#TDF2015: Ruben Plaza Molina wins in Gap + Geraint Thomas has very lucky escape

Ruben Plaza Molina took his first Tour de France stage win in Gap yesterday winning by 30 seconds from a charging Peter Sagan. Molina attacked on the climb up the Col de Manse and gained around a minute on Sagan and the rest of the breakaway. Despite Sagan's fantastic descending skills this gap proved to be enough for Molina to hold off Sagan on the steep and tricky descent, so once gain Peter had to settle for second place. He does, however, now have a comfortable lead in the Green Jersey competition with 406 points to André Griepel's 316. 

Geraint Thomas had a very lucky escape on the descent when Warren Barguil went into Thomas pushing him off the road and into a telegraph post. For a short while I feared the worst as Thomas's head appeared to hit the post at a fair speed. Fortunately Thomas' head must be stronger than the post as he was soon back on his bike and finished just 38 seconds behind the main GC contenders and holds onto his 6th place overall. 

Vincenzo Nibali attacked at the top of the Col de Manse and gained 28 seconds on Chris Froome and the other GC contenders. However, he is still 7.49 down on Froome. Tony Gallopin lost time, fell out of the Top 10 and Warren Barguil is now the leading Frenchman. 

Today is a doubtless very welcome rest day for the riders but the Alps beckon!     

#TDF2015: André Griepel's 3rd stage victory + difficult descent into Gap today

 Stage 15: 1st 23 riders 

 

Overall standings: No change 

With Mark Cavendish sidelined with an overnight stomach upset, André Griepel showed again in Valence that he is the most successful sprinter in this year's Tour taking his third stage win. This moves him onto nine Tour de France stage wins. Griepel will be hoping that he can make it four by winning in Paris on Sunday. If Cavendish is fit again I suspect that he is the only rider capable of beating Griepel on the Champs d'Elysées.

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Stage 16: Bourg de Péage to Gap 201 kms

Today's longish stage (201 kms) to Gap – the gateway to the Alps is a steady climb uphill. The most difficult and challenging part of the stage is the rapid and steep and tricky descent into Gap. This descent is famous or infamous for the crash of Joseba Beloki in the 2003 Tour. The crash effectively ended Beloki's career. In the 2013 Tour Contador crashed.

It seems likely that Valverde and/or Nibali will try to take time back from Froome on this descent into Gap. Just hope everyone gets down safely without crashes.   

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Laurent Jalabert disowns his own words!  

Laurent Jalabert, who was found through retrospective tests to have used EPO during his racing career – 1988 Tour de France, has been one of the commentators most active on casting doubt on Chris Froome's riding. In this clip he is asked by ITV to to clarify his remarks. See here. Jalabert, however, denies that he ever made those remarks on TV. Did someone steal Jalabert's voice?     

#TDF13: customary drama on road to Gap – hilly TT today

Tour de France stages to Gap usually seem to throw up drama and yesterday was no exception. The real action was sparked on the final climb with attacks by Valverde, Kreuziger and Contador. Froome with the assistance of Porte managed to hold off these attacks. Contador crashed on the descent into Gap, which held up Froome who was following him down. Fortunately Mollema, Quintana and others in their group waited for them. However, Laurens ten Dam lost a minute and has slipped down a place in the overall classification with Quintana overtaking him moving up to 5th overall.

The stage was won by Rui Faria da Costa – his second stage win in the Tour de France.      

In 2011 Cadel Evans attacked Andy Schleck on the same climb and took more than a minute out him, while in 2003 Joseba Beloki crashed badly on the descent into Gap. The crash essentially ended Beloki's career. 

Today is the 33 kilometre mountain time trial with two 2nd Cat climbs included. Chris Froome must be favourite for the stage and once again will be expected to gain further time on his rivals. It will be interesting to see what the changes to the order of the top 10 riders by the end of the TT.      

#TDF13: the road to Gap opens a very tough last week

 

Doubtless it will be a relief for Chris Froome and the rest of Sky to get back on their bikes and head from Vaison la Romaine to Gap rather than fielding endless questions about doping following Chris Froome's very impressive ride up the Ventoux on Sunday. The offer by Dave Brailsford to turn over all of Sky's data to an organisation like WADA looks a good one. Assuming that Sky do indeed carry this through then it will be interesting to see if all the other teams follow suit.  

The stage to Gap is lumpy with two 2nd Cat climbs and one 3rd Cat. In 2011 Cadel Evans attacked Andy Schleck then in the Yellow Jersey on the final climb the Col de Manse above Gap. From the top of the Manse it's 11K downhill to the finish. Evans gained more than a minute on Schleck. 

Team Sky will need to be wary but after Froome's emphatic win on Sunday his rivals may be more concerned to attack each other in the fight for a podium place. Still you never know as this has been such an unpredictable Tour.