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The newsflashes
stage 13 - Pau 
Lourdes
152.5 km
Friday 15 July
Lourdes
152.5 km
Friday 15 July
The newsflashes
17:26 - Voeckler Gets another day in yellow
Thomas Voeckler has finished in the peloton that includes the other riders that are well placed in the general classification. The Frenchman will wear the yellow jersey in stage 14.
17:25 - The Top 10 In Stage 13
The top 10 in the 13th stage of the Tour de France - from Pau to Lourdes - is: 1. Thor Hushovd (NOR) GRM - 152km in 3h47’36" (40.2km/h) 2. David Moncoutie (FRA) COF at 10" 3. Jérémy Roy (FRA) FDJ at 26" 4. Lars Bak (DEN) THR at 5’00" 5. Jérôme Pineau (FRA) QST at 5’02" 6. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) SKY at 5’03" 7. Vladimir Gusev (RUS) KAT at 5’08" 8. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) LAM at 5’16" 9. Maarten Tjallingii (NED) RAB at 5’16" 10. Philippe Gilbert (BEL) OLO at 6’48"
17:21 - Hushovd’s Ninth Win In The Tour de France
The world champion can do it all: he can time trial (to victory as he did in the world championships as an under-23 rider and again in the prologue at the start of the 2006 Tour), he can sprint (as two green jerseys in the Tour proves), he can win stages on the pavé (as he did in 2010) and he can climb the Aubisque and beat the peloton home with panache. This is his ninth stage victory (including the prologue) in the Tour de France.
17:18 - Roy home 30" behind Hushovd
Roy is the King of the Climbs, the master of the attack, the most aggressive in stages four and 13... but he is third in the stage today. He finished 30" behind Hushovd.
17:16 - Hushovd Wins Again!
He was part of the winning team in stage two, spent a week in the yellow jersey and now the world champion has saluted an exceptional win in Lourdes.
17:15 - Moncoutie drops Roy
Roy cannot hold the pace of Moncoutie either now. The world champion is going to win the stage in Lourdes but France is going to get second and third...
17:15 - Hushovd Goes Solo
Hushovd is going to claim his first stage win in this year’s Tour. He has timed his effort to perfection and is now on his way to the ’Flamme Rouge’...
17:14 - Hushovd Attacks Moncoutie
Hushovd attacked Moncoutie with 3km to go and promptly closed the gap to Roy. They are together with 2.2km to go.
17:13 - Roy Leads by 12"
With 4km to go, Roy is 12" ahead of Hushovd and Moncoutie. The stage leader was caught halfway up the final climb of stage 12. He instigated today’s escape after an hour of racing and now the chasing pair appear to have lost the impetus to close the gap. Jeremy Roy is the king of this stage. He must surely win the ’Fighting Spirit’ prize for a second time this year. He’s also got the polka-dot jersey in his sights and now he has less than 3km to go and a lead over an attacking Hushovd of 12".
17:11 - Roy Leading by 15"
With 5km to go, Hushovd and Moncoutie are 15" behind Roy.
17:10 - Roy holding on...
Roy has been able to hold his advantage over Hushovd and Moncoutie. The world champion has been doing the most work of the chase group but he’s not able to get closer to Roy than what he was able to achieve with 10km to go. Gilbert has led Mollema under the 10km to go sign, 6’50" behind Roy who is 5km from the finish.
17:09 - Two Leopards Lead Peloton
Just recently two Leopard riders were at the front of the peloton but now Movistar and Europcar have sent riders to the front...
17:08 - Oscar Freire The Last Road Road World Champion Stage winner...
The last time that a reigning road race world champion won a stage of the Tour de France was in 2002 when Oscar Freire won a sprint in Sarrebruck early in that year’s race. Thor Hushovd (GRM) is only moments away from catching Roy and, if it all goes according to tradition, the Norwegian is likely to be the fastest finisher... it would be wrong to suggest he won’t have a fight on his hands but he could become the first winner in the rainbow jersey in a road stage for nine years. (And yes, we know that Fabian Cancellara won two stages last year as TT world champion.)
17:05 - Tailwind to Lourdes
The race to the line in Lourdes appears to be too long for Roy to hold on to his advantage. Not even the tailwind will help the Frenchman hold off the world champion and his companion Moncoutie...
17:03 - 10km To Go
Roy is inside the final 10km. His advantage over the chasing pair is just 17".
17:03 - Taaramae The Puncture Specialist
The rider who is second in the youth classification has puncture more than any other rider in the 2011 Tour. He has recently received a new wheel on the descent of the col du Soulor.
17:02 - Roy Leads By 20"
Hushovd and Moncoutie are now just 20" behind Roy. They have 12km to go. The peloton is inside the final 20km, 8’50" behind the new King of the Mountains.
16:59 - Roy to take the polka-dot jersey
This could be the second day in a row that the stage winner also takes the polka-dot jersey... Roy now has enough points to talk the polka-dot jersey from Sanchez (EUS) so all he has to do is finish the stage to be officially crowned King of the Mountains. He has lost some of his advantage of the chasing pair, however, and Hushovd and Moncoutie are just 32" behind with 15km to go.
16:57 - Roy Leads by 45"
Roy is 45" ahead of Hushovd and Moncoutie with 15.5km to go.
