Stage 8 News
Armstrong mind games won’t faze Contador
As excruciating as racing up a high mountain in the Tour de France can be, the waiting game played by the overall podium contenders sometimes appears even more so. The Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel attacked out of a breakaway on the final climb and soloed to a win and his reclamation of the yellow leader’s jersey in Saturday’s Stage 7 — the first day of any significant climbing.
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Analysis: Armstrong mind games won
McEwen says crash could cost $1.5m
Angry Australian sprinter Robbie McEwen says the reckless security that allowed a man to collide with him at the end of stage six could cost him ''hundreds of thousands'' of dollars - or a $1.5 million contract offer. McEwen (Katusha) was still furious about the collision, which caused him to fall at about 60 km/h soon after sprinting across the line in fourth place on Friday. Already a victim of a crash earlier in the race, the fall left the Queenslander in agony and could force his withdrawal from the Tour.
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Furious McEwen says crash with official could cost him $1.5m
Murphy's Law for RadioShack
It was a black day for the RadioShack team. In the words of manager Johan Bruyneel, "Everything that could go wrong went wrong." Lance Armstrong went down three times during the stage: first, after six kilometres raced, where he did not suffer any damage and was able to get back to the bunch quickly.
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Murphy's Law For RadioShack | Cyclingnews.com
Yellow jersey a case of deja vu for Evans as Lance Armstrong tumbles out of contention
Cadel Evans soared to the occasion and into the yellow jersey in the first major mountain stage of the Tour de France. Incredibly, the Australian world champion took the prized “maillot jaune” in circumstances that mirrored the first and last time he claimed it two years ago.
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Cadel Evans | Yellow jersey | Lance Armstrong | Tour de France
Contador satisfied with first mountain stage
Alberto Contador didn't win the first mountain stage of the Tour de France despite many people's expectations, but he is not considering his fifth place finish in Avoriaz at the end of stage 8 to be a defeat
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Contador Satisfied With First Mountain Stage | Cyclingnews.com
Sastre survives first Alpine test at Tour de France
Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) survived the first real Alpine test of this year's Tour de France, finishing in a group of pre-race favourites including Alberto Contador (Astana), Cadel Evans (BMC) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas). The 2008 Tour winner moved to 12th overall in the process, and now sits 2:40 down on Evans in the general classification.
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Sastre Survives First Alpine Test At Tour De France | Cyclingnews.com
For Lance, a legendary collapse in France
After getting caught up in crashes three times on Stage 8, the Tour de France's first major climbing day, the race's record-holding seven-time champion Lance Armstrong lost more than 11 minutes to the top contenders. He slipped to 39th place in the General Classification (overall standings). As he past the finish line atop the mountain of Morzine, he stopped and told reporters, "This Tour is finished for me. But I'm going to hang in there and enjoy my last Tour de France."
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Bicycling.com: For Lance, a legendary collapse in France - Tour de France- nbcsports.msnbc.com
Slippery when wet: Armstrong
Lance Armstrong was caught up in three crashes in the eighth stage of the Tour de France as the seven-time champion struggled up Sunday's steepest climb. The three incidents dealt a major blow to Armstrong's hopes of an eighth Tour title, with his main rivals picking up valuable time over him on the La Ramaz ascent, the tougher of the two climbs on the 189-kilometer (117.4-mile) course from Station des Rousses to Morzine-Avoriaz. With about 19 kilometers left, shortly after La Ramaz, Armstrong was held up by a rider who crashed in front of him. Though the Texan rider did not fall, he slowly got back on his bike, in seeming exasperation at his third tie-up.
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Slippery when wet: Armstrong - Hindustan Times
Armstrong's Tour hopes 'finished' after 8th stage
Close the book on the Lance Armstrong era at the Tour de France. The record seven-time champion wrote off his chances of victory in his 13th and last Tour, signaling the beginning of the end of one of the most celebrated and controversial careers in cycling history. The 38-year-old Texan's hopes for yet another title were dashed Sunday after he got caught in three crashes — one of which brought him down — and struggled to keep up during two tough climbs in Stage 8, the race's first foray into the Alps. He and his team said his hip got banged up, keeping him from pedaling hard.
