@wacko: Thanks, actually my first sprint finish win in Le Tour on hard. It's been pretty easy so far, so I might crank up to extreme for next season.
@mb: The finish on the next stage is very similar to the finish on the penultimate stage in this season's Paris-Nice, where JAJ screwed up badly, so let's see.
So that’s the profile for the stage I was talking about yesterday. The yellow jersey is not out of reach, but should the favourites play out in the final today, I will no doubt not be allowed to ride my own chances. Dekker is our main man today, and for the rest of the race just to make that clear. The atmosphere in the team is incredible right now. Three stages in a row, seven riders in the Top 10, the yellow and the white jersey within our ranks, have made for a spectacular race for us so far, and everybody has this feeling that it’ll get even better. I was very anxious t to get underway today. I have already established myself as one of the strongest rider in the cycling world before Le Tour, but it feels like it’s finally getting confirmed these days and today I’m confident of another great outing.
The stage today finishes in Chinon at the old Chateau, which is the reason we have this uphill finish as you might see in this next picture. It’s not exactly at water level.
I was designated as Dekker’s 1st helper today so I was told not to relay at the front during the early phases of the stage. Up front to control were Dominique, Kim, Mark, Løvkvist and Brad.
I was saving myself alongside Thomas, Linus and Edvald. As you might have noticed I’m not wearing the white jersey today, as Mark has taken over in the competition.
A 7-man break got away today, with Roy, Hesjedal, De Bonis, Simon, Bailetti, Nydam and Del Nero. At the end it was just Julien Simon left, he had to give in aswell though, as we had hit the front with 15 ks to go.
The final descent before the uphill finish – sitting in 2nd position behind Kim.
Kim put in a powerful relay before we hit the final climb as the pack at this point was decimated to just 60 riders. Mark and Brad were dropped at this point. As soon as we hit the final uphill 4 ks, I took the front and set the pace as high as I could.
A few hundred metres later, Contador attacked behind us! The first move from one the Tour favourites has just been put in. I took off from the front with Thomas in my wheel!
Me and Thomas made up the front duo for a brief period, but as Contador was closing in from behind I told Thomas to just go for it himself. It was easy to see that he was so much stronger than me today, and if possible why not try and take time from Contador today?
As soon as Contador came across Thomas was long gone up the road as we were approaching the last kilometer. Behind me and Contador were Mollema and LL Sanchez. No other riders had a gap.
Toying with the Tour favourite up the climb to Chateau Chinon.
I was of course just sitting in Contador’s wheel. A place I’ve never been before and he was incredibly strong. Dekker was stronger though and he still had a clear gap at the home stretch. At this point Hagen was in the pack and losing the jersey to Thomas. Nothing wrong in that though.
Dekker sprinting towards the stage and the yellow jersey!
Contador was looking back at me but he knew that I wasn’t going to do anything. He tried to accelerate away but I could easily match his acceleration. This was plain and simple awesome! Up the road Dekker took the stage, while I tried to outsprint Contador.
I couldn’t unfortunately but 3rd place and finishing alongside Contador has made for one of my best cycling days ever! We finished 14 seconds behind Thomas, meaning with bonification, Thomas has gained 22 seconds on Contador today. Hagen lost the jersey, but he has got a great run in yellow. He is still in 2nd place though, while I have moved up to 2nd!
Last day in yellow for Hagen – we keep the jersey though, now weared by our captain Dekker.
Tomorrow’s stage is quite similar and the finish is also a bit uphill. Not as much as today though, which may cancel out attacks from the favourites. If that’s the case I’ll definitely try to win it!
