I wouldn’t call it a white flag of surrender, but I feel like today, the road brought something of a resigned armistice between the top two GC squads. Astana sacrificed the potential of a 1-2-3, or even 1-2 podium to all but guarantee a Contador win, and in exchange, SaxoBank got the marketing gold of two affable brothers on the podium beside him.
It’s not like any official accord was reached—though I’m certain Riis and Bruyneel have each other on speed dial—but I couldn’t help feel that, in effect, that’s what happened today. As Contador was seemingly uninterested in waiting for team support, content to sit back for the sprint, and offer a friendly push to his breakaway companions as they came into the line, I don’t really see another logical explanation.
The “Contador is a loose cannon” storyline is garbage, the overripe end of actual tension subverted into a Trek marketing campaign. No maillot jaune can do wrong furthering his GC with two meaningful stages to go, even if it comes at the expense of his teammates. The prize money for an overall win is more than twice that for second place—and according to Bob Roll, Andy Hampsten is the only modern-era cyclist to keep his cut of a Grand Tour prize.
While there may have been some genuine strife inside the Astana team bus before Verbier, Lance has since doffed his cap to Contador, calling the young Spaniard “invincible“, and instead using his overwhelming media pull to focus the eyes of the world on next year’s event.
Sadly, this sudden detente between Astana and SaxoBank has come at the expense of Brad Wiggins. I think, among all the GC contenders, he’s been the most inspirational of this years’ event. Lance, Contador, the Schlecks, Sastre, Evans—they’ve been up and down mountains like these more times than even they care to remember. Wiggins has spent the better part of his career twirling one stinking gear around a 250m ellipse. I’d love to see the scrappy Brit on the podium, but even if it doesn’t work out, he’s got a beer on my tab anytime.
Wiggo’s best-known compatriot, however, is another story. I’ll give Cav due credit for sticking out stages that his watts merchant forbearers (*ahem* Cipo’) couldn’t be dragged over with a team car and two pints of reinfused blood, and I even support him in his dissent against the relegation that likely cost him a shot at the Points title. But in response his attitude toward one Thor Hushovd, I direct him to the words of many-time World Champion cross-country skiier Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset:
“If Hushovd can’t climb, then I must not be able to ride a bike at all.”
The somewhat-oversized Norweigan drove home his class with deafening authority today, smashing various groups that tried to form around him, and plowing a lone furrow over two first category climbs to lock up enough points sprints to secure himself the Green Jersey title.
In the future, you’re almost certain to see pint-sized climbers duking it out with their emaciated rivals for the glory of the yellow jersey. You may even once again see great champions come out of retirement, and muscular trackies starve themselves into GC contention.
But a solo break through the mountains, for little more than pride, from a heavier-than-most rider already securely clad in green may yet prove to be the most unique moment of this year Tour de France.
bravo! cav is a d-bag, but i didn’t need today to find out, i shudder when he opens his mouth. he can’t be beaten in a flat, short sprint when he is lead out superbly by a well coordinated columbia team, big deal. how one-dimensional can a rider get. thor rode like a champion and showed what cycling at this level is all about:getting it done outside of your given specialty. that was something special to watch.
Totally agree. Thor’s ride was unforgettable today.
He’s quoted on Bicycling News with: “I think this is the best day I’ve ever had on the bike.”
How often does anybody get one of those?
Great ride, Thor!
Well, it should be Cycling News, not Bicycling News. Clunk…
Nice one, Cosmo – as usual you got it bang on. Bravo Wiggo and Thor!
Some more Odd-Bjorn… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q66qrw9gKsk
If you knew what you were talking about you’d know that it was not Astana, but Contador who “sacrificed the potential of a 1-2-3, or even 1-2 podium to all but guarantee a Contador win”. Just ask Bruyneel. Besides Wiggins he eliminated only his own teammates!
“but I couldn’t help feel that, in effect, that’s what happened today…
I don’t really see another logical explanation.”
If you’re going to eschew all facts whatsoever you’ll certainly remain “the world’s toughest writer” preaching to your mutual admiration society of three. THIS storyline is “garbage”. Do you really think TdF prize money has anything to do with anything?
P.S. Good for Thor
I am really puzzled by these anti-Contador arguments circulating on the Internet. One story even on Eurosport suggested that Bruyneel expected Contador to sit up and wait for Kloden while the Schleck rode off. WTF??!!