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The Associated Press: Armstrong's Tour hopes 'finished' after 8th stage
Armstrong's Tour ruined as Evans seizes lead
Lance Armstrong's hopes of winning an unprecedented eighth Tour de France were ruined on Sunday when the first Alpine stage proved too much for him to handle. Riding his last Tour, the 38-year-old American, who had 'the hardest day' in his cycling life in a Tour stage to Morzine in 2000, suffered even more 10 years later, finishing 11 minutes 45 seconds behind stage winner Andy Schleck of Luxembourg. "The Tour is over but I'm gonna hang in there," Armstrong, his face a mask of pain, told reporters after crossing the line.
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Armstrong's Tour ruined as Evans seizes lead | Sports | Reuters
Armstrong Says `No Tears' as Bid for Final Tour de France Win Flounders
Lance Armstrong ended the first Alps stage of the Tour de France with his bid for an eighth and final victory in cycling’s premier race in tatters. The Texan crashed just before the first of two climbs yesterday and struggled to recover. He finished the eighth stage, to Morzine-Avoriaz, 11 minutes, 45 seconds behind winner Andy Schleck of Luxembourg.
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Armstrong Says `No Tears' as Bid for Final Tour de France Win Flounders - Bloomberg
Armstrong Crashes All But End His Tour
Lance Armstrong's chance for another Tour de France title effectively ended Sunday, as the seven-time champion crashed three times during the eighth stage and ended the day an almost-irreparable 13 minutes, 26 seconds behind leader Cadel Evans. "My Tour is finished," said the 38-year-old Mr. Armstrong. He will ride out this Tour, and he has said he won't compete in another one. Mr. Armstrong won the Tour each year from 1999 through 2005, before retiring. He returned to racing last year and came in third in the 2009 Tour de France. His downfall Sunday came when he slipped badly on a turn with 32 miles left. The 117.4-mile stage, the first into the mountains, was won by Luxembourg's Andy Schleck, last year's runner-up.
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Armstrong Crashes All But End His Tour - WSJ.com
Armstrong concedes failure in Tour de France
American Lance Armstrong conceded that his hope of Tour de France victory was dampened after he suffered in three crashes in the Alps during the eighth stage on Sunday.
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Armstrong concedes failure in Tour de France
Vino killed the RadioShack star
So ends the second coming of the Tour de France's most successful rider: shafted by bad luck, old age and the Astana team of Alexandre Vinokourov. How can Saddles find humour in the fall of one of the sport's all time Titans? What can he say to consolidate all those pained fans who took exception to BS's prediction that Lance would struggle not only to make the top 10 but to make it to Paris at all? Only last week, one reader sent Saddles a tweet with the sarcastic rhetorical question: "It's fashionable to write off Armstrong, isn't it?" To which, Saddles replied: "Not so much fashionable as realistic."
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Blazin' Saddles - Yahoo! Eurosport
Vinokourov fills domestique's shoes
If anyone had doubted whether Astana's Alexandre Vinokourov would be a faithful domestique for Alberto Contador, the first mountain stage has proven Vino to be a man of his word. The Kazakhstani struggled in the final climb to Avoriaz on stage 8 of the Tour de France, but after being dropped, he regained contact with the favorites and brought waterbottles from the team car to his teammates, who were setting a hard pace at the head of the front group.
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Vinokourov Fills Domestique's Shoes | Cyclingnews.com
Cadel in yellow at le Tour
Cadel Evans soared to the occasion and into the yellow jersey in the first major mountain stage of the Tour de France. Incredibly, the Australian world champion took the prized “maillot jaune” in circumstances that mirrored the first and last time he claimed it two years ago.
