voeckler tour de france 2011

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Thomas Voeckler and the "cinema" of his cycling

Inside the race that defined the cinematic career of the tongue-wagging Frenchman

Logan Jones-Wilkins

Junior writer - north america.

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For nine days in 2011, France reclaimed its Grand Tour. Then in one short stage, the dream was upended. More than a decade later and the jersey that symbolised that rejuvenation is packed into a suitcase. Thomas Voeckler, and France, has taken that success and grown.

In a recent Legends film, GCN presenter Florian Chabbal spent time with Voeckler at his home in the Vendée region, as well as meeting the men who rode alongside him during his two spontaneous tilts at the maillot jaune. Their discussion ranges from his cycling beginnings away from mainland France and his memories of career-defining moments, to what his life is like in retirement.

For the rider nicknamed ‘CinemaScope’, his life flows like the traditional structure a screenwriter would shape a film plot around. Act one, in film and in Voeckler’s life, is filled with early adversity, success and growth that will come to help in the battles which follow. It is also where our hero finds their team and supporting characters. Strong foundations, in stories and cycling careers, enable the depth and passion of the story to hold emotional weight. With Voeckler, the minutiae of his story is heavy, with his father’s death early in his adolescence, and his closeness with Jean-René Bernaudeau.

The second act, the meat and potatoes of good stories, is where our hero finds their first success. In the biz, this is called the first culmination. The first culmination is a major driver in the narrative because it is where the secret sauce to a hero's success is shown — not only to the audience, but also to the hero themself and those characters in their orbit. It is a realisation that the character will come back to build upon later in their drama.

In Voeckler’s script, his first period in yellow is that first culmination. His tenacity and panache built during the first act come to fruition in the face of the larger, seismic, almost existential force of antagonism in his story: Lance Armstrong and doping writ large. Despite these obstacles, and his inevitable shortcoming in the face of the challenge, this culmination confirmed to Voeckler, France, and the peloton what he was capable of. Even if he himself did not see a return to yellow as likely, 2004 set the table for his most significant plot point later on.

At the end of the second act comes the big moment of action and movement in a story. Sure, the end of a film is the lasting takeaway and often the moment of the highest suspense and drama, but it isn't always the most important moment. The main culmination that comes at the close of the second act is what defines the story being told.

In Voeckler’s screenplay, there's no question as to which moment that is.

Voeckler started the 2011 Tour in his home Vendée region with momentum. After some years of middling results following his breakout performance in 2004, Voeckler regained his tongue-wagging swagger in 2009 with his first Tour stage win and consistent results throughout the calendar. 2010 followed with another Tour stage – this time in the tricolour kit of the French champion – and his biggest one day success at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec. While 2011 started with the tinge of uncertainty that came from a late sponsor scramble for his long-standing team, then Europcar, Voeckler solidified his standing as one of the peloton’s top riders with two stage wins at Paris-Nice ahead of his ninth tour.

By this time in his career, Voeckler’s antics in the peloton were famous. The tongue to the camera. The Frenchness of his interviews. The insistence to carry just one bottle on his bike. The jersey that seemed without a zipper. The deceptive strength he could unleash on the race on any parcours. The wildest of wildcards.

When he found himself back in the yellow jersey in 2011, seven years more refined, those qualities made his second spell in yellow a much more righteous fight. There was hope.

Unlike in 2004, where he ascended to the race lead from a breakaway that had a buffer of twelve minutes, Voeckler and his breakaway companions managed to only carve out a four minute gap by the finish of the ninth stage of the 2011 Tour. It was also, by a long way, only the second most memorable moment of the stage. Midway through the day a television car had swerved into two of the breakaway riders, causing Johnny Hoogerland to sail into a barbed-wire fence. Nonetheless, Voekler’s lead of two and a half minutes over Cadel Evans seemed scant.

By the end of the Pyrenees, however, Voeckler’s gap was hardly dwindling. On the top of Luz-Ardiden on stage 12, Voeckler found himself trailing Alberto Contador – who was battling fatigue after a commanding Giro victory – by seven seconds across the line of the first mountain rendezvous of the tour. Then, two days later, Voeckler repeated his climbing performance, finishing with the main GC favourites on the mighty Plateau de Beille on stage 14. What started as a tenuous gap of two and a half minutes before the major set piece battles of the Tour had become an intriguing buffer of 1:49 over Fränk Schleck after two weeks.

On stage 18, Andy Schleck reclaimed more than two minutes on the rest of the GC contenders in the first of the two Alpine capstones of the Tour. To some degree of surprise, Voeckler battled his way through the alpine giants of the 2,744m Col Agnel, the 2,360m Col d'Izoard and the 2,645m Galibier to cling to the jersey, just 15 seconds clear of Schleck.

Nevertheless, Voeckler still had a minute in hand over the rest of the main contenders. While his 15 second gap seemed likely to be shipped on the Alpe d’Huez to a climber like Andy Schleck, both of the Leopard Trek team leaders were notoriously shawty time trialists. The biggest threat, to Voeckler and the Schleck brothers, was Cadel Evans. Evans, a good but not spectacular climber, had only put a minute and ten seconds on Voeckler on all the previous climbs combined. That was, coincidentally, the same amount of time separating the two on GC heading into the final mountain stage to Alpe d’Huez.

Shockingly, it was all to play for and France had a genuine shot at carrying the yellow jersey into Paris, albeit a small one. Stage 19 was, for Voeckler’s career and the Tour defined by his tenacity, the main culmination. Stage 19 was a new take on one of the Tour’s most traditional stages, with the Col du Telegraphe, the Col du Galibier and L’Alpe d’Huez all crammed into just 110km of racing. The day started normally with a mixed bag of satellite riders and stage hopefuls setting off down the road as Voeckler made his rounds at the front of the peloton for the start of his tenth day in yellow.

