No Surprises in Tour's Stage 12
The 12th Stage of the 2010 Tour de France was an opportunity to shake things up. The hilly stage, bookended by two flat sprinters stages, had the steepest summit finish of the year, but leaders Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador, managed to survive the last chance for someone to dethrone them.
The 210.5km Stage 12 began in Bourg-de-Péage with 177 riders signing on – 20 less than the 197 who rode in the prologue on July 3rd. The two intermediate sprints were at 74.5km and 158.5km, won by Grega Bole and Thor Hushovd, respectively. Hushovd also finished second behind Bole in the first, earning 10 points between the two to gain a 6 point lead on Alessandro Petacchi and take back the green jersey.
“I just tried to fight for every point,” said Hushovd. “I’m happy with my 10 points, that’s more than what I dreamed of last night.”
Petacchi took the points lead in Stage 11, after the current leader, Hushovd, had worn the green jersey for 8 consecutive stages. The runner-up Petacchi had also taken the lead in the first stage, but lost it the next day to Sylvain Chavanel. Petacchi failed to earn any points in today’s stage.
The peloton split at 10.5km, the first long ascent. This gave Ryder Hesjedal an opportunity to lead a three-man escape, which achieved a maximum lead of 22 seconds before being caught at 39km. Chavanel led a second escape, which was caught at 50km.
Jerome Pineau lost his chance to defend his polka-dot jersey when he was caught in a crash with Geraint Thomas, before finishing the first climb. Anthony Charteau, only two points behind Pineau at the start of the stage, finished two of the climbs first, earning a total of 18 points to the polka-dot jersey wearer’s zero. Charteau now holds a 16 point lead on the cyclist who has worn the jersey for nearly the entire Tour so far, only to have lost it to the same opponent for one day in the 9th stage.
Team Saxo Bank led the peloton until after the fourth climb, when Hushovd jumped ahead to take the second intermediate sprint. Alexandre Vinokourov led an escape, which ultimately won him an overall standing of 12th, ahead of Hesjedal, and won him the combative jersey.
“It is a little disappointing not to win the stage but again it was a good gain in the general classification,” said Vinokourov. “We certainly the team would have like to win the stage with either Alberto or myself but the circumstances didn’t allow that. There are still plenty of stages to come and I have complete confidence in Alberto," he added.
Vinokourov led by 15 seconds at 3km to the finish, when Joaquim Rodriguez attacked and only Contador had the energy to keep up with him. At 2km, the pair caught the leader and Schleck didn’t panic.
“I just kept calm and I told myself, ‘Right, on the steep part I’ll hold my rhythm’… then at the top I wanted to speed up,” said Schleck. “And at the end (Rodriguez) only gained 10 seconds, and that’s like what I took out of him at Morzine-Avoriaz.”
Rodriguez crossed the finish line for the stage win, while Contador was awarded the same time and Vinokourov was 4 seconds behind. Schleck finished the stage in a group of five, 10 seconds behind the winner, and held on to the yellow jersey, for now.
“I was very clear at the start of the Tour: I wanted to win a stage and get the best possible position in the general classification,” said Rodriguez. “I’m glad to see that today, the two objectives have come good at the same time. I find myself with a stage victory and a very good place on GC.”
Contador has shortened the gap to the yellow jersey, but Schleck has kept his cool. Charteau and Hushovd have taken their jerseys back from the same riders who had taken them away. Rodriguez has taken his first ever stage win at the Tour de France, and RadioShack leads in the team classification.
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