LA TOUSSUIRE (procycling.no): There was a hot time both during and after the third stage in the Alps. Vincenzo Nibali attacks when overall leader stopped with mechanical problems.
Afterwards he got skin full of Chris Froome.
– I said exactly what I thought he said Froom told reporters afterward.
Nibali claimed the longest that he perceived that the competitor was in trouble.
– I can not tell you what he said to me afterwards. It’s too ugly to repeat. He’s obviously pissed, but that’s his problem, said Nibali about the episode.
Froom: – Had never done the same
Astana captain came alone to the finish of the 19.e came alone to measure of leg 19 of the Tour de France Friday.
– I personally find it quite unsportsmanlike. He had the whole climbing to attack on, and he chose the time when I had mechanical problems. I had never made it to race leader, said Froom under his usual round of interviews afterward.
Nibali, who is defending champion in the race, claimed afterwards that he did not perceive that the Briton had problems. TV pictures show that teammate Tanel Kangert encourage his captain to attack.
The Italian was eight minutes behind before the stage, and was as such not the biggest threat for Team Sky in the summary.
Quick stops for Froom
The consequences were still large for Froom who sat isolated during long stretches of the stage.
Nibali saw the group of overall riders never again. Even after Nairo Quintana attacks towards the end.
Quintana took 29 seconds and cut down their lead further with two bonus seconds on Froom. Sky Captain did not seem overly concerned about it, although dreaded Alpe d’Huez appear during Saturday’s leg.
– When all is said and done, I’m glad to have a sufficiently good head start, although I lost time en route to Quintana.
He added that he found it sad that Nibali chose to attack while he had trouble with the bike.
There was a moment there where a piece of cloth stuck in the wheel my. It was as if someone cut the brakes mine. I had to stop and remove it before I continued. It was unfortunately currently Nibali chose to attack on.
Passed Contador
Nibali went past Contador In summary, while Froom now have 2 minutes and 38 seconds on Quintana two stages before the end. Then follow Alejandro Valverde (5.25), Nibali (6.44) and Contador (7.56).
Edvald Boasson Hagen and Alexander Kristoff fell as expected far back on the hard-hitting leg against La Toussiere.
– Up the hill last went there in a decent pace. Initially, they were to fight hard just to be in the group I was able to keep up with, told Boasson Hagen to procycling.no after the stage.
He crossed the finish line over 29 minutes behind the winner. In the group set also Kristoff.
So it was:
Already up the first hill allow competitors pressure on Chris Froome. Nibali, Alberto Contador and Alejandro Valverde tried all distancing Briton in the yellow jersey.
The trio picked up a larger group, around half a minute in front froom group. Michele Scarponi put it up a furious pace. But led by a brilliant Wout Poels, gathered Sky at the top.
The only problem was that the rest of Sky riders had fallen off the field. Froom put in a difficult position, but Sky rock itself when Geraint Thomas and Leopold König came up in the downhill.
Up bone hard Col de la Croix was the end for Froom helpers again. Barely one mil before the peak set just Poels again by teammates for the overall leader.
The Dutchman was a little while unhooked, but got some great back before the top. While Pierre Rolland lay around two minutes ahead, wondered the best placed overall riders at each other up against the leg highest point.
Calculated attack
The drama began when Froom began troble with gear with three kilometers to the top. Nibali attacks at the same moment and got weed to the other favorites.
The situation reminded a bit about when Alberto Contador pulled basis of Andy Schleck in 2010. Schleck had the yellow jersey when he put on the chain, just as he was going to increase the cadence in a climb.
Contador attack and took the leader jersey after the stage. On the podium got Spaniard loudly booing from the audience.
Now admittedly not Nibali near to acquire Froom yellow jersey Friday but the Italian pulled undoubtedly benefit from his maneuver.
TV2 reruns of the situation showed that the Astana team mate Tanel Kangert pointed back toward Froom, and said something to Nibali just before the latter moved.
Increased down
Froom came quickly back to the group with the other favorites. But the area around the top of the Col de la Croix, 2067 meters above sea level, had Nibali gained a minute head start.
The gap only increased on the way down the mountain, and the sicilanske “shark ” ran simultaneously in half hatch until Rolland.
Nibali towed the man in front completely just after top of today’s penultimate mountain, second category Col du Mollard. These two remained together until the bottom of the last first category La Toussuire.
Then it became clear early on that Rolland had no strength to follow last year’s Tour de France winner.
While Europcar climber was taken by Froom and his entourage, stepped Nibali up to both the stage win and fourth place overall.
The article is delivered by bicycle website www.procycling.no.
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