Things changed quickly, however, when Saxo Bank started moving. While the breakaway was plugging away up the road as the race wound its way up the Telegraphe, Chris Anker Sørenson launched out of the peloton before Alberto Contador countered shortly thereafter. Before long, Andy and Fränk Schleck made the bridge across to the Spaniard. Contador, who had been shelling time on the major mountain stages, was hoping for a miracle, or at the very least a show. The Schlecks, needing a buffer to shield themselves from the impending losses to come in the time trial, found an unlikely ally in their perennial rival.

Crucially, Voeckler was the only GC hopeful left behind. With a burgeoning gap to the Contador/Schleck/Evans group, Voeckler shot out of the chasing group and sprinted across the gap. However, Contador’s first attack on the opening climb was not to be his last. In his staccato style of climbing, Contador hit his GC rivals over and over again, first distancing Fränk Schleck, before putting Evans and Voeckler into a near constant yo-yo situation. The only rider who met Contador’s quality was Andy Schleck, as he had the year prior.

After only 20km of racing, Voeckler and Evans were finally dispatched for good, as Evans stopped twice for gear adjustments and eventually a bike change. Voeckler, instead of dropping back to the main peloton with his teammates, Fränk Schleck, and Ivan Basso, fought on in no man's land, even with Cadel Evans trailing behind him after the mechanicals. At the crest of the Telegraphe, Voeckler had lost 30 seconds, with cross-team pacing support from Jérôme Pineau helping him limit his losses. Evans, Basso and Frank Schleck were a minute further behind.

Contador had hit the detonator.

The Galibier was, ultimately, Voeckler’s death nail. In his seemingly doomed solo ride between the major GC players, Voeckler cracked himself in the altitude near the heady heights of the highest peak in the Alps. Eventually, Cadel Evans rolled his way up to the yellow jersey and then dropped him soon after. Evans was fighting back to the wheel of Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador. Voeckler, meanwhile, spiked his water bottle while languishing behind all the riders he had climbed with over the previous two weeks. Even with 50km of descending ahead of the peloton, Voeckler had lost 1:50 to his closest rival Andy Schleck and over a minute to Cadel Evans.

On the descent toward Alpe d’Huez, Voeckler clawed his way across the gap to the rest of the GC men, however, as the race hit the climb in earnest, the damage had been done. The pacing Voeckler had to hold to return was enough to bury him on the last 21 hairpins of climbing in the Tour. After two of those switchbacks, his fate was sealed. It was, among many lessons, a good reminder that in cycling energy does not return, it only diminishes at different rates.

In the legacy of the other major players of the 2011 Tour de France, the race and stage was the main culmination for more than just Voeckler. Cadel Evans, already 35 years old, would come up against the start of the Team Sky dynasty at the Tour de France the following seasons and bow out of the sport in 2015. Andy Schleck’s career was derailed not long after the 2011 Tour by a bad crash and lingering health problems which forced him to retire unceremoniously in 2014. Fränk Schleck failed a drug test in 2012 and rode out the rest of his career with unremarkable results.

Only Alberto Contador, whose results from the 2011 Tour were wiped clean from the record books after the conclusion of his doping positive in the 2010 Tour, would have a substantial third act.

Voeckler would go on to grab two stage wins and the polka dot jersey in the 2012 Tour the following year, underscoring his abilities beyond the day to day GC fight. Even after retiring in 2017, Voeckler is still writing his own story in cycling. Under his direction, Julian Alaphillipe claimed two consecutive victories in the World Championships, attacking and gurning à la Voeckler all the while.

Nevertheless, 2011 will always underscore what could have been, even if the hypothetical game is a dangerous one to play.

The fact remains, however, that through the rise and fall of his race, the 2011 Tour was a Thomas Voeckler story. If he did anything differently, he wouldn’t have been doing it his way. That, in the context of the story written so far, would have been a plot twist that even the best screenwriters wouldn’t write. Staying true to his spirit, his panache, even in the face of ultimate failure, seems more important to his plotline.

Check out the trailer for the new documentary Legend: Thomas Voeckler above and be sure to subscribe to GCN+ to watch a deep archive of bespoke cycling documentaries, as well as live racing from across the calendar and around the world.

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Logan Jones-Wilkins is GCN’s North American junior writer. From Denver, Colorado, he covers North American and European cycling for the website.

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Voeckler's last stand: riders and pundits pay tribute to fighting Frenchman riding his last Tour de France

Fan favourite will hang up his wheels on the Champs-Elysées on July 23

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Thomas Voeckler in the escape on stage 14 of the Tour de Frace

When the Tour de France reaches the Champs-Elysées in Paris on July 23, Thomas Voeckler , one of the most dynamic and animated riders of his generation, will hang up his wheels and retire after a career spanning 18 years.

The 38-year-old Frenchman is a breakaway master, a tactical king with a knack for catching the peloton off-guard and riding away solo and an entertainer, with an instantly recognisable gurning grimace, complete with lolling tongue, as he gets into his full attacking flow.

His style of riding and love of the cameras, particularly when he launches a breakaway attempt that’s almost always futile, may mean people love him and love to hate him in equal measure. But to the French public Voeckler symbolises everything they adore about cycling: the importance of never giving up and the belief that the little guy can come out on top.

It’s far from a coincidence that Voeckler has chosen to stop after the race that he has become identified with. It is at his home Grand Tour he feels most comfortable and where he has enjoyed the most success, clocking up four stage wins, a fourth place overall, one King of the Mountains classification victory and 20 days in the maillot jaune, before this year’s race began.

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Voeckler made an impression almost instantly on the Tour, when aged just 25 in only his second appearance in the race in 2004, he wore the maillot jaune. Wearing the French tricolore from the National Championships he’d won just a week before, Voeckler got into a five-rider breakaway on stage five — which finished over 12 minutes ahead of the peloton after a crash held up the main bunch — and took the race leader’s jersey from Lance Armstrong .

He went on to keep hold of yellow for 10 days and only lost it on the first day in the Alps, when Armstrong — then the three-time Tour champion who would go on to win his fourth title that year — chased Voeckler down with his US Postal squad.

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The race that year endeared him to the public — the young Frenchman taking on the might of Armstrong and his team — a position that he would grow to relish as his career went on.

