Has it all come down to this Alberto contador Andy Schleck the C of tolay and the elements after two weeks of battling the heat the weather has turned the clouds have set in they’ve opened up and it’s been raining for the past 16 hours as they await the most decisive stage in
This year’s Tour for the moment everything is okay everybody is happy to be here so they can participate in part of the legend of the tour throughout the first week of racing the comments have been this is a day where you can’t win the Tour but you can
Lose the tour on stage 17 to the C of tolay it is a day where the tour can be won I know we’re in the tip of the fog so I realized we have to work with it but this is a tour and we have an obligation to make sure it’s a
Success the crowd await the mountain awaits it’s Alberto contador versus Andy schle and the finish line is at the top of the C tolay of this year’s race 174 km confront them at the beginning of the stage as the clock counted down in po to get them on
Their way Alberto contador was looking for a little bit more support than just his teammates the other jerseys at the front of the race are also in contention today the polka dot Jersey of Anthony shatto with 73 points on offer throughout the stage he needs to pay
Attention early in the stage a breakaway Group of Seven have managed to form at the front and the best rider in the general classification from the kofas team is Remy porol but he’s in 36th position more than 52 minutes behind the yellow Jersey of Alberto contador former
Winner of the race from 2008 Carlos SRA trying to get into the moves looking for a stage Victory he missed out on the stage to a domain he’s hoping that he has better luck on stage 17 the man that sits in third place in the general classification Samuel Sanchez of usad
Del uscard d a heavy fall early on his teammates waiting for him he’s riding effectively into home territory we may be in France but there’s more supporters here for those from the B country than there is for the French Alberto contador had the conversation with Carlos SRA about waiting for Samuel Sanchez Carlos
Decided it was time to go on to try and get away and get into the Breakaway group while contador was happy to get the rest of the pelaton to wait for Samuel Sanchez to rejoin estana taking control of Affairs as they make their way onto the first
Climbs of the day as the leading Group of Seven start to build themselves up a lead and leading them across the top it’s one Antonio Fletcher from sky he’s got one of his teammates in the group it’s edel bosen Haren also in here is Marcus burkard sestra is trying to come
Across will they survive the pelaton have got so much to raise For and there we are now we’re looking at the climb 11.9 kilm to the summit of the cuul LA this is a much harder climb than the called de Mari blon and they go on to the climb about 747 ahead Paul of the bunch with sastra a lot further back now
446 behind those seven well I take my hat off he’s making a very brave move here caros sastra I don’t think it’s going to pay for him at the end of the day but he has given everything he’s put all of his eggs into one basket this
Afternoon to try and move up in the overall standings but also to try and win himself what I expect to be a legendary stage of the tour to France today with the finish at the top of the C the tour Malay so as aana still control the peleton and the schle is
Waiting for the climb of the Talay that is when he must attack there over on the right hand side Fabian canelar is still at the front end of the main field so maybe in the back of their mind there’s a little bit of an acceleration here coming from Remy porol
Well I think it might be onek to go to the top there pH but it’s hard to see through the Mist it should be one kilometer to go for the Breakaway here at this point as they’re being led up now by the cof rider Remy porol we’re
Really up amongst the crowd now he kicks a little bit violently and then we continue with and I don’t blame Christian Corin there getting his racing Cape out early because it’s getting wet now this this low Cloud it actually feels as though you are in quite heavy
Rain now this is L Leon Sanchez he’s getting his rain cut ready for The Descent and he realizes how important it is to stay warm the chill factor really can get you very cold indeed on The Descent of these what’s going on never seen that before
Well a bunch of bunch a bunch of sheep bunch of sheep just came across the front end of the mainfield you had said that they do move up when the uh Cloud starts to come down but there they’ve got a few Shepherds on our side well
This is a problem and a shame but the sheep have come up the bank there they need to go back down the road here the Riders doing well well I don’t think I’ve seen this F since the days of the milk race when it used to go deep into
The heart of Wales that’s absolutely right but they do run wild here the farmers who own them don’t even come to 10 for them they wander over the Pyrenees they drive them down to the lower slopes when the bad weather sets in for the winter of course they don’t
