On a cold, rainy intermediate stage where no one expected action among the race leaders, Alberto Contador tried to steal a march on his competitors with a surprise attack, only to be foiled by a strong response by Cadel Evans.
Thor Hushovd, Garmin-Cervelo’s supposed “sprinter” who has turned out to be a great all-rounder, won the stage by joining the right breakaway from the right breakaway, but that wasn’t the big story.
The big story was a series of attacks launched by Saxo Bank’s three-time Tour winner, Alberto Contador. The Spanish champion attacked unexpectedly on a Cat Two climb, when most riders were still charging up their competitive spirits after a rest day.
Contador, who lost time due to accidents and even more due to fatigue, must have realized that he needed to surprise his competition—all of the riders were too close in talent and ability to power away to a win, so Contador used strategy.
Every rider reacts differently to a rest day. A lot depends on how well a rider recovers, and how hard he rides. Some riders relax too much, and need a stage to recoup their fighting form. Alberto Contador must have spent his rest day preparing his attack, focusing not on reacting but on fine-tuning his legs.
The big story was a series of attacks launched by Saxo Bank’s three-time Tour winner, Alberto Contador. The Spanish champion attacked unexpectedly on a Cat Two climb, when most riders were still charging up their competitive spirits after a rest day.
Contador, who lost time due to accidents and even more due to fatigue, must have realized that he needed to surprise his competition—all of the riders were too close in talent and ability to power away to a win, so Contador used strategy.
Every rider reacts differently to a rest day. A lot depends on how well a rider recovers, and how hard he rides. Some riders relax too much, and need a stage to recoup their fighting form. Alberto Contador must have spent his rest day preparing his attack, focusing not on reacting but on fine-tuning his legs.
Contador attacked with 14.8 km left in the stage, when all the GC leaders were concentrating on staying out of trouble in the speeding peloton. While the rest of the GC contenders watched the wheel ahead, the defending champion made his move, which only Cadel Evans, plus Fabian Cancellara and Leopard-Trek teammate Andy Schleck, could cover.
Thomas Voeckler made a brave charge to bridge to the Contador group, defending his yellow jersey, followed in time by Fränk Schleck and Sammy Sanchez. The top six riders gathered together, but only for a moment. Andy Schleck made a half-hearted attack, then, with 12.2 left, Contador took off again.
Andy Schleck grabbed the Spaniard’s wheel, and Thomas Voeckler latched onto the Leopard-Trek rider. Contador insisted, and opened a gap.
This time only Sammy Sanchez and Cadel Evans could cover the attack; Voeckler and the two Schlecks were out of energy. Contador’s plan was working—almost.
Thomas Voeckler made a brave charge to bridge to the Contador group, defending his yellow jersey, followed in time by Fränk Schleck and Sammy Sanchez. The top six riders gathered together, but only for a moment. Andy Schleck made a half-hearted attack, then, with 12.2 left, Contador took off again.
Andy Schleck grabbed the Spaniard’s wheel, and Thomas Voeckler latched onto the Leopard-Trek rider. Contador insisted, and opened a gap.
This time only Sammy Sanchez and Cadel Evans could cover the attack; Voeckler and the two Schlecks were out of energy. Contador’s plan was working—almost.
Next: Evans Counters Contador
Cadel Evans, the leader of Team BMC, was too wily a veteran not to ride his tune-up miles on the off-day. Evans clung to Contador all the way up the climb, and when the Spanish rider tried another attack, Evans—and Sammy Sanchez—didn’t give an inch.
Evans, a two-time World Mountain Biking champion, gapped his opponents on the narrow, tricky descent, then rode the final kilometers as a time trial against one of the best time-trialers in the world. Contador, aided by his compatriot Sammy Sanchez, almost caught Cadel by the finish line, but not quite.
Evans advanced into second place overall, and closed the gap to race-leader Thomas Voeckler; new the BMC rider is perhaps close enough to close down the gap in the final time trial.
Alberto Contador gained a few seconds on the rest of the competition. He is still well behind, but he showed his willingness to fight. Whether or not he can win, it is now plain that he believes he can win and intends to win.
Fränk Schleck managed to hold his own against Voeckler on the descent, but brother Andy, the hope of the family and the team, lost more time—he could barely hang on during the climb, and couldn’t keep up on the highly technical descent.
Sammy Sanchez and Alberto Contador both moved up a spot, bumping Ivan Basso to seventh.
Alberto Contador’s bold move might not have mattered. He lost three seconds to his chief rival, Cadel Evans, and more important, didn’t give Evans any reason to fear him. The veteran Aussie form Team BMC showed again that he has Contador’s measure; unless something goes horribly wrong for Evans, he has the best chance win the 2011 Tour de France.
