Angry tour rivals closer than ever
BAGNERES-DE-LUCHON, France (AP)—Andy Schleck is furious and Alberto Contador has the yellow jersey as the two race leaders prepare for their most grueling day of the Tour de France so far.
Schleck lost his overall race lead to Contador by eight seconds on Monday after he was hampered by a mechanical problem. He accused the Spaniard of taking advantage of his difficulties instead of waiting as per traditional race etiquette; Contador insisted he hadn’t seen that the Luxembourg rider had a problem.
Whatever the truth, both know that incident probably won’t make the difference between victory and defeat for either rider. Tuesday’s 16th stage, on the other hand, gives them the chance to do something that could actually be decisive.The 199.5-kilometer (124-mile) stage from Bagneres-de-Luchon to Pau is the hardest the riders have yet faced. It includes such legendary Tour climbs as the first-category Col de Peyresourde and Col d’Aspin, as well as two mountains that are so difficult they aren’t even given a category.
The Col d’Aubisque isn’t too steep, but it’s extremely long—29.2 kilometers (18.1 miles) of climbing—while the legendary Col du Tourmalet averages a gradient of 7.3 percent over its 17.1 kilometers (10.6 miles), with some sections topping 10 percent.
Schleck has promised to take his revenge, and he has just two more chances in the mountains to get away from Contador and pick up some real time. He knows he will need a big lead if he is to hold on during the time-trial in Saturday’s penultimate stage—Contador is the superior time-trialer.
“I’ve got fire in my belly,” Schleck said. “The race is not finished, and I will take my revenge in the next days.”
After collecting the yellow jersey, Contador stressed that nothing was yet decided.
“To lose 30 seconds or to gain 30 seconds at this point won’t change the race,” he said.
“I understand that he is disappointed for what happened today, but … for me it doesn’t change anything. The goal is still Paris.”
After Tuesday there will be one final Pyrenees stage on Thursday, climbing the Col du Tourmalet from the other direction and finishing at the summit. The Tour ends in the French capital on Sunday.
The controversy over Schleck and Contador overshadowed Monday’s stage victory, which was taken by French national champion Thomas Voeckler, who crossed the line in his tricolor jersey celebrating with the spectators.
This has been an unusually successful Tour for the home crowd, who haven’t seen a French overall winner since Bernard Hinault took the last of his five victories in 1985. Voeckler’s victory is the fifth French stage win. However, the best Frenchman in the overall standings is 19th-placed John Gadret.
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