Andy Schleck wins 18th stage and Voeckler takes overall lead in 2011 Tour de France
Leopard Trek team’s Andy Schleck showed his brilliant effort in 18th stage of 2011 Tour de France on Thursday, July 21. Thomas Voeckler again maintained his overall leader’s yellow jersey.
The race started in Pinerolo and ended in Galibier Serre-Chevalier. The 26-year-old professional cyclist took a total of 6 hours, 7 minutes and 56 seconds to cover the long distance of 200.5 kilometres.
After winning the stage, Andy said, "This is a dream come true, I am very proud of this win. I like to have a plan and I like even more when it works out like that. The team has worked incredibly so far in this Tour. I said this morning 'no guts no glory'.
I took the race by the horns and went all in.”
His brother, Frank Schleck, was the runner-up with 2 minutes and 7 seconds behind Andy, while Cadel Evans of BMC racing was in the third place with a difference of 2 minutes and 15 seconds.
The race leader, Thomas Voeckler, finished in the fifth place, while the big loser of the day was the three-time champion, Alberto Contador, who again never showed his good performance and grabbed the 15th place ahead of Jean-Christophe.
Before the sprint, with 1 kilometre to go, a group of sixteen cyclists made their first breakaway, including Joost Posthuma, Anthony Delaplace, Dries Devenyns, Brent Bookwalter, Imanol Erviti, Ramunas Navardauskas, Pablo Urtasun Perez, Maxime Monfort and
Johnny Hoogerland.
When the cyclists moved to the Col Agnel, all of them were joined by the three cyclists, including Marcus Burghardt, Mickael Delage and Egor Silin. All the cyclists build a lead of nine minutes in the Hors Categorie Climb of the stage.
In the difficult climb of the stage, numerous riders tried to maintain their pace and attacked at the front, but the non-climber cyclists starting falling off the back. Although, 11 cyclists were working together till the end, while Iglinsky attacked and
took 20 points and Hoogerland was in the second position.
Leopard Trek took control of the stage and led with the breakaway riders and peloton. At the top of Col d’lzoard Iglinsky again launched the attacked to take a lead, but Andy Schleck increased his pace and took the lead and no one followed him. Andy Schleck
crossed the finish line ahead of his brother Frank.
Schleck further added, “I told the team yesterday that I had this in mind. I wasn’t going to be fourth in Paris, I said I’d risk it all. … It’s my character: I’m not afraid to lose.”
Thomas took the overall lead with a timing of 79 hours, 34 minutes and 6 seconds, while stage winner Andy was the runner-up with 15 seconds behind Frenchmen.
Frank Schleck was in the third place with a difference of 1 minute and 8 seconds ahead of Cadel Evans.
The next stage will start in Modane and end in Alpe-d’Huez. All the cyclists will cover the distance of 109 kilometres.
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