Today marks a pivotal point in the Tour de France as the race encounters its first mountain stage. The race favourites will have three ascents where vigilance will be needed, as attacks are likely to happen.
Defending champion Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-SunGard) has suffered knee problems due to earlier crashed in the race but is now confident he has recovered fully.
After yesterday’s mostly flat stage won by Mark Cavendish (HTC-HighRoad), the Spaniard said he was feeling hopeful. “My knee is responding well so I'm obviously very happy but keep in mind that today [yesterday], I didn't climb the Tourmalet. I have to see how it responds and on that basis I will take a decision how to do the race on the last climb tomorrow.”
The first climb of the day will be La Hourquette d’Ancizan, a climb that ascends up to 1538 meters. Next they’ll tackle the Col du Tourmalet before finishing with the climb to Luz-Ardiden.
“[Today] will be a tough day, hard and the first day of the Tour where the favorites can no longer hide and have to show their form in the high mountains,” he continued. “I'm looking forward to seeing how my legs respond.
“At Luz Ardiden, I think that everyone will be waiting. Someone has to open the race, especially the Schleck brothers, but until we see how the stage develops we cannot really say anything. Also the weather will have a great influence.”
Contador has thus far lost time to most of the favourites due to a crash on the first stage. He believes the Schleck brothers (Leopard Trek) will have to attack Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) as the Australian is currently three seconds ahead of Frank and a further eleven seconds ahead of younger brother Andy. He is likely to gain time on them in the individual time trial on the penultimate day.
There’s been a lot of interest in and criticism of Contador’s team thus far, with many questioning their depths in the squad and their ability to help their leader win his fourth Tour de France.
Contador’s Australian helper Richie Porte showed full confidence in their team, though. “Everyone's really excited about [today’s] stage, which I think will be crucial to the outcome of the overall GC in Paris. My job is to keep Alberto safe on the penultimate climb and despite knowing how much pain I'll be in, I'm looking forward to getting the job done.
“Chris (Anker Sørensen), Daniel (Navarro) and Jesus (Hernandez) are all ready to take on the climb to Luz Ardiden and I know they can't wait to enter their kind of terrain.”