The Cervélo Test Team at the Stage 4 Team Time Trial in the Tour de France

The Cervélo Test Team will start the 2010 season in a place similar to the beginning of last year. On one side of the team is Thor Hushovd, world-class sprinter and Tour de France green jersey winner; on the other is Carlos Sastre, an aging champion (Sastre will turn 35 next year) and Tour de France winner. Although these end-caps remain, the rest of the team’s roster has changed since last year.

Gerrans atop Stage 14 of the Giro d'Italia

Thus far, Cervélo Test Team has only lost one rider to another team: Simon Gerrans. The Australian climber has had victories in all three grand tours, but was left off the Cervélo roster for this year’s Tour de France, despite  stage victories in the 2008 edition of the race and in this year’s Giro d’Italia. According to Cervélo Test Team, the team felt that Gerrans would not benefit a roster which was built around Sastre and Hushovd. Despite this disappointment, Gerrans went on to win a stage at this year’s Vuelta a España, and helped carry fellow countrymen Cadel Evans to the Worlds title. For the 2010 season Gerrans will be riding for the newly created Team Sky, which is still waiting on its UCI ProTour license confirmation.

One rider that is sure to be back for next year is Heinrich Haussler, a powerful rider who has found success in both spring classics and grand tour stage. The 25 year old German-Australian had a strong season this year, including an emotional Tour de France Victory and a heart-breaking second place at Milan-Sanremo, where he was out-kicked by supers-printer Mark Cavendish in the closing 150m.

Haussler crossed the line in tears and first place at the 13th stage of this year's Tour de France

Haussler finds himself will find himself split between two roles next season, having served as both a leadout man for Thor Hushovd and Carlos Sastre’s protector in the same grand tour. Haussler obvious has the legs to pull off some impressive victories, yet his full potential has not been fully unleashed. Haussler must show his true talent in the spring classics next year if he wants to shine within the star-studded Cervélo Test Team.

Turning towards the sprinters of the team, Thor Hushovd will have some company at the line come next year. Dutch sprinter Theo Bos has signed with Cervélo Test Team, and will likely serve as Hushovd’s primary lead out man in the 2010 season. Bos was originally recognized as a great track sprinter early in his career, setting the world record in the Flying 200, and winning the World Championship in the sprint, keirin, and time trial. The Dutchman came under fire for a questionable move in this year’s Tour of Turkey. Different sides have different stories, so here is the video:

Although Bos came under a lot of fire for this move, there were ultimately very few consequences. Hopefully he can make amends with the cycling community and have a successful 2010 campaign with a new kit on his back.

Cervélo’s grand tour leader will again be veteran Carlos Sastre. Sastre had a disappointing Tour de France this year, finishing 17th overall with no stage wins. Although the Spaniard won the yellow jersey in 2008, the field was missing several vital parts, including 2007 winner Alberto Contador (Astana was not invited) and seven time winner Lance Armstrong (“retired”). Sastre will likely have the fire power for only stage wins in the coming grand tours, but he certainly should not be counted out entirely.

A victorious Sastre conquers Mt. Vesuvio at stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia

]]> http://viewfromtheback.com/2009/10/15/so-what-do-you-think/ Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:01:40 +0000 Sheree http://viewfromtheback.com/2009/10/15/so-what-do-you-think/

My better half was in Paris yesterday morning for a meeting at the Palais des congrès. No, he wasn’t at the 2010 Tour de France Presentation but, if he had been, I’m sure this is what he’d have said.

This is a Tour for climbers and, with no team time-trial, and only one individual time-trial, the main protagonists will be Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck.  The lack of a team time-trial will also have been music to the ears of other podium contenders, such as Evans, Sastre and Menchov.  Given how the Pyrenees completely boss the last week of the Tour, Bert can be excused that big smile punctuating his face. Or was he grinning at the thought that Lance is going to find that last week really, really tough?