Evans, a two-time World Mountain Biking champion, gapped his opponents on the narrow, tricky descent, then rode the final kilometers as a time trial against one of the best time-trialers in the world. Contador, aided by his compatriot Sammy Sanchez, almost caught Cadel by the finish line, but not quite.
Evans advanced into second place overall, and closed the gap to race-leader Thomas Voeckler; new the BMC rider is perhaps close enough to close down the gap in the final time trial.
Alberto Contador gained a few seconds on the rest of the competition. He is still well behind, but he showed his willingness to fight. Whether or not he can win, it is now plain that he believes he can win and intends to win.
Fränk Schleck managed to hold his own against Voeckler on the descent, but brother Andy, the hope of the family and the team, lost more time—he could barely hang on during the climb, and couldn’t keep up on the highly technical descent.
Sammy Sanchez and Alberto Contador both moved up a spot, bumping Ivan Basso to seventh.
Alberto Contador’s bold move might not have mattered. He lost three seconds to his chief rival, Cadel Evans, and more important, didn’t give Evans any reason to fear him. The veteran Aussie form Team BMC showed again that he has Contador’s measure; unless something goes horribly wrong for Evans, he has the best chance win the 2011 Tour de France.
The only remaining question mark is Thomas Voeckler. Was the Europcar rider just out of sorts after a rest day? He had shown the capacity to match the leaders in prior stages. Just as the Schleck brothers seemed to lack some spark in Stage 16, could it be that Voeckler still has the stuff, but just didn’t have it ready?
Fränk and Andy Schleck might have to kiss goodbye their 2011 Tour dreams; Fränk can’t time-trial with Cadel Evans, and Andy Schleck has lost too much time. Sammy Sanchez is further back, and also is not a noted time trialer.
Only Thomas Voeckler has a chance of coming into the final time trial with a cushion over Cadel Evans, and only if he can find his form again for the next three stages. If not … prepare to fete Cadel Evans in Paris.The Rest of the Race
Fränk and Andy Schleck might have to kiss goodbye their 2011 Tour dreams; Fränk can’t time-trial with Cadel Evans, and Andy Schleck has lost too much time. Sammy Sanchez is further back, and also is not a noted time trialer.
Only Thomas Voeckler has a chance of coming into the final time trial with a cushion over Cadel Evans, and only if he can find his form again for the next three stages. If not … prepare to fete Cadel Evans in Paris.
Next: The Rest of the Race
The Rest of the Race
While the attacks of Alberto Contador and the responses of Cadel Evans are the most important aspects of Stage 16 as it relates to the General Classification, the fight for the stage win was just as important to the riders battling to be first across the line.
Stage 16 was marked as a breakaway stage; the last stage before the really severe Alpine climbs begin, this one wended steadily uphill, finishing with a Cat 2 climb and a very technical descent—perfect for breakaways.
It took quite a while for a breakaway to escape. Attacks were almost constant, but the peloton wasn’t about to let anyone with even a chance of a top-ten GC finish join a break. Instead, the peloton kept the pace high, squelching attacks, until finally, one hundred kilometers into the 162-kilometer stage, a group of ten riders made a break.
Alan Perez (Euskaltel,) Thor Hushovd and Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin Cervelo,) Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky,) Dries Devenyns (Quick Step,) Jeremy Roy (FDJ,) Tony Martin (HTC,) Mikhail Ignatiev (Katusha,) Andriy Grivko (Astana) and Marco Marcato (Vacansoleil) opened a gap of 6:20 before some of them started dropping off the back.
Katusha’s Mikhail Ignatiev attacked just before the start of the Cat 2 climb up the Col de Manse. Devenyns and Perez were the first riders to respond, followed and swiftly overtaken by Thor Hushovd, Ryder Hesjedal and four other riders.
Hesjedal and Hushovd, chased by Edvald Boasson Hagen of Sky, dropped the Russian and the rest of the chasers and took off for the finish. 2.5 km out, the three came together, and immediately began positioning themselves for the final sprint.
Hesjedal certainly wanted the stage win, but also wanted to help his team leader, Thor Hushovd. Hesjedal played the perfect decoy; he feinted a sprint a couple of times, riding just ahead of the other two. Hushovd, seeing Boasson Hagen was watching Hesjedal, launched his sprint and overpowered the other two.
This marked the tenth Tour stage win for the World Champion, and his second of the 2011 Tour.
“This year everything seems to be working one hundred per cent for me at the Tour,” Hushovd told Letour.com. “I chose my good days, where I can win, and today I really got the reward again so you could not believe how pleased and happy I am.
“It’s always difficult to get in the good breakaway but I felt strong and then, when it came to the sprint, I think I did a perfect sprint thanks to the good help I got from Hesjedal. I timed it well today and I’m not a bad sprinter ... but to beat Edvald Boasson Hagen in a sprint like this is not easy.”
