It’s time for the queen stage in Austria and this is where it’s at for the favourites. The riders will have to negotiate two enormous mountain passes before they head up the final ascent to Kitzbühler Horn.
Distinct similarity with the stage to La Tousouirre in the 2006 Tour de France.
The road rose right from the outset and quickly a group of 5 riders settled up front. A few other riders also attacked but they would trail the leaders up the first two categorized climbs.
Libert, Arreitunandia, George, Fertonani and Berard.
Meanwhile Carlsberg signalled their intend regarding Denis Menchov.
The pace up the first climb was so high that the pack was quickly cut to just over 80 riders, with race leader Francesco Chicchi long gone.
With 16 kilometres to the top Libert of Mapei has to let go of the lead group, but he is also the weakest climber in the group so it’s not really a surprise. The lead 4 has a big lead as they cross the summit with David George taking the 20 points and the virtual lead in the KoM competition.
The pack crosses about 7 minutes later but already now the stage turns very interesting. Pellizotti, Perez Sanchez, Brajkovic, Kohl, Pozzovivo and a few other riders attacks near the top, presumeable to take KoM points, but as they get a gap on the Carlsberg led pack they don’t stop to look back.
So a group of nine very strong riders forms. It contains Pellizotti, Ricco, Cobo, Pozzovivo, Perez Sanchez, Kohl, Brajkovic, Zubeldia and Öste-McDonald. Their lead keeps extending and in the valley before the third climb on the programme they catch the now six leaders (as Grau (Festina) and Rojas Villegas (Magenta)). They have more than 4 minutes on the pack in which Denis Menchov and Andy Schleck are looking to be today’s biggest losers.
The strong group is looking to have taken Carlsberg and Domina Vacanze completely by surprise.
The pack playing catch up with just 51 riders remaining.
But as we hit the third climb on the day the gap is coming down! It looks as though Domina and Carlsberg’s gamble is paying off. They have the man power needed to pull a trick like this too as both teams has gone all-in into this race lining up a very star-studded line-up of climbers.
With 15 kilometres to the third summit it is over for the 15 riders in front as we’re back to square one. An absolutely exquisite performance by the two strong teams back in the pack. It is now all lined up for Schleck and Menchov.
The junction is made – fantastic ride by Carlsberg and Domina Vacanze.
Shortly after Pardilla of Credit Lyonnais attacks with Erste’s Polish Champ Niemiec. After a few kilometres Nintendo – Honda’s Perez Fernandez bridge up. The stage has had it all so far and it can only get better. With 5 kilometres to the top the trio in front has build up a lead of 3 minutes. Are Carlsberg and Domina Vacanze still in control.
The gap remains static at three minutes over the summit, where Pellizotti sparks up the attacks with a lot of the other riders from the earlier break following him. Still no response from Schleck or Menchov. Pellizotti joins up with Perez Sanchez, Kohl and Ricco in the pursuit of the three leaders. On the fourth but small climb Kohl and Ricco don’t want to go with Pellizotti and Perez Sanchez anymore as they drop back.
Perez Sanchez and Pellizotti have been the animators of today’s stage.
A lot of riders attack from the pack over the fourth summit and they all join up in the final descent before the last climb to Kitzbühler Horn, including Pardilla, Niemiec and Perez Fernandez.
So 11 riders hit the foot of the Kitzbühler Horn 53 seconds ahead of the pack. They are Pellizotti, Perez Sanchez, Niemiec, Pardilla, Perez Fernandez, Pedraza, Marzano, Brajkovic, Zubeldia and Ricco and Kohl.
Pellizotti attacks again at the foot of the climb.
So does everybody else and when things settle down it is Brajkovic who has a slim lead over Zubeldia and Perez Sanchez with other following shortly after. But Brajkovic’ lead over the pack is no more than a minute. Carlsberg and Domina have kept their cool and they have set it up perfectly as Schleck and Menchov attacks with 14 kilometres from the finish.
Andy Schleck goes!
Schleck swept past everybody and into the lead, while Menchov only managed to join up with the riders up front as he formed a big group of 12 riders. Pardilla, Perez Fernandez and Niemiec have to let go early on as others join up with big group including the likes of Markus Fothen, J.J. Cobo, Abal, Pozzovivo and Nozal.
Andy Schleck keeps his lead static at around 20 seconds on the 12 chasers as he is trying to finish off his team’s formidable work and it looks like he is going to pull off a great solo win. No doubt he is great form after finishing 2nd to his brother in last month’s Tour de Suisse.
Andy Schleck heading towards the yellow jersey – can he hang on?
But Denis Menchov hasn’t given up yet as he puts in a final attack. He gets clear of the group but he can’t quite make the junction to Andy Schleck as we enter the final three kilometres. The Russian keeps going though and just before the final kilometre he has caught the Luxembourgian.
They increase their lead to 40 seconds and they will battle it out for the win after their respective teams have done an incredible job the whole stage.
Menchov opens the sprint and sweeps past Schleck – does Andy have anything left to answer with?
No! Denis Menchov takes the queen stage and the yellow jersey, and what a stage this was. Kohl takes 3rd as he wins the sprint in the group of the chasers. A great result for the Austrian who is eyeing his second consecutive podium in Int. Österreich Rundfahrt.
Today’s losers were Pellizotti and Zubeldia who had to let go of the chasing group near the top.