The 2009 Podium

However, the skinny climbers will need to be on their guard in the first week when they’ll be well outside their comfort zone as cobbles and windy stretches abound. Classics specialists like Boonen, Cancellara and Hushovd will be hopeful of wearing yellow, or at least green, in those early days. Stages four (Reims), five (Montargis) and six (Gueugnon) look like sprint stages, but thereafter that race for the green jersey is probably going to favour Thor as there are fewer opportunities for the sprinters and they’ve got to get over all those hills.

Next year, the Alps are playing a supporting role to the Pyrenees which are the headline act, marking the 100th anniversary of their first Tour appearance. However, the four days in the northern Alps should not be under-estimated and they are succeeded by some  toughish transition stages which may, or may not, end in bunch sprints.

Clearly the intention on the 2010 Tour is to showcase the Pyrenees, starting with the stage 14 summit finish at Ax-3-Domaines. This acts as an amuse bouche to a grand tasting menu. First course, three difficult cols en route to Luchon: Portet d’Aspet, Ares and Balès. Main course: they cross the Peyresourde, Aspin, Tourmalet, Soulor and Aubisque to finish in Pau. Dessert, and final course in the Pyrenees, is a stage from Pau to the top of the Tourmalet, via the western approach over the Marie-Blanque and Soulor. Climbing the Tourmalet twice, once in each direction, will really celebrate the Tour’s most majestic mountain.

If the mountains don’t prove decisive then there’s the 51km time-trial from Bordeaux to Pauillac before the final day procession into Paris. I expect to see Contador, riding for Astana, in the yellow jersey.

Sadly, there was no mention of any festivities planned for the other Tour fixture also celebrating its centenary next year: the broom wagon!

Broom wagon

Image via Wikipedia

Slitta di una settimana la partenza della campagna di ecoincentivi del ministero dell’Ambiente per l’acquisto di motocicli e ciclomotori. Mentre gli sconti del 30% per l’acquisto delle biciclette partiranno come annunciato venerdì 25 settembre, per i motorini bisognerà ancora aspettare qualche giorno, perché supportati da un sistema informatico differente.

Moto e bici dunque prendono due strade diverse. Come chiarisce il responsabile della sezione moto dell’Ancma (l’associazione dei costruttori), “per godere degli ecoincentivi sui motocicli e ciclomotori bisognerà che le fatture siano emesse dai negozianti dopo solo dopo quella data. Forse ce la faremo a partire anche con le moto entro fine settembre, al massimo entro il 5 ottobre.

Da Sole24ore.it la notizia qui…

Surely this was a misprint. Some April Fools joke told way too early. Some kind of internet hoax, like a Tahitian island for sale for $64 or a dinner date with Tile Tequila, the new cycling sex pot. Apparently and inconceivably Thor Hushovd of Cervolo beat Mark Cavendish in stage 3. Missouri fans were treated to a shocker, like seeing Haley’s Comet twice in one night. Or Paris Hilton reading a book by Marcel Proust.

But no, a further google of the major cycling web sites confirmed the astonishing news. Cavendish was beaten in a sprint by a sprinter from another team. A human being, a person in lycra, on a bicycle. And yes, it was the aforementioned Thor, God of Thunder, swatting Boy Racer aside. Read that a few time until it sinks deep in your brain, past the incredulity of the statement, the absolute bizarre, Twilight Zone freakishness.

Yeah, we were baffled. How was this possible? Was the entire Columbia team except Cavendish a no-show in Rolla, victim of swine flu or Legionaries disease? But it happened and here is how: Bold thinking, friend, new tactics, fresh intel. Teams have been trying to figure out how to mess with the Columbia train all season, Giro and Tour de France. Nothing worked. Garmin never figured it out but Cervelo did.

Chief bad-ass Thor Hushovd summed up the modus operandi: “If we did a proper lead-out than maybe Cavendish will get on my wheel and then it’s easy for him. We just wanted to make it hard: we attacked, we went really fast in the end and I think that’s how we messed up the whole lead-out into the sprint.”

Boy Scouts have a plan, Green Berets have a plan and Cervelo had a plan. This is Mess Up The Other Guys Train 101. Hard to do but the only strategy when a well-drilled unit is killing you stage after stage. Our hats off to the entire Cervelo team for not just talking the talk. It ain’t easy because Cavendish is without question the fastest man in the world.