16:57 - Gilbert Catches Mollema
Gilbert has reeled in Mollema with about 23km to go.
16:55 - Gilbert At 25km To Go
Gilbert is chasing a few extra points for the green jersey. He is 8’00" behind Roy with 25km to go. He has attacked the descent like dare-devil and it’s netted a gain of 1’00" on the peloton.
16:54 - Roy Inside final 20km
Hushovd and Moncoutie continue to share time in the wind the in chase. They are 1’05" behind Roy with 20km to go.
16:51 - Boasson Hagen’s Trio 25km From Finish
Pineau (QST), Bak (THR), and Boasson Hagen (SKY) are 4’35" behind Roy (FDJ) with 25km to go.
16:50 - Yellow jersey leads peloton
Voeckler is leading the peloton, along with assistance from three team-mates. This group is 8’20" behind the stage leader and, so far, the most attacking rider of the 2011 Tour. Could this be the day that France nets its first stage win in the 98th Tour. Going on the current advantage, one could be led into believing it’s possible... but there are still 21km to go in stage 13.
16:48 - Moncoutie Holds Hushovd’s Wheel
While Gilbert does a daring descent we can report that Moncoutie and Hushovd are swapping off in their pursuit of Roy. They are still 1’25" behind Roy.
16:47 - Gilbert Attacks peloton
With the peloton cresting the col du Soulor, Gilbert (OLO) has attacked the yellow jersey’s group which was 8’35" behind Roy with 33km to go.
16:46 - Mollema At 6’35"
The last time check has Mollema 6’35" behind Roy who is inside the final 25km.
16:45 - Hushovd Catches Moncoutie
There are now two together in pursuit of Roy. Hushovd and Moncoutie are together on the downhill to Lourdes.
16:42 - Pineau & Bak over soulor
Edvald Boasson Hagen, Lars Bak and Jerome Pineau are together as they crest the col du Soulor.
16:41 - Sitaution Atop the soulor
With 33km to go, Roy (FDJ) leads:
Moncoutie (COF) by 1’20"
Hushovd (GRM) by 1’45"...
16:39 - Roy descending again...
Roy is over the top of the col du Soulor. He is 33km from the finish and looking like he may hold on to win his first stage of the Tour. It’s an early call as there’s a long descent and then a significant flat stretch leading to Lourdes but Roy is the king of today’s stage so far...
16:38 - Boasson Hagen’s Trio At 4’15"
The latest check for Boasson Hagen, Bak and Pineau is 4’15".
16:36 - Roy On Col du Soulor
There is another uphill ramp now. Roy is currently climbing the col du Soulor; the top of this pass is at the 119km mark.
16:35 - Roy leads by 1’30"
The FDJ rider at the front of the stage enjoys an advantage of 1’30" over Moncoutie and 1’45" over Hushovd.
16:33 - Vanendert & Mollema Together
At the top, the peloton (with the yellow jersey) is 8’00" behind Roy. Vanendert is now riding with Mollema and this pair is 6’30" behind the stage leader at the top of the final climb today.
16:31 - Roy Through the tunnel...
Roy is past the 117km mark. He is still being pursued by Hushovd but the world champion is not able to close in on the daring descender who lives near Tours.
16:29 - Situation At The Top...
With the first six over the top of the col d’Aubisque this is the situation: 1. Roy (FDJ) 20pts 2. Moncoutie (COF) 16pts - at 55" 3. Hushovd (GRM) 12pts - 2’05" 4. Gusev (KAT) 8pts - 2’35" 5. Pineau (QST) 4pts - 3’55" 6. Bak (THR) 2pts Boasson Hagen was also 3’55" behind...
16:25 - Fofonov Caught
Fofonov (AST) has been caught by the peloton which is 8’00" behind the stage leader with 3km to climb.
16:25 - Roy at the top...
The winner of the col du Tourmalet yesterday is also the winner of the 20 points for the col d’Aubisque.
16:24 - Roy inside final kilometer of climb
Roy is going to claim first place points on the col d’Aubisque. He is ranked third in the climbing classification after 12 stages but is likely to take the polka-dot jersey thanks to his attack today.
16:23 - The situation with 3km to climb
With 3km to go to the top of the Aubisque, this was the status of the race:
Roy was in the lead. He was:
45" ahead of Moncoutie
1’42" ahead of Hushovd
2’50" ahead of Boasson Hagen
2’55" ahead of Bak and Pineau
4’29" ahead of Tjallingii
...
There were no other attacks from the peloton so far. Roy is 7’26" ahead.
16:20 - Warning Of slippery road
At the 117km mark, there is a tunnel on the descent. The race jury has just warned directors to tell their riders to exercise caution as the road is wet and slippery.
16:19 - Roy Leads By 45"
With 3km to climb, Roy is: 45" ahead of Moncoutie 1’42" ahead of Hushovd 2’50" ahead of Boasson Hagen 2’55" ahead of Bak and Pineau
16:17 - Porte: "Jesus Is a champion!"
LeTour.fr contacted Richie Porte of the Saxo Bank-SunGard team last night to find out how he coped with his first Tour stage in the mountains. He said he was okay and that his team leader Alberto Contador wasn’t too bothered by losing a bit of time to other GC rider at Luz Ardiden. When the Tasmanian was asked if Jesus Hernandez might be able to take the win in Lourdes, he responded. "I hope so! "Jesus is a champion!"
