Reducing traffic on Leslie Street via merge lanes on Lake Shore and left turn lanes on Eastern to new Entrances to both Box Stores

(click on image for larger)

In an article entitled “Cycling To The Port Lands: creating a ‘Gateway’ at Leslie Street through the ‘Great Wall’ – Lake Shore Boulevard” – I tried to shine a light on all the problems that cyclists and pedestrians face in trying to access the new park, walking and cycling infrastructure that the City is developing to the south of Lake Shore Boulevard as part of the Water Front Toronto project, and the Leslie Spit Urban Wilderness innovation, Tommy Thompson Park.

It turns out my vision of Leslie Street as one of the key “Sentry Gateways” to the new infrastructure is not a new idea. Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto has been planning around this idea for years.

Making Waves: Central Waterfront Plan Part II -http://www.toronto.ca/waterfront/waterfront_part2.htm(pdf)

c) Promoting a Clean and Green Environment

( to see it full size click on image – or go to the toronto.ca link under the image)

City of Toronto CENTRAL WATERFRONT PART II PLAN Map "D" - http://www.toronto.ca/waterfront/pdf/waterfrontplansec4_c.pdf

In this plan from 2002 Leslie Street is marked as a key pedestrian, cycling and public transit access point to the proposed Lake Ontario Park.

And more recently at Water Front Toronto, under the tab “Portlands Greening” this:

“In April 2005, Waterfront Toronto along with the three orders of government announced a $10.5 million investment and plans for greening the Port Lands and improving public access to the area’s lakefront. This project includes work to improve the key gateways in the area such as Unwin Avenue, Leslie, Cherry and Commissioners streets, all of which are the major corridors that connect the city with the Port Lands and the primary routes that lead to a future Lake Ontario Park.”

(http://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/explore_projects2/port_lands/port_lands_greening)

A major redevelopment of Leslie Street is set for this spring (2012). The TTC has recieved the appropriate approvals to build an Ashbridges Bay Maintenance and Storage Facility for the new fleet of LRT vehicles on an empty parcel of land at the SE corner of Leslie Street and Lake Shore Blvd.. In order to connect it to the TTC’s track grid they need to lay rail on Leslie from Queen Street to Commissioners. The project will require a complete rip out of the street – sidewalk to sidewalk – black top right down to the street’s footings — and some major underground infrastructure re-jigging as well.

For some reason the TTC has tried to minimize the extent of the construction to come – they have said in planning documents (“Ashbridges Bay TTC Maintenance and Storage Facility – September 8, 2010″ - http://www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/lrv/pdf/epr/appendix-c-8.pdf) that the street will not be changed. In saying this they have signaled to the relevant City departments that required changes as part of the City’s Long Term Plan) need not now be actioned upon. These changes not now being acted upon include improvements in cycling and pedestrian infrastructure.

(Part of the City’s long term transportation plan is known as the “Complete Streets” framework, where it is understood that the city’s transportation foot print, especially in the older parts of the city, is at capacity and that thus car pooling, mass transit, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure needs to be accented when major public infrastructure redevelopments provide an opportunity).

So because the TTC has signalled this is a minor alteration to Leslie Street – for example - the City of Toronto Transportation Services has not done traffic counts towards making Leslie Street a better traffic corridor – even though several major land-use changes have, and are happening all around Leslie Street right now. Included are the new Box Stores: Canadian Tire, Loblaws and Price Choppers – and a gentrification of the residential population of the community – caused by the housing price boom which is ramping up house prices, especially in Leslieville, but also in South Riverdale and the West Beaches. A more prosperous population is more likely to have access to a car and thus drive to their shopping destinations – and thus increase traffic volumes in the neighbourhood in general, but especially along Leslie Street which is the route the city is enabling to service the Box Store Row that is developing there.

The TTC’s ‘nothing-to-see here’ attitude also puts planning blinkers on the City as the massive Water Front Toronto Development is just announcing a speed-ed up scheduling of development on the Port Lands - not to mention the imminent opening, 7 days a week, of Tommy Thompson Park on the Leslie Street Spit.

The Park Lands developments to the south of Lake Shore and Leslie Street and the idea that Leslie Street is one of the Great Gateways to these new public places – places that the World will visit – and the entire population of the GTA will use periodically over their lifetimes – is anathema to the Box Store Corridor tha Leslie Street has recently started to become.

In a great article in SpacingToronto  (24 Jan 2012) ”Leslie Street – Gateway or Gate to the Waterfront?” Dylan Reid points out the crux of the problem is four lanes on Leslie Street – or two?

“The key question is, could Leslie Street lose a lane of traffic in order to create bike lanes and more pedestrian space? Currently, Leslie from Queen to Lake Shore is four lanes. Outside of rush hour, two lanes are used for parking and only two lanes are used for traffic, but during rush hour parking is prohibited to allow two lanes of traffic in the rush hour direction.”

But I think I sussed a way to have our cake and eat it too!

The problem is there is near capacity of traffic volume on Lelie Street – yet more and different typs of traffic is projected. We have to somehow reduce the volume of traffic on Leslie Street.

The biggest soarce of traffic – outside the rush hour commutes – is the Big Box Malls. 90% of the traffic in and out of these Malls happens via an intersection built just for them – and it funnels traffic onto Leslie Street – it must go – but how?

(click on image to see larger)

Leslie Street looking North - Mall Exit Intersection

Below is a mashup I made over a map of the Leslie Lake Shore area.  I have added new infrastructure that entices traffic away from Leslie Street by adding on and off merge lanes to Lake Shore Boulevard that feed a new Enterance/Exit for the Loblaws parking lot and Price Choppers lot respectively. Also, left turn lanes on Eastern Avenue will feed new bigger and more direct Enterance/Exits on the Northern flanks of these two Malls as well.

