Pyrenees Pugilism (Or An Old Fashioned Mountain Top Slug Fest)

By Ashton | Permalink |

2 comments | July 22nd, 2007 | Trackback

That’s what we had today in Stage 14 and probably what we have to look forward to over the next three days.

Alberto Contador (this writer’s new favorite rider and one certainly worthy of Jessica’s affections!) again showed that he and Soler might be the only two riders capable of accelerating up these steep mountains with Michael Rasmussen. In a post-stage interview, Rasmussen indicated he was trying to hold his team (or was that Discovery?) back. Perhaps there is a hope that Levi Leipheimer’s plan to wear down Rasmussen in the Pyrenees will work. Levi is a plodder and Rasmussen is an accelerator and a streaker.

But now Rasmussen has a real problem. Both Contador and Soler have proved they can climb these mountains with him. Rasmussen’s Polka Dot Jersey is in serious jeopardy. Soler is down only two points and Popyvich only 38. As I speculated a few days ago, Rasmussen probably will be forced to decide which Jersey to pursue.

How can he abandon his pursuit of the Yellow Jersey? Unless he is feeling some weakness he has yet to demonstrate, I see no way that Rasmussen could not believe that he can and will wear yellow on the final stage. I had expected Contador or Popo to contend for the Polka Dot. Now it looks like Soler will take it. The real question seems to be whether Rasmussen will win the whole race.

Discovery and Astana are in another slug fest to see who can win Best Team. I don’t think the remaining time trial will knock out either team, so they might continue to duke that out until Paris.

Boonen’s Green Jersey is the only one that seems secure at this point. Absent a real crack, Contador should wear the white on the final podium.

Vino evidently decided yesterday that he needed to win a stage because he could not win the race. At 34 minutes down, even he will be forced to concede that he is out of the running. But if he throws himself into supporting Kloeden, who is 4:38 down, there is an outside chance he could win the Yellow Jersey and Astana could win the Team Classification.

After 15 days of racing we still do not know who will win this race. We know a few people who will not. We seem to be having Le Tour of Le Also Rans, because I don’t think any of the original GC contenders is going to win this race.

As Sarge noted a few days ago, this is perhaps the most exciting Tour de France we have enjoyed in many years. Thank you, Versus and HD video recorders.