Stage 8 - Figeac - Toulouse, 172.5km
Another long, flat and rainy day which saw little shake up in the GC. Will Frischkorn, forming a bit of a pattern here, took to it right from the gun and tried to make the day's main selection, but it appears that the peloton has all become increasingly aware of the utter Force that is Team Garmin - Chipotle. Where they were content to let them make their mark on their debut Tour de France, the rest of the group has now become aware that Team Garmin - Chipotle is actually and utterly tough rival that is set to be reckoned with in basically all of the stages from here on out.
General classification after stage 8
4 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 0.44
7 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.14
93 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 29.43
97 Trent Lowe (Aus) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 30.13
103 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 32.40
119 Danny Pate (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 36.57
134 William Frischkorn (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 43.08
137 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 44.05
Team classification
1 Team CSC Saxo Bank 97.22.08
14 Garmin Chipotle 10.59
Stage 9 - Toulouse - Bagnères de Bigorre, 224km
Now it appears that the real Tour de France is beginning!!! Now we're getting into the high mountains in the Pyrenees. We honestly expected to see some serious fireworks from the real mountain goats that call the Pyrenees home, such as the Euskatel - Euskadi boys and especially Suanier Duval, as they're both based out of Spain and we're so very near Spain on the route right now. Well, fireworks did we ever get. The Saunier Duval boys, and especially Ricco are showing that they are here at this Tour in full force with Ricco literally storming away from the group on Col d'Aspin and holding them off for the remaining, mostly downhill, 25 kilometers after the race.
But most importantly, previous yellow jersey wearer, Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner) – who started the day third overall – cracked on the final climb and slipped to fourth. Now what does that mean to us? It means Christian Vande Velde has now moved up to third place overall on the GC!!!
General classification after stage 9
3 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 0.44
25 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 4.31
69 Trent Lowe (Aus) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 30.53
82 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 37.30
115 Danny Pate (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 54.35
124 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 59.34
147 William Frischkorn (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.10.02
149 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.10.59
Team classification
1 Team CSC Saxo Bank 114.24.23
14 Garmin Chipotle 14.56
Stage 10 - Pau - Hautacam, 156km
As can always be expected, when we get to epic days like we're on here, where we have to climb the Hautacam, you can rely on the yellow jersey battle really shaping up. Again, the Saunier Duval boys have been really taking over in the mountains of this Tour and sending fireworks off left and right - literally proving that this is anyone's Tour.
As the peloton made their way up the fabled climb, Saunier Duval seemed to be on a knife's edge of fitness as their mix of Ricco, Piepoli and Cobo going off the front seemed to cut the legs out from under everyone, including Kim Kirchen - the current yellow jersey holder. We half expected the jersey to fall from Kim's shoulder today and onto a likely candidate such as one of the Schleck boys, Evan or most likely Valverde. And, I'd be more than remiss in not noting Menchov's presence so consistently close by. It looked like Schlek would get it, but the Australian pugilist, Cadel Evans, ended up being the man most consistent and close by to finally don the Maillot Jaune.
But yet again, and what is vastly important here, is that Vande Velde is not only still in the running, but he's still riding within himself!!! For some reason, the rest of the peloton is letting him fly directly under the radar as he consistently improves his lot in what is turning out to easily be one of the most exciting Tour de Frances ever!
General classification after Stage 10
3 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 0.38
48 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 35.22
70 Trent Lowe (Aus) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 51.06
80 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 59.35
116 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.25.08
119 Danny Pate (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.25.36
149 William Frischkorn (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.40.53
151 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.41.50
Team Classification
1 Saunier Duval - Scott 127.29.48
14 Garmin Chipotle 57.13
Stage 11 – Lannemezan - Foix, 167.5km
No big changes today as we're dealing with a flat stage and all the riders are "fresh" off of a rest day. When I say "fresh", I actually mean hurting even worse! While the body can actually take full advantage of the rest day to send blood to where it needs to be, digest more effectively, sleep and generally repair, the legs are now in a state of shock. See, the legs have now become accustomed to long days of suffering and constant motion. Now that they've had one measly day to try and be human again, it's back to the grind for another block. It is often said that this transition is almost worst than having just riding the Tour right through that rest day. Think of it as a Monday back from a nice long vacation. Gutted!
Status quo for the day. I'm pretty certain that Vaughters pulled all the boys aside yesterday, after they overstuffed themselves with Burritos, and told them that order of the Tour now was to protect and prop Christian at ALL costs, which is what they appeared to do by guiding him home in a very safe and smart 19th place.
General classification after stage 11
3 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 0.38
50 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 35.22
68 Trent Lowe (Aus) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 51.06
80 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 59.35
118 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.32.31
121 Danny Pate (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.32.59
147 William Frischkorn (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.48.16
149 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.49.13
Teams classification
1 Team CSC Saxo Bank 139.58.49
16 Garmin Chipotle 1.07.24
Stage 12 - Lavelanet - Narbonne, 168.5km
Another very welcome sprinters day now that we've gotten the first post-rest day ride out of the way. You just never know how those cobwebs will blow out. Now, we had aimed to have a relatively quiet day today, let's be fair now, we just finished the Pyerenees, and we're a few days away from the Alps, so suffice it to say; nerves are on end.
