEMA, Bauke (BELKIN PRO CYCLING) + 8:58 DEN 7 FUGLSANG, Jakob (ASTANA PRO TEAM) + 9:33 ESP 8 NAVARRO GARCIA, Daniel (COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS) + 12:33 ESP 9 VALVERDE BELMONTE, Alejandro (MOVISTAR TEAM) + 14:56 POL 10 KWIATKOWSKI, Michal (OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP) + 16:08
I completely forgot about this due to the Aussies imploding at the Ashes... Good to see that Froome has kept the distance still. I have full confidence in him pulling it off and winning.
Stage 20: Annecy - Annecy-Semnoz (125km). The shortest of the regular stages, but some good climbs, so not easy. Quintana may aim for 1st or 2nd on the stage, confirm the white jersey, gain the polka-dot jersey and try for 2nd overall, displacing Contador. Rolland will also try to hold the polka-dot (KOM) jersey.
Contador goes out like a damp squib. Froome just too good! I'd love to know what Imlach and Boardman were corpsing over. And on a side note, Imlach is the best sports presenter in the business. An undisputed factoid!
Stage 20 Results COL 1 QUINTANA ROJAS, Nairo Alexander (MOVISTAR TEAM) 3:39:04 ESP 2 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER, Joaquin (KATUSHA) + 18 GBR 3 FROOME, Christopher (SKY PROCYCLING) + 29 ESP 4 VALVERDE BELMONTE, Alejandro (MOVISTAR TEAM) + 1:42 AUS 5 PORTE, Richie (SKY PROCYCLING) + 2:17 USA 6 TALANSKY, Andrew (GARMIN SHARP) + 2:27 ESP 7 CONTADOR VELASCO, Alberto (SAXO-TINKOFF) + 2:28 FRA 8 GADRET, John (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 2:48 ESP 9 HERNANDEZ BLAZQUEZ, Jesus (SAXO-TINKOFF) + 2:55 CZE 10 KREUZIGER, Roman (SAXO-TINKOFF) General Classification after Stage 20 GBR 1 FROOME, Christopher (SKY PROCYCLING) 80:49:33 COL 2 QUINTANA ROJAS, Nairo Alexander (MOVISTAR TEAM) + 5:03 ESP 3 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER, Joaquin (KATUSHA) + 5:47 ESP 4 CONTADOR VELASCO, Alberto (SAXO-TINKOFF) + 7:10 CZE 5 KREUZIGER, Roman (SAXO-TINKOFF) + 8:10 NED 6 MOLLEMA, Bauke (BELKIN PRO CYCLING) + 12:25 DEN 7 FUGLSANG, Jakob (ASTANA PRO TEAM) + 13:00 ESP 8 VALVERDE BELMONTE, Alejandro (MOVISTAR TEAM) + 16:09 ESP 9 NAVARRO GARCIA, Daniel (COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS) + 16:35 USA 10 TALANSKY, Andrew (GARMIN SHARP) + 18:22
Apparently somebody got Bauke Mollema's name 'mixed up' http://www.itv.com/tourdefrance/stages/stage20/
Tomorrow is the 'promenade' to the Champs Elysees. Anyone remember this one? [video=youtube;rWyfb3H7LEg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWyfb3H7LEg[/video]
As a diversion, I thought you might just appreciate this Stan. please log in to view this image More images and details here>>>>http://www.retrobike.co.uk/
