Luxembourg’s Schleck retains Tour de France lead
Associated Press
JAUSIERS, France — Frank Schleck of Luxembourg kept the yellow jersey in the Tour de France on Tuesday, with riders pushing themselves through the Alps as the race left Italy and returned to France.
French rider Cyril Dessel won the 16th stage for his first stage victory in this race. He led a breakaway group of four to a downhill finish, completing the 98-mile trip from Cuneo, Italy, in 4 hours, 31 minutes, 27 seconds.
Schleck refrained from attacking during the mountain climbs, choosing to stay with his closest rivals. He finished 1 minute, 28 seconds behind Desseland gained ground on two rivals — Russia’s Denis Menchov and Christian Vande Velde, an American contending in a major three-week race for the first time.
A more decisive performance could come today, when the Tour’s toughest stage ends with the storied serpentine climb to L’Alpe d’Huez.
“We’re going to try to make the other riders lose the Tour de France tomorrow,” Schleck said.
His main title rivals finished in the same time as Schleck. Bernhard Kohl of Austria remains second overall, seven seconds behind, and prerace favorite Cadel Evans of Australia is third, eight seconds back. Carlos Sastre, a CSC teammate of Schleck, is fourth, 49 seconds behind.
Evans may have been the biggest winner Tuesday. The Australian would be content to stay eight seconds behind Schleck through the mountains, then blow his rival away in the final time trial Saturday. The race ends Sunday in Paris.
“I’m very happy because it would have been too tough to do tomorrow’s stage with the yellow jersey,” said Roberto Damiani, sporting director for Evans’ Silence-Lotto team. “Evans is only eight seconds behind, but the pressure is still on CSC right now.”
The day’s first climb, the 13-mile Lombarde pass, brought the race back over the border into France.
Tuesday on Tour
Stage: No. 16, a 97-mile stage from Cuneo, Italy, to Jausiers, France with two major climbs: the 13.3-mile Lombarde pass and the 15.8-mile Bonette-Restefond summit.
Winner: Cyril Dessel of France won and led a four-man breakaway, clocking 4 hours, 31 minutes, 27 seconds, to beat France’s Sandy Casar in second and Spain’s David Arroyo in third. Each had the same time.
Yellow Jersey: Frank Schleck of Luxembourg retained the yellow jersey for a second day. He leads Bernhard Kohl of Germany by 7 seconds and Cadel Evans of Australia by 8 seconds.
Quote of the Day: “We’re going to try to make the other riders lose the Tour de France tomorrow.’’ — Schleck.
Next stage: The 17th stage today is the Alpine finale and the toughest stage this year: a 130.8-mile ride from Embrun to the famed L’Alpe d’Huez and along the punishing Galibier and Croix de Fer passes.
| |
|
Filed by Associated Press July 23rd, 2008 in Sports. Popularity: 4% |
 Email this story
 Print this story
Read comments and discuss this story
Report an innappropriate comment
|
In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement
and discussion guidelines.
You must be registered and logged in to post a comment. If you aren't already registered, click here. If you are registered, click here to log in.
Write a Comment