Beneath the Giro, that finished decently on our side despite other predictions especially from Spanish media, several other races were on the schedule for us. Of course, the stunning upset of the favourites by Amador caught the lights, but our non-Giro squads had some really interesting Europe Tour races, with three goals:
1. Showing our jerseys, especially in Spain
2. Building up form for Le Tour
3. Giving our secondary riders the chances to ride for themselves
Let's see how we did:
Vuelta Ciclista Comunidad de Madrid: Both stages ended up in hilly sprints, and we have one man on the team this is absolutely made for: JJ Lobato. Movistar though had different ideas on the winner, so Jesus Herrada won what was a battle of 5 punchy sprinters in him, JJ, Barbero (Caja Rural), colombian Molano, and the Russian Shilov. Lobato could win the very first stage for us, but on the second the gap to Herrada was too big to keep his overall lead, he finished 4th and thus 2nd GC behind the Spaniard.
Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan: Similarly to "La Somme" we brought our sprinting line-up here, containing the train of Garcia, Aberasturi & Lobato. They did a good job to settle of Lobato at the final hill, but on the finish it turned out to be slightly too hard. Vuillermoz was the strongest, ahead of Calmejane, Turgis and Vichot. Our sprinter had to take P8, which was less than he hoped for. But chances for a possible revenge were just the day after, at...
Boucles de l'Aulne - Chateaulin: This time, on a pretty similar but slightly easier course, our sprinting train worked out perfectly. Aberasturi hit the ramp to the finishing line first, with a great turn of speed. When he faded, with 150m to go, JJ took over to finish it off. And he did so, just beating Vichot and Vantomme on the line. Great teamwork!
Altitude Camp: Our team went some new routes, preparing our two captains for the Tour. A small delegation of ours went to the Colombian heights, to prepare their climbing legs for the next upcoming tasks. It's one month left before Le Tour, and we want to go big there!
Xavier Lopez, ex-pro cyclist and funder of bike basque, today had in interview with Euskaltel Teams main hope for this years Tour de France: Mikel Nieve. The experienced Grand Tour specialist, Stage winner of Giro and Vuelta as well as Top15 finisher in all 3 Grand Tours, will lead the team together with Samuel Sanchez.
Xavier Lopez: Welcome Mikel to our blog. Your bigger results until last week have taken place at the Ardennes and of course, the big stage win in the Pais Vasco. Can you describe your impression of the season so far?
Mikel Nieve: I am, indeed, satisfied with the season so far. Our first main goal was the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, where we really had a strong team. My race started with some really bad luck, but coming back with a stage win was one of my happiest moments.
Ardennes also have been a good experience, though I was quite exhausted from the Pais Vasco. Same went for Samu, so that we haven't had the fresh legs for going for the win, but finishing in the Top 20 was okay. Still something that could well be improved in the future.
Xavier Lopez: Talking about the future we have ta ask about the Dauphine. The race was okay, but fans here thought that you didn't look in the perfect shape. How do you judge the race?
Mikel Nieve: We had a decent start of the race, going through the first stages without loosing too much time. From stage 5 on it was a climbers race, and especially the colombians made it really hard. After finishing inside the Top10 on stage 5, we went on a hard attack on stage 6, going over the Klausenpass at the front with Gorka, Weening and Keldermann. The flat part was too long however, and we lost too much energy. From that I suffered the next days on, so that I couldn't keep up with the very best. This meant 13th overall, but especially stage 6 showed me that there is something building up in my legs.
Xavier Lopez:What do you take from this race now. How will your further preperation look like?
Mikel Nieve: There will be another altitude camp, this time in the Sierra Nevada. There we'll train, with a short break for the National Championships, for being in the best possible shape at Le Tour.
Xavier Lopez:So what are your goals for Le Tour?
Mikel Nieve: We want to finish in the Top 10, if possible a Top 5. Then there is a stage win, which we'd like to get either. We want to show some offensive riding, especially when we approach the high mountains.
Xavier Lopez:Do you think that riding with Samuel Sanchez will lower your chances for achieving your goals in France?
