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17 July 2005

18 July News ...

T-Mobile Fires, Armstrong Holds 'Em

Stage 14 of the 2005 TDF was a barn burner. Armstrong was put under the T-Mobile gun on the first of the day's two major climbs. Vino and Ullrich were joined by Ivan Basso (Team CSC) in launching offensives on the 6X TDF champion. "A tough day. Out of bed early, an hour and a half transfer in the bus, hot, climbs, attacks, another hour and a half of transfer," said a tired Armstrong after the stage. "I have to eat, sleep, rest. And tomorrow [stage 15] there is the queen stage."

On the Port de Pailhères Armstrong showed an amazing mental and physical force to his adversaries. After being gapped by repeated attacks he clawed his way back to the other favorites. Armstrong explained, "When T-Mobile attacked, I remained isolated, and I did not have good sensations. But I know that they could not go long at this pace."

Armstrong formed part of an elite group of riders that tackled the day's final climb, Ax-3 Domaines, together. They were never able to catch the stage winner, Georg Totschnig (Gerolsteiner), but the GC fight played out nonetheless. "To win today was not important, it was important to take advantage when you see a rider, like Ullrich, in difficulty. Because you don't know if you can succeed the next day." Under the 2K to go Armstrong put in a fierce pace that finally dropped, Ulle and then Basso. At the line il Americano put a gap of 2" into Italian, and 20" into the German.

The Disco captain remarked on his rivals, "Ullrich and Basso are the favorites, Basso was always going very strong, he took the initiative, but Ullrich is strong, he always stayed on the wheels. Rasmussen maybe had a bad day, but he is an opportunist." Today, stage 15, will be another day in the Pyrenees. It is considered the toughest stage and should really rattle the GC riders.

92nd Tour de France:
Startlist, Classifications, Tour Challengers, Discovery Channel Profile
Key Stages, Key Stage Descriptions, Stages and Maps, Overall Map
Photos, Dust Devil's Daily Wrap

Ivan Basso Shows Force

Team CSC did not show as much team strength as T-Mobile, but Ivan Basso did impress. The Italian repeatedly hit the GC leader, Armstrong. Team DS, Bjarne Riis, was impressed, "It was exactly what we'd hoped for. We knew, that Basso has been doing well for the last couple of days, and maybe we've underplayed our role a bit, to take off some of the pressure. We tried to attack Lance, but as always he's very strong."

Basso and his team had been hit hard by critics in the last week. The Italian added, "I had said that in the Pyrenees that I would try and I did. I made my race, and I attacked in the first climb and on the second [the last 2 climbs of the day], I made the selection. I made at least 5 or 6 attacks, but one time I brought Ullrich and another time Armstrong." The Italian's attacks excited the tifosi up and down the boot of Italy, but they were a little lacking. "I believe that I have made a great stage. But if he [Armstrong] goes like this, what am I to do?"

Ivan Basso is giving his best in the time of a reigning Tour champion. Armstrong had all the answers to the CSC rider's attacks. Basso added, with a bit of disappointment, "The truth is that he never had a failing... If he goes the same in the final TT he can take 2 minutes from everyone." Today, in stage 15, Basso will once again launch offensives on Armstrong. He has hope that Armstrong can be broken and lose massive chunks of time.

A United T-Mobile Offensive

On the base of the Port de Pailhères there was a mass of magenta. The T-Mobile hard-men aligned at the front of the peloton and upped the pace. They succeeded in cracking all the Disco riders, but one: Lance Armstrong. It was a brilliant bit of pacemaking by T-Mobile that left Vino and Klöden with their leader, Ullrich. Vino helped fine-tune the selection, and dropped Armstrong.

"I felt good all day [stage 14], I had legs on the last climb and I am sorry about the finale. I am tired of all the questions about my morale and my strength. I crashed 2 times, before and during this Tour, and I don't lose faith," said Ulle after a long day. The German then continued to detail how T-Mobile had planned their attacks well in advance. "We had studied this course for a long time, attacking on the Port de Pailhères was the only method for isolating Armstrong. We knew the stage to perfection."

For more information on all the attacks, read The Dust Devil's Daily Wrap.

Stefano Garzelli (The Other Race)

Yesterday in stage 14 there was a group of 10 that went clear as soon as the stage started. This escape group did a race of their own while behind the GC favorites battled. Georg Totschnig (Gerolsteiner) and Stefano Garzelli (Liquigas-Bianchi) were the last two men standing from the day's move. Yesterday was a special day for Garzelli, it was also his birthday.

After the stage Garzelli commented, "Things went well at the beginning. We gained a good margin, and rode well together on the first four hills. On the Port de Pailhères, Totschnig had attacked and I was not able to remain on his wheel. To my surprise ... I knew in the climbs that he was strong, but I did not think that he would have such a special day. I thought that I could catch him on the descent, but I could not make it. And on the last mountain my legs were what they were." Now the Italian will search for other stage opportunities, "My Tour is not finished here, I will try again, I have good condition."

16 July News ...