Aftermath Tour de France Stage 15
| 20 July 2010
My sleepless nights just got sleepless...er (?).
I should begin by stating that I am not a huge Alberto Contador aka "Pistolero" fan... and last night confirmed why.
For those who didn't catch it, yawn...tired, last night on SBS... Andy Schleck's Saxo Bank team led by Adelaide's own Stuart O'Grady fired up the final climb of the day the 1755m high Port de Bales putting pressure on all other riders behind them. When it came time for Andy Schleck to lead the peleton he did so strongly and eventually launched attack that seemed to catch Contador off his guard and looking wanting, but then a few seconds later Schleck lost the chain off the bike and was forced to stop and try a couple of times to fix it himself. When he eventually got rolling again, Contador and a band of other contenders had passed him and raced at top speed up the road to gain as much time as possible.
One view has it that they should wait, as no cyclist wants to rely on beating an opponent by chance, but rather by greater capability. The other, that this is racing and you take every advantage handed to you.
I am not sure which I believe in... but I do believe in speaking the truth... and for Contador to say he didn't know Schleck had a "mechanical incident" as he glided past and upped his work rate to clear him in his trail is disingenuous at best. If you don't wait, and you subscribe to the "it's all racing" theory then say so and hold your head high.
Two more late nights in the Pyrenees then one into the Champs-Elysees and it's back to a snuggly eight hours a night, but it is all worth it.