His first stage victory in the race came in 2009, after he attacked near the finish, having spent the day in the break. It set a pattern that would become familiar, starting from a moment of pure individual power and a touch of trickery to break away from the rest of the field.

Voeckler said he will leave the sport with “no regrets, but not without emotion” — just how his riding has been.

Watch: Tour de France preview: what will happen in week three?

Michael Rasmussen: “He put French cycling back on the map”

Former pro rider and now cycling pundit Michael Rasmussen rode at the 2004 Tour de France when Voeckler held the maillot jaune for the first time in his career:

“Voeckler was one of a whole bunch of young, very talented riders coming out of the Mapei youth team,” Rasmussen tells Cycling Weekly .

“There was one particular stage to Plateau de Beille [stage 13] I remember well. I was in the breakaway that day for five, six hours with Jens Voigt. Thomas [wearing the yellow jersey] was hurting a lot and got dropped from the front group and then came back. I think he eventually defended the jersey by a very few seconds. On that climb he came by me in the end and I just remember him doing all his grimaces, working in order to make it to the line just in time.

“There weren’t that many big mountain stages in the Tour that year to lose the jersey, so he got a pretty solid lead going into the mountains. It wasn’t a big surprise [that he held the jersey for 10 days], and nobody expected him to keep it to the end. He wasn’t considered as a GC contender, but he certainly fought very hard for it.

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“He turned into the darling that he still is to the French public in those 10 days and that’s never left him. He made a strong impression on everybody.

“He’s always raced very aggressively, sometimes doing crazy things and he certainly likes the TV cameras a lot, either in front of the peloton or in the back. Wherever there’s a camera he’s always there. I remember later on it became sort of annoying; we just knew whenever there was a motorbike with a camera you would have Voeckler coming by you to get in front of it. You can’t take away from him that he’s a fantastic cyclist.

“He will definitely leave the French public with some kind of vacuum, because of the character he is. He and [Sylvain] Chavanel are the ones that have been there for almost two decades. They were the ones bringing French cycling back on the cycling map when they started racing.”

Cadel Evans: “Allez Thomas!”

Australian Cadel Evans went on to win the Tour in 2011, the second year Voeckler wore the yellow jersey and finished fourth overall. He recalls stage 10, the day that Voeckler first moved into the race lead.

“I remember the day Voeckler went away in the breakaway to take yellow; it was raining and we were coming down this big road that had this right turn,” he says. “George Hincapie [Evans’s BMC team-mate] was taking me around the side of the climb.

“We had a really aggressive start to the race and we took this right turn into a narrow road and that’s where this pretty short and steep climb was. I think we went over a bridge so it was narrow, and the [group] started to split in front of us. We were quite close and George just looked at me and looked at the gap in front and did his last effort to take me to the back of the splintering peloton.

“I remember riding and looking at my power on my SRM, and heard that an attack had gone, and that it was Voeckler. I was doing some maths in my head and busting up this climb and I said, ‘Whoever goes now deserves to win.’ I was riding at a very high level just to stay in the peloton, so for a rider to then hit out over the top of that — I thought, that’s good.

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“He can do these really strong punches when everyone’s in a really fatigued state.

“He’s been a breakaway specialist for his whole career, he reads the race very well and he has this ability to be there when it’s hard. We’re talking about a peloton of 190 riders, and when 160 of them have been dropped it’s hard, and to punch away from this and ride into a breakaway to the finish takes a great deal physically, plus the nous and the feel to wait for the right moment.

“I thought he would crack earlier than he did, that he held on for so long in the yellow jersey surprised me. He held onto the yellow much longer than anyone expected.

“What will his legacy be in the Tour de France? ‘Allez Thomas! Allez Thomas!’ I will remember him as one of the best breakaway riders of my generation.”

Pierre Rolland: “This guy is unbelievable”

Pierre Rolland spent seven years racing alongside Voeckler at Europcar — now Direct Energie — and the squad Voeckler spent almost all his career with. The pair raced together at the 2009 Tour and in 2011 when Voeckler wore yellow and Rolland won his first Tour stage on Alpe d’Huez.

“I was really happy to ride with Voeckler because I have a lot of respect for this man; this guy is unbelievable,” Rolland recalls.

“Now I hope he has a good retirement and a new life. I know for him it’s been hard to leave home [to travel to races] up until now because he has two kids, but I’m really happy to have ridden with this man. He’s my friend, he came to my wedding and he’s an important person to me.

“Voeckler is all the time trying, he is all the time doing; nothing is impossible. You do not get like this after one week but maybe after two, three, four, five years. This man is one good example for this because when Voeckler started professionally he didn’t have good [results] for two years, and three years, and then bit by bit the results came. He’s an unbelievable worker.

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“I rode the Tour de France in 2011 with Voeckler, and I worked to support that yellow jersey. Every day I thought, ‘OK, today is the last day,’ and again you have yellow, then tomorrow for sure he will lose the yellow jersey, then he had it again, again, again. One moment I thought maybe it was possible that he could win the race.

“On stage 19 to Alpe d’Huez [when Voeckler was struggling and would eventually lose the yellow jersey], he told me to ride for myself and try and win the stage. He said, ‘Pierre, you go, don’t wait for me,’ and I went and thought, ‘OK, if I go it’s for the win.’

“I had one big pull in my legs on all of the climb up Alpe d’Huez. I thought, ‘Thomas is behind me, I’m not in the front with him to finish second.’ I felt I had to win that day.”

Alex Roos: “His legacy is his spirit”

L’Equipe journalist Alex Roos has followed Voeckler’s career for a number of years. He explains why the French people love Voeckler and what kind of legacy he will leave in the sport.

“I think Voeckler is quite popular because he is really linked to the Tour de France, first when he had the yellow jersey in 2004 and again in 2011,” Roos says. “I think 2011 had a major impact on his career and his popularity because he held the jersey for 10 days, more and more French people were following him day after day. French people always love underdogs and that year Voeckler was clearly an underdog against the likes of Evans and Andy Schleck.