1 Thomas Dekker Team High Road 4h53'23
2 Alberto Contador Team Astana + 14 3 Jonas Aaen Jørgensen Team High Road s.t.
4 Bauke Mollema Rabobank + 43
5 Luis León Sánchez Team CSC s.t.
6 Danilo Di Luca LPR Brakes + 57
7 Trent Lowe Slipstream - Chipotle powered by H3O s.t.
8 Alejandro Valverde Saunier Duval - Scott s.t.
9 John-Lee Augustyn Caisse d'Epargne s.t.
10 Branislav Samoilau Quick•Step s.t.
GC 1 Thomas Dekker Team High Road 23h51'55
2 Edvald Boasson Hagen Team High Road + 55 3 Jonas Aaen Jørgensen Team High Road + 57
4 Linus Gerdemann Team High Road + 1'22
5 Kim Kirchen Team High Road + 1'28
6 Alberto Contador Team Astana + 2'01 7 Thomas Lövkvist Team High Road + 2'46
8 Yaroslav Popovych Team Astana + 3'06
9 Wout Poels Team Astana + 3'18
10 Bauke Mollema Rabobank + 3'26
11 Coen Vermeltfoort Liquigas + 3'50
12 Denis Menchov Rabobank + 3'54
13 Michael Rogers Silence - Lotto + 3'57
14 Javier Moreno Silence - Lotto + 3'58
15 Filippo Pozzato Liquigas + 4'01
16 Jurgen Van den Broeck Silence - Lotto + 4'06
17 Trent Lowe Slipstream - Chipotle powered by H3O + 4'07
18 Stijn Devolder Quick•Step s.t.
19 Andy Schleck Team CSC s.t.
20 John-Lee Augustyn Caisse d'Epargne + 4'10
If you want to know the placing of a specific rider, let me know.
It’s our fourth consecutive day defending the yellow jersey, which is now in the hands of the “right” rider. Hagen was always going to lose it at some point, and having in Dekker riding in it is just a confirmation of things working how they should for us. Of course four stages wins in a row also goes to show that things are right, but the yellow jersey is the ultimate target, and when talking to Thomas, he seems relieved in some way. Yesterday we finished in Chinon, today we’re departing from Autun, so we had a small bus ride following yesterday’s stage. The atmosphere in the team bus is great though, so we had a nice ride. Today’s finale is hilly aswell, but the finish only rises with 4% at its highest and the home stretch is completely flat, so now to the great news, for me at least. The team will be riding for me today! Hagen will try to lead me out if things come down to a sprint. Fingers crossed.
Today’s Arrival City, Oyonnax, which is located in the valley of the Jura Mountains.
Me, Dekker and Edvald showing off our respective jerseys, as I was back in white today.
The break didn’t really present any threat today as it was reeled in easily after great work from especially Brad and Dominique, who have been absolutely amazing during this first week. Let’s skip right to the finish, where the hilly terrain had sorted the biggest sprinters out of the equation, except from Hagen, whose wheel I was in as the sprint began.
Hagen, Me, Di Luca, Cucinotta and Lucas Haedo.
Hagen opened and really had to grit my teeth to stay on his wheel, I can’t believe how strong this guy is! He wouldn’t let anyone near him and it was just up to me to pass him and take the stage.
I was taking my time though as my legs weren’t very good today and Haedo and Di Luca were closing in from behind and it looked as though they would pass me. Unfortunately this meant that Hagen wouldn’t let me go by, as we’d lose the stage win that way, and it all ended up Hagen taking his second stage. I did take 2nd, but I guess that’s only because I had Hagen’s slipstream to follow. I wasn’t going to pass him either, and I would like my first stage win at Le Tour be special, so maybe this was for the best. At least we won the stage, right?
Tomorrow it’s rumble time! We turn into the Alps! It’s not an uphill finish but there are two back-to-back HC Mountains right before the finish line in Annecy. I can’t wait to test my mountain legs. Oh yeah and, 5th Win in a Row! This is turning crazy.
