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Turpin wins at Dauphiné as Leipheimer holds overall
No more Mr. Nice Guy from Levi Leipheimer in the Dauphiné Libéré.
After watching Denis Menchov (Rabobank) ride his wheel all the way up the final 6km of Thursday’s grueling climb to Mont Ventoux without taking one pull — only to pip him and Christophe Moreau (Ag2r) for the victory — Leipheimer wanted to see what the Russian was made of in Friday’s 155km roller-coaster over the Izoard high in the French Alps.
The Gerolsteiner captain finished eighth at 48 seconds behind stage winner Ludovic Turpin (Ag2r) to retain his 28-second lead to Menchov, but this time he forced the stoic Russian to stick his nose into the wind by using some wily tactics.
When Moreau – who is a threat to Menchov’s grip on second place - jumped into a dangerous move with Iban Mayo (Euskaltel), Leonardo Piepoli (Saunier Duval) and Eddy Mazzoleni (T-Mobile) about halfway up the 14km Izoard climb, Leipheimer was content to see the big-toothed Frenchman power away.
"I wanted to get Menchov to do something. When Moreau went away, I waited and dropped back, because I wanted to put some pressure on Menchov," Leipheimer explained. "He’s been following the wheels and I wanted to see if he was good. I wanted to get him into the wind."
Menchov and Moreau started the day separated in the GC by 1:20, so when the gap finally shot north of 30 seconds, Menchov was forced to give chase, trying to bridge the gap to the leading quartet.
And this time, it was Leipheimer who was glued on his wheel.
"He’ll lose his second place before I lose my first place," Leipheimer said with a smile. "It took a while (to get across), the Izoard is tough, the altitude is high, it’s not a climb you can just jump right across. It took some work to get across."
After doing all the heavy lifting in Thursday’s stage up Ventoux, Leipheimer just had to follow the moves in over the Izoard.
While Turpin held off a revived Mayo to win the stage, Leipheimer rolled across the line with his overall lead firmly intact and his confidence of overall victory sky high.
When asked who he thought would win the race, him or Menchov, Leipheimer replied, "Me."
Ventoux redux
It was a magnificent summer morning in Sisteron ahead of the 155km march to Briançon. Despite the day’s challenges, Friday’s course was a transition stage between Thursday’s assault up Mont Ventoux and Saturday’s 169km course over the Galibier to the new summit at La Toussuire.
Riders had a chance to dissect Thursday’s action up the giant of Provence. Discovery Channel’s George Hincapie said he was satisfied with his ride, which pushed him to ninth overall going into Friday’s stage.
"I rode within myself because I didn’t want to go over my limit," Hincapie told VeloNews. "I came here to see how I was going in the time trial and the high mountains. It’s a hard race and I want to see what kind of result I can get without killing myself."
Dave Zabriskie (CSC), who started Thursday second overall, said he was hoping for more but just didn’t have the legs to go with the best when the attacks began on the lower reaches of Ventoux in the wooded section.
"It was hard there in the wooded part, but I was better than usual at fighting for position, and then I just didn’t have that power to keep their speed — I basically I just came off the back of that group. I was going so slow, and that’s pretty demoralizing," Zabriskie told VeloNews. "I got out of those woods and it gets a little flatter, I got what seemed to me a better rhythm. I’m not a super climber. I tried — that’s all I can do is try."
Over at the Gerolsteiner bus, meanwhile, there was quiet confidence. Leipheimer was hidden away inside the camper, but sport director Christian Henn said the team was intent on not letting the race slip away like it did last year when Leipheimer grabbed the early lead only to lose it to eventual winner Inigo Landaluze in an unchecked breakaway.
"Hopefully some of the other teams looking for a stage victory will be able to help us control today’s stage," Henn said. "(Saturday) is the stage that will decide the winner. It’s the most dangerous for the team, but Leipheimer showed he was the strongest on Ventoux."
Floyd Landis also stayed hidden away inside the Phonak camper. Landis fell flat on the lower ramps of the Ventoux and waved off the troops when he realized he just didn’t have the snap in his legs to follow the best.
That opened the door for Ryder Hesjedal, fresh off fourth place overall at the Volta a Catalunya last month. Hesjedal said once Landis threw in the towel on Ventoux, he had the freedom to ride for himself. And once again, he made the most of the opportunity.
"I was helping Floyd and then he didn’t have the legs and I had to try to chase back on, but it was pretty hard," Hesjedal said. "Now I’m in a pretty good position in the GC, but we’ll take it day to day. This is a hard race."
Hesjedal did well over the Izoard, working into a group and finishing 25th at 2:02 back to move into 15th overall at 5:58 back.
Early break
On the day’s first climb, the Cat. 4 Col de Sarrault at 33km, Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues), Turpin, Volodymir Gustov (CSC) and Vicenzo Nibali (Liquigas) sneaked away. Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) bridged out on the descent before Gustov and Nibali lost heart on the Cat. 3 Col Lebraut at 60km, leaving just Hushovd, Turpin and Jerome Pineau (Bouygues) to lead the charge toward the day’s major obstacle at the Izoard.