So we salute the Cervelo train wreckers with a gen-you-wine classic 1913 train wreck. Enjoy, Cavendish Busters.

So you’re the fastest man on a human powered machine and beat a world class field in a bunch sprint on Stage 1 of the 2009 Tour of Missouri and all they give you is something to blow the doors off everything else on the road…NICE!

Photo Courtesy Casey B. Gibson and Velonews

Esta tercera, y última, entrada sobre el Tour tiene como fin hablar de los nombres propios de esta edición. Como hilo conductor, la clasificación general.

Alberto Contador (1º): Superior. Este chico está destinado a marcar una época, dominando insultantemente en la montaña y al nivel de Cancellara en  las cronos. Segundo de muchos Tours que ganará.

Andy Schleck (2º): Creciente. Poco a poco va dando pasos y va creciendo; muy bien en la montaña y con bastante a mejorar en la crono. Se ha mostrado comativo en la montaña, y siempre es una buena noticia.Mucho han de cambiar las cosas para no ser otro de esos grandes deportistas con una carrera eclipsada por uno de los que a buen seguro pasará a la historia con letras mayúsculas.

Lance Amstrong (3º): Chapeau. Toda mi admiración para el tejano, que tras caída en la Vuelta a Castilla y León y su discreto Giro, durante el mes de Julio ha demostrado su grandeza. Aunque no volverá a ser el de antaño, el año que viene y con un equipo a su medida estará bien verle.

Bradley Wiggins (4º): Sorpresón. Muy fuerte en la montaña y en la crono, habrá que ver la forma en la que sigue su progresión, y pese a que no optará a la victoria final, en los próximos año puede dar mucho juego.

Fränk Schleck (5º): Correcto. Ha perdido su gran oportunidad para colarse en el podio de París, y a partir de ahora deberá centrar sus esfuerzos en ayudar a su hermano pequeño; mientras sus cualidades en la crono estén a la altura de las del sprint nada tiene que hacer en la general.

Andreas Klöden (6º): Segundón. Mucho talento desaprovechado en un equipo sumido en una guerra de guerrillas; muy buen Tour en su papel de gregario.

Vincenzo Nibali (7º): Creciente. Poco a poco se va haciendo un nombre en el Tour, y en los próximos años será un nombre a tener en cuenta de cara al podio de París.

Roman Kreuziger (9º): Agotado. Tras su buen inicio de temporada todo presagiaba que en el Tour daría guerra en forma de ataques en la montaña, que a la postre no se han dado. Tiene tiempo para mejorar su llegada al Tour.

Mikel Astarloza (11º): Positivo. Un análisis ensombrecerá su Tour para el gran público; ha dado a Euskaltel la vidilla que hacía tanto tiempo que los naranjas buscaban.

Carlos Sastre (17º): Decepción (I). Tras su victoria el año pasado tocó techo, y su participación en el Giro no ha servido más que para hacerle llegar demasiado desgastado. De haber llegado en plena forma, no hubiera tenido nada que hacer frente a los primeros de la general.

Sylvain Chavanel (20º): Quemado. Una primera mitad de la temporada exhuberante le ha condicionado en su carrera predilecta, no ha hecho ni de lejos el Tour de otros años, y le salva la excusa del cambio de equipo. Aún así entrega no ha faltado. Espero que el año próximo sea el de antaño. Allez Sylvain!

Brice Feillu (25º): Bienvenido. Su victoria en Ordino-Arcalís le dio la confianza necesaria para hacer un muy buen Tour; nunca en condiciones normales podrá optar a un Top10 pero sí a dejarse ver en la carrera.

Luis León Sánchez (26º): Discreto. Su victoria en Pirineos le sirve para arreglar el Tour; al igual que Chavanel, una buena primera mitad de la temporada le ha condicionado mucho, al igual que la ausencia de Valverde ha condicionado su rol en el equipo.

Haimar Zubeldia (27º): Gregario. Siempre dispuesto a ayudar al equipo; ha pasado de ser el jefe de filas de Euskaltel a trabajar para sus líderes. En su tiempo como jefe de filas fue bueno, ahora como gregario es de los que ningún líder rechazaría.

