SRAM RED LTE equipped Andy Schleck Takes Stage Win, SRAM RED LTE equipped Alberto Contador Sews Up Tour Maillot Jaune

2010 Tour de France Thursday 22 July
Stage 17: Pau Col du Tourmalet 174km

On the fog shrouded summit of the Col du Tourmalet, SRAM RED LTE equipped Andy Schleck took his second stage win of the 2010 Tour de France, but the lanky Saxo Bank rider couldn’t crack Maillot Jaune Alberto Contador, who finished second on the day. Schleck said post-stage “I’m satisfied with the stage win but I also wanted to turn white into yellow but unfortunately it wasn’t possible. I really tried hard, you have to believe me about that. I changed rhythm and I tried everything but I think we’re on the same level on the climbs. Alberto attacked and I could go with him – it was a quick response – but in the end he didn’t sprint to win the stage because I did the most work. I have a lot of respect for that, it shows that he’s a great champion.

“I tried to find out how he was feeling. You need to look at someone to see how he was coping. I think you can find out a lot if you look someone in the eyes. He didn’t have the sunglasses on today so it was possible to see, that’s why I looked so many times. But he always looked good and that’s kind of what killed me.

“El Pistolero is strong, huh? I could not drop him. He was always there. I wanted to find out if he was getting weak but he didn’t succumb. He even attacked me to show, ‘Hey, listen young boy, I’m still here! You better stop playing these games with me.’

“I’m super happy to win this stage today – it’s the Queen stage of this year’s Tour. To win on the Tourmalet is like a win on Alpe d’Huez. “When I turned to talk to him, I said: ‘You pass?’ And he didn’t. I would have done the same. Why should he pass me? In the end, he let me win the stage and I’m super happy.”

Happy to have the mountains over with and his third Tour de France win in sight, Astana’s SRAM RED LTE equipped Alberto Contador explained on the Tourmalet “It was very difficult today. Andy was really strong. I knew if I could stay with him, I could get through the day. The truth is I had good legs,” he said.

“It was important to defend the jersey today. I attacked him once, but I could see he was strong. Everyone always asks if the Tour is over. It’s never over until Paris.”

172 riders started the 17 stage of the 2010 Tour de France on wet roads after overnight rains had dumped on Pau and the Pyrenees-Atlantic area. There were four climbs on the menu, the Cat.4 Cote de Renoir the Cat.1 Col de Marie-Blanque and Col du Soulor with the final ascent up the western side of ‘Beyond Category’ Col du Tourmalet. On the wet, twisty roads ourside of Pau, a group of 7 riders got away, then SRAM RED equipped Konovalovas (Cervelo) launched a counter-attack, a set-up move for his teammate Sastre (CTT) ignored the request and set off in pursuit of his SRAM RED equipped team-mate, 2008 Tour winner Carlos Sastre. After 30km the Cervelo counter-attack was 3’10” behind the break with the Astana-led peloton at 5’10”. Sanchez returned to the peloton at 32km.

At 40km, Konovalovas sat up and at the foot of the Marie-Blanque, the break led Sastre by 3’45” and the peloton by 9’15”, but at the top Sastre was 1’20” behind and the peloton was at 7’50”. That was the closest the Cervlo captain got to the break and at the top of the next climb, the Col de Soulor, the gaps were Sastre at 2’55” and the peloton by 4’25”, with Astana and Omega Pharma-Lotto leading the chase. Eventually, Sastre’s bid for glory was ended when he was caught by the peloton after 140km.

As the fog and mist shrouded Col du Tourmalet approached, Rabobank, Saxo Bank and Astana were on the front and as the 18.6km climb began the break had less than 3’ lead. Schleck then attacked the group 10.5km from the summit and only Maillot Jaune Contador could respond. The two rode side by side as they distanced their rivals but neither rider could gain an advantage.

Schleck edged Contador for the stage win, his second of the 2010 Tour de France while the Astana rider strengthened his grip on the Tour lead with just three stages to race.

2010 Tour de France Fri 23 July
Stage 18: Salies-de-Béarn Bordeaux 198km
This is a dead flat sprinters stage that finishes in Bordeaux
With two intermediate sprints, after 29.5km in Castelnau and Hostens after 47.5km in Hostens, Stage 18 traverses the pan-flat piney woods of the Landes for the traditional finish in the red wine lovers city, the capital of the Aquitaine Region and Prefecture of Gironde, Bordeaux. Look for a Friday battle royale between SRAM RED Equipped Maillot Vert Thor Hushovd (Cervelo) and Alessandro Petacchi.

Stage Seventeen Results
1. Andy Schleck (Lux) Saxo Bank 5h03’29”
2. Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana @ same time
8. Chris Horner (USA) Radioshack @ 1’45”
12. Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale @ 3’26”
13. Andreas Klöden (Ger) Radioshack @ 3’30”
14. John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:03:35
17. Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack 0:04:12

2010 Tour de France General Classification
1. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 83h32’29” (SRAM RED/ZIPP)
2. Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank @ :08” (SRAM RED/ZIPP)
10. Chris Horner (USA) Team Radioshack @ 10’37”
13. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack @ 14’24” (SRAM RED)

14. Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack @ 14’44” (SRAM RED)
15. Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale @ 16’00” (SRAM RED)
16. Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana @ 17’57” (SRAM RED/ZIPP)
17. John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale @ 17’59” (SRAM RED)
21. Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervelo Test Team @ 25’50” (SRAM RED)