Link:
Cadel Evans | Yellow jersey | Lance Armstrong | Tour de France
Evans gives BMC its first yellow jersey
Cadel Evans gave BMC its first Tour de France yellow jersey on stage 8 of the Tour de France. The Australian finished sixth on the 189-kilometre mountain stage to Morzine-Acoviaz but it was enough to displace Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) from the leader's jersey. Evans now leads Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) by 20 seconds, with double Tour winner, Alberto Contador (Astana) 1:01 back.
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Evans Gives BMC Its First Yellow Jersey | Cyclingnews.com
Schleck gives warning of things to come
Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) sent a warning to his rivals on stage of the Tour de France, with a superb win atop Morzine-Avoriaz. Last year’s Tour runner-up attacked within the final kilometre and out-sprinted Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) to the line. More importantly, he gained time on Alberto Contador (Astana) and sits just 20 seconds down on race leader Cadel Evans before tomorrow’s rest day.
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Schleck Gives Warning Of Things To Come | Cyclingnews.com
Cadel Evans claims yellow jersey
Evans, the world champion who last wore the maillot jaune in 2008, when he finished second to Carlos Sastre, was sixth into Morzine behind Andy Schleck on a dramatic day in the French Alps that saw the end of Lance Armstrong as a contender for the title after two heavy crashes. "It’s a bit of a rare honour to have in cycling - to swap the rainbow jersey for the yellow one - but I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has believed in me, not only this year at the BMC team, but over all the years, since I was 14 years old and started racing mountain bikes," Evans said of his journey back to the yellow jersey.
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Cadel Evans claims yellow jersey - Tour de France - Fox Sports
Armstrong's Tour challenge collapses
Lance Armstong’s (Radioshack) Tour de France challenge is over after the American suffered a torrid day in the Alps on stage 8 to Morzine. The American lost over 11 minutes to his main rivals and slipped down to 39th place overall, 13.26 down on the yellow jersey of Cadel Evans (BMC).
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Armstrong's Tour Challenge Collapses | Cyclingnews.com
Evans has a team to back him at last
CADEL EVANS'S teammates believe they can play a major role in his bid to win the Tour de France - a point that could raise the eyebrows of those who suspect he lacks support. But ask Evans's wingman for the mountains, Steve Morabito, and it is clear this is not just small talk. The Swiss rider, who came to Evans's BMC team from Astana, will provide the Victorian with the backing he has long craved in the Alps.
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Evans has a team to back him at last
Before the Stage
Sanchez looks to score in the mountains
Today's stage to Morzine is one of the most important so far in this year's Tour, according to Luis Leon Sanchez. The Caisse d'Epargne captain says that these climbs will let the top riders gauge one another's condition.
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Sanchez Looks To Score In The Mountains | Cyclingnews.com
Armstrong keeps his cool despite heat, saddle sore
RadioShack's Lance Armstrong revealed to Lequipe.fr that he suffered a saddle sore and was forced to stand up out of his saddle more often that he wanted during the climbs of stage 7 at the Tour de France on Saturday.
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Armstrong Keeps His Cool Despite Heat, Saddle Sore | Cyclingnews.com
Investigators target Tour teams
OCLAESP continues search for doping material The French Central Office against Environmental Damage and Public Health (OCLAESP), which had initiated the examination of medical waste deposited by the Tour de France teams in 2009, is continuing its work at this year's Tour.
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Investigators Target Tour Teams | Cyclingnews.com
Tour shakeout looming in Alps
Lance Armstrong is predicting a shakeout among the top Tour de France contenders with the race heading to the Alps for its first serious climbing. The seven-time Tour champion and his main rivals struggled under hot and muggy conditions Saturday when French rider Sylvain Chavanel won a seventh stage that included six low- and midlevel climbs in the eastern Jura mountains. It was a foretaste of the climbs to come: the pack embarks on serious Alpine punishment Sunday with a 117.4-mile jaunt that features two very difficult climbs in the run between the Les Rousses and Morzine-Avoriaz ski stations.