Mikel Nieve: No, of course not. First of all it is not my goals, but the team goals. Then Samu is a great personality, and in the same manner he is a great leader. We will work together, and every rider will get his chances. Not only Samu, but also the others in our team will get their chances. We have a great squad, that focusses on attacking at any stage. Samu knows how to treat his teammates, and I do to. We'll ride as a union, as an orange armada. As the Pais Vasco.
Xavier Lopez:I want to thank you for your time, good luck in France.
Mikel Nieve: Thank you too, we won't disappoint the hope you set into us.
Think Nieve/Sanchez could be a great duo to lead in the Tour and turn this season around for Euskaltel
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
First steps towards better times 9th of July, 2016, Bagnères-de-Luchon
After finishing the Tour de Suisse in 6th overall, Samuel Sanchez leads Euskaltel Team together with Mikel Nieve at the Tour de France. In the first week of the Tour de France both basque hopes shared their captain role, carrying the hopes of a cycling nation on their shoulders.
Tour de France
2.-24.7.
Samuel Sanchez
Leader
Mikel Nieve
Leader
Haimar Zubeldia
Lieutenant
David Lopez
Domestique
Markel Irizar
Domestique
Egoitz Garcia
Domestique
Victor de la Parte
Domestique
Jonathan Lastra
Domestique
Romain Sicard
Domestique
Le Tour's warriors faced a rougher start to the race than they do most of the times in France. While in Saint Marie du Mont, Angers and Limoges it was the sprinters turn, the first interesting stage for our team was the one to Cherbourg.
On the hilly stage the team managed to keep the captains save, which both were up in the positioning game for the final uphill sprint. Nieve finished lower down the ladder but within the time, for Sanchez it was different. Samu went flying up the sprint, coming in 6th on Peter Sagans win.
After Irizar was on the move on stage 3 already, Ricardo Garcia contested in the winning breakaway on stage 5 and thus played a major role.
However, he couldn't hold on to winner and new yellow jersey Thomas de Gendt, who took it over from Sagan here - being the 3rd leader after the later and Andre Greipel (winner of stage 1). Instead he got caught with 2 kilometers out from the bunch sprinting for second in Le Lioran. Euskaltel had most numbers in that group, with Sanchez, Nieve, Zubeldia & Lopez there. Samu again was one of the best, sprinting this time to 7th place.
Taking a day of on the sprinters festival in Montauban, where Mark Cavendish took another famous victory, the team faced action again on the roads to Lac de Payolle.
Sadly our basque team missed the winning breakaway sending Greg van Avermaet with a stage win into the yellow jersey, but they let it fly otherwise. Vincenzo Nibali attacked on the final downhill kilometers, and Samuel Sanchez was the first and only to follow him. It wasn't much, but the pair of those gained 4 seconds on the big favourites of Team Sky and also Nairo Quintana of Movistar.
Today's stage went from Pau to Bagnères-de-Luchon, leaving some well known terrain for the Euskaltel riders.
A lot of Basque fans on the side of the Peyresourde, where Mikel Nieve rode an offensive race. His moves were chased down by Wout Poels though. Contrary, it was Samuel Sanchez move over the top which Poels couldn't immediately cover. And once he was gone he stays gone. Astana and Sky joined forces to chase him, but all the way down they only saw the back of Samu, who rode for a big win on almost home soil. What a race for the team and the orange crowd on the road.
Samuel Sanchez seemed to be better than ever in shape for a Grand Tour, leading over the bunch of favourites by 16 seconds!
GC after stage 8:
1.
Thomas de Gendt
Lotto Soundal
2.
Samuel Sanchez
Euskaltel Team
+ 2:27
3.
Romain Bardet
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 2:34
4.
Vincenzo Nibali
Astana
+ 2:36
5.
Alejandro Valverde
Movistar
+ 2:36
6.
Christopher Froome
Team Sky
+ 2:40
7.
Thibaut Pinot
FDJ
+ 2:40
8.
Wout Poels
Team Sky
+ 2:40
9.
Mikel Nieve
Euskaltel Team
+ 2:40
10.