16:14 - Roy holds his advantage
Although Moncoutie is out of the saddle and dancing on his pedals but he’s not able to close in on Roy who is inside the final 3.5km of the col d’Aubisque.
16:11 - Thomas dropped
Thomas (SKY) has been dropped by the peloton at the same time that Gesink (RAB) has called for the team car.
16:09 - 5km To Go
Roy is inside the final 5km of the climb. He is 7’20" ahead of the peloton which is just past the 7km to climb sign.
16:08 - Mollema and Bouet At 6’20"
With 7km to climb, Mollema and Bouet are between the 10 early escapees and the peloton. The pair are 6’20" behind Roy.
16:08 - Delage Dropped
FDJ’s Delage had attacked the peloton early on the Aubisque but the Frenchman has now been spat out the back of the pack.
16:07 - Last Tour for Moncoutie...
Cofidis has been the only team that David Moncoutie has raced as a professional with. He has won two stages of the Tour in the past and is currently second in stage 13. The Frenchman has finished 13th overall in the Tour in the past and he’s said that this will be the last time at the race. He is currently 25" behind Roy.
16:04 - Fofonov At 3’00"
The Astana rider who was in the escape, Fofonov is 3’00" behind with 7km to climb. Delage has just been caught by the peloton.
16:04 - Situation With 7km To Climb
With 7km to go to the top of the Aubisque the situation is:
Roy (FDJ) leads the stage then comes...
Moncoutie (COF) at 15"
Hushovd (GRM) at 30"
Boasson Hagen (SKY) at 50"
Gusev (KAT) at 55"
Pineau (QST) and Bak (THR) at 1’30"
Petacchi (LAM) at 1’46"
Tjallingii (RAB) at 2’25"
16:01 - Roy leads by 15"
Hushovd is in third place and ahead is Roy and Moncoutie.
16:00 - Delage Dropped By Other counter-attackers
Bouet (ALM) and Mollema (RAB) have dropped Delage (FDJ) in the counter-attack that was 5’40" behind Roy at the last check.
15:59 - Hoogerland Dropped
There is a grupetto forming behind the peloton that’s led by Europcar. The former leader of the climbing classification, Johnny Hoogerland (VCD) is the latest to drop from the group that 6’40" behind Roy.
15:58 - Moncoutie Catches Hushovd
Moncoutie is about to take second position in the stage. He has just overtaken Hushovd.
15:57 - Roy leaves Hushovd behind...
Roy is now on his own at the front of the stage. The rider who was on the attack in stage 12 has dropped Hushovd.
15:55 - 6’40" To Peloton
The peloton is 6’40" behind the world champion and escape companion Roy.
15:54 - 5’50" To Three Chasers
Mollema, Delage and Bouet are 5’50" behind Hushovd and Roy.
15:53 - Cavendish Dropped
Cavendish is now riding along with Eisel at the back of the peloton.
15:53 - Moncoutie closing in on leaders
Roy and Hushovd are 15" ahead of Moncoutie and Boasson Hagen... then comes:
Gusev at 30"
Pineau, Bak and Petacchi 48"
Tjalllingii and Fofonov at 1’00"
15:51 - Europcar Leading Peloton
The yellow jersey’s team is at the front of the peloton that’s currently 6’15" behind Hushovd and Roy.
15:50 - 10 Leaders Split
The 10 escapees have splintered into several groups. Hushovd and Roy are at the front, then comes Tjallingii (RAB), Moncoutie (COF) Fofonov (AST), Boasson Hagen (SKY), Pineau (QST), Petacchi (LAM), Bak (THR) and Gusev (KAT)...
15:49 - Three In Counter-attack
Bouet and Mollema have caught Delage and this trio are now working together to reel in the 10 men who escaped at the start of the second hour.
15:48 - Roy Catches Hushovd
There are now two men in the lead of the stage: Hushovd (GRM) and Roy (FDJ).
15:46 - 5’58" For Hushovd...
With 15km to climb, Hushovd (GRM) is 5’58" ahead of the peloton.
15:45 - Mollema with Bouet...
The AG2R rider with Mollema at the front of the peloton is Maxime Bouet.
15:44 - Two More Aggressors
There are now two other escapees at the front of the peloton: Mollema (RAB) and a rider from AG2R...
15:43 - Delage Attacks Peloton
On the approach to the Aubisque, Delage (FDJ) has attacked the peloton.
15:42 - Details Of Col d’Aubisque
The third climb today is the third HC col of the 2011 Tour. It is 16.4km long with an average gradient of 7.1 per cent. The top is 1,709m high and at the 110km mark of today’s stage. The steepest section is between 6 and 7km up, with an average gradient of 10 per cent for this kilometer.
15:41 - Hushovd Goes Alone
At the base of the col d’Aubisque, Hushovd (GRM) has attacked the lead group. He now has 20" on Roy and Pineau and the remnants of the escape group.
15:31 - Average Speed For Second Hour
The average speed for the second hour of stage 13 is 39.1km/h. The average since the start is 44.1km/h.