“They like him because he represents the fight of small riders against the big ones. He has a very precise sense of racing, he knows exactly how to handle any situation and also he is always on the attack. French people don’t like the conservative side of some riders, they really like guys who attack. Voeckler is the typical French baroudeur .

“I would say that his legacy would be more his spirit than his wins, because we now have more talented French riders. We should have a winner of the Tour in maybe five or six years so Thomas Voeckler would be forgotten for that. For me his true legacy would really be his state of mind — always aggressive, always trying to win a stage.”

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2011 tour de france notebook, stage 18: voeckler hangs on; no gifts for andy, col du galibier, france (vn) — thomas voeckler (europcar) collapsed on his handlebars after defending the yellow jersey by 15 seconds in thursday's epic stage over the alps..

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COL DU GALIBIER, France (VN) — Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) collapsed on his handlebars after defending the yellow jersey by 15 seconds in Thursday’s epic stage over the Alps.

The Frenchman looked ashen, spent and exhausted, but he was still in yellow, and that’s all that really mattered.

“I suffered, suffered, suffered,” Voeckler said. “I didn’t expect to keep the yellow jersey at Luz-Ardiden nor at Plateau de Beille. Today, the idea was to defend. We managed to just pull it off.”

Voeckler didn’t pull though once in the final 10km as Cadel Evans led the chase to Andy Schleck. It’s probably because he couldn’t. Voeckler barely hung on to finish with just enough in the tank to defend yellow.

“Tomorrow is going to be another brutal stage,” Voeckler said. “I gave everything to keep the yellow jersey today. It gives you extra motivation and I will fight to the end to honor the jersey, but … we shall see.”

Voeckler’s GC position is still enviable. Depending on how he manages to limit his losses up Alpe d’Huez, he could still be in with a realistic shot to become France’s first podium finisher since Richard Virenque in 1997.

Schleck wins another historic stage

Andy Schleck won another landmark during his victory in Thursday’s stage atop the Galibier.

Last year, he won the Tourmalet stage when the Tour was celebrating 100 years of the Pyrenees. This year, with the Alps celebrating its Tour centenary, Schleck won again.

One big difference — there were no gifts. Last year, Schleck and Alberto Contador traded jabs up the Tourmalet before Contador “gifted” Schleck the stage. This year, Schleck dropped the hammer — and Contador — to win emphatically.

Uran loses white

Rigoberto Uran (Sky) was not happy about losing the white jersey in Thursday’s stage. Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) moved into the lead, with Pierre Rolland (Europcar) slotting into second, with Uran now 3:10 down.

“I didn’t have the legs today,” Uran told VeloNews . “I crashed coming off the Agnel. We will try again tomorrow.”

Yellow : Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) defended yellow, but just by 15 seconds to stage-winner Andy Schleck (Leopard-Trek) Green : Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) lost points after the “bus” finished beyond the time-cut; Jose Rojas (Movistar) finished within the time limit, trimming the deficit to Cavendish to 15 points, 300-285. Polka-dot : Schleck climbed to third in the classification with victory; Jelle Vanendert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) kept the lead, 74-72, to Samuel Sanchez, with Schleck now third with 70 points White : Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) finally rode into the white jersey after hanging in second for weeks Most aggressive : Andy Schleck Best team : Garmin-Cervelo widened its lead to 10:30, with Ag2r now second, Leopard-Trek third 11:06