Leave them up here in the snow well contador almost got himself a new wool and yellow Jersey there is a retake on that one this is right in front of the mainfield now if you watch you can see the EST riders coming they just slowed down there’s contador just going through
As well and I think that must must have had PR we didn’t have contador’s heart rate monitor on then one kilometer to go now for Carlo saster he seems to be closing in on those boys but not quick enough officially 3 minutes and 8 seconds back of the Breakaway but the BN
The bunch now are coming up they’re inside 5 minutes behind the leaders yeah but Carlos sass has retained his position of front of the main field cuz he’s still leading that main field fi by a good two minutes over the top of the climb as it’s still Marcus burkard about
To lead them over the top burkart over the top then from uh Christian Corin well as long as this man survives to take eighth place the only way way now that the man in second position in the king of the mountains can win Kristoff Maro is by taking sixth place
On the stage and despite the fact that we’re going to have a big battle I can’t really see Morrow doing that this is the pelaton charging through the arile gust time but it’s going to be a big battle and as we always thought it would be and the
Riders more or less indicated on the rest day it’s showdown at the okay Toray it’s the okay Toray definitely I think we’re going to see magical Showdown fill on the slopes of that climb because you can see all of the teams are now starting to send Riders up to the front
End of the main field even rabo bank now are starting to get involved and that’s obviously for Denny menof going to be nervous moments now they know what they have got to do they don’t know if the legs will do it of course but they’re all going to give it their best shot
This is going to be terrific now rabber Banker taking G guessing and menof to the foot of the mountain there’s still a little way to go the last 18.6 km so we’re just third 13 km from the start of the last climb in the to of France and
They come here the two leaders split by eight seconds it’s a perfect celebration of the Pyrenees getting a last little bit of food into him Carlos sastra a great Brave move here this afternoon and I do really think that if he’ got across to that leading Group of Seven on the
Slopes of the cder marry block the first first category climb of the day this race would have been a whole lot harder because they would have put serious pressure on him and ser pressure on all of the teams to chase him down he was looking to climb himself up into the top
10 in the overall standings well that doesn’t look as it’s going to work this afternoon but at least he went down fighting well they’re all waiting to see what sort of a legendary stage we’re about to witness here look at the the crowd is Amazing Phil I’m not sure what
It’s going to be like a bit further up because the road has been closed for a couple of days the police actually closed down both sides of the C of Talay 3 days ago the people who’ve got the best best vantage points are the people
Who came in four and five days ago in their camping cars and their tents to witness this final Big Mountain Stage of the tour well Kev is hoping to survive he had a great start to the season sterio grad look at that face he really is looking has gone yeah they’re all
Cracking one by one now that’s all to do with the pressure coming from Alexander kbv who was second in Le B on Le but he got himself a victory in the Russian national championships so we’re now down to five riders in that front group The
Two Sky boys first to go there and now we’ve lost Remy porol he’s gone as two Riders push on here they’re trying to go clear Marcus burkard has managed to stay with Alexander kov in fact he’s not stayed with him he’s gone better than him because he’s now gone to the front
Remember the tour of Switzerland this man had a very difficult start to the season then all of a sudden just two weeks before the start of the tour bang he goes in the tour of Switzerland and gets himself two stage victories he’s got to make his effort from the bottom
Because they’ll they’ll chew him down otherwise he’s 259 the Gap now and they’ve got to start early they’ll pick up the other Riders then there’ll be a little bit of confusion as to how many they’ve caught perhaps but this is going to become a personalized in battle eventually between the yellow Jersey and
The and the jersey of the white jersey of schle they’ll ride pretty close to either other and contador will always be looking and at the moment they’re climbing side by side on the mountain basso has gone no point now because he lost this race a few days ago it’s a
Very small group and it’s very select and keep your eyes on the man in the white jersey because he has got to attack and he’s got to gain time contador in yellow these are the two leaders here marvelous crowd on the slopes of the cold at tolay they had to