15:28 - Full Results Of Intermediate Sprint
The peloton arrived at the intermediate sprint 4’05" behind the escapees. The full results are: 1. Boasson Hagen (SKY) 20pts 2. Moncoutie (COF) 17pts 3. Gusev (KAT) 15pts 4. Fofonov (AST) 13pts 5. Petacchi (LAM) 11pts 6. Tjallingii (RAB) 10pts 7. Hushovd (GRM) 9pts 8. Roy (FDJ) 8pts 9. Bak (THR) 7pts 10. Pineau (QST) 6pts 11. Rojas (MOV) 5pts 12. Cavendish (THR) 4pts 13. Ventoso (MOV) 3pts 14. Delage (FDJ) 2pts 15. Renshaw (THR) 1pt
15:26 - Gilbert Fails to gain points
With 2km to go to the intermediate sprint, Gilbert (OLO) tried to sneak ahead of the bunch but HTC riders were hip to his groove and they chased him down. Now Renshaw leads Cavendish to the line but Rojas has beaten him for 11th place.
15:24 - First 10 In Intermediate sprint
The escape group has claimed the first 10 places of the intermediate sprint. The order over the line in Bielle (82.5km) was: 1. Boasson Hagen (SKY) 20pts 2. Moncoutie (COF) 17pts 3. Gusev (KAT) 15pts 4. Fofonov (AST) 13pts 5. Petacchi (LAM) 11pts 6. Tjallingii (RAB) 10pts 7. Hushovd (GRM) 9pts 8. Roy (FDJ) 8pts 9. Bak (THR) 7pts 10. Pineau (QST) 6pts
15:22 - Boasson Hagen takes 20 points
There was no sprint for points in Bielle. Boasson Hagen simply rolled through with Moncoutie on his wheel. Gusev was third.
15:21 - 1km To Go To Sprint
The escapees are less than 1km from the site of the intermediate sprint. Moncoutie (COF) is at the front but Hushovd is moving forward in the quest to claim 20 points. Petacchi is right on the wheel of the world champion.
15:19 - Aubisque provides Yates with fond memories...
LeTour.fr asked people involved in the Tour for their best memory of a downhill finish like the one for stage 13. In Sean Yates’ career, does one stage stand out? “Downhill finish? Well, there’s still some flat going to Lourdes... but I think it was in 1986 there was a day with two stages," recalled Sean Yates from Sky. "We went up the Aubisque twice; once in the morning and in the afternoon we started at the bottom, went straight back up the way we’re going today and myself and Paul Sherwen – two climbers who weren’t worth a pinch – came over the top together and we were punching the air with delight. ‘That’s the last climb of the day! It’s all downhill to the finish...’ “That day, I think a break went all the way to the finish. I think Regis Simon won the stage and I remember he wore a skinsuit because it was such a short stage. “That was a day that provided some of my best memories of going down a hill after climbing it in the Tour de France.”
15:19 - Voigt Crashes In Feedzone
One of the true engines of the peloton from yesterday’s stage, Jens Voigt (LEO) has crashed in the feedzone. He is standing again and has just had his bike serviced... now the popular German is riding again.
15:17 - Peloton In The Feedzone
The peloton has arrive at the 76km mark. It is 4’35" behind the 10 escapees.
15:15 - Diego Ulissi 22 Today
The Lampre rider who won the 17th stage of the recent Giro d’Italia, Diego Ulissi celebrates his 22nd birthday today. He is not part of the Tour de France line-up but considering he earned his victory in Tirano by outsmarting the Italian champion Giovanni Visconti (who actually cross the line first but was relegated for irregular sprinting), it’s fair to say that his is a name we’re likely to hear a lot more of in the years to come.
15:14 - Leaders Near Intermediate sprint
The 10 escapees - Roy (FDJ), Tjallinghii (RAB), Hushovd (GRM), Fofonov (AST, Boasson Hagen (SKY), Pineau (QST), Moncoutie (COF), Petacchi (LAM), Bak (THR) and Gusev (KAT) - are 4’30" ahead of the pack as they near the site of the intermediate sprint in Bielle at the 82.5km mark.
15:09 - Yates - "[Geraint] is like the assassin..."
It’s a shame to see such a casualty list but, LeTour.fr suggested to Sean Yates from Sky, Geraint was good yesterday. He just doesn’t stop, does he? “He’s like the assassin. You say, ‘Be there.’ And he’s there! He’s a really good rider. He’s caught in a spot which is a bit unfortunate: he’s not the fastest sprinter, he’s not the greatest climber, he’s not the best TT rider... but he is the best lead-out man. So it’s difficult for him to really show his true qualities or to get the best results from those qualities. I think where he can be really good is in the Classics.”
15:07 - Yates - "A lot of contenders have fallen by the wayside..."
LeTour.fr spoke with Sean Yates from Sky this morning. He told us that he wanted Boasson Hagen or Gerrans in the move today. Both were aggressive in the opening hour and now the Norwegian is part of the 10-man escape. We started the chat by asking, ow are things going for the team now? “Yeah, good but obviously it was a real bummer when Brad crashed out," said Yates. "All the signs were that he was in the form of his life. I watched him progress through the season and after all the hard work that he did I was devastated to see him have to abandon. A lot of the other contenders have also fallen by the wayside so it’s kind of... well, it reminds us that different things might happen if the circumstances worked another way and some of the guys had stayed on their bikes. But now Van den Broeck isn’t here, ‘Vino’ isn’t here, Horner isn’t here... and these guys had such bad luck.”