Cristophe Moreau (29º): Renacido. Ha vivido durante este Tour una segunda juventud que le ha servido para firmar con Caisse d’Epargne para el año próximo.

Cadel Evans (30º): Decepción (II).Tuvo su oportunidad de ganar el Tour el año pasado y la echó a perder por su conservadurismo. Se le ha pasado el arroz.

Tony Martin (36º): Chico-para-todo. Mucho potencial en sus piernas, y lo ha demostrado siendo pieza clave en los sprints de Cavendish, en la ascensión al Mont Ventoux y en una muy buena primera semana.

Franco Pellizotti (37º): Renovado. Durante el Giro se le pudo llegar a odiar, odio que ha desaparecido de un plumazo a base de lucha, grandes ascensiones y un poco de lástima por chutar tanto al palo. El maillot de puntos y el premio de la combatividad en un mismo Tour sólo puede significar una cosa: corredor con buenas piernas y mejor mentalidad. Bravo!

Denis Menchov (51º): Decepción (III). Tras su victoria en el Giro se podía esperar mucho de él, y más llevando el equipo que llevaba. Sin embargo su cabeza durante el mes de Julio no ha estado en territorio francés.

Rigoberto Urán (52º): Esperanza. Tras un mal inicio de Tour, en los Alpes demostró su potencial yendo a más a medida que avanzaban las etapas. Es pronto para saber la manera en la que tendrá que afrontar las grandes vueltas, pero no para saber que es un nombre a seguir.

Kim Kirchen (57º): Menguado. Sus lesiones de este año y su falta de preparación le han impedida dar guerra como hiciera el año pasado.

Thomas Voeckler (67º): Teatrero. Como siempre. Fuese cual fuese su actuación habría que calificarlo así; es un sujeto digno de estudio que este año ha conseguido su primera victoria en el Tour. Puede gustar más o menos, pero merecía esta victoria.

Stijn Devolder (83º): Iluminado. Por fin le ha entrado la razón y se ha dado cuenta que las clasificaciones generales de las grandes vueltas no son para él; el problema es que en ningún momento ha dado guerra por ninguna etapa.

Fabian Cancellara (91º): Cumplidor. Se le exigían las dos cronos, la de Mónaco y la de Annecy; la primera la consiguió sobrado, y la segunda sólo fue superado por un genial Contador; a parte de eso poco más.

Alessandro Ballan (95º): Desapercibido. La maldición del maillot arco-iris le sacudió en forma de mononucleosis a principio de temporada y le impidió llegar bien al Tour; camino de Aubenas intentó dar la campanada pero su aventura duró poco.

Heinrich Haussler (97º): Etapón. Tras sus segundos puestos en Milán-San Remo y el Tour de Flandes se apuntó una etapa de media montaña en un día de perros con final en Colmar mostrando mucha fuerza; poco más se le vio, pero ya hubieran querido otros haberse mostrado tan poco con ese resultado.

Óscar Freire (99º): Frustrado. Nunca ha tenido opción en el sprint y no ha sido, ni de largo, el de otros años.

Filippo Pozzato (100º): Camaleónico. Lo máximo que se le puede destacar del Tour es el conflicto entre la Federación Italiana y Kathusa sobre el maillot que tuvo como consecuencia que vistiese tres equipaciones diferentes durante el Tour. Sobre su carrera, bastante parecida a la de Freire, no ha encontrado su lugar.

Joan Antoni Flecha (101º): Apagado. No ha sido como años atrás un animador de la carrera mediante las largas fugas a las que nos tenía acostumbrados, sólo pilló un par en tres semanas, con poco futuro y sin demasiada determinación.

Thor Hushovd (106º): Regular. Y su maillot verde así lo demuestra; de todos modos, sólo una etapa es poco bagaje para el noruego, que se ha visto superado una y otra vez por Cavendish.

Stuart O’Grady (124º): Oxidado. Ya no es una baza para su equipo en el sprint ni ha rendido como en ediciones anteriores en las subidas.