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\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/power-analysis-how-lachlan-morton-won-unbound-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"power analysis: how lachlan morton won unbound gravel\"}}\u0027>\n power analysis: how lachlan morton won unbound gravel\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"\u0027turn the cameras off\u0027: the juiciest revelations from netflix \u0027tour de france: unchained\u0027 season 2","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-culture\/juiciest-reveals-of-netflix-tour-de-france-unchained-season-2\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-culture\/juiciest-reveals-of-netflix-tour-de-france-unchained-season-2\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u0027turn the cameras off\u0027: the juiciest revelations from netflix \u0027tour de france: unchained\u0027 season 2\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-culture\/juiciest-reveals-of-netflix-tour-de-france-unchained-season-2\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u0027turn the cameras off\u0027: the juiciest revelations from netflix \u0027tour de france: unchained\u0027 season 2\"}}\u0027>\n \u0027turn the cameras off\u0027: the juiciest revelations from netflix \u0027tour de france: unchained\u0027 season 2\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"all the unreleased and new gear we spotted at unbound gravel","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/all-the-unreleased-and-new-tech-we-spotted-at-unbound-gravel\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/all-the-unreleased-and-new-tech-we-spotted-at-unbound-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"all the unreleased and new gear we spotted at unbound gravel\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/all-the-unreleased-and-new-tech-we-spotted-at-unbound-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"all the unreleased and new gear we spotted at unbound gravel\"}}\u0027>\n all the unreleased and new gear we spotted at unbound gravel\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"how to follow the 2024 unbound gravel race live","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/how-watch-unbound-gravel-2024\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/how-watch-unbound-gravel-2024\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"how to follow the 2024 unbound gravel race live\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": 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\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/new-13-speed-sram-xplr-drivetrain-spotted-at-unbound-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"unreleased 13-speed sram xplr drivetrain spotted at unbound gravel\"}}\u0027>\n unreleased 13-speed sram xplr drivetrain spotted at unbound gravel\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"fourth time\u0027s the charm for lachlan morton at unbound gravel 2024","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/results-lachlan-morton-2024-unbound-gravel\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/results-lachlan-morton-2024-unbound-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"fourth time\u0027s the charm for lachlan morton at unbound gravel 2024\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/results-lachlan-morton-2024-unbound-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"fourth time\u0027s the charm for lachlan morton at unbound gravel 2024\"}}\u0027>\n fourth time\u0027s the charm for lachlan morton at unbound gravel 2024\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"\u2018we make a winning plan every day:\u2019 coach says vingegaard is pulling out all stops to be ready for the tour de france","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tour-de-france\/we-make-a-winning-plan-every-day-coach-says-vingegaard-is-pulling-out-all-stops-to-be-ready-for-the-tour-de-france\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tour-de-france\/we-make-a-winning-plan-every-day-coach-says-vingegaard-is-pulling-out-all-stops-to-be-ready-for-the-tour-de-france\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018we make a winning plan every day:\u2019 coach says vingegaard is pulling out all stops to be ready for the tour de france\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tour-de-france\/we-make-a-winning-plan-every-day-coach-says-vingegaard-is-pulling-out-all-stops-to-be-ready-for-the-tour-de-france\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018we make a winning plan every day:\u2019 coach says vingegaard is pulling out all stops to be ready for the tour de france\"}}\u0027>\n \u2018we make a winning plan every day:\u2019 coach says vingegaard is pulling out all stops to be ready for the tour de france\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"sepp kuss on tour de france gc: \u2018my best chance to win is if jonas vingegaard is there\u2019","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/sepp-kuss-on-tour-de-france-gc-my-best-chance-to-win-is-if-jonas-is-there\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/sepp-kuss-on-tour-de-france-gc-my-best-chance-to-win-is-if-jonas-is-there\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"sepp kuss on tour de france gc: \u2018my best chance to win is if jonas vingegaard is there\u2019\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/sepp-kuss-on-tour-de-france-gc-my-best-chance-to-win-is-if-jonas-is-there\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"sepp kuss on tour de france gc: \u2018my best chance to win is if jonas vingegaard is there\u2019\"}}\u0027>\n sepp kuss on tour de france gc: \u2018my best chance to win is if jonas vingegaard is there\u2019\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"who could fill a visma leadership void, is there really a gc \u0027big 4\u0027, and more: what the dauphin\u00e9 will tell us about the tour de france","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/criterium-du-dauphine-could-kuss-fill-in-for-visma-at-the-tour\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/criterium-du-dauphine-could-kuss-fill-in-for-visma-at-the-tour\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"who could fill a visma leadership void, is there really a gc \u0027big 4\u0027, and more: what the dauphin\u00e9 will tell us about the tour de france\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/criterium-du-dauphine-could-kuss-fill-in-for-visma-at-the-tour\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"who could fill a visma leadership void, is there really a gc \u0027big 4\u0027, and more: what the dauphin\u00e9 will tell us about the tour de france\"}}\u0027>\n who could fill a visma leadership void, is there really a gc \u0027big 4\u0027, and more: what the dauphin\u00e9 will tell us about the tour de france\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"meet rosa kl\u00f6ser, the new queen of unbound","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/rosa-kloser-unbound-gravel\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/rosa-kloser-unbound-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"meet rosa kl\u00f6ser, the new queen of unbound\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/rosa-kloser-unbound-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"meet rosa kl\u00f6ser, the new queen of unbound\"}}\u0027>\n meet rosa kl\u00f6ser, the new queen of unbound\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"the rapha blaero project takes aero clothing at unbound to a whole new level","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/the-rapha-blaero-project-takes-aero-clothing-at-unbound-to-a-whole-new-level\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/the-rapha-blaero-project-takes-aero-clothing-at-unbound-to-a-whole-new-level\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the rapha blaero project takes aero clothing at unbound to a whole new level\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/the-rapha-blaero-project-takes-aero-clothing-at-unbound-to-a-whole-new-level\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the rapha blaero project takes aero clothing at unbound to a whole new level\"}}\u0027>\n 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\n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"what will red bull-bora-hansgrohe look like blue kits but no pidcock, van aert for incoming mega-team","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/what-will-red-bull-bora-hansgrohe-look-like-blue-kits-but-no-pidcock-van-aert-for-incoming-mega-team\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/what-will-red-bull-bora-hansgrohe-look-like-blue-kits-but-no-pidcock-van-aert-for-incoming-mega-team\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"what will red bull-bora-hansgrohe look like blue kits but no pidcock, van aert for incoming mega-team\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/what-will-red-bull-bora-hansgrohe-look-like-blue-kits-but-no-pidcock-van-aert-for-incoming-mega-team\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"what will red bull-bora-hansgrohe look like blue kits but no pidcock, van aert for incoming mega-team\"}}\u0027>\n what will red bull-bora-hansgrohe look like blue kits but no pidcock, van aert for incoming mega-team\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"f1 driver valtteri bottas spotted riding an unreleased canyon road bike","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/f1-driver-valtteri-bottas-spotted-riding-an-unreleased-canyon-road-bike\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/f1-driver-valtteri-bottas-spotted-riding-an-unreleased-canyon-road-bike\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"f1 driver valtteri bottas spotted riding an unreleased canyon road bike\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/f1-driver-valtteri-bottas-spotted-riding-an-unreleased-canyon-road-bike\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"f1 driver valtteri bottas spotted riding an unreleased canyon road bike\"}}\u0027>\n f1 driver valtteri bottas spotted riding an unreleased canyon road bike\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"crit\u00e9rium du dauphin\u00e9 stage 3: derek gee dazzles with first worldtour win, nabs race lead","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/criterium-du-dauphine-stage-3-results-report\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/criterium-du-dauphine-stage-3-results-report\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"crit\u00e9rium du dauphin\u00e9 stage 3: derek gee dazzles with first worldtour win, nabs race lead\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/criterium-du-dauphine-stage-3-results-report\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"crit\u00e9rium du dauphin\u00e9 stage 3: derek gee dazzles with first worldtour win, nabs race lead\"}}\u0027>\n crit\u00e9rium du dauphin\u00e9 stage 3: derek gee dazzles with first worldtour win, nabs race lead\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"\u2018we are going to stick with road racing\u2019: bad luck undoes matej mohori\u010d in unbound gravel","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/we-are-going-to-stick-with-road-racing-bad-luck-undoes-matej-mohoric-in-unbound-gravel\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/we-are-going-to-stick-with-road-racing-bad-luck-undoes-matej-mohoric-in-unbound-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018we are going to stick with road racing\u2019: bad luck undoes matej mohori\u010d in unbound gravel\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/we-are-going-to-stick-with-road-racing-bad-luck-undoes-matej-mohoric-in-unbound-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018we are going to stick with road racing\u2019: bad luck undoes matej mohori\u010d in unbound gravel\"}}\u0027>\n \u2018we are going to stick with road racing\u2019: bad luck undoes matej mohori\u010d in unbound gravel\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"crit\u00e9rium du dauphin\u00e9 stage 2: magnus cort outmuscles rogli\u010d, jorgenson in uphill sprint","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/criterium-du-dauphine-stage-2-results-and-report\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/criterium-du-dauphine-stage-2-results-and-report\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"crit\u00e9rium du dauphin\u00e9 stage 2: magnus cort outmuscles rogli\u010d, jorgenson in uphill sprint\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/criterium-du-dauphine-stage-2-results-and-report\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"crit\u00e9rium du dauphin\u00e9 stage 2: magnus cort outmuscles rogli\u010d, jorgenson in uphill sprint\"}}\u0027>\n crit\u00e9rium du dauphin\u00e9 stage 2: magnus cort outmuscles rogli\u010d, jorgenson in uphill sprint\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"notebook: inside visma\u0027s mad tour de france scramble, jorgenson\u2019s big gc chance, quinn\u2019s funky us jersey","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/inside-vismas-tour-de-france-mad-scramble-jorgensons-big-gc-chance-quinns-funky-us-jersey\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/inside-vismas-tour-de-france-mad-scramble-jorgensons-big-gc-chance-quinns-funky-us-jersey\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"notebook: inside visma\u0027s mad tour de france scramble, jorgenson\u2019s big gc chance, quinn\u2019s funky us jersey\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/inside-vismas-tour-de-france-mad-scramble-jorgensons-big-gc-chance-quinns-funky-us-jersey\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"notebook: inside visma\u0027s mad tour de france scramble, jorgenson\u2019s big gc chance, quinn\u2019s funky us jersey\"}}\u0027>\n notebook: inside visma\u0027s mad tour de france scramble, jorgenson\u2019s big gc chance, quinn\u2019s funky us jersey\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"velo\u0027s 2024 unbound gravel elite race predictions","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/2024-unbound-gravel-elite-race-predictions\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/2024-unbound-gravel-elite-race-predictions\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"velo\u0027s 2024 unbound gravel elite race predictions\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/2024-unbound-gravel-elite-race-predictions\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"velo\u0027s 2024 unbound gravel elite race predictions\"}}\u0027>\n velo\u0027s 2024 unbound gravel elite race predictions\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "}]' > >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>advertise >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>privacy policy >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>contact >", "name": 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Frenchman Still in Yellow, at Least for Bastille Day