Stage Seventeen offers more climbs: five categorized climbs, including the Cat 2 Col de Montgenèvre followed closely by the Cat 1 ascent to Sestrières. This climb should not see many attacks, as it is followed by a long descent, and then the Cat 2 Còte du Pramartino.
The descent from Pramartino to the finish line in Pinerolo, Italy, presents no obstacles to a speeding attacker who gained an advantage on the climb. This is where the GC contenders might attack again, if they follow the pattern set in Stage 16.
Stage 16 was marked as a breakaway stage; the last stage before the really severe Alpine climbs begin, this one wended steadily uphill, finishing with a Cat 2 climb and a very technical descent—perfect for breakaways.
It took quite a while for a breakaway to escape. Attacks were almost constant, but the peloton wasn’t about to let anyone with even a chance of a top-ten GC finish join a break. Instead, the peloton kept the pace high, squelching attacks, until finally, one hundred kilometers into the 162-kilometer stage, a group of ten riders made a break.
Alan Perez (Euskaltel,) Thor Hushovd and Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin Cervelo,) Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky,) Dries Devenyns (Quick Step,) Jeremy Roy (FDJ,) Tony Martin (HTC,) Mikhail Ignatiev (Katusha,) Andriy Grivko (Astana) and Marco Marcato (Vacansoleil) opened a gap of 6:20 before some of them started dropping off the back.
Katusha’s Mikhail Ignatiev attacked just before the start of the Cat 2 climb up the Col de Manse. Devenyns and Perez were the first riders to respond, followed and swiftly overtaken by Thor Hushovd, Ryder Hesjedal and four other riders.
Hesjedal and Hushovd, chased by Edvald Boasson Hagen of Sky, dropped the Russian and the rest of the chasers and took off for the finish. 2.5 km out, the three came together, and immediately began positioning themselves for the final sprint.
Hesjedal certainly wanted the stage win, but also wanted to help his team leader, Thor Hushovd. Hesjedal played the perfect decoy; he feinted a sprint a couple of times, riding just ahead of the other two. Hushovd, seeing Boasson Hagen was watching Hesjedal, launched his sprint and overpowered the other two.
This marked the tenth Tour stage win for the World Champion, and his second of the 2011 Tour.
“This year everything seems to be working one hundred per cent for me at the Tour,” Hushovd told Letour.com. “I chose my good days, where I can win, and today I really got the reward again so you could not believe how pleased and happy I am.
“It’s always difficult to get in the good breakaway but I felt strong and then, when it came to the sprint, I think I did a perfect sprint thanks to the good help I got from Hesjedal. I timed it well today and I’m not a bad sprinter ... but to beat Edvald Boasson Hagen in a sprint like this is not easy.”
Stage Seventeen offers more climbs: five categorized climbs, including the Cat 2 Col de Montgenèvre followed closely by the Cat 1 ascent to Sestrières. This climb should not see many attacks, as it is followed by a long descent, and then the Cat 2 Còte du Pramartino.
The descent from Pramartino to the finish line in Pinerolo, Italy, presents no obstacles to a speeding attacker who gained an advantage on the climb. This is where the GC contenders might attack again, if they follow the pattern set in Stage 16.
| 2011 Tour de France Stage 16 Results |
| General Classification after Stage 16 | ||||||
| 1 | Thor Hushovd | Garmin-Cervelo | 3:31:38 | 1 | Thomas Voeckler | Europcar | 69:00:56 | |
| 2 | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Sky | 0:00 | 2 | Cadel Evans | BMC | 1:45 | |
| 3 | Ryder Hesjedal | Garmin-Cervelo | 0:02 | 3 | Fränk Schleck | Leopard Trek | 01:49 | |
| 4 | Tony Martin | HTC-Highroad | 0:38 | 4 | Andy Schleck | Leopard Trek | 3:03 | |
| 5 | Mikhail Ignatyev | Katusha | 0:52 | 5 | Samuel Sanchez | Euskaltel-Euskadi | 3:26 | |
| 6 | Alan Perez Lezaun | Euskaltel-Euskadi | 1:25 | 6 | Alberto Contador | Saxo Bank Sungard | 3:42 | |
| 7 | Jérémy Roy | FDJ | 1:25 | 7 | Ivan Basso | Liquigas-Cannondale | 3:49 | |
| 8 | Marco Marcato | Vacansoleil | 1:55 | 8 | Damiano Cunego | Lampre | 4:01 | |
| 9 | Dries Devenyns | Quickstep | 1:55 | 9 | Thomas Danielson | Garmin-Cervelo | 6:04 | |
| 10 | Andriy Grivko | Astana | 1:58 | 10 | Uran Rigoberto | Sky | 7:55 | |
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