Mark Cavendish (131º): Dominador. En mis pocos años de seguimiento del ciclismo nunca he visto a alguien dominar ninguna especialidad como el de la Isla de Man lo hace en  el sprint… y con 23 años! Como Contador este chico marcará una época en este deporte.

Robert Gesink (retirado): Camino de Perpinyà sufrió una fuerte caída que le hizo tener que retirarse. Hasta entonces no había tenido tiempo a demostrar nada, pero tenía muchas esperanzas en él de cara a los bloques de montaña.

Tom Boonen (retirado): Se le cruzó el Tour de principio a fin, empezando por la duda de su presencia por el positivo de cocaína, siguiendo por sus problemas intestinales y viendo las puertas de los sprints cerradas por caídas que nada tenían que ver con él o por mala colocación. La retirada su mejor opción, con la trayectoria que llevaba en el Tour podía haber acabado muy mal.

Amets Txurruka (retirado): Una lástima que el bizcaino no haya podido terminar el Tour, siempre guerrero y batallador, una caída mientras se encontraba en fuga le pesó demasiado en días posteriores, acabando la 19ª etapa fuera de control.

What’s this I spot on the horizon?  No…it can’t be…chapter eighteen! According to my (totally erroneous) calculation I should have finished this chapter in March. OK so it hasn’t stopped me from being excited. Unreasonably so. It not only happens to be one of the oldest chapters it’s the “heart” of “The State of My Heart” – ha, ha! It’s awesome. It’s also dark. I have fortunately, found plenty of things to take me out of my scribblings and wake me up to the fact that I am still Evangeline and not fiendish Luke Joseph.

Last week was grand, for British cycling. Mark Cavendish seemed to  quickly get over his disagreement with Thor Hushovd and came back, stronger than ever. One amazing hill win at Aubenas on a category two climb and on the Champs Elysée, taking his stage wins to six! Bradley Wiggens, Fourth! Don’t know what the world is coming to. When did we last win anything in The Tour De France?

Muse’s fantastically, OTT, “United States of Eurasia” was finally “unlocked” (no, I don’t understand it either) by some long-suffering fans on their web-site so the whole thing could be heard. What a song!  As it built towards the chorus it sounded like it was going to burst into “We are the Champions” .  A bit unnerving. But I can’t remember the last time however I listened to rock with  as grand as pretensions, since 1991, when Freddie (Mercury) died. The Chopin is incredible – a stroke of crazy Bellamy genius.  (It’s also v.  moving if you watch the promo on you tube.)

Alberto Contador en su gran momento

Todo acabó en Francia y me quede con las ganas de ver de amarillo a Armstrong y verlo ganar una vez más el Tour, el gran ganador es Alberto Contador que se lleva el primer lugar por segunda vez en su carrera con un tiempo de 85:48:35.

El segundo lugar de la general fue para Andy Schleck que se quedó a 4:11 y el tercer lugar para Lance a 5:24. El premio de montaña se lo quedo Franco Pellizotti con 210 puntos y el de la regularidad Thor Hushovd con 280 puntos y que dejó con las ganas a Cavendish. El mejor equipo fue el Astana.

Ojalá el próximo año Lance pueda liderar un equipo para tener más oportunidades de volver a ganar la máxima competencia del ciclismo.

]]> http://alysiak.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/tdf-2009-stage-21-the-end-and-the-beginning/ Sun, 26 Jul 2009 12:42:59 +0000 acoralsea http://alysiak.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/tdf-2009-stage-21-the-end-and-the-beginning/ http://owainthomasnews.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/cavandish-wins-in-paris/ Sun, 26 Jul 2009 12:06:55 +0000 owainthomasnews http://owainthomasnews.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/cavandish-wins-in-paris/

Britain’s Mark Cavendish has cycled his way to a sixth stage win, in the the final stage of the Tour de France in Paris. The victory on the Champs-Elysees was a record for a British cyclist, but it wasn’t enough to earn him the overall green jersey. He missed out to Norway’ s Thor Hushovd. And Bradley Wiggins, 29, an Olympic gold medalist, came fourth overall, topping off a brilliant three weeks for the Brits in France and underlining how strong British cycling is at the moment. Spain’s Alberto Contador, 26, won the overall race for the second time in three years. Lance Armstrong, the former seven times champion, in his comeback tour joined him on the podium after finishing third.