Joaquin Rodriguez
Katusha
+ 2:40
same time: D.Martin, Aru, Mollema, Kelderman, Zubeldia, Kreuziger, Quintana, van den Broeck, Porte, Contador, Thomas
Mikel Nieve also seems to be very strong, and the supporting cast with Zubeldia and Lopez rode very consistent so far. Euskaltel Team looks like an exciting team to cheer for this tour.
The GC fight sharpenes 15th of July, 2016, Le Caverne de Pont d'Arc
Samuel Sanchez and Mikel Nieve lead the Euskaltel Team at the 2016 Tour de France. While Nieve rode a solid first week, Samuel Sanchez impressed with some forceful attacks on the chances, riding to stage success in orange. Now the second week starts, and it will be observed whether the basque squad can keep their success up.
Tour de France
2.-24.7.
Samuel Sanchez
Leader
Mikel Nieve
Leader
Haimar Zubeldia
Lieutenant
David Lopez
Domestique
Markel Irizar
Domestique
Egoitz Garcia
Domestique
Victor de la Parte
Domestique
Jonathan Lastra
Domestique
Romain Sicard
Domestique
The 9th stage finished on the first bigger mountain top finish, taking place in Andorra Arcalis.
Thomas de Gendt, still in the leaders jersey, suffered on the climb to Andorra. Sky's best helpers in Poels and Thomas rode a tremendous pace, that only the best could keep up with. Tinkoff (Contador, Kreuziger), Movistar (Valverde, Quintana) and Euskaltel (Sanchez, Nieve) were the only teams to keep up with two riders until 3 kilometers to go, while Sanchez came close to virtual yellow. 2 kilometers to the top the race blew apart, finding Valverde in the perfect position to attack. Froome did not immediately respond, staying with Quintana who let his teammate go. Contador though jumping behind, and Rodriguez and Samuel Sanchez weren't far away either.
The quartet was offered a little bit of space to play on the punchy climb, and neither Porte nor Nibali or Froome chased full gas. At the end it was Valverde against Rodriguez in the final sprint, being the strongest of the quartet and reaching out for glory. Joaquim Rodriguez this time had slightly more in the legs, riding into the yellow jersey on time with Valverde. Samuel Sanchez and Contador just came in in front of the thinned out peloton led by Daniel Martin and including Porte, Froome, and many other contendors like Nieve.
After the rest day then 2 transitional stages awaited the pack: Too hilly for the pure sprinters, too easy for major timegaps. Instead, perfect for the initial Euskaltel tactics: The breakaways.
On stage 10 to breakaway mekka Revel it was young rider Lastra managed to join the group. He did a great job, but at the end the likes of Boasson Hagen, Sagan and Dumoulin were just one class above him. Still he did a good job to finish 30th.
Stage 11 saw us in a better situation. Irizar and Garcia could take part in the large group getting away, not overly chased down by the sprinters as most had a flat man out. In the crosswind Maciej Bodnar proved to be the strongest of all, again with Boasson Hagen second and Terpstra third. While Garcia missed out on the Top 20 in 22nd, Irizar could finish 9th on the engine finish. In the peloton Sky tried to ride the winds several times, but Movistar managed to mar them out pretty well. The only looser was Aru, while Sanchez and Nieve managed to hang on with the help of de la Partre quite comfortabily.
And then Mont Ventoux came. The mythique climb should be the highlight of the second week, and Rodriquez on his last Tour was expected to struggle to keep yellow.
He was isolated pretty early, when Sky again took over still with Henao, Thomas and Poels, who really wanted that win today and kept the pressure on to catch the break earlier. Poels had an incredible day, dropping riders left and right including Nibali. With 2,5 kilometers left it was Poels leading only Froome, Bardet, Pinot, Porte Quintana, Valverde and Nieve, with Mollema a couple of meters down. Support riders like Kreuziger, bust mostly leaders like race leader Purito, Contador and basque hope Sanchez couldn't follow. Valverde being in virtual yellow didn't stop him from attacking Poels though with 1.2 remaining, drawing a response from Nieve on his wheel.