Hushovd, Turpin and Pineau were still about 4:30 ahead when the peloton surged to the base of the climb. Instead of Gerolsteiner riding tempo on the lower flanks of the climb, it was Caisse d’Epargne-Illes Balears hamming the front.
The only Gerolsteiner jersey left to help Leipheimer up the climb was Fabian Wegmann, winner of the best climber’s jersey in the 2004 Giro. Leipheimer stayed glued on Valverde’s wheel as three Caisse d’Epargne riders set tempo. Chris Horner (Davitamon-Lotto), Floyd Landis (Phonak), George Hincapie (Discovery Channel) and Dave Zabriskie (CSC) were all on Leipheimer’s wheel.
Juan Miguel Mercado (Agritubel) was the first to slip away, but he was reeled in about midway up the climb with the lead group still containing about 40 riders.
Pineau blew, leaving Hushovd and Turpin to work alone up the middle flanks of the Izoard’s eastern approach, with the 14km climb at an average grade of 8 percent rated an hors categorie ascent.
The pain started soon enough for many, with Landis and Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana-Würth) falling off the back midway up the climb. The front group dissolved under pressure from the Moreau-Mayo move. Menchov joined Leipheimer and the pair bridged up to defend their GC positions against the dangerous group while Turpin remained alone two minutes dangling off the front. Chasing were Mancebo, Caucchioli and Kohl (T-Mobile) with others, such as Hincapie and Azevedo, working in another group.
Piepoli ramped it up as the climb pushed out of the trees onto the wide-open rocky crags that make the Izoard so distinctive. Turpin’s lead was down to 45 seconds with 1km to go on the climb when Mayo turned the screws on the final switchbacks, but the Frenchman held on to take the points over the 2360m summit.
Hincapie got some help from Hushovd to catch Leipheimer’s group on the harrowing descent, and Hincapie eventually led Moreau, Leipheimer and Menchov across the line in sixth at 48 seconds back.
"It’s getting better for me. We got back on on the descent, we were like 20-30 seconds back coming over the summit," said Hincapie, who moved from ninth to seventh overall. "I got on Thor’s wheel and he just flew down the descent and we just kept going. I started cramping at the bottom of that steep part, but these are the first big climbs of the year. I felt good."
Zabriskie held it together up the Izoard to finish 16th at 1:23 back and move into 18th overall at 6:57 back. Landis continued his backward slide after finishing 57th at 8:50 back to drop to 16:45 back.
Saturday’s battle
Leipheimer said he’s ready for Saturday’s four-climb 169km sixth stage from Briançon to La Toussuire. The stage hits the beyond-category Galibier in the opening 32km before a long grind up the beyond-category Col du Glandon/Croix de Fer at 113km followed by a short drop to the Cat. 2 Col du Mollard at 133.5km.
Another long descent carries the bunch to the base of the final Cat. 1 climb to the 1700-meter summit at La Toussuire. The final 18.5km climb averages 6 percent and the route pretty much mirrors what the peloton will see next month in the Tour de France.
"It’s going to be tough," Leipheimer said. "There is a lot of climbing, 4500 meters, and the Glandon is difficult. I don’t know the Toussuire climb, but I’ve seen the profile and it doesn’t look easy. It’s going to be a day of endurance, with a lot of climbing and maybe an explosion. I’m still good and I will be a little fresher tomorrow."
Ag2r is confident following Moreau’s strong performance and Turpin’s victory. Moreau and Mancebo, who sit third and fourth at 1:48 and 1:49 back, respectively, promise to join forces to try to dislodge Leipheimer.
"Leipheimer is strong, but we have the better team," Mancebo said. "We can try to do something tomorrow, but we have to try to get rid of Menchov as well. Moreau is stronger than I am right now, but the team is very motivated."
Rabobank didn’t read the exchange on the Izoard quite the same way Leipheimer did. Rabobank sport director Erik Breukink said he thought Leipheimer showed weakness when he didn’t immediately follow the moves.
"There are still possibilities to beat Leipheimer. Today you saw there were moments when he could not answer the moves by the Ag2r boys," Breukink said. "Tomorrow is a much more ideal terrain for attacking. We can profit from the role of Mancebo and Moreau. I think Denis will be attacking."
That’s fine with Leipheimer. He’s already made the winning gap. All he has to do now is follow, and he’s sure he’ll be strong enough for that.
Stage 5, Sisteron-Briançon
1. Ludovic Turpin (F), AG2R Prevoyance, 155 km in 4:06:49 (37.68kph)
2. Iban Mayo (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0:26
3. Francisco Mancebo (Sp), Ag2r Prevoyance, at 0:27
4. Pietro Caucchioli (I), Credit Agricole, at 0:37
5. Leonardo Piepoli (I), Saunier Duval-Prodir, at 0:41
6. George Hincapie (USA), Discovery Channel , at 0:48
7. Christophe Moreau (F), Ag2r Prevoyance, at 0:48
8. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Gerolsteiner, at 0:48
9. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, at 0:48
10. Bernhard Kohl (A), T-Mobile, at 0:51
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