Cavandish wins in Paris

Cavendish for Stage Win and GBR Record

Stage Winner: Mark Cavendish (GBR record, 9 stage wins)

General Classification Leader: Alberto Contador (77:06:18)

Lance Armstrong (GC): 3rd (+00:05:21)

Laura Antoine: The return of the Podium Girl — Laura and Andy Schleck kiss cheeks.

Big ups to Mark Cavendish who was able to stay with the peloton over the climb and make a v. strong finish. A deserved win. Hushovd retains the green jersey with a second place finish, but there is no question Cavendish will fight for it on the Champs-Elysees.

Anyone else ready for Mont Ventoux?

Four Arms are better than Two.

Stage Winner: The Schlecks (take your pick)

General Classification Leader: Alberto Contador (72:27:09)

Lance Armstrong (GC):  4th (+00:03:55)

Laura Antoine: Maybe Skoda fired her…

Today was to be the hardest stage in the TdF 2009, according to Paul Sherwan and a few others (e.g. Armstrong), the Alpine Triology, part III. Earlier in the Tour, Mark Cavendish was penalized for a bit of rough activity with Thor Hushovd near a stage finish. As a result, Hushvod was able to take the green jersey. Cavendish has been quoted saying the green jersey will have a “stain” on it.

Regardless, Hushovd broke away today and led the race, earning valuable sprint points along the way. It will be near impossible for Cavendish to take the sprinter’s title now. He will be back with a vengeance next year.

Phil Liggett spoke to Levi Leipheimer via telephone from California today. He made several predictions, one of which was that Bradley Wiggins, Lance Armstrong, and Andreas Kloden would be on the podium in Paris. His prediction for today’s stage was that the Schlecks would attack early on the penultimate climb of the day, the Col de Romme, when the inclines were 10-12%.

The attacks came fast but not from the Schlecks, Carlos Barredo and Carlos Sastre set out immediately, but they didn’t last long. Halfway up the Col de Romme, with an incline of 12.5%,  Frank Schleck, not Andy, made an attack but Armstrong followed. Now Andy attacks, Contador and Kloden follow. Frank attacks again, Armstrong and Wiggins follow. Andy goes again, Contador follows, Kloden bridges the gap, Wiggins cracks.

Contador looks relaxed and “resplendent in yellow” with co-leaders A. Kloden and Schleck Bros.  at Col Du Romme Summit. Armstrong, Christian VandeVelde, and Wiggins are making a good “diesel” tempo 1 min behind the lead group.

On the Col de la Colombiere with 1 mile to the summit, Contador attacks, Schleck Bros. follow but Kloden cannot. Bad move by Contador. In the first chase group, Armstrong attacks and drops Wiggins, deja vu. The Texas Flag leads Armstrong up the mountain. Armstrong made a great descent and caught up with his teammate Kloden as the lead group, Schlecks and Contador crossed the finish line.

Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador will be rivals in the Tour de France 2010.

Good for the Lone Star state.

Sunday’s 15^th stage of the Tour de France provided all of the opportunity that 2007 champion Alberto Contador needed to rocket to first place.

Contador’s move put teammate and could-be rival, 7 time tour winner, Lance Armstrong  into second place overall, finishing a whopping 1:35 behind Contador on this alpine stage.

This seemingly makes Contador the favorite to win this years tour.  However, I note that it would have been very poor tour etiquette for Armstrong to have chased down Contador after he broke for the finish with just 6 kilometers to go.  Armstrong might have something to show for himself yet, but he needs to show it soon, or miss his chance.

Sprinting sensation Mark Cavendish has been put out of  the Green jersey contest after forcing Green jersey wearer Thor Hushovd too close to the wall in yesterdays finish.

As Armstrong assured us this morning, today provided plenty of fireworks in this years tour.

