THIS WEEK IN PRO CYCLING
Stage 6: León Sánchez confirms, Rebellin defends in Paris-Nice
The Spanish armada threw down an attack in Saturday’s brutal 200km sixth stage at Paris-Nice, but Davide Rebellin stood firm to retain the overall lead with one stage to go.
Climbing sensation Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel) unleashed a brutal acceleration on the last of nine rated climbs, the Col du Tanneron with 20km to go, to gap the Gerolsteiner leader by 25 seconds.
Rebellin never panicked and found some friends in the lead pack to check the aggression with less than 2km to go to retain his six-second grip on the maillot jaune.
“It was a very tough day with many climbs, but my team worked well,” said a relieved Rebellin. “In the final climb, I didn’t panic because there was some cooperation among other teams like Liquigas and CSC. I’m tired, but I am not the only one.”Rebellin didn't panic, but he wasn't entirely confident once Cantador put the hammer down, either. "It was impossible to counter all my rivals," said the 35-year-old Rebellin. "But I really thought I was going to lose the (leader's) jersey. When Contador attacked I just didn't have the legs to follow."
While Contador and Rebellin fought their duel, another promising Spanish prospect — Luis León Sánchez of Caisse d’Epargne — nearly rode away with the race.
After joining an early breakaway featuring the American trio of Christian Vande Velde (CSC), Tom Danielson and Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel), León Sánchez latched onto Contador’s move along with teammate David Lopez Garcia on the Tanneron climb.
León Sánchez then chugged away with 4km to go and powered home against a brisk crosswind along Cannes’ famous beaches to win the stage and vault from 16th to third overall at 16 seconds back.
León Sánchez — who rode last year with Contador on the now-defunct Liberty Seguros squad — threw away some valuable seconds near the finish when he celebrated his victory instead of stabbing his bike across the line.
He didn’t care. He wanted to savor the moment.
“I didn’t know if I was going to win until the final meters because I knew the peloton was bearing down,” he said. “I wanted to celebrate this win and dedicate it to my brother [who died last year in a quad accident]. This is big for me and the team.”
Long day in sun
It was another wild and wooly day at this explosive Race to the Sun. The rollercoaster stage saw 22 riders skip the start or abandon, including American Tyler Farrar (Cofidis), points leader Daniele Bennati (Lampre) and best climber Heinrich Haussler (Geroslteiner).
“I was feeling a little bit and a little tired. As the week got on, I got a cold and it wore me down,” Farrar told VeloNews after pulling out at the feed zone. “I was pretty thrashed today and I will rest up for my next race.”
The stage started early in Brignoles in the Var region with the anticipation of a hard and potentially explosive stage. With nine rated climbs, including the Cat. 1 Col de Bourigaille (10.3km at 5.1 percent), the stage was fertile ground for an attack.
Several breaks failed to escape the grip of the peloton until Danielson, Leipheimer and Vande Velde were joined by Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom), León Sánchez and Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) to form the day’s breakaway.
“It made for a long day,” said Predictor-Lotto’s Chris Horner, who was helping Cadel Evans stay safely tucked in the top 10. “It was really hard at the start trying to cover some breaks, and when that didn’t work, we had to work to keep the break close. Then we had to work at the end. Every day has been hard at this race.”
Chavanel was the best placed in the group at 12th at 50 seconds back, but Leipheimer was 13th just one second behind the Frenchman. After back-to-back American victories with Bobby Julich in 2005 and Floyd Landis in 2006, visions of a red-white-and-blue hat trick came into play as the group gained momentum and gapped the bunch by two minutes at the Cat. 2 Col du Defens at 103.5km.
Gerolsteiner pinned riders on the front to keep the breakaway from gaining too much ground and the splits decreased after the peloton chugged over the Bourigaille and the Cat. 3 Cote de Mons at 143km within a little more than one minute.
The brutal pace caused riders to drop like flies and the peloton split several times.
Contador attacks Rebellin
With Chavanel counter-attacking the breakaway up the day’s final climb, Contador revved it up with a searing acceleration out of the main pack. He quickly gapped Rebellin, who didn’t even flinch and kept riding at his steady pace.
“It was amazing how calm Rebellin stayed when Contador attacked,” said Horner, who had a front-row seat. “Contador went away and Rebellin didn’t panic and just rode within himself at his own pace. That was impressive.”
Frank Schleck (CSC) and Tadej Valjavec (Lampre) also peeled away from Rebellin, but a lead group of chasers came together on the run into Cannes.