Here’s the story https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/22072009/3/sparks-fly-contador-attack-admits-bruyneel.html and here’s the quote: “The Belgian insists he told Contador to let the Schleck brothers go to allow Kloden and Armstrong a chance to finish in the general classifications’ top three.”
Just insane. From what I have read in better written articles, but equally prejudiced against Contador was that Bruyneel advised Contador not to attack, that he could win the Tour without an attack…and he should ask Kloden first about the attack. Contador did. I saw it during the race. And Kloden urged Contador to go ahead and attack.
And why not? To save a POSSIBLE second and third for Armstrong and Kloden? I am sure that having LA stand on the podium would be a big boost for Bruyneel’s and Armstrong’s new team next year, but you don’t have your race leader (the yellow jersey of the TdF) work to help secure 2nd and 3rd. Everybody races to secure first. What part of this is hard to understand?
I am really looking forward to next year at this point when Contador can bury LA from the very beginning without having some conflicted DS whispering discouraging words in his ear the entire time.
Contador did exactly what he should have if your not riding for yellow when your in yellow then your disrespecting the jersey and sitting up and waiting for lance and Kloden is ridiculous his job is to put time into anyone on the table thats close to him and if possible take team mates with him. He is not a super domestic where he sits up and then tries to help kloden and lance hold second and third and lose yellow in the process that is stupid he attacked when he should have unfortunately it backfired because the schlecks were just too strong on the day well hats off to you alberto you rode beautifully, and as for Andy and Frank you guys are legends. TDF 2010 is a long way away and too early to say anything about that right now.
Garbage, indeed.
Today’s TT will be interesting. Cancellara would be my pick for the stage win if he hadn’t been digging deep on the climbs over the past few days.
Don’t dismiss the possibility of Andy S holding his own against Lance and Wiggo in the TT. He finished the final stage of the TdS within 30 seconds of a couple of decent TT motors like Kloden and Karpets.
Yep, seeing Thor speak with his bike did show waaaay more than any comments he could have made. Well done. That’s the way it should be done. Shut up and ride! Would like to see him smoke Cav on the last stage too.
Watching Thor was a blast – we were giggling like kids and cheering him on. How cool was that ride!
My personal favorite rider this Tour has been Frank Schleck. I have been cheering for him since the TTT when everyone was mocking him on TV – so having him win the queen stage was sweet indeed.
Contador did his job – I don’t understand why anyone would expect him to do anything else – unless they are trying to throw him under the bus to keep the Livestrong marketing machine rolling.
Yeah, to be honest, I’ve been interested seeing Lance play the Good Teammate role, something I don’t think I’ve ever really seen from him before. I don’t think he’s completely non-competitive after his absence – see how much time he recovers when he’s done being an anchor on some other GC hopeful, but he seems to be working for someone else for once. I wonder how much that will help him going in to team building for next year. I also wonder how much longer Bruyneel will be able to use Lance as bait. I get the feeling some riders aren’t attacking because Lance isn’t, which allowed Contador to rack up huge gains. Surprise! Maybe I’m being charitable.
The Schleck brothers are a force to contend with, that’s for certain. Yeah, an Astana 1-2-3 would have been amusing, but considering that Lance caught up to and ultimately (just barely) dropped Andreas, I don’t know if Klöden is up for it.
I don’t know about a conspiracy, but watching the race three times yesterday, it sure did look like saxo and astana were doing their best to work together against wiggins. whether that was purely to minimize his possible impact in the itt, some team collusion, or because, who knows, they were just pissed at garmin, it is racing, and that happens. I am sure wiggins was expecting it.
I do know that garmin’s d.s. is an amature compared to riis & bruyneel…
So …and Rock and Roll who are Cosmos three mutual admiration society members.? You Rob, me , and I’m stuck for the third, is it that pseudonym Cosmo uses to as a sycophantic warrior to support his own opinions? Oh that’s me , stuff it, I need two more names now!
The best ride of the day?, yep he rode a whole ITT stage and kept if off the deck! ( and in those tarmac magnetic Rabobank colours.) Just remember Dennis , white slippery , black good, (oh I’ve just come over all Solzhenitsyn)
Cyclingnews no longer provides check point ‘results’. I always liked to review these numbers to see who went well (or poorly) on various part of the course.
Does anyone know of a site which posts time check results?
Josh: check this site out for splits: Sports Scientists: TT Analysis
Thanks, Colin R.
FWIW, Contador’s win yesterday shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. He did win the TT at Algarve and Paris-Nice. And his national championship.