The first mountain top finish of the 2009 Tour was supposed to see the Yellow Jersey and the baton of race leadership pass to Astana. But they did not count on little known Italian Rinaldo Nocentini, who managed to survive along with 8 of his breakaway companions with enough of a buffer to take the Golden Fleece at the end of Stage 7, a 224km slog from Barcelona to Araclis (Andorra).
Noncentini was part of a 9 mine group that managed to build up a big enough lead in the run up to Andorra to hold off the peleton up the first hors category climb of this years tour. In the end, it was young Frenchman Brice Feillu who earned himself a place in French hearts by taking the win at the top of the mountain. He will also have the honour of putting on the Polka Dot Jersey for the next ride through the Pyrenees. Christophe Kern made it a French quinella finishing second while German Johannes Frohlinger filled the podium in third. Nocentini finished fourth, 26 seconds behind Feillu, but it was just enough to take yellow.
Nocentini now leads the GC by 6 seconds from the man who now must be a red-hot favourite to win the Tour, Alberto Contador. Contador broke clear off the select GC bunch over the final 2km to gain 21 seconds over most of his rivals. He easily looked the most comfortable of the GC bunch, dancing up the final bends to stamp his authority on the Tour for the first time this year. Lance Armstrong remains third overall, 8 seconds back, and did not seem all to happy with Contador, suggesting things hadn't really go to plan on the stage.
Presumably the plan was for Astana to simply mark the moves of other teams as they previously held positions 2-5 on the GC. In the end, the only moves where from (would you believe it!) Silence Lotto! Cadel Evans took the bit between his teeth and tried to break away from the Astana led mob, but failed to do so as he was quickly wheeled in by the likes of Armstrong and Contador. Still - credit must go to him for having a go. The only other attack came from Evans' teammate Jurgen Van de Broeck who was allowed to go ahead up the road before Contador sped past him on his attack. Of the chasers, Andy Schleck looked the best as he tried to lead the GC contenders back up to Contador. But he got little help and it was to no avail.
One surprise was the presence of Bradley Wiggins (formally thought of as a man for the flats) amongst the big shots. Given his strong time-trial performances earlier in the week he now seems himself at the heady heights of 5th on the GC table. Wiggins survival on the stage suggests to me that maybe the big boys were foxing a bit today because of the headwind on the final climb, and a bigger shake up may come on a future stage. Tony Martin, the current White Jersey wearer also managed to stick with the big boys. However, Andreas Kloden was surprisingly dropped in the final kilometres and that will likely mean has to work as a domestique for Contador and Armstrong. Similarly, the brave Yellow Jersey run of Fabian Cancellara ended, as he was dropped from the main group about half-way up the final climb.
Still - as it stands now you would have to say that it is Alberto's race to lose. Although before today I think his team was plumbing for Armstrong, Contador certainly threw the cat amongst the pigeons with his attack. I think the winner of the overall title will now come from either those two, or Andy Schleck, who was ok today and must still have an outside chance of victory.
Yellow Jersey - Rinaldo Noncentini
Green Jersey - Mark Cavendish
Polka Dot Jersey - Brice Feillu
White Jersey - Tony Martin
Photos courtersy of Yahoo Sports.
Noncentini was part of a 9 mine group that managed to build up a big enough lead in the run up to Andorra to hold off the peleton up the first hors category climb of this years tour. In the end, it was young Frenchman Brice Feillu who earned himself a place in French hearts by taking the win at the top of the mountain. He will also have the honour of putting on the Polka Dot Jersey for the next ride through the Pyrenees. Christophe Kern made it a French quinella finishing second while German Johannes Frohlinger filled the podium in third. Nocentini finished fourth, 26 seconds behind Feillu, but it was just enough to take yellow.
Nocentini now leads the GC by 6 seconds from the man who now must be a red-hot favourite to win the Tour, Alberto Contador. Contador broke clear off the select GC bunch over the final 2km to gain 21 seconds over most of his rivals. He easily looked the most comfortable of the GC bunch, dancing up the final bends to stamp his authority on the Tour for the first time this year. Lance Armstrong remains third overall, 8 seconds back, and did not seem all to happy with Contador, suggesting things hadn't really go to plan on the stage.
Presumably the plan was for Astana to simply mark the moves of other teams as they previously held positions 2-5 on the GC. In the end, the only moves where from (would you believe it!) Silence Lotto! Cadel Evans took the bit between his teeth and tried to break away from the Astana led mob, but failed to do so as he was quickly wheeled in by the likes of Armstrong and Contador. Still - credit must go to him for having a go. The only other attack came from Evans' teammate Jurgen Van de Broeck who was allowed to go ahead up the road before Contador sped past him on his attack. Of the chasers, Andy Schleck looked the best as he tried to lead the GC contenders back up to Contador. But he got little help and it was to no avail.
One surprise was the presence of Bradley Wiggins (formally thought of as a man for the flats) amongst the big shots. Given his strong time-trial performances earlier in the week he now seems himself at the heady heights of 5th on the GC table. Wiggins survival on the stage suggests to me that maybe the big boys were foxing a bit today because of the headwind on the final climb, and a bigger shake up may come on a future stage. Tony Martin, the current White Jersey wearer also managed to stick with the big boys. However, Andreas Kloden was surprisingly dropped in the final kilometres and that will likely mean has to work as a domestique for Contador and Armstrong. Similarly, the brave Yellow Jersey run of Fabian Cancellara ended, as he was dropped from the main group about half-way up the final climb.
Still - as it stands now you would have to say that it is Alberto's race to lose. Although before today I think his team was plumbing for Armstrong, Contador certainly threw the cat amongst the pigeons with his attack. I think the winner of the overall title will now come from either those two, or Andy Schleck, who was ok today and must still have an outside chance of victory.
Yellow Jersey - Rinaldo Noncentini
Green Jersey - Mark Cavendish
Polka Dot Jersey - Brice Feillu
White Jersey - Tony Martin
Photos courtersy of Yahoo Sports.
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