Froome did not directly respond, but instead sat in his saddle and tried to pedal back with some incredible cadence. One by one Porte, Bardet and Pinot's legs busted away, leaving only Quintana on Froomes wheel for the final 600 meters when they took back Valverde. But Froome didn't hesitate to push on, dropping a tired Valverde and finally also Nieve to put on more pressure that only Quintana could sustain. In the final 200 meters thouh also the small Colombian popped away, leaving Froome to a big win and yellow. Nieve managed to hang on to an outstanding podium, leading him to 4th GC after the monster stage. Samuel Sanchez though lost 41 seconds and fell out of the Top5, as did Purito Rodriguez. Different ideas on the captain role after this race though surely.
The following Time Trial wasn't expected to be able to clear things up to clearly, as both Euskaltel leaders are not well known as top class time triallists.
Over the 40 hilly kilometers Tom Dumoulin was the fastest, beating Vasil Kiriyenka and Tony Martin. Chris Froome could extend his lead over his opponents by quite some margin, but the places behind himself took quite some reshuffeling. Kreuziger and Mollema could surprise with some great time trials, and also Contador could pull some time back on the disappointing rivals of Froome including Quintana, Porte, Pinot, Nieve and Bardet. While the basque climber had a great race yesterday, he lost almost 4 minutes to Froome here. Samuel Sanchez though went on similar times with Valverde, missing not even 1:30 on Froome and 2:30 on the winners time.
That leads to quite a strange shuffle in GC, where Froome comfortably leads over Alejandro Valverde. Sanchez made it back in the top 5, while Nieve now fell out of the Top 10 together with riders like Bardet, Joaquin Rodriguez and Daniel Martin.
GC after stage 13:
1.
Christopher Froome
Team Sky
2.
Alejandro Valverde
Movistar
+ 1:19
3.
Roman Kreuziger
Tinkoff
+ 1:44
4.
Samuel Sanchez
Euskaltel Team
+ 1:47
5.
Bauke Mollema
Trek - Segafredo
+ 1:52
6.
Alberto Contador
Tinkoff
+ 2:08
7.
Richie Porte
BMC
+ 2:26
8.
Nairo Quintana
Movistar
+ 2:28
9.
Thibaut Pinot
FDJ
+ 2:44
10.
Vincenzo Nibali
Astana
+ 3:17
Out of the top 10 but still in contension: Rodriguez (+ 3:35), Nieve (+ 3:49), Poels (+ 3:51), Kelderman (+ 3:54), Bardet (+ 4:22), Thomas (+ 4:25), D.Martin (+ 5:15), Meintjes (+ 6:20)
Out of contension: Aru, van Garderen, Dumoulin, Henao, Yates, Barguil, RollandEdited by Croatia14 on 12-11-2017 22:58
After 13 stages the basque Team Euskaltel can draw a positive line. Samuel Sanchez already won a stage and sits comfortably in the Top 10, while Mikel Nieve is close behind and looked strong on the high mountain stages.
Tour de France
2.-24.7.
Samuel Sanchez
Leader
Mikel Nieve
Leader
Haimar Zubeldia
Lieutenant
David Lopez
Domestique
Markel Irizar
Domestique
Egoitz Garcia
Domestique
Victor de la Parte
Domestique
Jonathan Lastra
Domestique
Romain Sicard
Domestique
On the transitional stage 14 there was nothing on offer for the basque. Sicard missed the break, and we had no sprinter for the final sprint. Marcel Kittel took that one ahead of Cavendish and Greipel.
But the 15th stage offered up a big one for the climbers, the Grand Colombier stage to Culoz with plenty of attacking opportunities.
And all hell broke loose after Movistar let their muscles play. Sky contolled the pace in the first half of the race, but really suffering under the loss of Poels in an earlier crash. Sergio Henao was the next to pop, when it was Daniel Martin to go with a far out reach from the Rochette, leaving Froome only with Thomas on his side. Martin picked up all breakaway riders even before the start of the Colombier, followed by what was left of the peloton a minute ago.
