The Tour de France chapter is almost at an end
The final stages of the Tour de France are upon us, and defending champion Alberto Contador is in prime position to make it three Tour victories.
Following Andy Schleck’s misfortune on Monday’s stage heading towards Bagnères-de-Luchon, where the chain on his bike broke, Contador took full advantage and turned around Schleck’s 31-second lead into an eight-second advantage for him over the Luxembourg rider.
Contador was booed by sections of the crowd when collecting the yellow jersey on the podium, and Schleck felt he and the other riders should have waited for him. Schleck vowed to gain revenge on the Spaniard. “I was feeling very good and I had a mechanical problem, I lost time, it happens, I won't cry, I lost the jersey but it's not over. My stomach is full of anger and I will take my revenge,” he said.
Both Contador and Schleck had been playing cat-and-mouse for several days, but Contador knew the move would cause friction. “Some people understand and some people don't. I knew there would be a controversy,” he said.
Contador waited for Schleck when he fell on the second stage to Spa, and defended his chosen time to attack. “I had already attacked when I learnt about the incident. The race was out. We had already stopped in Spa. This time, it was impossible to stop the race at that stage. We could not repeat what we did in Spa. I was not alone in the front and nobody stopped.”
Later, the Astana rider realised he should have waited for Schleck. “There is a problem with the circumstances. The race was on and maybe I made a mistake. I'm sorry. I'm disappointed in the sense that for me fair play is very important, as I did in the stage of Spa.”
Since the incident, Schleck and Contador have put their differences aside, and after yesterday’s ride in stage 16, the gap is still eight seconds in the overall standings.
“Stop now, for Alberto and for me,” Schleck has said. “We discussed it during the stage and all is well between us now. I cannot change the situation even if I'm mad. Of course I wouldn't have minded to throw my bike into the fence and just hit someone but you've got to keep yourself under control in situations like this.
The SaxoBank rider has it all to do now, especially with the individual time trial on the 19th stage favouring Contador. With that in mind, Schleck feels the Tour will be won or lost on tomorrow’s difficult stage 17 climb up to Col du Tourmalet. “There are only eight seconds between us [gap to Contador]. It's nothing at all. I believe the Tour will be decided on the Tourmalet. The first guy up there will also win the Tour. What's for certain is that there's going to be a great battle between us.”
Although many are predicting Contador will pull away in the time-trial, the two-time winner is not underestimating Schleck. “I fear Schleck in the time-trial simply because he's a great rider,” he said. “He won the Luxembourg time trial championship, which proves he's improved in the discipline.”
While the duo of Contador and Schleck battle for the yellow jersey, seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong came very close yesterday to winning stage 16, but was beaten by Pierrick Fedrigo.
Armstrong attacked the stage from the start and was part of a nine-man sprint finish, but the American was unable to maintain the speed, and he crossed the line in sixth. The 38-year-old’s challenge on the Tour came to an end on stage eight, and since then he has just been making up the numbers over the remaining stages. The RadioShack team rider, competing in his last Tour, rolled back the years, and appreciated the support of the fans.
“They don't have to come to the Tour, they don't have to fly from all over the world and stand on a hot road side but they do and I appreciate it,” Armstrong said. “This entire Tour the fans have been really nice to me and very supportive and today we're out there, it's a small group, so they can be close to you, touch you. Lance Armstrong is over in about four or five days.”
The performance of Armstrong yesterday even brought a compliment from Contador, teammate to Armstrong last year.
“It reminded me the 'old' Armstrong, I would have been pleased if he had won,” Contador said, who didn’t see eye to eye with Armstrong, forcing the latter to leave the team.
It might not have been the fairytale ending for Armstrong, but the battle between Contador and Schleck will resume.
With the rest day needed for both, expect Contador and Schleck to give it their all.
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