World champion takes stage sixteen as Contador and Evans put pressure on the Schlecks
Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervélo) took his second stage of the 2011 Tour de France on a filthy, wet day between Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux and Gap. The World champion outsprinted his compatriot Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky), who finished two seconds ahead of Hushovd’s teammate Ryder Hesjedal, with the three riders having escaped the rest of a ten-man breakaway on the climb of the Col de Manse.
“At the start of the last climb, Ryder Hesjedal was riding for me at the bottom just to keep a steady pace and I felt that he was going very strongly so I told him to just go,” said Hushovd at the finish. “He went alone and it was looking good for him for a while and then, at some point, Edvald Boasson Hagen attacked when I was on his wheel and, in the end, he chase Ryder down.
“I was sitting there to control him and I feel a little sorry for Edvald...” he added. “He did not have an easy job in the end with two Garmin-Cervélo guys in the front.”
The big story of the day though was the persistent attacking of defending champion Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-SunGard), who pulled Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) and Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) clear over the top. The three of them rode to the finish together and, although they crossed the line more than four minutes behind Hushovd, they took valuable seconds out of theier rivals in the overall classification.
A transitional stage with a sting in the tail
The 162.5km between Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux and Gap was billed as a transitional stage, with the race passing between the Pyrénées and the Alps, and was expected to go to a breakaway. Although the parcours would rise gradually all day, there was only one categorised climb, in the shape of he 2nd category Col de Manse, with 11.5km to go.
The final descent from the top of the Manse to the finish was the scene of Joseba Beloki’s near career-ending crash in 2003, and Lance Armstrong’s subsequent spectacular off-road excursion. The race descended this way in the 2010 race though, without incident.
Pouring rain on the morning of the stage could make the descent more dangerous though, and there were rumours that race organiser ASO might shorten the course, avoiding the climb and descent altogether.
While, barring accident, there should be little or no threat to the yellow jersey of Thomas Voeckler (Europcar); the Col de Manse could provide a springboard for a rider like Belgian champion Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) though, who might well attack for another stage win and more points in the green jersey competition.
Everybody wants to be in the breakaway so it takes 100km to get away
After heavy rain in the morning, the sixteenth stage began in sunshine, a strong tailwind pushed the peloton along at speeds of around 55kph in the early kilometres though, making it tough for any of the many attempted breakaways to establish themselves.
This was the pattern for the next few kilometres as attacks from several different riders, including FDJ’s Gianni Meersman, were thwarted until, after 73km, Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM) got away on his own. The aggressive Dutchman managed to get a few seconds clear, only to attack again, but was passed by Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervélo) with Westra’s teammate Johnny Hoogerland, Jérémy Roy (FDJ) and Jerome Coppel (Saur-Sojasun).
Several more riders managed to pull themselves across to the group and, as they entered the feedzone in Veynes, after 81km, the 14-man group held a slender advantage over the still-speeding peloton.
After 90km the heavy rain, which had fallen on the course in the morning, returned. The speed of the peloton would still not allow the group to establish itself and, as more riders joined, others were dropped, and the names in the lead group were changing constantly.
Some of the riders to get into the moves were Nicolas Roche (AG2R La Mondiale), World champion Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervélo) and José Joaquín Rojas (Movistar). Finally though, after the peloton had covered just over 100km, the move of the day was established.
At last a group gets clear and the peloton relaxes
The final composition of the break was: Roy (FDJ), Hushovd and Hesjedal (both Garmin-Cervélo), Alan Perez (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky), Dries Devenyns (Quick Step), Tony Martin (HTC-Highroad), Mikhail Ignatiev (Katusha) and Marco Marcato (Vacansoleil-DCM).
At the 60km to go point they had 35 seconds as a five-man counter attack tried to get across, made up of Bauke Mollema (Rabobank), Francisco Ventoso (Movistar), Marcus Burghardt (BMC Racing), Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis) and Fabrice Jeandesboz (Saur-Sojasun). It was chased down after a few kilometres, but Mollema, Dumoulin and Jeandesboz persisted in their chase.