14:59 - Peloton At 4’20"
Atop of the second climb (65km), the peloton is 4’20" behind the leading group of 10.
14:56 - More From Maassen...
“It’s too early now to say what he’s going to do," Frans Maassen told LeTour.fr this morning about Robert Gesink. "He had a bad day yesterday and he has to find his joy again. That’s the first thing. Now the main thing is to keep some good spirit and enjoy racing, that’s what we’ve got to do until the rest day and after that we’ll see what we can do.” The stage profile really suits Luis as he’s one of the best descenders in the peloton. Do you think he can try again? “Of course we want to change the strategy and try to go in a break. From now on I think there are a lot of opportunities. Breaks can hold on until the finish, so why not?”
14:55 - Peloton 4’00" Behind
At the 64km mark, the peloton is 4’00" behind Hushovd’s group of 10.
14:54 - Roy Takes Another Point
Roy (FDJ) has led over both climbs today. He has just taken on point for the cote de Belair (at 65km).
14:53 - Lead Up To 3’40"
The peloton is now, finally, content to let an escape group gain some time. The latest check has Hushovd’s group 3’40" ahead.
14:51 - Leaders Near Second Summit
At the 61km mark, the peloton is 3’20" behind the 10 escapees who are inside the final kilometer of the second climb.
14:50 - Frans Maassen – “We have to re-adjust...”
LeTour.fr spoke with Frans Maassen, the directeur sportif from Rabobank, earlier today. With what happened yesterday – when Robert Gesink lost over 20 minutes to the stage winner – things are a little different for the team now. “Yeah of course it was disappointing for us yesterday,” said the Dutchman. “We lost our place in the ‘classement’ and now we have to change the strategy and try to find one more victory in the last week.” What happened with Robert? “Ah, we thought it would be better and so did he but obviously he was hasn’t fully recovered from the crash [in stage three] and he couldn’t deliver what we hoped for. That’s life."
14:49 - Isaichev Quits
There is a third retirement in stage 13. The latest is Vladimir Isaichev of the Katusha team.
14:48 - Advantage Up To 1’55"
At the 60km mark, the peloton is 1’55" behind the 10 escapees.
14:48 - Four Of Escape Group Have won Tour stages before
Of the 10 in the lead, four have previously won at least one stage of the Tour de France. Those riders are:
Thor Hushovd (GRM)
Edvald Boasson Hagen (SKY)
David Moncoutie (COF)
Alessandro Petacchi (LAM)
14:45 - Gusev The Best On GC Of Escape
Of the 10 in the lead, the best on GC after 12 stages is Gusev (KAT) who began the day ranked 28th overall, 11’13" behind Voeckler.
14:45 - Watch The Advantage Grow
The 10 escapees are being allowed to push on with their move that began just after the first climb with Roy starting the move. They are now 1’15" ahead of the bunch.
14:43 - Boom Quits
Lars Boom (RAB) is the second rider to quit the Tour during the 13th stage. There are now 172 riders in the race.
14:42 - The 10 Escapees...
The riders who are in the lead of stage 13 are:
Tjallingii (NED) RAB
Hushovd (NOR) GRM
Fofonov (KAZ) AST
Moncoutie (FRA) COF
Boasson Hagen (NOR) SKY
Bak (DEN) THR
Pineau (FRA) QST)
Petacchi (ITA) LAM
Gusev (RUS) KAT
They are 50" ahead of the peloton.
14:41 - two catch eight
The counter-attack has caught the eight leaders. There are now 10 men in the lead. The list of names will follow but we can confirm that Roy (FDJ) started it. Gusev (KAT), Boasson Hagen (SKY) and Hushovd (GRM) are in the mix at the front at the 57km mark.
14:39 - That ought to do it...
The Europcar team is at the front of the bunch and trying to quell the enthusiasm of the constant chasing of escapes. There are now eight in the lead and, as we wait for the name, we can report that there appears to be two trying to bridge the gap... but the bunch may finally have opted to ease off the pace.
14:38 - Eight In The Lead
There are now 8 men ahead of the peloton at the 55km mark.
14:37 - Heulot’s Pre-Stage comments...
“The satisfying thing is that it was a beautiful climb and there are enough little differences with the very best at the finish," said Stephane Heulot of the Saur-Sojasun team at the start of the stage. “Today we arrive after a long descent, and Jérôme has worked especially for this over the winter. We will try to to be ready... “I remember this one down at the 1998 Tour, where we were in the fog and there was a lot of falls. Today it takes to win downhill grades, but also roller, as there are nearly 15 miles of flat after the descent. If I had to make a prognosis, it would Jérôme Pineau and Sylvain Chavanel."
14:36 - Hushovd & Petacchi Join Leaders
Hushovd and Petacchi have joined the riders in the lead of the stage but the peloton is right behind and escape appears to be doomed.
14:35 - Four Lead Counter-Attackers
There is a group of about 10 counter-attackers - including Rojas and Hushovd - that is closing in on the Roy quartet.
14:34 - Roy Caught By Three
Gusev (KAT), and two other riders - one from Cofidis, one from Saur - have caught Roy at the front of the stage.
14:31 - Average Speed For First Hour
The average speed of the opening hour in stage 13 is 49.1km/h.
