CYCLING:ENTHUSIASTIC BANDS of Norwegian fans are among the most visible roadside spectators at this year's Tour de France, and as the race arrived in the foothills of the Alps they got their biggest reward so far when Thor Hushovd led his compatriot Edvald Boasson Hagen, both already stage winners in the 2011 race, across the line to win stage 16 in Gap.
“It was a bit like the Norwegian championship,” Hushovd said afterwards. That the stage was run in mostly unpleasant conditions suggested that this was a day for the Viking virtues of strength and endurance. In the final sprint the experience of the powerful 31-year-old Garmin-Cervelo rider proved too much for the gifted 24-year-old in the Sky jersey, who finished a bike length in arrears at the end of 162.5km.
For Hushovd, the reigning road race world champion, the key factor in the outcome was the co-operative presence of a team-mate, Ryder Hesjedal. The Canadian led the race over the only rated climb of the day, the second-category Col de Manse, 11km from the finish, before falling back to join his Norwegian colleague in outwitting Boasson Hagen in the three-man shoot-out.
Early-morning cloudbursts had given way to drying conditions by the time the riders set off from the pretty village of Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux in the Drome, the imposing vastness of the Mont Ventoux glowering down on them for the first half-hour.
Giving it a wide berth, they faced a gradual climb through mist-covered hills towards the Haute-Alpes. With 70km to go the day’s significant break, including 13 riders, left the peloton behind.
Mikhail Ignatyev of Katusha, who is addicted to lone escapades, went off the front before the leading group reached Gap.
As the route passed through the town to start a loop over the Col de Manse, the Russian fell back and Hesjedal took over. A few seconds back, Boasson Hagen was being marked by Hushovd, who could do nothing to prejudice his team-mate’s chance of a stage victory.
But as they began the descent the younger Norwegian caught the Canadian, freeing Hushovd to go for the win. Hesjedal led the trio down the straight run-in towards the line with Boasson Hagen on his wheel, the Sky rider trying to watch both the leader and the man lurking behind him.
With barely 50m to go Boasson Hagen glanced over his shoulder at Hushovd. As he glanced back towards Hesjedal ahead of him, Hushovd took his chance and jumped.
As yesterday’s stage was being decided, the riders in contention for the overall victory were flexing their muscles in a pre-Alpine skirmish, with varying success.
Clustered around the yellow jersey, worn by Thomas Voeckler, the big guns – Cadel Evans, Ivan Basso, Alberto Contador, Samuel Sanchez and the Schleck brothers – were waiting for someone to make a move.
It turned out to be Contador, who accelerated three times up the climb and tried to get away again on the descent but was caught by Evans each time. On the last occasion the Australian drove for the line, finishing three seconds ahead of Contador and Sanchez, 21 seconds ahead of Frank Schleck.
Voeckler retained the yellow jersey, losing 21 seconds to Evans, who is now second in the general classification, 1.45 behind, with the Schlecks third and fourth ahead of Sanchez, Contador and Basso.
As has become his habit, Voeckler predicted that the next stage would be his last in the maillot jaune, and this time he may be right.
Today’s stage runs from Gap to Pinerolo, in Italy, and includes the first-category climb at Sestrieres.
Guardian Service