By Eric Pfanner

• July 13, 2011

LAVAUR, France — Thomas Voeckler, a French rider in the Tour de France, does not wear the yellow jersey often. But when he does, he knows how to please the home fans.

Voeckler held the jersey, worn by the overall leader of the Tour, for a 10-day stretch in 2004, including Bastille Day. Now, on July 14, 2011, he will again be dressed in yellow on the national holiday marking the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789.

Voeckler, who rides with the Europcar team, retained the jersey Wednesday in a rain-soaked 104.1-mile stage from Blaye-les-Mines to Lavaur in the Tarn region.

Mark Cavendish, the speedy Briton with the HTC-Highroad team, won the stage in 3 hours 46 minutes 7 seconds, his third stage victory of this Tour and 18th over all.

The Tarn region, which bills itself as the capital of the Pays de Cocagne, or mythical land of plenty, certainly lived up to its name for Voeckler. As the holiday approaches, his beaming face has been a fixture on the front pages of French newspapers.

But Voeckler, who claimed the overall lead Sunday with an aggressive ride through the rolling terrain of the Massif Central, was under no illusions that this Tour would keep providing him the same kind of results, with more difficult days ahead in the mountain passes of the Pyrenees.

“I expect to lose the yellow jersey tomorrow,” he said. “I will do everything to try to keep it, but with a lead of a little less than two minutes, that seems like it will be difficult. To stay in the overall lead, my legs would have to be in exceptional shape and the favorites would have to avoid going on the attack. But I don’t think, for example, that Alberto Contador wants to wait too long to start making up the gap between him and the others.

“Tomorrow is July 14, but for me it is above all a big mountain stage.”

Contador, the defending champion, is 4:07 behind Voeckler in the overall standings. But more important for Contador, of the Saxo Bank-SunGard team, he is also about a minute and a half behind three other favorites: Cadel Evans of the BMC team and the Schleck brothers, Andy and Frank, with Leopard Trek.

The Thursday stage is long, 131.1 miles, and it includes the first tough climbs. The riders will have to ascend the Col du Tourmalet, which reaches almost 7,000 feet, as well as a steep road to the 5,627-foot finish at Luz-Ardiden.

After two more days of ups and downs in the Pyrenees, the race should finally take shape. A week and a half of relatively flat stages produced exciting sprint finishes — and plenty of crashes beforehand — but little indication of who might wear the yellow jersey in Paris on July 24.

Before heading into the mountains, the sprint specialists, who tend to fade on the climbs, giving them little chance at overall victory, had a bit of unfinished business to take care of Wednesday.

For Cavendish, his latest stage victory was made sweeter by the fact that it reversed the order of the finish Tuesday, when he was beaten by André Greipel, a former teammate and a fierce rival who now rides with the Omega-Lotto team.

After a largely uneventful stage, with no major crashes, Cavendish was escorted into a strong position a few hundred yards before the line. From there he blasted past the remaining riders, including Greipel, who finished second.

“I got the perfect lead-out and we proved that we’re the strongest team for a sprint in the peloton,” Cavendish said. “I said yesterday that I was disappointed because they rode all day and I couldn’t win, but I had to make amends today and I finished off the job that they set me up for.”

With his victory Wednesday, Cavendish also took over the green jersey, which is worn by the leading sprinter in the Tour, based on points amassed at the finish and in intermediate sprints.