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The Associated Press: Selection Sunday: Tour shakeout looming in Alps
Hesjedal looking to stay tops in Tour
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin – Transitions) backed up a strong first week in the Tour de France with another solid performance on stage 7 to Station Des Rouses. The Canadian finished 7th on the stage and moved up to 3rd in GC.
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Hesjedal Looking To Stay Tops In Tour | Cyclingnews.com
Evans happy to avoid yellow jersey, for now
Australian Cadel Evans admitted he was happy to sit just behind the race leader of the Tour de France after a first mountain test for the contenders here on Saturday.
Former two-time runner-up Evans began the seventh stage, a 165.5km ride from Tournus to here, just 39sec off the pace of overnight leader Fabian Cancellara of Saxo Bank.
But after a combination of unbearable humidity and the peloton's pace took its toll, Switzerland Cancellara tumbled down the standings to 58th overall at over 13 minutes adrift.
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AFP: Evans happy to avoid yellow jersey, for now
Evans up to second as Tour continues to surprise
Not long after Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel took back the leader's yellow jersey with his stage seven victory into the Jura mountains on Saturday, a massive clap of thunder heralded a heavy downpour, bolts of lightning and a deafening hail storm. The dramatic change of weather after Chavanel's equally dramatic leap back to the top of the Tour de France classification ended a first week of racing in wind, rain, scorching heat and suffocating humidity – accompanied by damaging crashes, riders coming to blows and Robbie McEwen knocked off his bike and nearly out of the race by a careless official in the finishing area of stage six.
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Evans up to second as Tour continues to surprise
McEwen back in Tour focus after crash with cameraman
obbie McEwen continued the Tour de France on Saturday (overnight, Sydney time) despite being injured in a bizarre crash at the end of the sixth stage. McEwen was left nursing a sore back, which required a hospital visit, when he crashed just beyond the finish line on Friday after a television cameraman got in his way.
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McEwen back in Tour focus after crash with cameraman
Tour shakeout looming in Alps
Lance Armstrong is predicting a shakeout among the top Tour de France contenders with the race heading to the Alps for its first serious climbing. The seven-time Tour champion and his main rivals struggled under hot and muggy conditions Saturday when French rider Sylvain Chavanel won a seventh stage that included six low- and midlevel climbs in the eastern Jura mountains.
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Selection Sunday: Tour shakeout looming in Alps - - SI.com
First climbs take yellow jersey toll on Cancellara
Fabian Cancellara failed to live up to expectations when he surrendered the Tour de France yellow jersey on the first day in the mountains on Saturday. Cancellara, the Olympic time-trial champion who races for Saxo Bank, was expected to match the pace on the race's seventh stage - which featured six climbs but none that were either too steep or too long.
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First climbs take yellow jersey toll on Cancellara - Cycling - More Sports - Sports - The Times of India
Van Den Broeck ready for battle in the Alps
According to Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) Sunday's Tour de France stage to Mozine will be "all out war". The Belgian finished in the group of GC favourites on Saturday's stage to Station Des Rousses and moved up to seventh overall, two seconds behind last year's Tour winner, Alberto Contador (Astana). However he already has one eye on tomorrow's mountaintop finish.
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Van Den Broeck Ready For Battle In The Alps | Cyclingnews.com
First climbs take their toll on Cancellara
Cancellara, the Olympic time-trial champion who races for Saxo Bank, was expected to match the pace on the race's seventh stage -- which featured six climbs but none that were either too steep or too long. But on what was a hot and humid day in the Jura made worse by a punishing pace set, principally, by the Bbox team, Cancellara was left finishing the stage over 14 minutes adrift of stage winner and new race leader Sylvain Chavanel.
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First climbs take their toll on Cancellara - SuperSport - Cycling
Roche passes first mountain test
Nicholas Roche (AG2R) continued his fine Tour de France, finishing in the group of yellow jersey favourites on stage 7 from Tournus to Station des Rousses. The Irishman crossed the line in 11th in a group containing the likes of Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong and moved up to 8th overall after the Tour's first foray into the mountains.
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Roche Passes First Mountain Test | Cyclingnews.com
