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20 July 2006

21 July News ...

Calcagni Recalls First Alpe Experience

"It was cool; my first time up l'Alpe," recalled Patrick Calcagni (Liquigas) Wednesday morning, before the stage start in Bourg d'Oisans. The Swiss rider made the pilgrimage up one of cycling's famed roads, l'Alpe d'Huez, in Tour de France stage 15.

How were the people on the side of the road? "They were crazy, and it was great." Did they assist you with a push? "Oh, yes."

"I tried early in the morning with an escape. It was a small one and then Garzelli went in the larger escape."

Calcagni was extra excited to arrive at the summit of l'Alpe, his girlfriend was waiting for him. "She was here for two days and now is back home in Switzerland. She really enjoyed the atmosphere."

Who do you think will win the Tour? "Well, if Landis can make it through today [stage 16] then he will win. But maybe Klöden or Menchov... We will see today."

L'Alpe d'Huez: Third for Garzelli

Stefano Garzelli of Liquigas was in the winning move Tuesday when the Tour de France raced from Gap to Alp d'Huez. The Italian stayed with his companions all the way to the base of l'Alpe, when his compatriot, Damiano Cunego, launched a missile.

"The escape went well for me," explained Garzelli, who one the stage's most aggressive rider award. "I was happy with third. When Schleck and Cunego went, the pace was too strong."

Garzelli is enjoying a great season and we think a stage win in the Tour de France would be very deserving.

"I will try again; today and tomorrow," finished Stefano Garzelli.

Le Mevel Raisin Hell

Christophe Le Mevel (Crédit Agricole), winner of a stage in the 2005 Giro d'Italia and fourth this year in Tour de France stage 12, was Raisin Hell at the start of stage 16. The Frenchman is a buddy of Americano Saul Raisin, who had a life-threatening crash earlier this year.

The phone of Le Mevel is filled with text messages from Raisin, the two stay in constant contact. "We trade SMSs everyday," said Le Mevel of his American teammate who recovering at home in Georgia. "He is doing long rides on the trainer and is so much better than before."

"Did you see the bracelet?" We looked down to see the now famous green and white "Raisin Hell" bracelet on the Frenchman's right wrist. We replied, "Yes. And we also saw one the other day on Pietro Caucchioli."

"I think he [Raisin] will be back soon," finished Le Mevel.

Pippo's 2nd Time

"I did the climb in 2004," said Filippo Pozzato (Quick-Step) the morning after Tour de France stage 15, finishing on l'Alpe d'Huez. The steep slopes and number switchbacks are not Pippo's type of parcours but he managed to pass the stage with no problems.

"It is a great place and the fans are so exciting. They helped us out a lot. ... The climbing was not so bad for me, I was in the gruppetto riding at a nice tempo."

The team lost Tom Boonen in stage 15 and also had a serious crash involving Steven De Jongh.

After the loss of Boonen will you have support in for the final stage in Paris? "Yes!"

De Jongh Thanks Helmet

If you were watching Tour de France stage 15 closely then you would have seen Steven De Jongh (Quick-Step) take a shortcut. The Dutchman, before a left-hander switchback, crashed down the side of a steep and rocky slope. It was only a few meters from teammate Tom Boonen, who was looking over his shoulder while continuing his descent.

"The helmet saved me," said De Jongh. "What a nasty crash. My head and legs are the worst off... But I am here and able to continue."

Rasmussen Dotted

Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) fronted one of the craziest days in recent Tour de France history. The wafer-thin Dane won stage 16 to La Toussuire while behind the whole general classification went belly-up with a Floyd Landis crisis.

Rasmussen broke the chains that bound him to the peloton nine kilometers into affairs. The Dane formed a union with Sandy Casar and Tadej Valjavec up the first climb of the day, the Col du Galibier. Topping the 45-long kilometer beast Rasmussen gained needed climbing points to move within reach of leader heading into the day, David De La Fuente (Saunier Duval-Prodir).

Before the top of the day's next climb, the Col de la Croix de Fer, Rasmussen dropped his companions and went solo... Finishing off the hors catégorie affair before heading down to start the Col du Mollard (cat 2) and then the final ascent to the finish, La Toussuire (cat. 1). It was a mountain climbing coup that earned him 80 moutain points on De La Fuente and moved him into the Maillot Blanc à Pois Rouges.

