 News Letter
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‘In the (Time) Zone'
David Olle, France, +33 66 16 909 87
Tour de France, July 3 - 25, 2010, Report stage 14
Stage 14 Sunday, July 18 184 km Revel → Ax-3 Domaines
Results
1 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 4:52:42
2 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0:00:54
3 Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
General classification after stage 14
1 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 68:02:30
2 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 0:00:31
3 Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:02:31
General report
Ah, the Pyrenees, at last, it's cool and green. Schelck and Contador went toe to toe today, and the time gap remained the same. The next two mountain stages have valley finishes with Thursday's hilltop finish a grand finale and ultimate decider. 3 more stages here (and a rest day) in the Pyrenees to witness the Schelck - Contador face off that will decide the winner of this year's tour. Schleck will need to improve on his 31 second lead at some time, before next Saturday's Individual Time Trial, as it is unlikely he can keep close to Alberto over the long, flat 50k parcourse around Bordeaux.
Lance report: Lance Armstrong, among the first to fall off the back of the bunch, with 35km to go. Will he get ‘gifted' a stage win in the final week? Unlikely, due to the rivalries he has in the pro-peloton.
Skippy report: It's a tough year for the Aussies at Le Tour. Remember the GIRO!
Cuisine report: Duck, again, 3rd time at TdF, and there's still a week to go... Michelin rated restaurant here in the Pyrenees http://www.twitpic.com/26if7z http://www.twitpic.com/25ts4h Chateau de Camon.
Ride report: http://www.twitpic.com/26icif Karen Benoit (Gympie) Morning ride, just south of Revel, midi Pyrenees, France
Tomorrow: Stage 15 Monday, July 19 187 km Pamiers → Bagneres-de-Luchon
The second Pyrénéen stage mixes the old and the new with a course running between the new stage city of Pamiers and Bagnères-de-Luchon, which has hosted the Tour on 50 occasions. Two of the Originals from the 1910 Tour appear in the this stage: Col du Portet d'Aspet and Col des Ares. The Porte de Balès, first added to the Tour in 2007, rises to 1755 meters over 19.2 kilometers and provides the final climb of the day before the course drops precipitously to the finish in Bagnères-de-Luchon. (from steephill.tv)
For those in Australia, SBS shows a daily report on the Tour de France, along with many stages broadcast live, catch them if you can.
Not forgetting our own Topbike TV on digital channel 44, check your local guide for details.
The Bike Race:
This year's Tour starts in the Netherlands (making that 3 grand tour prologues in a row, for Holland) belts into Belgium, before following a clockwise trace around France, finishing, of course, on the Champs Elysee in Paris. July 3-25, 3,596 kilometres, more than enough for anyone.
The Writer:
David Olle's cycling reports are used by ABC radio's 774 DRIVE show in Melbourne, ABC radio
702 breakfast show in Sydney, ABC national overnights and 3RRR FM's Breakfasters. He chats regularly with all. He also created and produces the magazine style TV show ‘Topbike TV' which is seen throughout Australia and New Zealand on community televison. The reports are also published here, www.cyclesportnews.com, along with any photos.
These reports are independent, opinionated, Australian biased, and could miss a day here and there, along with containing the odd error and repeating the odd comment. We make no apology for this.
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David Olle
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