Tomorrow we head into the Pyrenees and get into some real mountains. It’s not what I’d call a gentle introduction either. Three cols (two of them HORS) and over 3600m of climbing with the finish in Luz-Ardiden. If you recall, the last time the TdF went up Luz-Ardiden Lance Armstrong crashed after catching a spectator’s musette and came back to smash the field. The finale tomorrow is a 13.3km @ 7.4% climb after 195kms of racing. It’s going to be epic!
I have my doubts that the GC contenders will show all their cards tomorrow, but Contador will need to make up some time and he can’t wait until the 3rd week. There are two more big mountain stages after this one, so it’s gonna be some late nights and unproductive days at the office this week!
I’m gonna keep this short today as I need to get some sleep. I’ll be climbing these same roads tomorrow and I can’t tell you how pumped I am to see this mountain top finish!
Bonne nuit…
Oz Cycling
courtesy of OzCycling.com.au
Photos
courtesy of Veeral Patel, Sirotti and myself
Stage 11 Profile
- Veeral has quite the rapport with the Euskatel guys since their press officer, Jesus, is his twin brother
- Obligatory sunflower photo
- Another picture perfect leadout by Renshaw to get Cav to the line
- Cavendish now leading the points competition
Stage 11 Results
1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) HTC-Highroad 3:46:07
2 André Greipel (Ger) Omega Pharma-Lotto
3 Tyler Farrar (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
4 Denis Galimzyanov (Rus) Katusha Team
5 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling
6 Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
7 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team
8 Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Team Europcar
9 Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) Movistar Team
10 William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ
…
18 Mark Renshaw (Aus) HTC-Highroad
50 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team
77 Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Leopard Trek
90 Richie Porte (Aus) Saxo Bank Sungard
105 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Procycling
145 Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) HTC-Highroad 0:05:03
General Classification after Stage 11
1 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 45:52:39
2 Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:01:49
3 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:02:26
4 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:02:29
5 Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:02:37
6 Tony Martin (Ger) HTC-Highroad 0:02:38
7 Peter Velits (Svk) HTC-Highroad
8 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team RadioShack 0:02:43
9 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 0:02:55
10 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Leopard Trek 0:03:08
…
69 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Procycling 0:25:59
81 Richie Porte (Aus) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:30:54
100 Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Leopard Trek 0:39:03
117 Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) HTC-Highroad 0:47:47
161 Mark Renshaw (Aus) HTC-Highroad
Stage 12 Preview