And then the spanish alliance took it's move. Contador and Quintana went right at the beginning of the Colombier, making the race as hard as possible. With them also Nieve up the road, while Froome decided to not directly react but instead send Thomas to chase. But the brit couldn't close the gap, and nobody else was interested to support Sky, so that Froome had to go himself. The only riders to follow him were the french duo of Bardet and Pinot, Porte, Valverde and Rodriguez. Nibali in trouble already with Mollema, further behind also Kreuziger with Sanchez and Kelderman.
The yellow jersey really pushed up a high place steadily, managing to reduce the gap to the front trio that was working together really well. The basque had a chat with his team car about dropping back to help Sanchez, but was kept up the road. The later though suffered, dropping off Kreuzigers wheel sooner than later, who came back to Mollema and Nibali to chase. The trio also managed to pick up Joaquim Rodriguez, who couldn't hold the steady pace of Froome and had his domestique Zakarin with him as well.
At the front Froome digged in deeper and deeper, also dropping Pinot and Valverde then. Porte and Bardet were with him when he managed to catch the front trio 500 meters before the top of rooftop of this tour. He directly streamed past to attack, but Quintana marked him out. Still, Froome turned the force around, pressuring second placed Valverde now who was left behind. Contador took the mountain points ahead of Nieve and Froome, but nobody could stream forward to attack on the descent.
Only Froome continued to push, trying to keep Valverde and Pinot on distance. However, the couple managed to come back on the flat parts before the Lacets, which determines the final climb of the day. With them there was even the Nibali group also including Daniel Martin, who rode a very fast descent (besides Zakarin, who lost contact there). That means a bigger group went on towards the last climb, led by Alejandro Valverde.
And there it was once again Alberto Contador, who trigered the action first. With him again Mikel Nieve, the basque and the spaniard seemed to ally their forces. This impression was strengthened by Valverde swining out, leaving the chase up to Froome. But the race leader decided that it was not his job to do so, so that Rodriguez went on a counter attack, which then was covered by Froome. He attacked himself afterwards in his impressive dragging style, couldn't shake of Quintana and Bardet though, who seemed to be the strongest on the climb.
Still the two in front, who conserved half a minute from the looking around in the breakawawy until the last 3 kilometers to go on the climb. Froomes now high and steady pace again dropped some riders, including Rodriguez now and also Valverde, who surprisingly suffered at this point. With them Mollema and Pinot gone, but the later came back a kilometer later, asking some questions about the pace.
And then Froome increased the pace once again. And what a cadence he turned, dropping Pinot with Kreuziger right again. The first to follow this time was neither Quintana nor Bardet but Porte. But the Aussie blew up spectacularly, completely running out of steam. Quintana had to close the gap Porte left, and he did resist the hard acceleration of Froome. Bardet following the duo, which almost reached the two riders upfront together.
And with 1,5 kilometer to go Bardet went on the attack. Froome covered immediately, but then Quintana came in with quite some force. And Froome couldn't follow! The Colombian streamed past Contador and Nieve, offering them no slipstream just streaming away. Nobody could follow, and it seemed as if Froome was really tiring after his efforts. While Bardet couldn't follow him it was Thibaut Pinot that managed to work himself all the way back to Froome.
Quintana pulled out an incredible gap over the last kilometer of the climb, leading before the descent by 15 seconds to Contador and 20 to Nieve. Another 10 seconds to Pinot, then Froome. Behind already the first bigger group with Mollema and Kreuziger who even cought up with Bardet, while Porte, suffering under a horrible blow-up, lost almost 2 minutes on the final three kilometers of the climb.
On the decent now it was Quintana leading and holding his advantage over Froome surprisingly well. From the back though it was Contador coming up, slowly but steadily eating into the advantage of Quintana and reaching him at the beginning of the final 9 flat kilometers. Though it would be no surprise if Quintana let him join intentionally.
Further back, Froome managed to come back to Pinot and Nieve, being still 30 seconds down on the leading duo. Joining him though directly after the descent was Romain Bardet, who also brought Mollema and Kreuziger back. In behind Valverde and Rodriguez, the old rivals, trying to bridge, and even further Portes group.