With 57km to go the ten-man group’s lead was over a minute, and at 55km it had grown to 1’30”.
With Rojas no longer in the break, and with Martin up there to mark it, HTC-Highroad had no need to chase it down and the speed of the peloton relaxed considerably. Just a kilometre later it had stretched out to over two minutes as many riders took ‘natural breaks’ and went back to consult their team cars.
“We wanted a big group to go in the escape and that actually helped us,” aid Cavendish afterwards. “I didn’t have to sprint for maximum points at the intermediate and, anyway, the break went and stayed away.
“We’ll keep on trying to keep the green jersey,” he added.
Europcar took its station on the front of the peloton but, with Hesjedal the best placed in the break, 25’18” behind Voeckler, the green team settled down to a relaxed pace. So much so that, with 50km to go the group led by 4’30”, which had risen to five minutes in the next two kilometres; the three counterattackers were two minutes behind them.
As they arrived at the intermediate sprint in Veynes, with 45km to go, Devenyns rolled over the line after a long turn on the front of the group; Dumoulin led the three chasers over 2’10” behind them.
Thirteen riders had already passed through the sprint, leaving just two and one points for the next men across. Cavendish and Rojas were positioned near the front though, in case the other should try something, but neither made any attempt to take it and the peloton rolled over some six minutes down.
The gap stabilised with AG2R La Mondiale setting the tempo and, as the leaders descended into Gap to start the finishing loop (although they were not actually to cross the finish line) with 25km to go, the gap was 6’20”. Mollema, Dumoulin and Jeandesboz were finally absorbed by the peloton with their attempt to join the front of the race over.
The Mande approaches and the attacks begin again
Ignatiev jumped off the front of the group as it entered the city to try to escape before they hit the climb. Hushovd was having none of it though, and pulled the Russian back, but as the climb began he jumped clear again. With 20km to go he had a 15 second lead, so Devenyns set off in pursuit. The Belgian almost managed to join him with 18km to go, but dropped back to the others, who were led by Hesjedal.
BMC Racing took over the front of the peloton, with Leopard Trek just behind them and, with the pace rising in the wet conditions, the non-climbers sat up and formed their ‘autobus’ as soon as the climb began.
Hesjedal was steadily dragging the chasers up to Ignatiev, although Grivko had been dropped, but then jumped across to the Russian and caught him with 16km to go.
With 15km to go Boasson Hagen jumped away from the group himself, but the Norwegian had compatriot Hushovd locked onto his back wheel. Since Hesjedal was Hushovd’s teammate, the World champion contributed nothing to the chase, but the two of them gradually reeled in the Canadian rider.
Suddenly, the steady BMC Racing led pace of the peloton was shatter as Contador launched an attack. The defending champion had apparently come out of the rest day with his knee much improved and, since he always rides well in wet conditions, he had decided that this was his day.
Unlike virtually any of the attacks in the Pyrénées from Contador’s rivals, the Spaniard kept the pressure on, and it too a sustained chase from World time trial champion Fabian Cancellara (Leopard Trek) to pull him back. Evans was lurking on Cancellara’s wheel, with Fränk and Andy Schleck on his.
Attacks all over the race as the Schlecks look to be in trouble
Voeckler managed to scramble across to the Contador led group in front, followed by Sanchez, while up ahead Hesjedal dropped Ignatiev and went alone. Andy Schleck went on a brief attack, which opened up the gap that the Contador group had over the rest of the peloton, which still contained Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) but Tom Danielson (Garmin-Cervélo) pulled it back.
Daniel Navarro (Saxo Bank-SunGard) increased the pace, stringing it out behind him, with the increased activity from the race favourites cutting the break’s advantage to 5’15” with 13km to go.
Arnold Jeannesson (FDJ) was the next to go, and was chased by Danielson, but Contador and Voeckler went again, and passed them as Andy Schleck joined the back of their group. Evans pulled the rest across as the gap fell below five minutes, but there was no stopping the leaders as Hesjedal rode over the top of the col alone; Boasson Hagen and Hushovd followed 17 seconds behind him.