1 Edvald Boasson Hagen Team High Road 4h18'09 2 Jonas Aaen Jørgensen Team High Road s.t.
3 Lucas Haedo Team Milram s.t.
4 Danilo Di Luca LPR Brakes s.t.
5 Claudio Cucinotta LPR Brakes s.t.
6 Fran Ventoso Caisse d'Epargne s.t. 7 Kim Kirchen Team High Road s.t.
8 Javier Moreno Silence - Lotto s.t.
9 Vladimir Gusev Bouygues Télécom s.t.
10 Kenny De Ketele Slipstream - Chipotle powered by H3O s.t.
GC 1 Thomas Dekker Team High Road 28h10'04
2 Edvald Boasson Hagen Team High Road + 35 3 Jonas Aaen Jørgensen Team High Road + 45
4 Linus Gerdemann Team High Road + 1'22
5 Kim Kirchen Team High Road + 1'28
6 Alberto Contador Team Astana + 2'01 7 Thomas Lövkvist Team High Road + 2'46
8 Yaroslav Popovych Team Astana + 3'06
9 Wout Poels Team Astana + 3'18
10 Bauke Mollema Rabobank + 3'26
We’re in the Alps! Today’s stage finishes in Annecy, but before we have to negotiate three climbs, that look pretty intimidating and I will most likely be at the front for Thomas as we hit those slopes. Especially the two last mountains look rough, both hors categories, and this is where the favourites will make their moves.
Annecy.
Annecy at the foot of the Alps.
Not being the greatest climber I would be in the first team of relayers today. From the outset it was me, Løvkvist, Brad, Mark and Dominique controlling the pack. This was going to be a long day. Today’s early break had a very surprising member, namely one of the GC favourites, Robert Gesink. The other 5 were Kirkegaard, Hesjedal, Doi, Gil and Mizbani. So a pretty strong group of climbers here.
Let’s fast forward to the last but third climb, where me, Løvkvist and Dominique were still at the front having upped the pace now as Gesink’s Group had a quite big advantage at this point with just over 100 kilometers left.
Me leading the pack up Col de Sapenay – a rather short but steep climb!
The pack was still pretty big, but Mark and Brad had to let go at this climb, as they were in for an even longer day.
Dekker at Col du Sapenay surrounded by Hagen, Kim and Linus.
At the next climb, Col du Revard, it was still me and Thomas at the front while Dominique was starting to struggle. Ruben Plaza but in an attack here, with a few riders failing to keep up.
Thomas and me tried to keep the pace high and we made sure that no one got a too big gap. Dominique is still hanging in there aswell, but at this point we had managed to stretch out the pack pretty well.
It was a pretty great feeling aswell as we crossed the top of Col du Revard as me and Thomas had managed to cut the pack to just 34 riders! I was really having a great day in the mountains today, I have never climbed this well before. Even more impressively was that Cornu was still in there, and in all we had 7 riders in the pack of just 34 riders.
The remnants of the pack after me and Thomas had sorted out the weaker climbers.
I fell back a bit in the descent to ask Dekker how he was doing and to have a look at who was still in there, and apparently me and Thomas had managed to drop such strong climbers as Chris Anker and Frank Schleck. Maybe I’m starting to get the hang of this climbing business.
As we hit the last climb, Crêt de Chatillon, Gesink was in a solo lead of almost 7 minutes. Sitting at about 5 minutes in the GC he could take the yellow jersey from Thomas. Hopefully he’d run out of steam. As predicted my day ended here as Dekker and Linus attacked as soon as Contador made his move with still 20 kilometres to the top!
Dekker on the move!
Thomas and Linus were incredible today and only Contador could come across to them as these three riders would make up the front group.
Linus pulling for his captain Dekker.
Behind this trio were Plaza and Augustyn and then followed a big group of nine riders with Valverde, Van den Broeck, Evans, Mollema, Moreno, Samoilau, Rogers, Lowe and Di Luca. Linus were giving his all at the front though to keep these groups behind, and he was succeeding. Meanwhile a bit down the road the had split with me at the wrong end of it. I was still in a pretty strong group though with Chris Anker, Frank Schleck and Gomez Marchante.
With 3 km to the top Contador went!
But Dekker just reeled him in again quite easily. The acceleration was too much for Linus though as he had to let go! A shame as he had done incredible to help out Thomas.
So as Dekker and Contador crossed the top they still had almost 3 minutes to Gesink, who wasn’t endangering Thomas’ jersey now at least. But the Rabobank captain completely run out of gas though as Contador and Dekker caught halfway through the descent into Annecy.