Walk here there’s no way they were allowed by the police to bring vehicles but look at the way that kobb is riding there Phil he knows that he’s got a good chance here of creating a bit of History this afternoon and that’s why he’s going up the front setting the pace with
Marcus burot but look at the faces of the riders in this group this is is the most important group really this afternoon Jurgen ven Brook Trail by Matthew Lloyd there the Australian on the same team now contador has got right in behind the white jersey of schle schle always looks like he’s smiling
When in fact he’s grimacing well he waited he just took himself into the Red Zone and CBF has decided to push on himself now well he’s the only man to survive he’s the last chance for the Breakaway of seven to get first to the summit and he’s holding the pellet on
It’s locked in at 231 well what a coup this would be for katusa if they got this me memorable stage this afternoon he’s riding his first tour to France here but I tell you what he’s not a rider who doesn’t know how to go up hills because he was pretty dominant i’
Have to say Phil I’m not sure what’s going on here because we’re looking over his shoulder a little chat there between Andy schle and the team car Alexander vorov sitting at the back end of the main field now and he’s under a little bit of difficulty this afternoon but he
Wants to stay there as long as possible good to see that Armstrong is still in there the old man of the sport at 38 years of age he is already filled still in a very select group of riders tour to France at TG [Applause] Dogs investigate everything so do we that’s why we can trace all the meat in our food back to the Farms it comes from good honest food from pedigree it’s true you really start to enjoy life as you get older but sometimes you forget you’re not as young or as fit as you
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They buy by September 6 2010 call now on 1890 70575 or visit tesco.ie Tesco car insurance every little helps we picked this up in Spain wow Greece oh it’s beautiful and this one the supermarket from the new Glade t much and fresh collection an air freshener that doesn’t
Look like an air freshener and it’s from GL tour to France on TG car supported by unpost we’re riding into the low Mist here but he’ll come right through it because we’re sitting in sunshine still at the top way this is one of the survivors looking back over his
Shoulders he’ll get a chance just to see what it looks like at the front end there’s a move off the front end and I think that’s Carlos beredo well it is Carlos beredo I would say for sure as he’s made his move the man that got
Caught just inside of the flag as we raced into Poe two days ago rest day yesterday Remy porol in the Breakaway is now been picked up by the pelaton and there’s lots of riders now feel they’ve got a chance of getting a victory FSE gang Phil has pulled off there’s Andy’s
Movea has to be now because he’s lost all his teammates now it’s time it’s come down to the top two riders in the to to Fran schle ricked his teeth all cador has to do is follow well that’s all he’s doing currently they’ve got Yim Rodriguez just slipping bring back a
Fraction there is number 25 Levi leimer he’s been put into difficulty by this acceleration and what an acceleration here Rodriguez I think it is he’s trying to get onto the tail and he’s making it and Denny menof is trying to cross the Gap Sanchez has not responded yeah but
Also coming across as Robert guessin as well because that’s the other Rider a little bit further back Rodriguez can’t stand the pace that’s being dished out here by Andy schle contador Phil looks very comfortable Lance Armstrong sits here in in the group as well these boys will see
Daylight and common sense when they get rid of the PAC makers at the front I think because this is an incredible show now at the front well that’s crer going round there he’s trying to ride past the shadow of Carlos beredo but beredo is the man that started the aggression here
This afternoon Sanchez Sanchez is coming across there he Sanchez has made his move he’s had to he must be suffering you might see the blood on his arm there he’s had no choice because menv has gone this is burkart he’s going to be Ste up very shortly they’re on him there’s only
One man left in front now well they’re catching everybody there you could just caught a quick glimpse of Ruben plazza going backwards and Andy sleck is taking no prisoners here this afternoon this is the next group forming on the road Jurgen Vander Brook Sanchez Chris Horner
Is is riding a Stormer look at the face of Samuel Sanchez in by injured by the Fall he’s still trying to hold on to that third place in Paris this Rider has decided not to rip off on the front by lifting the speed but to take it to the
Limit and see if he can really ride contador off his wheel and this Chase group behind which still contains the top two Riders mencho here and has been joined by Ryder haod doal the PAC making being done by Sanchez haod doal could be going up inside the top eight Riders