THURSDAY: STAGE 12, Cugnaux Luz-Ardiden 131.1 miles/211 km

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Tour de France 2011: Pierre Rolland takes France's first stage win

For the second day in a row, the 2011 Tour de France produced shocks and shake-ups in the Alps. Pierre Rolland, released by a struggling Thomas Voeckler from his duties as a domestique midway through the day, gave France a long-awaited first stage win in this year's race, but for many, his principal contribution, as he threaded his way up the 21 steps of the devil's staircase, was to snatch victory from the grasp of Alberto Contador.

The Spaniard, who had cracked at the end of Thursday's long and gruelling stage, attacked like a man reborn throughout the day. So effective was his work that he started the ascent of the Alpe-d'Huez's notorious hairpins, on which he swatted away the attentions of outrageous exhibitionists, with a lead of half a minute, only to lose this game of two-wheeled vingt-et-un when he tired and was overhauled on the final ramps by Rolland and Samuel Sánchez.

The winner in 2007, 2009 and 2010, Contador is riding under the shadow of his positive test for clenbuterol, a banned substance, during last year's race. The result of an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport into the Spanish cycling authorities' decision to clear him will not be known until next month. Were the positive finding to be upheld, he would be deprived not only of last year's win but of anything achieved during this year's race – and of his victory in the Giro d'Italia in May.

Had his attack been rewarded on Friday, comparisons would inevitably have been made with the notorious success of Floyd Landis in Morzine five years ago, which also came after a disaster in the Alps the previous day. The American went on to win the Tour, but a urine sample taken from him in Morzine was later found to contain an anomalous testosterone reading. The Tour does not need any more such 'miraculous' performances, and Contador's inability to press home his advantage seemed like the frailty of a normal human being.

He had spent most of the day with Andy Schleck riding on his wheel. The Luxembourg rider, the hero of Thursday's decisive lone break, eventually finished in a bunch of six riders that crossed the line 57 seconds behind the first three. The group also included his older brother, Frank Schleck, and Cadel Evans.

Voeckler, who started the stage in the yellow jersey for the 10th day in a row, matching his achievement of 2004, looked on the verge of collapse right from the start of the day's hostilities but fought with astonishing and very visible determination to finish 20th, 3min 22sec behind Rolland. But at last he conceded his lead in the general classification to Andy Schleck, who now lies 53 seconds ahead of his brother and 57 seconds ahead of Evans. Saturday's 42.5km time trial in Grenoble clearly plays to the strength of the Australian, and the outcome appears finely balanced. The battle for the overall victory is now between these three.

Mark Cavendish came in more than 25 minutes behind Rolland, and was relieved to discover that he will be carrying the green jersey into the penultimate day, which means that, barring accidents, he will be wearing it in Paris. For the second day in a row he finished outside the cut-off time, among a large group of riders troubled by the ascents of the first-category Col du Télégraphe and the two hors-categorie climbs, the 2,556m Col du Galibier and the 1,850m Alpe-d'Huez. They were each docked 20 points, but since they also included José Joaquín Rojas, lying second in the points classification, there was no change in the two riders' relative positions, and Cavendish is now the firm favourite to become the first British rider to win the maillot vert .

Two other jerseys changed hands. For Sánchez, second place allowed him to relieve Jelle Vanendert of the lead in the king of the mountains standings, which he will retain to the end since there are no more mountain points on offer. Rein Taaramae lost the white jersey for the best young rider to Rolland, who became only the second French rider – after Bernard Hinault, the victor in 1986 – to win a stage finishing on the Alpe, which first became a part of the Tour in 1952.

Rolland's work on Voeckler's behalf for the past week and a half constituted a wonderful example of the selflessness of the perfect domestique . On Friday, however, when Voeckler realised that he would be unable to match the leaders' pace, Rolland was the beneficiary. "We were on the Galibier," he said, "when Thomas told me, 'OK, you go, this is your chance'."

Two years ago, when he was aged 22 and enjoying good results, including 21st place in his first Tour, Rolland was being seen as the future star French cycling so badly needs. Then, as prodigies often do, he appeared to regress. Yesterday, he was given his opportunity, and seized it on the fabled Alpe-d'Huez. "I know the climb by heart," he said. "I rode it 10 times in six days during training. I kept my cool against the Spaniards and when I decided to attack, it was double or quits."

Almost a quarter of an hour later, four of his Europcar team-mates crossed the line together, arms in the air in celebration of their colleague's brilliant success, one of the highlights of a remarkable Tour.

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Contenders gain on Thomas Voeckler

• Associated Press

GAP, France -- Alberto Contador has finally put the hammer down at the Tour de France -- and now, the race is really on.

Minutes behind the race leader, the defending champion surprised key rivals with a brazen attack on a relatively easy climb in the Alpine foothills in Tuesday's Stage 16, won by Thor Hushovd of Norway in a breakaway.

Contador, baring his teeth as his tires sizzled on the rain-slick roads, surged out of the pack on the mid-grade Col de Magne climb and held on through a treacherous downhill to the finish of the 101-mile ride from Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Gap.

"I knew I needed to attack," Contador said. "I couldn't care less if someone kept on my wheel -- I knew one of them would fail. I'm so happy. It has been a major gap, much bigger than I expected."

The unexpected surge by the Spaniard shook up the leaderboard at cycling's greatest race, which ends Sunday in Paris after a jaunt Wednesday into Italy and then two days in the Alps and a time-trial Saturday in Grenoble.

Among the contenders, only Cadel Evans kept up. The Australian actually outpaced the Spanish three-time champion by three seconds at the end. But Contador, who lost time with crash trouble earlier in the race, had trimmed 18 seconds off his deficit to overall race leader Thomas Voeckler of France, down to 3 minutes, 42 seconds.

More importantly, the Spaniard recovered more than a minute on his runner-up at the last two Tours, Andy Schleck of Luxembourg, a top climber who almost inexplicably didn't keep up on the relatively easy final ascent.