Thomas and Contador just outside Annecy now.
So the stage would be settled between Thomas and Contador, and so will the whole race as it looks as of right now. Contador led out with Dekker in a great position.
And Dekker claims our 6th consecutive stage win, I have never taken part in such madness as this!
Victory for Thomas as he looks set to challenge Contador for Le Tour after the first mountains.
Almost simultaneously this was my location on the stage, I was still missing the last bit.
I got the news of Dekker’s win just as we rolled into Annecy, which inspired me to outsprint m whole group, just to show off a bit.
An amazing day for us (I know I say that every day, but it’s not my fault we win the whole time) as Thomas is now Contador’s undisputed biggest opponent for the overall win. Linus managed to stay in 3rd place in the GC, and I’m still in the Top 20, ahead of tomorrow’s stage to Alp d’Huez. That’s the final stage in Alps in this Tour and the next day we have the first and very welcome rest day.
1 Thomas Dekker Team High Road 5h46'32
2 Alberto Contador Team Astana s.t.
3 John-Lee Augustyn Caisse d'Epargne + 1'18
4 Robert Gesink Rabobank s.t.
5 Javier Moreno Silence - Lotto + 2'16
6 Alejandro Valverde Saunier Duval - Scott s.t.
7 Trent Lowe Slipstream - Chipotle powered by H3O s.t.
8 Cadel Evans Lampre s.t.
9 Bauke Mollema Rabobank s.t.
10 Branislav Samoilau Quick•Step s.t.
11 Michael Rogers Silence - Lotto s.t. 12 Linus Gerdemann Team High Road s.t.
13 Danilo Di Luca LPR Brakes + 4'06
14 Rubén Plaza Lampre s.t.
15 Vladimir Gusev Bouygues Télécom + 6'12
16 Yaroslav Popovych Team Astana s.t.
17 Jurgen Van den Broeck Silence - Lotto s.t.
18 Janez Brajkovic Team Astana s.t.
19 Andy Schleck Team CSC s.t. 20 Edvald Boasson Hagen Team High Road s.t. 35 Jonas Aaen Jørgensen Team High Road + 9'30
GC 1 Thomas Dekker Team High Road 33h56'16
2 Alberto Contador Team Astana + 2'09 3 Linus Gerdemann Team High Road + 3'58
4 John-Lee Augustyn Caisse d'Epargne + 5'40
5 Robert Gesink Rabobank + 5'43
6 Bauke Mollema Rabobank + 6'02
7 Michael Rogers Silence - Lotto + 6'33
8 Javier Moreno Silence - Lotto + 6'34
9 Trent Lowe Slipstream - Chipotle powered by H3O + 6'43
10 Branislav Samoilau Quick•Step + 6'55 11 Edvald Boasson Hagen Team High Road + 7'07
12 Alejandro Valverde Saunier Duval - Scott + 7'22
13 Cadel Evans Lampre s.t. 14 Kim Kirchen Team High Road + 8'00
15 Rubén Plaza Lampre + 8'51 16 Thomas Lövkvist Team High Road + 9'18
17 Danilo Di Luca LPR Brakes + 9'36
18 Yaroslav Popovych Team Astana + 9'38
19 Wout Poels Team Astana + 9'50 20 Jonas Aaen Jørgensen Team High Road + 10'31
I’m thinking more about tomorrow than today actually, and that’s in spite the historic finish on this stage. But after ten straight days in the saddle it’s going to be unbelievably relieving to finally get a rest day and recover a bit from the physical and mental efforts we have been through so far. Eventhough it’s going pretty great at the moment, we’re starting to tire a bit, I’m just hoping I can do as well today as I did in the mountains yesterday. Today’s an uphill finish though, which may be a bit of a disadvantage to me.
The pack was still pretty big as we hit the penultimate climb, which was another mythical pass, namely Col du Glandon. After doing a lot of work doing the first part of the day I couldn’t keep up with the strongest riders here, as the pack was thinned down to just 18 riders. I was in the next group with Løvkvist though, which included a lot of big names, like Valverde, Plaza, The Schlecks, Devolder and Karpets. So I was pretty content sitting among these guys.
