Stage 15 Summary

The 205.5km 15th stage began at 11.10am. There were 160 riders at the sign-on. The stage featured six climbs: the cat-two Portet d’Aspet (at 85km), the cat-1 Col de Mente (at 100.5km), the cat-1 Col du Portillon (at 137.5km), the cat-1 Col de Peyresourde (at 162km), the cat-1 Col de Val-Louron Azet (at 182.5km) and the final ascent to the ‘hors category’ summit at Pla-d’Adet. There were also two intermediate sprints: the first in Clermont (at 37km), the second in Argein (at 69.5km). _ _ Establishing An Escape… _ There were several attacks in the early part of the stage but it wasn’t until the 17km mark that 10 riders including Botero (PHO) and two Liberty riders – Contador and Serrano. They were caught at 24km. The next move was instigated by Boogerd (RAB) at the 27km mark. He was joined by 13 others: Hincapie (DSC), Sevilla (TMO), Dekker & Kroon (RAB), Pereiro (PHO), Bertogliati (SDV), Davis (LSW), Caucchioli (C.A), Brochard (BTL), Pineau (BTL), Bertolini (DOM), Camano (EUS) and Astarloza (A2R). Davis led Caucchioli and Astarloza over the line for the 1st sprint. The peloton was behind by 4’00” at the 37km mark. The lead grew rapidly – at 45km, 7’20” (the average speed for the first hour was 45.8km/h); at 55km, 10’20”; at 58km, 11’00”. Bertolini led Caucchioli and Davis over the line for the 2nd sprint (at 69.5km). The peloton was 16’30” behind as it began the ascent of the 1st climb. The points of the Portet d’Aspet were won by: Dekker, Caucchioli, Boogerd, Pereiro, Kroon and Brochard. The peloton was behind by 17’20”. _ _ Col de Mente & Col du Portillon _ With 7km to climb to the 2nd climb the peloton was 18’25” behind. Dekker led his team-mate Kroon and Boogerd over the top to claim the cat-1 points. At the top, the peloton was 18’00” behind. At the feedzone (110km) the peloton was 18’45” behind - this was the maximum gain of the escape group. Beloki had been dropped on the first climb. He was 22’50” behind the escapees in the feedzone. CSC riders came to the front of the peloton at the 116km mark. The maximum gain of the escape was 18’45” (at the 110km mark). _ With 5km to the top of the Portillon climb, Dekker was dropped, then Astarloza, Pineau and Bertogliati. With 8km to climb the peloton was 17’40” behind. At the top, Kroon led Boogerd, Pereiro, Caucchioli and Davis. Astarloza’s trio was at 1’40”, Dekker was at 4’00”, the peloton was led by riders from the CSC team and was 16’15” behind the escapees. _ _ Col du Peyresourde _ With 10km to climb on the Peyresourde, Kroon put in a big turn of pace to drop Davis, Camano and Bertolini. Then Kroon dropped out. The CSC led early on the Col de Peyresourde, then Discovery took over. The peloton was 15’25” behind at the 149km mark. The riders in the yellow jersey’s group with 5km to climb were: Armstrong, Azevedo, Popovych, Rubiera (DSC), Ullrich, Kloden, Vinokourov (TMO), Basso (CSC), Mancebo (IBA), Rasmussen (RAB), Landis (PHO), Piepoli, Horner (SDV), Moreau, Kashechkin (C.A), Mazzoleni (LAM) and Leipheimer (GST). At the top of the 4th climb, the points were won by: Brochard, Boogerd, Pereiro, Sevilla, Hincapie, Caucchioli… Davis (at 1’08”)… Camano (at 2’50”)… Bertolini was at 3’12”. Evans and Jaksche caught the yellow jersey’s bunch before the summit. This group was 11’30” behind at the top of the 4th climb. _ _ Col de Val-Louron Azet _ Sastre led the yellow jersey’s peloton at the base of the 5th climb. Guerini then came forward and the first to be dropped was Kloden. With 5km to go Basso attacked and only Armstrong and Ullrich could respond. At the top Brochard’s group of six led Davis by 4’00”; Camano by 6’05”; Armstrong, Ullrich and Basso by 7’40”; Rasmussen, Leipheimer, Landis, Vinokourov, Mancebo, Moreau, Mazzoleni and Piepoli by 8’45”. _ _ Hincapie Wins After Epic Escape _ The first to attack was Sevilla with 9km to go. Pereiro responded and only Hincapie and Boogerd could follow. They were caught by Caucchioli with 6km to go; the Italian then attacked with 4.5km to go. Pereiro and Hincapie responded and then dropped Caucchioli with 4km to go. Armstrong, Ullrich and Basso arrived at the final climb 7’35” behind the stage leaders. With 9km to go Basso attacked and Armstrong caught him. Ullrich was dropped and would never see the yellow jersey again. Pereiro led until 300m to go when Hincapie began his sprint and easily won the stage by six seconds to become only the eighth American winner of an individual stage of the Tour de France. His escape lasted 178km. _ _ Armstrong followed Basso across the line to claim seventh place 5’04” behind his team-mate. Basso jumped to second in the rankings with his sixth place. Armstrong will wear the yellow jersey in stage 16.