Moreau wins Dauphiné Libéré
At the start of Sunday’s seventh stage at the 59th Dauphiné Libéré, high up in Valloire in the shadow of the Galibier, it seemed like the worst was behind the peloton with just the final stage to Annecy on tap.
French veteran Christophe Moreau (Ag2r) was nursing a 14-second lead to Cadel Evans (Predictor-Lotto) and looked to have the overall in the bag if he could get through Sunday.
Moreau, like everyone else, knows better than to count the cycling chickens before they’re hatched.
“Sunday’s stage is difficult. Instead of just letting us ride round the lake in Annecy the organizers have laid on two big mountain climbs,” Moreau told French TV before the start. “But I’m feeling confident, my morale is really good and, unless disaster strikes, I can win.”
Rain, crashes, attacks and a daring late-stage surge to victory by Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) got everyone’s heart rate pumping, but a relieved Moreau coasted across the line 37 seconds adrift with the lead peloton to wrap up the overall.
“It was really hard today. Anything could have happened, but I counted on my experience and didn’t panic,” said Moreau, 36. “There were attacks, crashes and rain. It wasn’t easy.”
After an early break was caught on the lower flanks of the Dauphiné’s final hurdle on the Cat. 1 Col de la Forclaz with 18.5km to go, the fireworks were just beginning as rain splattered down on the peloton.
Riders such as Leonardo Piepoli (Saunier Duval-Prodir) and Dave Zabriskie (CSC) attacked on the upper reaches, but failed to lose the fractured peloton. The leaders sliced down the rainy descent to go on the attack.
Defending champion Levi Leipheimer - who’s been suffering through stomach problems since Thursday’s climbing stage to Mont Ventoux – pounced out of the bunch in a daring sortie to make amends for a disappointing ride Saturday when his crook stomach caused him to fall out of contention.
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The Discovery Channel captain built up a promising gap over the desperately chasing peloton with about 5km to go when the course radio crackled to life: Vinokourov was counter-attacking out of the bunch.
A Vinokourov-Leipheimer showdown would have been interesting, perhaps even a tantalizing repeat of the final day of the 2005 Tour when Vinokourov won on the Champs-Elysées to take time bonuses and bounce into fifth ahead of Leipheimer.
But just when things were looking good for Leipheimer, he barreled into a roundabout, his rear-wheel slipped on the wet pavement and he went skittering to the ground.
Vinokourov – who won Wednesday’s time trial but suffered up climbing stages at Ventoux and Valloire – drove past the dazed but apparently otherwise uninjured Leipheimer to solo home for victory 37 seconds ahead of the chasing Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d’Epargne) and Cadel Evans (Predictor-Lotto).
It was the fourth stage win by his dominant Astana team, putting the world on notice for next month’s Tour de France.
“The team was riding strong. Today we worked for Andrey (Kashechkin) and after the selection was made, I saw that it was possible to win the stage. I made two attacks in the final and I was able to take the lead after the fall of Leipheimer,” said Vinokourov. “Am I the favorite? It’s true, I am in form and the team is strong – everyone in the world knows that.”
Moreau – himself a winner of two stages -- lifted his hands in victory after crossing the line and won the Dauphiné for the second time in six years.
“It’s fabulous to win this race,” Moreau said. “Since the Volta a Catalunya, I’ve had good form. I came here hoping to win one stage, then I won atop Mont Ventoux and the overall!”
Zabriskie capped an excellent performance with aggressive riding Sunday, going on the attack on the upper reaches of the Forclaz, and finished the week fifth overall.
It was a fitting end to an exciting and unpredictable Dauphiné Libéré.
Wild finale
Riders and sport directors were taking stock Sunday morning in Valloire. With a late start at 2 p.m., teams enjoyed a tranquil morning ahead of the final day’s battle.
Discovery Channel sport director Johan Bruyneel said he was satisfied with how the team rode despite stomach problems that sent George Hincapie home early and zapped any chance for Leipheimer on Saturday.