Vi hade en stor utbrytning med bland annat klasscyklisterna George Hincapie, Daniele Benatti, Gerald Ciolek och Sergei Ivanov. De fick ett stort försprång innan Ag2r-La Mondiale fattade att de riskerade att bli av med totalledningen till Hincapie. Vid ungefär en mil kvar började det attackeras i utbrytningen. Nicolas Roche försökte först men fick ingen lucka. Sergei Ivanov blev den som satte in den avgörande attacken och fick en lucka som höll in i mål och vann sin andra Tour de France-etapp.

Det såg länge ut som om George Hincapie skulle ta över den gula. Problemet för Columbia var att de ville att Cavendish skulle vinna klungspurten och ta spurtpoäng samtidigt som de vill sätta Hincapie i gult. Columbia försökte först att gå upp i klungan för att störa och få ned farten och sedan när det var en liten bit kvar satte de upp spurten. Hincapie missade med endaste fem sekunder och är säkerligen inte glad ikväll. Cavendish vann klungspurten före Hushovd, men. Cavendish blev nedflyttad till sist i klungan för att han inte höll sitt spår på upploppet. Nu tog han inga poäng och Hushovd leder nu poängtävlingen med 18 poäng. Avgjorde han den här nu månne?

Det här var inte Columbias dag helt enkelt. De förstör för sig själva så att de missade gult sedan blev Cavendish nedlyttad. De hade chans för stor succé men det blev istället fiasko. Det var jävligt klantigt och ett mycket ovanligt misstag från Columbia. Vinnare på detta var redan nämnde Hushovd och Nocentini som nu fortfarande har gult.

/Henrik

Ute er det gråvær, så etter en særdeles rikholdig frokost endte vi begge opp på sofaen med hver vår laptop. Å ha en varm pc på fanget er forresten ganske så godt når man er både frysen og kald.

Filmen i går var bra! Boken filmen er basert på leste jeg med en gang den kom ut, så selve historien satt ikke akkurat friskt i minnet, men det meste kom raskt tilbake til meg. Riktignok manglet det en del sammenlignet med boken  – hvor ble for eksempel kampscenen av? – men jeg storkoste meg likevel. Skal ikke gå mer inn å detaljer her for det blir alt for omfattende  – og en del av dere har vel kanskje ikke har sett den enda? – men filmen er definitivt verdt å se!

Der er faktisk ganske mange filmer jeg har lyst å se nå for tiden, deriblant Istid 3 (i 3D, tihi!). Mange interessante (?!) filmer på programmet og regn og 8 grader midt i juli gir til sammen en lovende kinosommer…

I dag har jeg faktisk ingen planer sett bort fra at vi må ut og handle litt mat – for mat må man jo ha! – så det blir nok en rolig helg. Akkurat nå står tv’n på og tv2s Tour de France-sending dominerer stua, finfin underholdning på en slakk dag! I år har jeg faktisk ikke fulgt med i det hele tatt, men likevel er det gøy å ha det stående på nå! For en del år tilbake ble jeg veldig engasjert i sykkelsport, og fulgte med på gutta i TdF hver eneste dag og kunne det meste om de fleste. Det var for øvrig også den sommeren jeg ble avhengig av koffein, haha, en begivenhetsrik tid… Må si det er gøy å se Lance Armstrong tilbake igjen, og å ha en sterk nordmann som samler poeng er heller ikke feil. Heia Thor!

I går vant jeg forresten vinlotteriet på jobb, hurra! Plukket med meg denne hjem, så kanskje blir det litt rødvin til maten i kveld. Timingen kunne ikke vært bedre; vi drakk nemlig siste slurk av rødvinskartongen vår torsdags kveld så litt påfyll var på sin plass. Noe må man jo varme seg på her oppe!

Jeg trøster meg med at sykkelgutta har like grått vær i sør som vi har her i nord. Riktignok har nok de et par grader varmere vær enn her, men det hjelper likevel. Slik det er nå blir det litt mye innekos og høststemning, noe jeg aller helst vil spare til høsten kommer…

Håper dere nyter helgen uavhengig av hvordan været er, jeg skal hvertfall gjøre det beste utav gråværet vha te, pledd og krimbok!