The Garmin - Chipotle boys are contuning to ride a more than perfect, if not total model, race as this Tour de France continues. They're apparently taking their recovery and energey aids on the border of perfection as the team, minus big Maggie, is in perfect health, feeling good and all within themselves. Just another testament to what some good old fashioned hard work can accomplish. And when you carry total transparency aboard with you, you're totally relieved of the burdens of secrecy and allowed to sleep a much sounder night. Maybe that isn't what wins stages, but maybe, as we're beginning to see, it's the only way to stay in the game.
The sport and the tour took a real blow today in seeing one of the main protagonists of this year go out in such a disgraceful manner. We can only hope that something good comes out this and that we continue to keep our eye on the ball....or should I say the burrito?
General classification after stage 12
3 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 0.38
47 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 35.22
63 Trent Lowe (Aus) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 51.06
74 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 59.35
111 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.32.31
116 Danny Pate (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.34.16
138 William Frischkorn (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.48.16
140 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.49.13
Teams classification
1 Team CSC Saxo Bank 151.01.25
15 Garmin Chipotle 1.07.24
Stage 13 - Narbonne - Nîmes, 182km
Another very calm and cool day as far as Garmin - Chipotle is concerned, and hey, that's what we want. Just like tomorrow. On these pan flat days, the one and only order of business is for the guys to stay within an arm's reach of Christian Vande Velde and make sure that his every single whim is attended to. No worries, his moment is coming and we're hoping to the fullest that he'll be more than ready to return the investment that the boys have placed in him.
Within days, we're going to have a really good idea of who is going to round out the podium at this year's Tour, but we know right now that there's some more people that are NOT going to be rounding out anything in this Tour. It appears that some riders just refuse to live and learn by the book. I won't even bother announcing their names or giving them any undue press. Not when Garmin - Chipotle is doing such a great job of ushering in the sport's future and Mark Cavendish from Team Columbia is busy changing the sprinting world. 4 stages in one year, and he's barely old enough to vote!!!!
General classification after stage 13
3 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 0.38
47 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 35.22
65 Trent Lowe (Aus) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 53.46
74 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 59.50
111 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.32.31
116 Danny Pate (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.34.29
137 William Frischkorn (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.48.31
139 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.49.13
Teams classification
1 Team CSC Saxo Bank 164.18.31
15 Garmin Chipotle 1.07.24
Stage 14 - Nîmes - Digne les Bains, 194.5km
Triple world champion Oscar Freire all but buttoned the lid on his green jersey campaign as he took the 14th stage of the 2008 Tour de France. What a coup on the Spaniard's part. He's been one of the toughest and top finishing sprinters for years, but physically delicate at times. This very well could be the year, along with Cavendish surely bowing out before tomorrow, that the Spaniard gets the coveted Green Jersey, and while not even taxing his teams GC intentions with the venerable and evergreen Dennis Menchov.
Cadel Evans defended his jersey yet another day, but we knew this as today is the last sprinter's day before the final nail(s) get driven. We're going to the Alps tomorrow, and once we get there, things will only get harder. The only things that are certain are that the bag will get shaken in the Alps, but it will get it's final sorting in the penultimate day, at the final Time Trial. This is literally one of the most open and interesting Tour's that there has ever been.
By design, the Team Garmin - Chipotle boys are locked in spot and ready for the testing to begin tomorrow.
General classification after stage 14
3 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 0.38
46 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 35.22
69 Trent Lowe (Aus) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 57.13
73 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.00.54
108 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.32.31
110 Danny Pate (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.34.29
138 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.54.11
142 William Frischkorn (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.56.14
Teams classification
1 Team CSC Saxo Bank 176.57.55
15 Garmin Chipotle 1.07.24
Stage 15 - Embrun - Prato Nevoso, 183km
If this year's Tour has a juggernaut that harkens to days past, it must be Team CSC. They have a veritable stack of brutes on their squad that can pull harder, climb as well and collude together with a level of strength that is simply nearly impossible to match. But they're lacking that one final spark. We were expecting them to unleash a barrage of fury upon the peloton today, and did they ever.
Alas, while they were doing this, Danny Pate threw LOOOOONNNNNGGGGG and went on the day's break. The break was supposed to be caught, but Dan the Man usually has different plans when he goes clear. Danny threw himself into the hurt locker like no other and stuck the break all the way to the stage finish and pulled down a podium spot! Is it me, or is this wild card team constantly nipping at the heel's of the Tour?
Christian Vande Velde some valueable seconds on Evans and maintained a top five GC position, still more than within striking distance of the podium.
The top 6 racers in this Tour are literally so close that it is absolutely up to anyone which direction this race could go. This is surely proving to be a nail biter and then some... See you on L'Alpe d'Huez
General classification after stage 15
5 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 0.39
51 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 52.37
69 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.12.41
71 Trent Lowe (Aus) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.13.17
89 Danny Pate (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.29.57
110 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1.53.22
138 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 2.15.02
139 William Frischkorn (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 2.17.05
Teams classification
1 Team CSC Saxo Bank 191.43.49
13 Garmin Chipotle 1.15.04
Follow Team Garmin - Chipotle p/b H3O at - http://www.slipstreamsports.com/