Tonight with this performance yeah because Levi leimer has been tailed off and it could well be that the Canadian will climb up into eighth place he has been a phenomenal performer what amazes me is the freshness that Ryder hazal has at the start every morning Andy schle is
Riding like a man possessed he has got nothing to lose this afternoon Phil all he’s got to try and do is see if he can grab back that yellow Jersey and all contador has to do is ride defensively 8.5 kilometers from the summit of the C Talay they get alongside and pass and
Drop the Russian Rider Alexander Kev he’s the champion of Russia he’s got no answer to these two this has become a personal battle now the tour to France is a side show it’s sleck versus contador Well we’d always said it was going to come down to the Big Show here
Contador just out of the saddle in his typical style as he sits and tries to stay in contact with Andy Schleck I have to say take my hat off to number 181 because Samy Sanchez is dreaming of holding on to his third place overall he had a very nasty crash got himself back
Into the race but the man who is his biggest danger is right behind him there Denny meno fourth at the start of the day Andy sleck just just sitting and T tapping out the tempo and he’s got right on his wheel and his slipstream there Alberto contador the Spanish well in
Fact no that’s a luxembourger alongside and he’s shouting to Andy Schleck he wants Andy Schleck to try and do something special if he can this is like the old days when pulidor took on anel shoulder Tosh shoulder on the ped and pulidor never realized he had Anil on the ropes and
Didn’t put it home now I wonder if SLE has got contador on on the ropes and doesn’t realize it well he uh he hasn’t even dared to look back at him and he knows that Alberto contador is a great individual time trialist he may well rival Fabian Canela in the individual
Time trial he beat kelara in the final time trial last year but this is going to be a different ball game when we go up to Bordeaux but this is about the mountain the mountain of the Pyrenees the C toal cador’s going and he’s gone and
He’s s going to answer that one I’m not sure he can because this is are going to be a massive attack Andy sleo has got all of the courage that has come to him in this tour to France look at that he’s back on him well he’s not quite on him
But he’s digging very deep indeed and that was a very vicious acceleration by Alberto contador but slowly the luxemburger has clawed his way back well really contador should turn around and shake his hand because that was a superb recovery I think there might have even been a word there because look now at
Schle stiring into the eyes of of Conor as if to say you sat on me all the way up and you thought you could get rid of me that was a stare right into the face of Alberto contador by Andy Schleck not only is he trying to get the yellow
Jersey this afternoon Phil he wants to win this stage as well because this is a stage of Legends a 100 years ago the tour to France included the C the tour Malay and Andy sleck knows all about history while further down the road at around about a minute and 20 Robert
Gessing is trying to keep his man Denny menv right up in the overall standings and just tacked on the back there I’m just looking I think is yes he is Samy Sanchez one the kilometer to the summit and the last climb in this year’s toour of France the two men separated this
Morning by 8 seconds are not separated by any more than 8 seconds as they go into the last 900 meters well Andy SLE now has got to try and get his head around the fact that he’s got to try and outsprint Alberto contador to at least get something back from the work that
He’s done in this Breakaway this afternoon kiwi flag over to the right hand side there the Britton flag the Norwegian flag the Spanish flag they’re all out for these guys this is an atmosphere never before seen on the cond c tour Malay despite being in the tour
For a 100 years and can contador even attack with a crowd like this the only good news is the barriers will start soon and they’ll be free to go one more time head-to-head as they race for the top we literally finish on the very very very top of the Mountain well Andy schle
Getting out of the saddle one more time and there we’ve got the crowd off to the side it’s going to be a big preparation now for the final Sprint to the top of the C to Mal the Japanese flag Waits The Rising Sun is right there as they go by
We’re still in the Mist here but this will kick round again it’ll herp in up towards the line it is so so steep at this point on the toret now what an image this is the Mayo and the Mayo Blan and they’re taking the race head to-head
Another hering right round and that’s a really steep corner cador is he going to try and spin for the line will he dare take the glory away from sleck who’s been an absolute hero today my answer is he will he will go for it if he can he
Does not want to become the seventh rider in the history of the tour to France to win the Tour without winning a single stage looking over 300 meters to go and still contador sitting in second position I just thought for a moment he was going to ride shoulder toosh
