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Il
lussemburghese Fränk Schleck (Team Saxo
Bank) vince
il tappone alpino del Tour de France davanti
a Contador ed al fratello Andy ©
Photo Andrea Magnani - Bikenews.it
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Fränk
Schleck vince la 17a tappa davanti a Contador
ed al fratello Andy
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STAGE
WIN FOR FRÄNK SCHLECK - ANDY SCHLECK SECOND IN THE
GC
22
- 07- 09 -
It was a somewhat atypical start of today's queen stage
of the Tour de France with five categorized climbs
over 169 kilometers from Bourg Saint Maurice to Le
Grand-Bornand, where the sprinter, Thor Hushovd
(Cervelo) jumped away on his own to scrape the road
for necessary points in the competition of the green jersey.
The Norwegian's closest competitor, Mark Cavendish,
had already been dropped with a handful of other riders
on the first climb, and for a long time it seemed to be
difficult for him to cross the finish line within the time
limit.
But
more importantly the stage will be remembered for the perfect
day for Team Saxo Bank.
Behind
the Cervelo-rider a group of 22 riders was on the chase
in front of the main field where Team Saxo Bank put
pressure on their rivals by setting a high pace with Stuart
O'Grady doing a great job in the front. In the large
group between Hushovd and the peloton among others
Menchov (Rabobank), Hincapie (Columbia), Chavanel
(Quick Step), Casar (Francaise des Jeux), Kern
(Cofidis) and the holder of the mountain jersey Pellizotti
(Liquigas) were on the pursue.
The
pressure from Stuart O'Grady forced Cadel Evans
(Lotto) and 
Tony
Martin (Columbia) to their knees early in the stage
and the big group was inhaled as well as Hushovd
(Cervelo) soon after.
On the third of today's five climbs the Astana riders went
to the front and helped Team Saxo Bank tiring the
peloton which kept getting smaller.
By
the foot of the second to last climb Sastre (Cervelo)
launched a persistent attack that made the group crumble.
But then the Schleck-brothers took over and took
turns beating the group to pieces and by the end of the
climb a quartet consisting of Andy Schleck, Fränk
Schleck (Team Saxo Bank), Contador and Klöden
(Astana) was forming.
They dropped another quartet of b (Astana), Nibali
(Liquigas), Vande Velde and Wiggins
(Garmin) with a gap of one minute at the summit of the climb.
Two
kilometres from the top of the last climb Contador
launched an attack but Andy and Fränk
Schleck reacted rapidly and closed the gap but Astana'a
captain dropped his teammate, Klöden.
On the final descent the Schleck-brothers increased the
gap down to Klöden (Astana) and on the last
meters Fränk Schleck put the icing on
the cake by winning the third stage victory for Team Saxo
Bank in this year's edition of Tour de France.
An
absolutely perfect day for Team Saxo Bank.
"This
is one of the greatest days I've experienced during the
Tour de France ever. We knew what we wanted with
this stage which was planned before the Tour even began.
The plan was quite clear and simple. We were willing to
put everything on the line and to explode the peloton and
so did we. The two brothers are enormously strong together
and we are looking forward to experiencing what might happen
on the stage to Ventoux”, said a
clearly pleased Bjarne Riis after the stage.
The
stage winner, Fränk Schleck had this short message
for two special persons:
“For
me and for the team it was great to win today but I would
like to dedicate the win to Kurt and Jens
who left the race much too early”.
"The whole day went perfectly
according to the plan where Nicki and I increased the pace
of the group of favorites on the second last climb after
which the group was minimized, and Andy and Frank
finished the stage with perfection”, said
Chris Anker Sørensen after the stage and his
exhausted room mate, Nicki Sørensen had the
following details to add:
"It
was a team effort and we managed to communicate along the
way and we did what we had in us to create great havoc in
the group in which we succeeded. Of course, I am tired like
all my teammates and I am looking forward to get some rest
before another important stage on Saturday”.
Tomorrow
the riders are doing a 40 kilometer long and crucial time
trial.
Bruseghin attacca in Francia;
Grendene, podio a Orzinuovi
E'
stato il turno anche di Marzio Bruseghin per provare
a pedalare in
fuga al Tour de France 2009: nella 17^ tappa, la
Bourg Saint Maurice-Le Grande Bornand di 169,5 km, il terzo
classificato al Giro 2008 si è unito a un'azione
scaturita al 5° km di gara sul Cormet de Roselend su
iniziativa di Chavanel, attacco che ha portato alla
creazione di un gruppo di 20 corridori.
Il
gruppone ha concesso alla fuga un vantaggio di circa 5',
ma dopo aver percorso in avanscoperta il Col de Saises
e la Cote Araches, Bruseghin e gli altri attaccanti
hanno visto esaurirsi la loro azione sul Col de Romme,
a circa 35 km dall'arrivo.
Bruseghin
ha poi completato la tappa (scalando anche il Col de la
Colombiere) con un passo regolare, giungendo al traguardo
in 45^ posizione a 11'50" dal vincitore Frank Schleck.
Il migliore per la Lampre-NGC è stato Loosli,
il quale ha concluso la tappa in 30^ posizione a 8'54":
lo svizzero è 57° in classifica generale.
"Siamo riusciti a farci vedere
con Bruseghin in una tappa dura come quella di oggi
- ha commentato il ds Fabrizio Bontempi - Marzio
ha centrato la sua prima fuga francese e ha saputo gestirsi
in avanscoperta con intelligenza. Come era prevedibile,
però, la corsa da dietro si è infiammata e
per gli attaccanti non c'è stata speranza. Ora non
ci resta che provare ad attaccare sia venerdì che
sabato".
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Lance
Armstrong cerca di ricucire il distacco inflittogli
dai fratelli Schleck e Contador, nella
17a tappa del Tour de France ©Photo
Roberto Bettini
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I
fratelli Frank ed Andy Schleck, nelle
ultime fasi della 17a tappa del Tour de
France, assieme ad Alberto Contador
©Photo
Roberto Bettini
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Vincenzo
Nibali, oggi in sofferenza, perde posizioni su
Andy Schleck sulla classifica valida per la
maglia bianca; si difende riuscendo a riportarsi su
Armstrong ed insieme al campione texano, forma
un duetto fino al termine della tappa ©Photo
Roberto Bettini
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Quello
che al grande campione americano è mancato
per 4 anni, oggi a lui è tornato: il bagno
di folla sulle strade del Tour de France
©Photo
Roberto Bettini
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Frank
Schleck assieme al freatello Andy domina
e vince la 17a tappa del Tour de France.
Contador dall'alto della "sua gialla",
approva e lascia la tappa ha chi se l'è meritata.
©Photo
Roberto Bettini
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I
fratelli Frank ed Andy Schleck, vincono
sotto la custodia di "Re" Alberto
Contador la 17a tappa del Tour
de France ©Photo
Roberto Bettini
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"Vincenzino"
Nibali: per il giovane messinese della Liquigas-Doimo,
oggi la presenza di Armstrong, è stata
come uno "Zio Lance" ©Photo
Roberto Bettini
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