Suddenly Andy Schleck appeared to have cracked as Contador attacked again; Evans was the only one who could go with him, but Sanchez managed to quickly chase up to them, and the three riders had a definite gap over the rest of the thinning peloton.
On the descent the two Norwegians steadily drew Hesjedal back, although Hushovd was doing nothing to help, and they caught him with 9.5km to go.
Contador attacked again, but Evans was right on him; the gap over the rest was now approaching twenty seconds as Fränk Schleck pulled the group.
The descent piles further pressure on Andy Schleck
Contador, Evans and Sanchez passed over the top 4’43” behind the leaders, with the Fränk Schleck led chasers at 5’01”. For once Voeckler seemed to be isolated with no Europcar teammates up with him. With 6km to go Hesjedal attacked but Boasson Hagen was straight onto his wheel. Tony Martin was the best of the rest of the breakaway group, chasing 34 seconds back.
On the wet descent the relative descending confidence was showing, with Andy Schleck looking very unsure of himself at the back of the group.
The three leaders were all together again as they passed ‘Beloki Corner’ and took it, and the following hairpin, without any problem at all.
Voeckler, showing his own downhill confidence again, was leading the group as Schleck was dropped on the wet tarmac. Jeannesson crashed on a bend but brought no one else down and was up straight away and rejoined the group.
Evans was beginning to put pressure on the two Spanish riders and began to pull away as he flew into the final 5km.
The God of Thunder wins the Battle of Norway
As they entered the final kilometre, the three leaders began to look at one another, with the two Garmin-Cervélo riders obviously concerned about the sprinting prowess of the one Sky rider. Hesjedal put in a small acceleration, but Boasson Hagen was onto his wheel immediately and the Canadian slowed again.
Suddenly Hushovd opened up his own sprint, taking the younger Norwegian by surprise and the World champion took a relatively easy victory. Boasson Hagen reacted and opened up his own sprint, but it was too late and he was unable to get on terms with Hushovd.
Hesjedal was already celebrating his teammate’s victory and crossed the line two seconds behind them. Martin rolled over 38 seconds back, followed by Ignatiev and the remaining breakaways.
Evans, Contador and Sanchez taking time out of everybody
Evans was now on his own as he hit the bottom of the descent and was time trialling to the finish, just ahead of Contador and Sanchez. The Voeckler group, which also contained Fränk Schleck, had managed to more or less maintain the gap on the way down and was also in hot pursuit of the Austrailan.
Behind them though, Basso was with a small group, and Andy Schleck was being paced by Leopard Trek teammate Maxime Monfort even further back.
Evans kept the power on all the way to the finish but Contador and Sanchez were working together ad gaining. He crossed the line 4’23” behind Hushovd, with the two Spanish riders coming in three seconds behind him.
Rojas and Gilbert, who’d managed to stay with the yellow jersey group, sprinted for the remains of the points 4’44” back, with Basso coming in at 5’17”, and Andy Schleck at 5’32”.
“We didn’t expect the attacks from Alberto but in the Tour, especially when the last stages are being contested, you have to be very careful,” said Voeckler. “That’s the sport; sometimes you expect things to happen and they don’t, sometimes you think that nothing is going to happen and there are many gaps between the various riders.”
Evans now moves up to second place, 1’45” behind Voeckler, with Contador rising to fifth, 3’42” back; Andy Schleck remains in fourth place, but is now 3’03” behind.
Result stage 16
1. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Garmin-Cervélo
2. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky
3. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Cervélo @ 2s
4. Tony Martin (Ger) HTC-Highroad @ 38s
5. Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Katusha @ 52s
6. Alan Perez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi @ 1’25”
7. Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ
8. Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM @ 1’55”
9. Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step
10. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana @ 1’58”
Standings after stage 16
1. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Europcar
2. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team @ 1’45”
3. Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek @ 1’49”
4. Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek @ 3’03”
5. Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi @ 3’26”