Shoulder with Schleck and made the best man win but no contador has dropped back here it is so Steep and we’re getting into the last 200 M soon or later somebody’s going to make a move well this is this this climb field goes right the way up to the summit they can’t see
The banner it’s covered in Mist but still we’re looking at about 150 M to go for Andy SLE and contador waiting to make that move it’s got to come now of course we’re on the other side of the mountain and we are literally in the Sun
But they’re going to finish this race in the fog at the top they look at the Finishing Line they can reach out and touch it it’s sleck on the right in case you can’t see contador they start the Sprint side by side and this is a huge effort Alberto contador though wants a
Stage win and they’re going to cross and he’s let schle take it and so he should that was incredible schle wins contador takes second who will get third well it’s a big battle for third now but look at the average speed fi 34 km an hour
Has been the average speed of the day that’s 19 milph Robert guessing is doing the PAC making here behind and he’s got in his slipstream his own teammate Denny men the last time check I got was these guys were around about a minute and 40 seconds behind and in the midst I can’t
Actually tell you who’s left in this group but I think I can just see the shape of Samy Sanchez there in third he’s done a great performance for a man who was thrown to the ground in the early part of this stage guessing um the Russian Rider goes through in second place
Second there third there is the great ride of haa this is Jurgen vandenbrook I haven’t seen a yet right ride at haor go through but he must be just here well I think hodal May well have been tailed off just a fraction as is Jurgen vanderbrook about to get tailed off as
Well here and Yim Rodriguez has gone we’ve forgotten about him he could well be holding on for third place well he’s the rider who won IM M he’s not too far behind overall but he’s not in the chance of do it he’s lying in eighth place he might move up a little
Bit closer tonight gaining a bit of time huge effort by Yim Rodriguez to take the third place finish well that was a great performance by him in fact hazal is in fourth field coming up to the Finish Line he’s going to be in eighth tonight
In the tour to France at least well done Ryder hazal he’s confirmed himself as a top Rider in this year’s toal France well Sanchez I don’t know where menv was in fact they tailed off menv at the the top menof comes across the line now with his teammate Robert guessing so a few
More seconds Phil grabbed there by Samy Sanchez here’s Jurgen Vanden Brook the two men at the top of the general classification they couldn’t be more evenly matched this time it was Andy schlick that won the stage he second stage victory in this year’s Tour on the top of the podium for stage
Honors but not quite in the race for yellow what next for Andy schlick he’s a better time TR this you know it’s 8 seconds but uh yeah everything can happen you know uh so I won’t give up a fight till Paris I know it’s going to be hard you know now to
Win to win this two but uh I’m only last year was 4 minutes back now I’m only 8 seconds back so everything is possible behind schle and contador was Rodriguez in third position then radal the Canadian in fourth place and Samuel Sanchez after a crash earlier in the day
Finished in fifth position contador at the top of the general classification is in the yellow Jersey he’s got an 8C buffer over Andy Schleck but the individual time TR is still to come and the race isn’t quite over just as yet of course it’s not a big gap but I
Think I proved the point today for sure it would be good to have more time but I do feel very good it’s eight seconds the advantage for contador ahead of Andy it’s then the battle for third place in a spot on the podium and that is between Samuel
Sanchez and Dennis menv 31 seconds separates those two men to Hof is in the green jersey as the leader of the points classification but with two more stages for the sprinters how much longer can Hof hold on to Green his advantage over Alexandra Bak is just four points and
Cavendish he’s not out of contention yet he’s in third place there’s no more climbs in the race for the polka dot Jersey for Anthony cateau the Frenchman for B box boy at Telecom to secure this classification all he has to do now is make it into Paris in second place in that
Classification it’s Kristoff Moro and then Andy Schleck once again is inside the top three with contador in fourth at the top of the classification for the best young rider for the third year in a row it’s Andy Schleck that wears the white jersey in second position 6 minutes and 33 seconds behind it’s
Robert gasing Roman kinger is in third place a little over 10 minutes behind sportsmanship displayed after the stage as well as the two combatants embraced mutual respect between the top of the table in the general classification in the race for yellow Miguel inderin he won the Tour to France on five occasions
The great Spaniard on hand to congratulate contador who stays in yellow