Alberto Contador grabbed the Yellow Jersey from Andy Schleck by just eight seconds but in controversial circumstances. About three kilometres from the top of the Port de Bàles Andy put in a successful attack quickly opening up a small gap. Vino was the first to take chase and was just about up on Schleck's shoulder when Andy shipped his chain – did he hit a stone causing the bike to rear up or did he just try to shift from the small chain-ring to the big too quickly? Anyway he had to stop to sort out his chain. By this time Alberto had reacted and flew past Schleck along with Denis Menchov and Samuel Sanchez.
Should Contador have waited for Schleck to sort out his chain problem – some think that an unwritten fair play rule required Alberto to wait or not attack until the Yellow Jersey had sorted his chain out. Others don't agree and say that it is all part of normal racing: it wasn't Alberto's fault that Andy messed up his gear change. Alberto has claimed that he didn't realise at the time what had happened to Andy. This doesn't seem entirely convincing as he probably realised that Schleck had a problem as he passed him even if he didn't know exactly what this problem was.
Anyway in the furious ride to the top of the Col followed by a very rapid descent into Bagnères-de-Luchon Contador gained 39 seconds on Schleck.
Today's stage, which has already started, is a long tough one from Bagnères-de-Luchon to Pau going over the Col de Peyresourde, Col d'Aspin, Tourmalet and then finally the Aubisque.
Should Contador have waited for Schleck to sort out his chain problem – some think that an unwritten fair play rule required Alberto to wait or not attack until the Yellow Jersey had sorted his chain out. Others don't agree and say that it is all part of normal racing: it wasn't Alberto's fault that Andy messed up his gear change. Alberto has claimed that he didn't realise at the time what had happened to Andy. This doesn't seem entirely convincing as he probably realised that Schleck had a problem as he passed him even if he didn't know exactly what this problem was.
Anyway in the furious ride to the top of the Col followed by a very rapid descent into Bagnères-de-Luchon Contador gained 39 seconds on Schleck.
Today's stage, which has already started, is a long tough one from Bagnères-de-Luchon to Pau going over the Col de Peyresourde, Col d'Aspin, Tourmalet and then finally the Aubisque.
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/contador-apologizes-on-youtube/
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