Tay đua người Anh đã thực hiện cú nước rút thần tốc trong ngày thi đấu hôm thứ ba, làm tăng khả năng giành áo xanh chung cuộc. Ứng cử viên giành áo vàng, Lance Armstrong, vẫn xếp sau hai tay đua dẫn đầu trên bảng tổng sắp.

Ở chặng 10 Tour de France 2009, từ Limoges đến Issoudun (dài 194,5 km), phần lớn các tay đua đồng loạt chạy chậm nhằm phản đối quyết định gây ngạc nhiên của ban tổ chức: không cho phép sử dụng radio liên lạc giữa lãnh đạo đội và các thành viên.

Grischa Niermann, tay đua của đội Rabobank, cắm một chiếc ăng ten giả trên mũ nhằm thể hiện sự không đồng tình. 14 trong số 20 đội tham dự đã công khai phản đối nhưng Ban tổ chức dự định sẽ tiếp tục cấm sử dụng radio ở chặng diễn ra ngày thứ sáu, từ Vittel đến Colmars.

Lance Armstrong bị đuổi khéo về nhà. Phong độ ấn tượng của tay đua người Mỹ sau khi tái xuất đã làm khá nhiều CĐV “nóng mặt”.

Chặng 10 có địa hình tương đối bằng phẳng, đi qua nhiều thị trấn và vùng thôn dã.

Lũ ngựa đã có một vị trí hoàn hảo để quan sát đoàn đua nhưng chúng dường như không quan tâm đến các chuyên gia về tốc độ và sức bền.

Khi cách đích khoảng 200 m, Mark Cavendish đã thực hiện cú nước rút sở trường để qua mặt Thor Hushovd và về nhất. Đây là chiến thắng chặng thứ ba của tay đua người Anh tại Tour de France năm nay. Năm ngoái, Cavendish đã có 4 lần thắng chặng.

Hushovd vẫn giữ được áo xanh (người có tổng điểm cao nhất dựa trên vị trí cụ thể ở từng chặng) nhưng chỉ còn hơn Cavendish 6 điểm.

Kết quả chặng 10:

1. Mark Cavendish (quốc tịch Anh/ đội Columbia) thành tích 4 giờ 46 phút 43 giây
2. Thor Hushovd (Nauy/Cervelo Test Team) tính cùng thời gian
3. Tyler Farrar (Mỹ/Garmin) ”
4. Leonardo Duque (Colombia/Cofidis) “
5. Jose Joaquin Rojas (Tây Ban Nha/Caisse d’Epargne) ”
7. Lloyd Mondory (Pháp/AG2R) “
8. Kenny Robert van Hummel (Hà Lan/Skil Shimano) ”
8. William Bonnet (Pháp/BBox Bouygues Telecom) ” \
9. Daniele Bennati (Italy/Liquigas) ”
10. Said Haddou (Pháp/BBox Bouygues Telecom) “

Các vị trí khác:

34. Rinaldo Nocentini (Italy/AG2R)
40. Alberto Contador (Tây Ban Nha/Astana) “
46. Lance Armstrong (Mỹ/Astana) “

Bảng tổng sắp áo vàng:

1. Rinaldo Nocentini (Italy/AG2R) thành tích 39 giờ 11 phút 04 giây
2. Alberto Contador (Tây Ban Nha/Astana) nhiều hơn 06 giây
3. Lance Armstrong (Mỹ/Astana) + 08
4. Andreas Kloden (Ger/Astana + 54
5. Levi Leipheimer (USA/Astana) + 54

Các vị trí khác:

15. Đương kim vô địch Carlos Sastre (Tây Ban Nha/Cervelo) + 2 phút 52 giây

135. Mark Cavendish (Anh/Columbia) + 1 giờ 13 phút 54 giây

Nguyễn Tuấn tổng hợp

Bài viết liên quan

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Murray tan mộng Wimbledon

Nguồn: viencanh.com Cavendish lần thứ ba thắng chặng tại Tour de France 2009