14:31 - Alan Perez Lauzun 29 today
One of the seven Euskaltel-Euskadi riders who are still in the 98th Tour de France celebrates his 29th birthday today. His team-mate Samuel Sanchez won the stage to Luz Ardiden yesterday.
14:30 - Situation At 48km
Roy leads a group of about 15 by 15" and the peloton by 20".
14:29 - 15 Chasing Roy
There are about 15 riders together trying to bridge the gap to the lone race leader, Roy (FDJ).
14:28 - Roy: King of the Escape
So far in this year’s Tour de France the FDJ team has won three of the 11 ‘Fighting Spirit’ awards. This is a prize presented to the rider that a panel of 11 experts deem to have been the most aggressive in each stage. Jérémy Roy was presented with a trophy and red race number after stage four, and Mickael Delage has twice claimed the most votes – in stages three and 11. These two have been in escapes for more kilometers than any other rider in the 2011 Tour. After 2,127.5km of racing Roy has been on the attack for a total of 560km while Delage has amassed 541km at the front of the race. Ruben Perez Moreno (EUS) was part of the escape group of six in stage 12 and he has been in escapes for a total of 497km after 12 stages.
14:28 - Roy Again...!
Roy (FDJ) is the rider who is now escaping the tight grip of the peloton.
14:27 - Big Escape group forming
There is a group of about 25 riders which appears to have gained a gap on the peloton with the latest attack...
14:26 - Yates - Gerrans Or Boasson Hagen...
LeTour.fr spoke to Sean Yates of Sky this morning and asked: what’s the strategy today? “First of all, the guys have got to go up the hill," said the directeur sportif. "For sure there are going to be attacks and a breakaway before the Aubisque. So we want a guy in the breakaway who can climb half decently and also be a bit clever and quick at the finish and when you think of those qualities, you’re looking at Edvald and Simon Gerrans. The plan today is to try and help those guys get in the right moves. “For sure there’ll be a breakaway and we’ll see if it can go to the end.”
14:25 - Barredo Goes Solo
Barredo (RAB) is at the front of the stage. He has been chased down by a Cofidis rider.
14:24 - Climbing Points
Vanendert (OLO) has taken the 2pts for first at the cote de Cuqueron. Second when to Teprstra (QST).
14:23 - Farrar Dropped
Farrar is one rider who has been dropped by the peloton on the first climb.
14:23 - Vanendert Chasing Two Points
Vanendert (OLO) is leading the peloton to the line of the first climb.
14:22 - Lars Boom Blows
Boom has been dropped by the peloton while, up ahead, Barredo (RAB) is leading the bunch to the top of the first climb.
14:21 - Escape Over
The peloton has reeled in the three escapees at the 43km mark.
14:20 - Escape Group Grows
The three escapees are about to be caught by the counter-attack with 1km to climb on the first ascent of the stage.
14:19 - Five In Counter-attack
There are five men trying to bridge the gap to the three stage leaders who are already on the slopes of the cote de Cuqueron. Martin (THR) is one of the counter-attackers.
14:17 - Three Lead By 17"
Thee three escapees have an advantage of just 17 seconds but an Astana rider has raced around the Europcar team that’s trying to get the peloton to settle after a very fast start to the 13th stage.
14:17 - The Three Leaders
Terpstra (QST), Silin (KAT) and Delaplace (SAU) are the three in the lead of stage 13.
14:15 - Three In The Lead
There are now just three men in the lead of the stage. They have 10" lead on the peloton at the 37km mark.
14:13 - Kloden Quits The Tour
Andreas Kloden is the latest rider to stop the Tour. He started the stage but was dropped early and he’s now surrendered because of the injuries he sustained in crashes in the opening stanza of the 98th Tour.
14:13 - This looks like the selection
The peloton appears to be tired of chasing down the moves after 50 minutes of racing. There are now six in the lead of the stage and it looks like this is The Selection.
14:11 - Six In The Lead
The Cofidis rider has been joined by someone from Sky, Lampre, Vacansoleil and Chavanel...
14:11 - Cofidis Surging Now...
There is one rider from Cofidis now at the front of the stage. He is looking behind to see who is going to bridge the gap and join him in the lead.
14:10 - Stéphane Heulot "We will try to be ready..."
In a chat with LeTour.fr before the start of stage 13, the sporting director of Saur-Sojasun offered an update on the form of Jérôme Coppel, and also offered some thoughts on what we can expect from the stage today. "Yesterday we saw that the good form of Jérôme has returned, even though he fumbled a bit with a bike change after the Tourmalet which prevented him from being in the best position for the final climb,” said Heulot.
14:09 - Two Liquigas riders involved in crash
Two from Liquigas were caught up in the crash at the 29km mark. All the riders involved are racing again...
14:07 - Chavanel Again...
The French champion is up to his old antics: attack and attack and attack again... he’s not being given any room to move as an FDJ rider follows him at the head of the peloton.
14:06 - Four More try their luck
None of the escapees have yet been named by Radio Tour as, quite simply, none of the escapes have been able to gain much of an advantage before being swallowed up by the peloton which is still strung out in one long line as they speed along at a very fast pace.
14:04 - Escape Over
Riblon is the last rider to get moving again after the crash but everyone has started again. The escape of three has also been caught.
14:04 - Crash IN Peloton
There has been a crash that’s caught up a lot of riders at the 29km mark.