On the final kilometers it was a 2 vs. 1 situation. Froome had to take it up alone, as nobody wanted to help him. A rather surprising move by the french, but they may have felt the incredibly tough stage. In contrast, Quintana and Contador working very well together at the front. Froome though does a lot better than both, which equaled out the advantage the two had in their cooperation.
On the final kilometers the advantage of the duo increased again, to finally 43 seconds, as they didn't hesitate to ride full gas to 200m to go to take the maximum advantage. In the final sprint it was Contador then taking it up from the front, and it first looked like he'd give one of his famous leadouts in post-mountain sprints away. But Quintana could (or did) not sprint past him, so that the Tinkoff captain could celebrate a famous victory after an offensive ride.
In the group back it was sprinting for minor places, which Pinot took as third. Bardet, Froome, Nieve, Mollema and Kreuziger in that first chasing group. Rodriguez and Valverde almost made the connection, while Dan Martin finished further down the order loosing 2 minutes together with white jersey Meintjes. Even worse for Porte, who came in alone and 3'30 down, a horrible day for the BMC captain and even 30 seconds behind Sanchez and Kelderman.
Stage 16 came back to the roots, a long transitional stage. A large breakaway group went ahead, including local hero Cancellara. We also had two guys in the large group, being Sicard and Lastra, that couldn't keep up on the final cobbled hill. While everything seemed set for Cancellara on this day, the Suisse took on the uphill cobbled section before the finishing line.
And he got rid of many riders, but not of all. Vanmarcke could stay on his wheel, and surprisingly also Enger did so. In a small moment of looking at each other also Navardauskas came back, and starting a sursprise sprint with 300 meters to go. Cancellara was up to the challenge and sprinted back in his slipstream, easily passing the fading Lithuanian. Under the waving Swiss flags he led onto the last 100 meters. Sondre Enger came up big to try and steal it from the local hero, but not today. Instead, Sep Vanmarcke could celebrate the big revenge for the famously denied Roubaix win, sprinting like a strongman and taking it away on the final 25 meters.
The week of truth 20th of July, 2016, somewhere between the Col de la Fouclet and Trient
The 2nd restday lays behind us. Both captains of the team are still on Top10 course. While Sanchez had his issues on the last stage, Nieve went out with uprising form and some furious attacks. It's only 2 minutes to the podium.
Tour de France
2.-24.7.
Samuel Sanchez
Leader
Mikel Nieve
Leader
Haimar Zubeldia
Lieutenant
David Lopez
Domestique
Markel Irizar
Domestique
Egoitz Garcia
Domestique
Victor de la Parte
Domestique
Jonathan Lastra
Domestique
Romain Sicard
Domestique
Stage 17: Over the Forclez the stage finishes up the final climb in Finhaut-Emosson, a fresh and rough ascent and a big test for the main contenders.
Until Martigry-Combe nothing really happened. We did not take part in the breakaway of the day to offer as much help as possible to our leaders. The breakaway never got more than two minutes anyway.
But on the Forclaz the race picked up another level. Movistar tried to isolate Froome, which may be the hardest achievement in cycling. Still, the Izagirre brothers did a fantastic job, making Sky pay for their bad luck. With Landa and Poels out of the race or suffering an injury, Ion with a frenetic pace even managed to take Sergio Henao out, leaving Thomas as only helper for Froome up the road.
However, then Thomas took back control, sloweing the pace a little bit though. Bardet used it for an attack, quickly dragging Nibali and Nieve with him. Both Movistar and Tinkoff didn't directly attack, so the pace-making was left for Thomas. He did a decent job, still they lost one and a half minutes to the top. In the meantime Nibali was dropped by Bardet and Nieve, who beat the frenchman for the climbing points.
In the peloton there were still quite a lot of strong riders together, including all GC candidates. They were going over the Forclez 1'42 behind the duo, 1'28 behind Nibali. Only the Finhaut-Emosson climb to come? Almost...