"It was a long and painful day but now it is all forgotten," quipped the Dane after his valiant day out in the Alps. Rasmussen gave a little nod to his buddies from early in the day, saying "Casar and Valjavec gave a lot of help."

"In January I came here and did the entire stage from start to finish. I was prepared for what was to come and that makes it a lot easier mentally. ... I haven't counted the points on the road today and I don't know what happened on the road behind me but I assume that I'm sitting with a comfortable lead in the climbing classification, so it's possible to keep the polka-dot jersey until the finish," Rasmussen continued, now with 45 points over Spaniard De La Fuente.

Rasmussen has added to the success of his Rabobank squadra, who already have had two wins from Freire during the first week and a well-orchestrated win by Menchov in the Pyrenees. The 32 year-old picked one of the last moments to shine and gain needed mountain points.

"I've enjoyed today but it happened a little later in the race than I would have liked. I've waited a long time this year, as I've been riding in the shadow of Menchov but after what happened yesterday we changed the tactics a little bit and today I got my freedom to do what I wanted... And I did just that."

In recent years we have seen riders holding up photos of their babies while crossing the line. Rasmussen and his wife recently celebrated the birth of their first child... "I told my wife on the rest day that I would try to win on Alpe d'Huez for her and our new born child. It did not happen and I was really disappointed with how it went. ... So yes, they were in my mind."

Rasmussen faces one more serious day in the mountains to lock-in his polka-dot jersey. Stage 17 is a heady affair, taking the riders over the Col Des Saisies, Col de Aravis, Col de la Colombière and the final push over the Col de Joux-Plane. If Rasmussen can fend off the attacks of mountain points then the Maillot Blanc à Pois Rouges will be his to keep to Paris, assuming he rides unharmed through the final crono.

".... I can say I expect to say on the bike for the final time trial this year," finished Rasmussen.

Maillot Jaune: Oscar Pereiro

What a crazy day that was. Stage 16 of the Tour de France produced an unexpected power-shift; Floyd Landis (Phonak) looked to be in control of the three-week Tour but then suffered to the attacks of Evans, Klöden and, new Maillot Jaune, Oscar Pereiro of Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears.

"This race is a little crazy," said Pereiro, back in the yellow threads of race leader. "Yesterday Floyd Landis was the strongest of all the riders and today he had a bad day, and the same sort of thing could happen to anyone tomorrow. I'd like to finish the next stage in the yellow jersey and, after that, consolidate my position in the general classification."

"We [the team] came here with Valverde as the leader but we lost him to a crash. Now, with this jersey, the team is good. I like being in this situation," Pereiro continued.

Pereiro received the yellow jersey last week, when it was gifted by Lands, only to take have the American take it back in Tuesday's to Alpe d'Huez. Many did not expect to see the Spaniard back in yellow for the 2006 race but this is one crazy Tour.

"He [Landis] of course thought this was not possible but don't forget that I won a big mountain stage in the Tour de Suisse, the Classique des Alpes, a stage win and second place last year; also my weight is 2Kg less than last year."

Pereiro currently races for Caisse d'Epargne but just last year he was in the same squadra as Floyd Landis, the guy he took the jersey from. "We collaborated well during the stage," said the Spaniard. "I want to say that I am very sad for what happened to him. He was my teammate last year on Phonak and thanks to him I had the chance to take part in the Tour de France. He is really a great friend of mine. I would not have been the first to attack him. I was not the first today. If I had to I would have but I did not want to be the first."

Now what? The 28 year-old Spaniard will have to face a very dicey stage to Morzine, where more attacks are guaranteed to arrive, and then the last time trial, a 57K affair. Given the serious stage to Morzine and the TT, Pereiro is not a hot favorite to take home the Maillot Jaune but only one day ago we thought that Landis was going to win this race. Stay tuned....

93rd Tour de France - presented by , 1 - 23 July
Main, Startlist, Classifications, Tour Favorites, Team CSC versus T-Mobile
Stages and Maps, Key Stages, Overall Map
Photos, The Dust Devil's Daily Wrap
Simoni and Saunier Duval-Prodir Updates
2005 Results

19 July News ...