The Alpe d'Huez has made many a hero over the course of the 101 years of the Tour de France. The road up to the summit finish elevates from 1,500 feet to more than 6,100 feet. To win up the 15-kilometer serpentine climb not only places an athlete in cycling laurels, but presents him into French lore. For young Frenchman Pierre Rolland of Team Europcar, he launched himself into French folklore winning the stage while also capturing the Best Young Rider's jersey during Friday decisive stage for the overall contenders.
While the French public celebrated the first French victory up L'Alpe d-Huez since Richard Virenque more than a decade ago, they were mourning the loss of the yellow leader's jersey, which slipped from Thomas Voeckler to Luxembourg's Andy Schleck, the mighty climber from team Leopard-Trek. The battle behind Rolland up the steep grades of the L'Alpe d'Huez included all the top contenders and showed that three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador indeed is not dead. The Spaniard broke away from other main contenders that contained Cadel Evans, Frank and Andy Schleck, Damiano Cunego, and Ivan Basso while trying to bridge a gap up to breakaway companions Rolland and Sammy Sanchez. As Contador tried to loose Rolland and Sanchez, he lost his strength and it was Rolland not the every-attacking Sanchez, the 2008 Olympic champion, who ditched the Spanish duo.
In the end, Andy Schleck put enough time on Voeckler, who valiantly wore the leader's jersey for 10 days while endearing himself to his French public, to take the overall lead. Voeckler has become a national hero as no Frenchman has won Le Tour since 1985. This year, however, the French have created a renaissance with six of the top 25 riders and three in the top 10 in the overall standings going into the final two days.
American Tom Danielson cemented a top 10 finish overall by riding well and sits in ninth place overall. As a good time trialist, he is expected to hold maintain his 9th place if not gain a place Saturday. Danielson, along with Ryder Hesjedal and American Christian Vandevelde have helped secure Garmin's team win come Paris, a big notch on the belt of the American club from Denver.
Stage 20 Predictions: As the only individual time trial of this year's Tour de France, the pure time trialists will be in pursuit of a stage win. But, with several contenders still vying for the overall or podium spots on a hilly course, it may be anyone's game. The overall contenders' legs, however, have taken a hammering over the past two days of difficult racing, leaving the door open for three-time time trial World Champion Fabian Cancellara to capture a stage win. There are riders like American Levi Leipheimer, though hurting from early race crashes, and German Tony Martin that could surprise for a win. Cadel Evans, however, is only 57 seconds away from his first Tour de France overall win. He will no doubt summon the depths of his soul to exorcise past demons to pull out the performance of his life to unseat the brothers Schleck, who hold onto the first two overall places. The Schlecks, not notorious time trialists, will have to see if the off-season wind tunnel testing will help them eek out enough time to stave off Evans. Alberto Contador will have a hard time making up three minutes to gain a podium spot; but may very well gain two minutes on Thomas Voeckler and Italian Damiano Cunego to lift himself into fourth-place overall. Ivan Basso should surpass pure climber Sammy Sanchez and could climb all the way into sixth overall. The top 10 leader board could look like the following Saturday night, which should carry into Paris and be the final standings:
1. Cadel Evans
2. Andy Schleck
3. Frank Schleck
4. Alberto Contador
5. Thomas Voeckler
6. Ivan Basso
7. Damiano Cunego
8. Sammy Sanchez
9. Tom Danielson
10. Rein Taaramae
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