Gora Nieve! Great attitude so far, let's hope his form pays off
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
The decicive stage? 20th of July, 2016, somewhere between the Col de la Fouclet and Trient
Stage 17, on paper one of the most selective ones. In an early move on the Forclaz Euskaltels basque captain Mikel Nieve went on the attack together with Romain Bardet and later dropped Vincenzo Nibali...
BANG. You recognized the dull sound even in the team car, where we were currently interviewing Directeur Sportif Ruiz de Galdeano on the expectations on their captain duo for the final climb. The mechanic on the passenger seat recognized first, what exactly happened. After an awkward moment of silence and disbelief the car stopped right, the mechanic sprinted out of the car and down the slope.
It happened on one of the tighter corners close to Trient. Romain Bardet pushed the pace, as he always does, hard on the descent. That hard that even Nibali couldn't make up for the small gap, instead the leading duo exceeded it over the 2 minute mark. But then Bardet made a mistake. He misjudge one of the blind right hand corners.
Somehow the local hero managed to just swing around the corner. But his companion wasn't lucky enough for that. Flying left over the road coverage he crashed hard down the woods, being incredibly lucky to not hit a tree. Still Nieve laid a couple of meters down the slope, not able to move when the mechanic first reached him. Everybody new it immediately: The Basque mountain goat, who looked out to be in stellar form, could not continue his race. Most likely not even his season. Possibly not even his cycling career.
2 Minutes later the peloton passed by, and finally the ambulance. After a couple of scary minutes Mikel could finally be lifted into the car. His body was still covered with mud and blood, especially his right arm looked horrible. On his face you could see his tears running by, most likely caused by both his pain and his recognition as he realized the different groups passing him while getting carried over in the van.
For the team it was all about damage limitation now. Of course everybody in the peloton recognized the awful crash. Bardet significantly slowed down, Nibali caught up with him and the duo raced on together. In the chasing group you saw a shiver going all through Samus body. He knew exactly what happened with his team car on the side and a hecticly screaming driver. Also the Tour Radio issues didn't help with unprecise communication leading to an almost crash with the ambulance car and a minor group, that could've had even worse outcomes.
The others of the team took the stage easy, when the news reached every part of the peloton. Haimar spent more time beneath a team car than riding with speed. Only Samu had a job to do: Defending the Top 10. But today was not our day. The Euskaltel legend could not hold on to the pace set by Ion Izagirre early on the final climb. He'd loose almost 5 minutes at the end of the day towards the race winner, which was Romain Bardet. He won the stage in magnificant fashion, distancing Nibali by almost a minute.
In the group of favourites everybody benefitted from Movistars work to isolate Chris Froome. And while the Sky captain covered every attack from Movistar or Tinkoff successfully, he did let Thibaut Pinot and Joaquin Rodriguez go, who both gained over a minute and almost reached out to Nibali at the end. Still the Sky captain looked mightily strong, finishing on time with the GC 2-6, only loosing a couple of seconds on Valverde on the last 200 meters.
GC after stage 17:
1.
Christopher Froome
Team Sky
2.
Thibaut Pinot
FDJ
+ 1:11
3.
Alberto Contador
Tinkoff
+ 1:15
4.
Alejandro Valverde
Movistar
+ 1:31
5.
Romain Bardet
AG2R
+ 1:36
6.
Nairo Quintana
Movistar
+ 1:39
7.
Roman Kreuziger
Tinkoff
+ 1:44
8.
Bauke Mollema
Trek
+ 1:52
9.
Joaquin Rodriguez
Katusha
+ 2:02
10.
Vincenzo Nibali
Astana
+ 3:04
11.
Richie Porte
BMC
+ 5:16
12.
Samuel Sanchez
Euskaltel
+ 6:14
13.
Wilco Kelderman
LottoNL
+ 7:23
14.
Louis Meintjes
Lampre
+ 7:57
15.
Daniel Navarro
Cofidis
+12:33
But racing was a sideline today. At the end though we got an anwser to our request on the health status of Mikel Nieve. The basque climber stays in hospital for some times with a couple of broken bones, including his collarbone and a double fracture on the right arm. While he is not expected to come back in the 2016 season, he is at least projected to come back in 2017. Hopefully on former strength again, and hopefully in orange...
