Much to the delight of the French, 22-year-old Thibaut Pinot gave France their first stage win in this year's Tour in Porrentruy with a brilliant ride through the Jura hills to finish 26 seconds ahead of a small group of the leading riders. Pinot just managed to stay ahead of the Yellow jersey group who closed up on the tough final climb of the day and then on the descent and flat section that followed. Pinot caught Fredrik Kessiakoff, the long time lone breakaway rider, at the top of the last climb. Great to see a young rider – the youngest in the Tour – to get a stage win like this!
Leading places to today's stage:
1. Thibaut Pinot
2. Cadel Evans 26 secs
3. Tony Gallopin
4. Bradley Wiggins
5: Vincenzo Nibali
6. Jurgen Van Broeck
7. Chris Froome
8. Denis Menchov
9 Haimar Zubeldia
10. Frank Schleck 30 secs
11. Chris Horner
The big loser today was Rein Taarmae, who did so well yesterday, but who came in today at 2.21 behind Pinot and lost 1.55 to Wiggins.
Going into tomorrow's time trial Bradley Wiggins holds onto the Yellow Jersey and will have the advantage of starting last in the trial. There are now only four riders within a minute of Wiggins. Had Jurgen Van den Broeck not had his mechanical problem just before yesterday's main climb, he might well have been up there too.
Overall - top 10:
1. Bradley Wiggins
2: Cadel Evans 10 secs
3. Vincenzo Nibali 16
4. Denis Menchov 54
5. Haimar Zubeldia 59
6. Chris Froome 1.32
7. Maxime Monfort 2.08
8. Jurgen Van den Broeck 2.11
9. Nicolas Roche 2.21
10. Rein Taaramae 2.27
Race standings here.
Sadly Samuel Sanchez, one of Spain's strongest riders and winner of the Mountains jersey last year, was forced to abandon the Tour today following a crash breaking his right wrist and left collarbone. Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui has also abandoned.
Sadly Samuel Sanchez, one of Spain's strongest riders and winner of the Mountains jersey last year, was forced to abandon the Tour today following a crash breaking his right wrist and left collarbone. Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui has also abandoned.
I see Tour physicians and journalists alike don’t take any risk now: they announce fracture of BOTH a wrist and a collarbone for Sanchez so that they cannot be wrong anyway !
ReplyDeleteOk, Jim, I’m kidding: both are very frequent after a bicycle tumble.
You must pay me credits as I left my old horse at his grazing, not suspecting the youngest competitor in this event to enjoy supernatural powers .... not explicitely so, that is!
Luc. See Bradley Wiggins' comment yesterday when asked about doping.
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