Me and Løvkvist alongside some very strong climbers.
In the 18-man group up front we had four guys in Thomas, Linus, Kim and Edvald, who surprisingly was able to hang on. Contador attacked near the summit of Col du Glandon, but he couldn’t get rid off Dekker, who came across quite easily. In the descent they were joined by Rogers and Mollema, and these four guys hit the bottom of the Alpe d’Huez with about one minute on the others.
With 10 riders left in the chasing group, Hagen was still hanging in there in his green jersey. Linus and Kim were also there of course.
Linus was quite strong aswell and he would break clear of this group eventually, but they wouldn’t catch the four leaders who would fight it out today. Can Thomas do it again?
He went neck to neck with Contador on the home stretch as boni seconds were on the line.
Unbelievable! He dit it! That’s 7 in a row! I guess we will be under accusations of illegal substances real soon.
Dekker wins on the Dutch Mountain as the first Dutchman since Gert-Jan Theunisse.
I had a great ride at the Alpe d’Huez as I finished 24th on the stage, beating riders like Di Luca, Brajkovic, Samoilau, Frank Schleck, Mauricio Soler etc. Maybe my ambitions of being a better climber aren’t far off. Oh well, I’m going think about that later, there’s still ways to go in this race, but we’re really starting to look good GC-wise. Right now though I’m just thinking about tomorrow’s rest day, gonna be sweet!
Beating Brajkovic at Alpe d’Huez.
1 Thomas Dekker Team High Road 6h14'11
2 Alberto Contador Team Astana s.t.
3 Bauke Mollema Rabobank + 8
4 Michael Rogers Silence - Lotto s.t.
5 Cadel Evans Lampre + 1'48 6 Linus Gerdemann Team High Road s.t.
7 John-Lee Augustyn Caisse d'Epargne s.t.
8 Robert Gesink Rabobank + 2'55
9 Yaroslav Popovych Team Astana s.t.
10 Javier Moreno Silence - Lotto s.t. 11 Kim Kirchen Team High Road + 3'06
12 Edvald Boasson Hagen Team High Road + 3'13
13 Theo Eltink Rabobank + 3'47
14 Trent Lowe Slipstream - Chipotle powered by H3O + 6'34
15 Rubén Plaza Lampre s.t.
16 Alejandro Valverde Saunier Duval - Scott s.t.
17 Vladimir Karpets Lampre + 7'08
18 Andy Schleck Team CSC + 8'22
19 Wout Poels Team Astana + 8'33
20 Carlos Sastre Caisse d'Epargne + 8'59 24 Jonas Aaen Jørgensen Team High Road + 9'33
GC 1 Thomas Dekker Team High Road 40h10'07
2 Alberto Contador Team Astana + 2'17 3 Linus Gerdemann Team High Road + 6'06
4 Bauke Mollema Rabobank + 6'22
5 Michael Rogers Silence - Lotto + 7'01
6 John-Lee Augustyn Caisse d'Epargne + 7'48
7 Robert Gesink Rabobank + 8'58
8 Cadel Evans Lampre + 9'30
9 Javier Moreno Silence - Lotto + 9'49 10 Edvald Boasson Hagen Team High Road + 10'40
11 Kim Kirchen Team High Road + 11'26
12 Yaroslav Popovych Team Astana + 12'53
13 Trent Lowe Slipstream - Chipotle powered by H3O + 13'37
14 Alejandro Valverde Saunier Duval - Scott + 14'16
15 Rubén Plaza Lampre + 15'45
16 Vladimir Karpets Lampre + 18'37
17 Wout Poels Team Astana + 18'43
18 Andy Schleck Team CSC + 19'21 19 Thomas Lövkvist Team High Road + 19'36
20 Carlos Sastre Caisse d'Epargne + 20'09 21 Jonas Aaen Jørgensen Team High Road + 20'24
Good riding with JAJ
I think Cyclingnews is trying to hint at something. 
