Thank you Oma, 'preciate it, 'preciate it.
At the start of yesterday's stage (stage 15) just 18 seconds seperated the first 3 riders, after 60 plus hours of racing. Lance Armstrong, Jan Ullrich at 15 secs and Alexandra Vinokourov a further 3 secs back. That was about to change!
This was a tough day with some BIG climbs finishing on Luz-Ardiden, a long hard up hill finish, 99.5 miles from the start. Jan Ullrich attacked on the first climb of the day Armstrong was equal to it and the main contenders stayed together. The place to make the BIG move is on the final climb. If you get away on the first climb, you will be caught on the descent, time and energy wasted. A couple of lesser riders broke away and stayed out front for most of the day. All eyes were on the main 3.
On the final climb the action really started. This is an 11 mile drag climbing about 5700 feet. Iban Mayo attacked and Lance responded and brought him back, Armstrong himself attacked, very hard, this was make or break. Ullrich was unable to respond and it looked good for Armstrong. Then disaster struck. On these big climbs the road is lined with spectators waving flags and shirts as the riders pass, as Lance was rounding a right curve he was a little too close to the crowd and the shoulder strap of a spectators bag hooked his handle bar bringing Lance down, Mayo, who was on his wheel, hit Lance and came down himself. Ullrich, who was some little distance back, managed to avoid them. Armstrong got up, but his chain was off, he took a few seconds to re attach it and took off after the leaders. He had a team mate with him who could pace him back to the bunch. Whilst pulling hard on the pedals to get back to the leaders, Armstrong pulled his right foot out of his pedal, crotch and crossbar met, (ouch) and Lance was lucky not to hit the deck again. He regained his composure and balance and got on with it.
We have to give great credit to Jan Ullrich, he could have just tanked away and may well have won the stage by some margin and possibly the race itself. But no, he waited for Armstrong to re-join and continued where they had left off. This was the last big climb, Armstrong attacked again, this time nobody could stay with him and he motored away. Ahead of him was a rider, Sylvain Chavanel, who had been off the front all day and would have won the stage. Normally the big boys would let him win, he was no danger to them and this would be a big day in his cycling life. Sadly it was not to be. Armstrong needed every second he could get, plus the 20 second win bonus. He caught and dropped Chavanel, giving him a conciliatory pat on the back as he went past.
Lance won the stage by 40 seconds gaining the 20 seconds bonus on the way, Ullrich was 3rd he picked up 8 seconds bonus. After all the mathmatics was done Lance Armstrong now leads the event by 1 min 7 seconds from Ullrich, Vinokourov is out of contention some 2 mins 45 seconds behind Lance.
This was Armstrongs 16th stage win in all his Tours de France, and an important one.
Today is a rest day. One more day in the Pyrenees, over a couple of stiff climbs with a long flattish run to the finish. Lance should come out of that with his lead intact. Then it is all down to the time trial on Saturday, I can't wait
