This almost every other year on the Tour de France since 1976 (taken in 1952 by Coppi before that, in 2009 and 2010 Tours them have not had the honor of the Mountain Dutch), Alpe d’Huez has historically played an important role in the quest for ultimate victory on the Champs-Elysées. The wearer of the yellow jersey on the stage tonight station Grandes Rousses has indeed won the Tour de France 22 times out of 27! This means that the decisive hand now is of Alpe d’Huez. Yet in the 21st century, rising to 21 bends rarely smiled at the yellow jersey. Worse, there is often a galley lived day …
A L’Alpe, the differences with the yellow jersey are always consistent
Of the six summit finishes of the Oisans resort that took place in the 21st century, the yellow jersey has lost more than 5 minutes on average over the stage winner. In 2001, François Simon, then yellow for a long breakaway two days earlier, ended in an honorable 29th place but concedes 10’20 ” (!) To Lance Armstrong, winner that day and future winner of the Tour in 2001. Two years later, it was another French Richard Virenque, too yellow jersey after a breakaway (this time the day before), which collapses in the ascent of the Alpe d’Huez. The climber of the Quick Step-Davitamon lost 9’29 ” on the winner Iban Mayo and 7’17 ” on Lance Armstrong, winner of the 2003 edition.
In 2006, Oscar Pereiro has also benefited from a breakaway to take the jersey. But the Spaniard had just finished 10th in the Tour in 2004 and 2005 and therefore was supposed to be another level … However, the then leader of the Caisse d’Epargne loses the passage on the line 1’39 ‘ ‘Floyd Landis, the future yellow jersey on the Champs-Elysées, and 2’49′ ‘behind Frank Schleck, winner of the stage. The Luxembourgers, we find in 2008 wearing the leader tunic. Like his predecessors, he dropped time on the day’s winner, Carlos Sastre (2’13 ”). In 2011, during a crazy step, Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) sees his teammate Pierre Rolland win, yellow jersey finishing in 3’22 ” and his younger 2’25 “Cadel Evans, future winner. Finally, in 2013, Christopher Froome (Sky) and let the breakaway Riblon (AG2R) win at Alpe d’Huez with 3’18 ” advantage. The Briton loses even that day 1 ’06′ ‘on Nairo Quintana (Movistar), his future dolphin overall.
The yellow jersey has often lost the leadership …
With such differences, difficult to maintain the leading tunic. Moreover, of the six arrived at Alpe d’Huez in 2000, only two riders have kept theirs. And again, 2001 was a special case. This year, François Simon has greatly benefited from 35’54 ” of the breakaway river to Pontarlier that allowed him to take the lead. But he had understood from the Alpe d’Huez, the first high mountain stage, he would have no chance of winning the Tour, or even make a podium. Two years later, Richard Virenque never had neither the same advance, nor the same ambition in general, but the Alpe d’Huez has come to end his adventure in yellow. Which only lasted one day.
Richard Virenque with the yellow jersey on the climb of the Alpe d’Huez in 2003 – Panoramic
In 2006, despite having taken part in a breakaway river too, Oscar Pereiro has only 1’29 ” lead over Landis before the step of the “mountain of the Dutch.” Not enough to keep his jersey … Winner that year, Frank Schleck is most unfortunate since 2008 loses his yellow jersey for four days of arrival. The spell is even more cruel with Thomas Voeckler in 2011 as the French say farewell to his dreams of victory in Paris on the day before the finish on the Champs-Elysées.
… But not Chris Froome
Like any good statistic has its exception, 2013, date of the last arrival at Alpe d’Huez – crossed twice in the same stage that year, another exception – saw the then retain his yellow jersey tunic. Leader from 18th stage, yellow jersey since his success on the slopes of Ax-3-Domaines at the 8th act of the Tour 2013, the Briton Sky, attacked in the final, also lost time on her opponents with an outlay of 1’06 ” on Nairo Quintana. But nothing to challenge the leadership of the future winner of the Tour, which included the start of the stage more than 6 minutes ahead of the Colombian. What to see and manage future.
Chris Froome Nairo Quintana dropping in Alpe d’Huez in 2013. – Panoramic
L’Alpe d’Huez in 2013 remains the worst day of the Tour Froome
Crewmember impressive in 2012, fell from the 5th stage in 2014, untouchable for the moment in 2015, there is that in 2013 that Chris Froome has seen what common cyclists would call “a day without” the Tower France. And yet, this happened only once in Columbia. Attacked from all sides, the leader of the Sky had not necessarily given everything in the rise to 21 turns. Perhaps had he been content to manage his lead over Rodriguez and Quintana, far overall. We will never know.
But the British had given that day a rare feeling hungry, confirmed also by the energy bar that is fetched door to the car within 5 kilometers from the finish, despite the penalty that resulted. For the first on the Tour, unique even the climb to La Toussuire Friday, Chris Froome lost time on his rivals. And, coincidentally, it fell on the day of the ascent of the Alpe d’Huez … What this a sign? For the British, not necessarily. But then that should give even (just) hope to Quintana.
Chris Froome pushed during the 19th stage of the 2015 Tour de France – Panoramic
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