14:03 - Bole In The leading trio
The champion of Slovenia, Grega Bole (LAM) is one of the riders in the escape.
14:02 - Three In the lead
At the 27km mark there are three riders - including one from FDJ and one from SKY - on the attack. This time it looks as though the peloton will allow them to gain some time.
14:01 - Peraud Returns
After his mechanical incident, Peraud (ALM) has returned to the peloton. Just as he does so Amador (MOV) has punctured a rear tire.
13:59 - Peloton Toget At 25km
The escape is over and the bunch is all together again after 25km of super fast racing...
13:59 - Garmin Riding Goes Alone...
There is a Garmin rider now attacking the lead group but still the cameras can’t get close enough for us to identify who it is. The bunch has reeled in the 14 other escapees.
13:58 - 14 Lead By 13"
At the 23.5km mark, there are 15 men at the front of the stage; 14 together but Chavanel just ahead of this group.
13:57 - Movistar Leading Chase
The peloton isn’t allowing the 15 escapees the chance to gain much time. Chavanel is insisting with the move but the bunch, led by Movistar, is closing in on the 14 others...
13:56 - Lang Crashes
Lang (OLO) has crashed. He is pulling over now to change bikes.
13:55 - 15 In The lead
There are now 15 men in the escape that was instigated by Chavanel (QST).
13:55 - Nine Riders Escape At 20km
At the 20km mark, there are nine men with a slight lead on the peloton. Meanwhile, behind the bunch, Andreas Klöden is suffering. The convoy has driven past him and he appears in a state of despair... but he’s not conceding just yet. The runner-up from the 2004 Tour is now pacing himself back to the bunch behind the Euskaltel team car.
13:53 - Peraud Needs Assistance...
Peraud (ALM) has dropped behind the peloton. He is calling the team car...
13:52 - 18km Raced Already...
The peloton is refusing to allow the early escapes any leeway. There is one man with a slight advantage after 18km of racing but the camera bike can’t get close enough for us to read the number or even see the face of who it is.
13:51 - One In The Lead
The FDJ and Astana riders have been caught and now we see a new attack from a Vacansoleil rider.
13:50 - Three In The Lead
There are now three men with an advantage of about 200 meters on the peloton. But they are about to be joined by a counter-attack of about six riders...
13:50 - One In Counter-attack
There is one rider about to bridge the gap to the Astana and FDJ riders in the lead of stage 13.
13:49 - FDJ & Astana Leading...
There are two riders now opening up a good gap on the peloton. They are from FDJ and Astana but we can’t yet identify which riders they are...
13:47 - Martin Leading Peloton
The bunch is flying down a descent early today. Martin (THR) was recently seen at the front but Sky are now sending a few riders on a mission to try and establish an escape.
13:44 - Peloton Catches Escapees
The escape is over at the 11.5km mark.
13:43 - Gilbert In Escape
The Belgian champion Philippe Gilbert (OLO) is one of the riders in the escape early in stage 13.
13:43 - Seven In The Lead
There are now seven men ahead of the peloton. We are just waiting on the confirmation of the names of those involved...
13:42 - Kloden Also In Difficulty
Kloden is another rider suffering early today. He’s still in the peloton but lingering off the tail of the main pack that’s chasing three stage leaders and three counter-attackers.
13:42 - Isaichev Dropped
There is a casualty of the fast start: Isaichev of Katusha has already been dropped by the peloton.
13:41 - Garmin Lead The Chase
The peloton is led by Garmin-Cervélo and it’s chasing down the three escapees who have not even been named by Radio Tour.
13:40 - Three Lead By 10"
At the 9km mark, the three escapees are ahead of the peloton by just 10".
13:40 - Bricaud Nominates Vichot & Casar
“We will continue to go in breakaways,” said the DS from FDJ, Thierry Bricaud, “and today is certainly one in which an escape should succeed and stay away all the way to the finish. “It may be that Arthur Vichot and Sandy Casar, who are our two best descenders, will make the selection. But before descending the Aubisque, they must also be good enough to climb well before considering the win. The profile reminds me of the stage from Pau last year, which was won by Pierrick Fédrigo and where Sandy Casar came second.”
13:39 - Three In Lead At 8km
There are three riders now with a slight advantage over the peloton at the 8km mark.
13:37 - Thierry Bricaud – “[Arnold] will try to keep the white jersey...”
LeTour.fr spoke with directeur sportif Thierry Bricaud of the FDJ team before stage 13 and he spoke about the performance of Arnold Jeannesson yesterday at Luz Ardiden, and the hopes of the team today. "It’s not a huge surprise, we knew that Arnold was very good and able to follow the best on this long climb,” said Bricaud. “It is therefore a confirmation of his abilities. “He’s an ambitious boy, and he will continue to improve and also and try to keep the white jersey. “We now have an overall goal, then we will change our system a little, but our view remains the same: go for a stage victory.”
13:36 - Escape Over...
At the 6km mark, the five escapees are back with the peloton.
13:36 - Comments From Steegmans...
I’m really bummed," Geert Steegmans told his team’s PR representative at the pre-race meeting this morning when discussing the fact that he’s been forced to abandon the Tour before stage 13. "I tried to continue, hoping that things would get better with time, that [an issue with his arm] was just a little swollen. "In the first few days following the fall the swelling was too intense and an x-ray wouldn’t have picked up the fracture. So I decided to continue, this race meant too much to me, I wanted to do well and my legs were great. I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance to show it." He has a fractured left scaphoid.