Rebellin might not have seemed panicked, but he said afterward that there were moments of doubt. After a technical downhill that favored the attacking Contador, Rebellin couldn’t organize the chase until the flatter roads with only about 12km to go.
Rebellin was forced to drive the chase from the front until he found some help with the collective interests of Lampre, Liquigas, CSC and Saunier Duval prompted their collaboration.
“Contador was very strong again today,” Rebellin said. “I think he’s the best in the climbs, but there are other riders I have to keep an eye on. Contador isn’t my only rival. Tomorrow will be difficult again. I know I should expect more attacks.”
Contador was getting some help from León Sánchez, who even offered him a hand-sling to help him pull through on the flats, but Caisse d’Epargne’s sport directors had their own designs for a stage victory. Chavanel was dropped with 6km to go and the gap was down to 18 seconds on the lead chasers, prompting his move with 4km to go.
A strong time trialist, León Sánchez slung low in the handlebars to power away from Contador and his teammate to score another early season win. He also claimed the overall at the Mallorca Challenge last month.
Contador, meanwhile, expressed frustration because he simply ran out of road.
“It would have been better if the final climb was a little longer, but the most important thing is the legs are continuing to respond,” he said. “When León Sánchez attacked with 4km to go, I just couldn’t follow. Tomorrow is a better stage for me with harder climbs, so we will attack again to try to gain the maillot jaune.”
The 65th Paris-Nice concludes Sunday with one of the spectacular settings in cycling. The 129.5km stage features three Cat. 1 climbs and one Cat. 2, but it’s the intense finale — with climbs up the Cat. 1 La Turbie at 89.5km and the Cat. 1 Col d’Eze at 113.5km — that should provide the final battleground.
The steep Col d’Eze (7.8km at 6.1 percent) to 496 meters high above the sparkling Mediterranean and its harrowing descent to the Promenade des Anglais in Nice will decide the winner.
Rebellin, who lives in nearby Monte Carlo, should have home-road advantage, but four of his teammates abandoned today — which means that this Paris-Nice should end as it has begun, with a fight right down to the wire.
Medical report
Fabio Baldato (Lampre), abandon for pain in left knee; Daniele Bennati (Lampre) – abandon for nose bleed; Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel) – pain in left knee; Jurrgen Van de Walle (Quick Step) – crash at 121km, multiple contusions; Ruben Perez (Euskaltel) – crash at 121km, cuts to left knee, multiple contusions; Matthew White (Discovery Channel) – crash at 150km, cuts and scrapes; Alberto Fernandez (Saunier Duval) – crash at 150km, cuts and scrapes
Peloton
Twenty-two riders abandoned or didn’t start. Among the bigger names were: Daniele Bennati (Lampre), Tyler Farrar (Cofidis) and four riders from Gerolsteiner; Francisco Ventoso, Xavier Florencio and Ivan Velasco didn’t start.
Jerseys
Leader - Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner); Points - Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas); Best climber – Thomas Voekler (Bouygues Telecom); Best young – Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel); best team – Caisse d’Epargne
Results – Stage 6
1. Luis Leon Sanchez (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne
2. Mirco Lorenzetto (I), Milram, at 0:28
3. Jérôme Pineau (F), Bouygues Telecom, same time
4. Franco Pellizotti (I), Liquigas, s.t.
5. Samuel Dumoulin (F), Ag2r Prevoyance, s.t.
6. Alexandre Botcharov (Rus), Credit Agricole, s.t.
7. Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz), Astana, s.t.
8. Samuel Sanchez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, s.t.
9. Davide Rebellin (I), Gerolsteiner, s.t.
10. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (B), Predictor-Lotto, s.t.
Fullresults
Overall
1. Davide Rebellin (I), Gerolsteiner
2. Alberto Contador (Sp), Discovery Channel, at 0:06
3. Luis Leon Sanchez (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne, at 0:16
4. Tadej Valjavec (SLO), Lampre, at 0:23
5. Franco Pellizotti (I), Liquigas, at 0:31
6. Sébastien Joly (F), Française des Jeux, at 0:32
7. Cadel Evans (Aus), Predictor-Lotto, at 0:35
8. David Millar (GB), Saunier Duval, at 0:42
9. Frank Schleck (Lux), CSC, s.t.
10. Jérôme Pineau (F), Bouygues Telecom, s.t.
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