“Levi couldn’t even eat in Saturday’s stage. I think he had one gel all day,” Bruyneel said, explaining why Leipheimer didn’t have the strength to follow late in Saturday’s epic climbing stage. “It will pass soon. It will not affect his preparation for the Tour.”
The peloton flew down the Télégraphe and the opening hour was 53kph. A breakaway including Saturday’s winner Maxim Iglinskiy (Astana) slipped away. Joining him were Egoi Martínez (Discovery Channel), best-placed at 7:15; Kevin Seeldraeyers (Quick Step); Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner); Philippe Gilbert (Française Des Jeux); Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas); Laurent Lefèvre (Bouygues Telecom); Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole); and Enrico Franzoi (Lampre).
Up the Col de Tamié, the men in the break were 2:45 ahead of the peloton, but there wasn’t much willingness on the part of the main field to let this bunch get too far up the road. The fireworks, if any, would happen on the Cat. 1 Col de la Forclaz.
Volodymir Gustov (CSC), Evans, Alberto Contador (Discovery), Piepoli and Zabriskie all took digs coming up the final climb, but the collective interests of the leaders kept the efforts on a short leash.
Kashechkin – who lost the leader’s jersey Saturday to slip to third overall – went on the attack on the frenzied descent following an effort by Piepoli. Evans and Denis Menchov (Rabobank) also attacked before Kashechkin tried again.
That’s when Leipheimer uncorked his promising move, only to be waylaid by slick roads coming into Annecy.
Dauphiné Libéré — Stage 7
1. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz), Astana, 2:55:33
2. Oscar Pereiro (Sp), Caisse d’Epargne, at 0:37
3. Cadel Evans (Aus), Predictor-Lotto, s.t.
4. Denis Menchov (Rus), Tabobank, s.t.
5. Tadej Valjavec (Slo), Lampre-Fondital, s.t.
6. Manuel Beltran (Sp), Liquigas, s.t.
7. Christophe Moreau (F), Ag2r, s.t.
8. José Antonio Redondo (Sp), Astana, s.t.
9. Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz), Astana, s.t.
10. Alberto Contador (Sp), Discovery Channel, s.t.
11. Sergio Paulinho (Por), Discovery Channel, s.t.
12. Volodymir Gustov (Ukr), CSC, s.t.
13. David Zabriskie (USA), CSC, s.t.
14. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Discovery Channel, s.t.
15. Leonardo Piepoli (I), Saunie Duval-Prodir, s.t.
16. Antonio Colom (Sp), Astana, at 0:46
17. Ludovic Turpin (F), Ag2r, at 0:37
18. Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz), Crédit Agricole, at 1:39
19. Pierrick Fedrigo (F), Bouygues Telecom, 1:39
20. Mikel Astarloza (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 1:39
Overall standings
1. Christophe Moreau (F), Ag2, 29:50:35
2. Cadel Evans (Aus), Predictor-Lotto, at 0:14
3. Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz), Astana, at 1:27
4. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, at 1:52
5. David Zabriskie (USA), CSC, at 2:16
6. Alberto Contador (Sp), Discovery Channel, at 4:24
7. Mikel Astarloza (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 5:00
8. Manuel Beltran (Sp), Liquigas, at 5:01
9. Tadej Valjavec (Slo), Lampre-Fondital, at 5:17
10. Sylvain Chavanel (F), Cofidis, at 5:38
11. Leonardo Piepoli (I), Saunier Duval-Prodir, at 5:52
12. Volodymir Gustov (Ukr), CSC, at 5:53
13. Bernhard Kohl (A), Gerolsteiner, at 6:52
14. Pierrick Fedrigo (F), Bougues Telecom, at 7:14
15. Xabier Zandio (Sp), Caisse d’Epargne, at 7:49
16. Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz), Crédit Agricole, at 8:01
17. Remy Di Gregorio (F), Française des Jeux, at 8:02
18. Ludovic Turpin (F), Ag2r, at 8:06
19. Haimar Zubeldia (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 8:10
20. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz), Astana, at 9:47
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