13:34 - Five In The Lead At 4km
There are five men in the lead of the 13th stage after four kilometers of racing.
13:32 - Two In The Lead
There is an escape early with two men trying to establish an escape. Although three kilometers have been raced...
13:32 - Fast Start
The peloton is speeding along early in the 13th stage. The opening stanza of this 152.5km stage is relatively flat as it goes through the Pyrenees-Atlantique but then, at the 90 kilometer mark, the peloton faces the challenge of the col d’Aubisque - a 16.4km long ascent with an average gradient of 7.1 per cent.
13:30 - Stage 13 Starts At 1.29pm
There are now 174 riders in the Tour. The non-starter for stage 13 - which began at 1.29pm - is Geert Steegmans (QST).
13:27 - Ready To Race...
Christian Prudhomme has just announced that the riders are near the site of the official start. Stage 13 is will begin soon...
13:23 - Cadel Evans – “Working to minimize the stress...”
“I think I’ll be relaxed when everything is taken control of,” said Cadel Evans - currently ranked third overall - in an interview with the Australian broadcaster of the Tour de France SBS earlier today. “A lot of things can go wrong when people get nervous. That’s what we’ve been planning and preparing for since... well, July last year really. "We’ve been working together as a team to minimize this stress. Work comes to the fore in a race like yesterday."
13:17 - Intermediate Sprint In Bielle
The intermediate sprint for stage 13 is in Bielle at the 82.5km mark.
13:17 - Three Climbs Today
The bunch is riding through the neutral zone now. The riders are due for their second rendezvous with the climbs of the Pyrenees today. There are three categorized ascents in stage 13: the cote de Cuqueron (cat-3 at 43.5km), the cote de Belair (cat-4 at 65km) and the ’hors categorie’ col d’Aubisque (at 110km).
13:14 - Sunny And Warm Today
The temperature at the start in Pau is 28 degrees Celsius. The sun is shining and there’s not much wind in the capital of the Pyrenees-Atlantique department.
13:13 - Prize Classification Review: Part 04 – White Jersey
There is a new rider in the white jersey that is worn by the best young rider in the race. Arnold Jeannesson (FDJ) was 12th in the stage, 1’19” behind Sanchez (EUS) and the Frenchman who is 13th overall now leads the youth rankings. This is his first Tour de France and he’s 1’37” ahead of Rein Taaramae (COF) while Sky’s Colombian Rigoberto Uran is third at 2’05”. The former leader of this category, Robert Gesink (RAB) is now ninth 15’05” behind Jeannesson.
13:11 - Prize Classification Review: Part 03 – Polka-Dot Jersey
There are four stages in the 2011 Tour that carry double points for the final climb. Yesterday was one of them and the greatest beneficiary was the winner at Luz Ardiden... he hadn’t scored a single point in the climbing classification until stage 12 but with the 40 he claimed at the finish, he also earned the polka-dot jersey. This was Sanchez’s first stage win in the Tour and the rider who finished fourth overall in 2010 now leads his escape companion Jelle Vanendert (OLO) by eight points. Jeremy Roy (FDJ) is ranked third with 24 points and Frank Schleck (LEO) is fourth, also with 24 points.
13:09 - Prize Classification Review: Part 02 – Green Jersey
Mark Cavendish scored nine points at the intermediate sprint of stage 12 and increased his lead in the points classification. He was 153rd in the mountain stage, as part of the ’grupetto’ that was 33’05” behind Samuel Sanchez. Denis Galimzyanov (KAT) was the first rider to be dropped in stage 12 and although the Russian rode all the way to the finish at Luz Ardiden, he is no longer in the race. He was 10th in the category led by Cavendish but as he was outside the time limit, finishing 59’13” after Sanchez, he has been forced to pack his bags and farewell is first Tour. Cavendish leads Rojas (MOV) by 18 points, and Gilbert (OLO) is 26 points before ‘Supermanx’.
13:07 - Prize Classification Review: Part 01 – Yellow Jersey
It’s day number 13 in the yellow jersey for Thomas Voeckler – 10 days in 2004 and his third this year. The leader of the Europcar team surprised even himself with his ninth place in stage 12, only 50 seconds behind the stage winner. With great support from Pierre Rolland (10th) on the final climb, the Frenchman minimized his losses to the true GC favorites. Luis Leon Sanchez (RAB) finished 74th in stage 12 and dropped from second overall to 37th. Voeckler now leads Fränk Schleck (LEO) by 1’49” and Cadel Evans (BMC) by 2’06”. The Australian has never been ranked worst than third overall in the 2011 Tour.
13:06 - Welcome To The Live Coverage Of Stage 13
Ah yes, the Tour de France - an annual summertime fête. That’s what it is and today the weather is splendid and conditions are ideal for a ride in the Pyrenees. The 13th stage of the 2011 edition - from Pau to Lourdes - is 152.5km long and is due to start at 1.10pm. There is an 8.9km neutral zone before racing begins, this is expected to be at around 1.30pm. Live coverage will commence shortly, in the meantime we’ll review the various prize classifications on the race...