Schleck conceded he was "disappointed" but that "there are other chances to take back time." His biggest ally -- his older brother and Leopard Trek teammate Frank Schleck -- said they hadn't foreseen the attack.

"We were a bit surprised that Contador went on the climb," Frank Schleck said. "We know that he is a rider that attacks when he has good legs, but we had anticipated he would wait for the Alps.

"Contador knows all too well that the Schlecks don't perform at their best in the cold and rainy conditions," he added. "It's all part of the game -- knowing your opponents and knowing their weaknesses."

Contador's Saxo Bank team could hardly contain their joy.

"He put the hammer down and showed he's still there in the game," manager Bjarne Riis said. "I'm happy for that."

Aside from the aggressive Contador, the other standout of Tuesday's stage was Evans, a two-time runner-up who has so far had a nearly flawless race -- and showed he's not giving up to the Spaniard without a fight.

"Today was an opportunity for us to see what could happen," said Jim Ochowicz, manager of Evans' BMC squad. "We assumed that at some point Contador was going to try to take some time back. His move, when he made it, was the perfect opportunity for Cadel to counter."

Voeckler, a dogged Frenchman who has been one of the revelations of this year's Tour, knows that Contador is often better than he is in mountain climbs and the time trial -- and expects to lose the yellow jersey soon.

"I kept it by a handful of seconds, but that shows that I've hit my ceiling," he said.

Hushovd, a Garmin-Cervelo rider who wore yellow for six days in the first week and also won Stage 13, led a three-man breakaway to win the stage -- edging out a compatriot, Edvald Boassen Hagen, in second and his own teammate, Ryder Hesjedal of Canada. They were among 10 breakaway riders who had pressed the pace through most of the stage.

Evans finished 4:23 back in 11th place. Voeckler and Frank Schleck crossed 21 seconds later. Andy Schleck was 1:09 slower than the Australian -- and 1:06 behind Contador.

Overall, Evans climbed to second, trailing Voeckler by 1:45. Frank Schleck, now third, remains 1:49 back. Contador moved up a notch to sixth and is 3:42 behind. Andy Schleck remains fourth but is 3:03 back overall -- compared to 2:15 when the stage began. Italy's Ivan Basso, who crossed 51 seconds after Evans, fell two places to seventh and is 3:49 off the pace.

The Schlecks still lead Contador, but they know they need a cushion against him before Saturday's time trial -- one of Contador's strengths. The brothers from Luxembourg are strong climbers, but so is Contador.

Andy Schleck complained on Twitter about a quick succession of drug tests Saturday, including one in a restaurant where he had to carry a urine sample as others were dining.

The International Cycling Union and France's anti-doping agency are doing hundreds of doping checks during the race. UCI officials have been unapologetic about the intensity of its doping controls.

Contador tested positive for clenbuterol at the 2010 Tour but has denied wrongdoing. He is riding this year because the Court of Arbitration for Sport hasn't ruled on his case yet. He could be stripped of his 2010 title if it rules against him next month.

The three-week race veers into Italy for Wednesday's Stage 17 -- a 111-mile ride from Gap to the Italian town of Pinerolo.

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"Pas compatible": Alaphilippe ne doit pas disputer le Tour de France s'il veut faire les JO, explique Voeckler

Ca n'est toujours pas officiel, mais il semblerait, comme RMC Sport vous le révélait dès dimanche matin , que l'hypothèse "Alaphilippe sur le Tour" ait définitivement du plomb dans l'aile. Présent à l'arrivée de la troisième étape du Criterium du Dauphiné aux Estables (43) ce mardi, Patrick Lefévère, manager général de Soudal-Quick Step a semblé acter avec une certaine résignation l'absence du double champion du monde sur les routes de la Grande Boucle (29 juin-21 juillet). 

Toujours dans la pré-liste, Alaphilippe a clairement fait savoir depuis plusieurs semaines qu'il n'était pas favorable à être aligné sur le Tour de France cet été. "Il a d'autres objectifs", reconnaît un peu amer Patrick Lefévère. "On va décider après le Tour de Suisse, mais ce n'est pas son souhait de venir."

La sélection bleue dévoilée le 8 juillet

Car Alaphilippe le sait, s'il veut satisfaire à son objectif olympique de l'été (3 août), il doit se préparer en conséquence, et ne pas être pleinement au service de Remco Evenepoel, leader de la formation belge sur le Tour. Or, de cela, le sélectionneur de l'équipe de France, Thomas Voeckler ne veut pas. "Au delà du cas Alaphilippe, les Jeux olympiques, c'est un objectif à part entière", explique le quatrième du Tour 2011. "Un coureur qui dispute le Giro, et va ensuite sur le Tour en étant au charbon tous les jours, je considère que les JO ne sont pas pour lui un objectif. Ce n'est pas compatible, si on va aux JO il doit en faire un objectif principal."

Un élèment dont Julian Alaphilippe est clairement au courant, même s'il n'a jamais fait du Tour un objectif depuis le début de l'année, l'épreuve n'ayant jamais été inscrite à son programme de course. "Je ne sélectionne pas sur nom ou un CV", continue Thomas Voeckler. "Bien sûr qu'on en a parlé tous les deux. Mais il y a énormément de choses qui rentrent en compte: la concurrence, le parcours, l'état d'esprit, la confiance, le schéma de course. C'est normal de parler de Julian aux JO. Ma réflexion avance, ça se rapproche mais il peut encore se passer des choses."

Julian Alaphilippe partira le 1er juillet en stage d'altitude en Lombardie à San Pellegrino. Soyons clair, les Jeux sont pour lui comme pout Thomas Voeckler un objectif très clair. La sélection française sera dévoilée le 8 juillet prochain.

Julian Alaphilippe

Cyclisme: pas de tour de france pour julian alaphilippe, qui vise les jo, alaphilippe au tour de france "c'est julian qui va choisir", souligne evenepoel, tour de france: pogacar, vingegaard, roglic, evenepoel... où en sont les favoris à un mois du grand départ, top articles.

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