(click on image to see larger)

Map of Leslie Street as Gateway to Water Front

The Lights Leslie Street at the Malls Exits should be taken out, and the Exits reduced to one lane in and out (instead of three, with a left turn advanced green).

This should speed up traffic flow as well as remove 500 vehicles per hour from Leslie. With more room on Leslie infrastructure for cyclists and pedstrians should increase those types of traffic and eventually, as the TTC impliments their planned service route along Leslie, volumes into these malls should increase significantly with out coincident increase in car traffic on Leslie Street itself!

At the same time this new vision will open up Leslie Street for separted Bike Lanes, wider sidewalks a greener more inviting streetscape – that will connect the Waterfront Trail (formerly Martin Goodman Trail) and create a truly World Class Gateway to the new and innovative park lands to the south of Lake Shore Boulevard.

mh

I Love this, it’s brilliant – and it makes the over-all streetscape beautiful at the same time, perfect for these two ‘canyon’ streets.

‘Floating Parking’ & Bike-Buffer Zones in Separated Cycletracks

by Clarence Eckerson, Jr. – March 6, 2011 – http://www.streetfilms.org/floating-parking-bike-buffer-zones-in-separated-cycletracks/

“Floating Parking” & Bike Buffer Zone in Separated Bike Lanes from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

For more info see:

“One Step Closer to Separated Bikelanes on Adelaide and Richmond Streets”
November 7, 2011 By Joe T. – http://bikingtoronto.com/blog/2011/11/one-step-closer-to-separated-bikelanes-on-adelaide-and-richmond-streets/

“Protect Richmond & Adelaide!” The Bike Union – http://bikeunion.to/protected-bike-lanes/richmond

mh

Update: 25 January 2012  - Lito Romano – TTC Community Liaison Officer (lito.romano@ttc.ca) has sent out a notification about the next meeting of the “Leslie Street Streetscape Working Group – it’s:

January 31, 2012
6:30 pm-8:30 pm
South Riverdale Community Health Centre
955 Queen Street East

They’d like people to RSVP to make sure there’s enough chairs and such, by January 27th 2012 – via lito.romano@ttc.ca

December 8, 2011

Lake Shore Boulevard defines the northern extent of Toronto’s “Port Lands”. The East/West automobile corridor is a ‘Great Wall’ to cyclists and pedestrians. Highways are wonderful for moving cars and trucks from point A to point B quickly – but in doing so they create barriers for everything else. These ‘Great Walls’ also have the effect of funneling traffic towards ‘Gateways’ that breach them periodically.

In the mashup below I’ve attempted to illustrate how Leslie Street and Cherry Street are the ‘sentry tower’ Gateways to Toronto’s Port Lands and Tommy Thompson Park.

(click on image for larger view)

Gateways to Toronto's Water Front

Leslie Street and Cherry Street are Gateways to the Portlands because they both connect to The Martin Goodman Trail, which circles the Port Lands and connects the City to the new Tommy Thompson Park Cycling and Walking Trails at Unwin Avenue and Leslie Street.

Carlaw Avenue, Logan Avenue and the Don Roadway do get cyclists and walkers across the Great Wall, but they only connect to Commissioners Street – then you have to travel East or West along Commissioners to access the Martin Goodman Trail.

Below is the embed of the map in the image.

View The Gateways to Toronto’s Water Front in a larger map

One of the big issues in Leslieville has been ( and is ) the way this neighbourhood is cut off from the Water Front – namely The Port Lands, Tommy Thompson Park and the Martin Goodman Trail – ironically, by transportation infrastructure ( designed solely for automobile traffic ).

On Tuesday I rode my bike from Jones Ave. and Dundas St. E. across the Great Wall that is Lake Shore Blvd. through the Leslie Street ‘Gateway’ to the Tommy Thompson Park Bicycle Trail.

Below is my safe route that avoids the murderous hell that is Leslie Street from Queen Street East to Lake Shore Boulevard.

View Leslieville to Leslie Spit via the Tommy Thompson Park Biking Trail in a larger map

Opportunity knocks!

Because the TTC is building a street car barn at Lake Shore and Leslie to house part of the fleet of new Light Rail Vehicle (LRV) street cars - Leslie Street between Queen and Commissioners is about to be completely torn up in order to install street car tracks. The construction is to be so extensive that a re-visioning of the entire streetscape is in the works.

Cycling advocates see an opportunity to better connect cycling and walking infrastructure to the Portlands and the new Tommy Thompson Park Cycling and walking trails. The enabling of transportation infrastructure for more than just cars will not only connect this neighbourhood to the new parkland infrastructure – but it will connect the entire City of Toronto to it.

Several consultation meetings between residents and stake holders and the city have already taken place; they are on-going.
( New Light Rail Vehicle (LRV) Maintenance & Storage Facility/Public Consultation – http://www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/lrv/index.htm#pc )

On November 9th I attended one such meeting. Architects presented a landscape proposal for Leslie Street below Lake Shore; and Lake Shore Boulivard itself between Leslie Street and Ashbridges Bay. In the proposal the Martin Goodman Trail remains pretty well where it is and a walking trail is added that weaves through a hedgerow shrubby, bulrushes and deciduous tree planted landscape contoured with lowlands and berms, and including seating. Councilor Mary Margaret McMahon ( http://www.councillormcmahon.com/ ) suggested bike lock-up hoops and someone else, drinking fountains.
( Perimeter Landscape – Ashbridges Bay Maintenance & Storage Facility – http://www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/lrv/pdf/2011-11-09_perimeter_present.pdf )

A further consultation meeting about Leslie Street north to Queen Street is in the works. A planned meeting for September 28, 2011 was postponed. It was re-schedualed for this week, Tuesday December 6th 2011, but that meeting was also postponed – to give architects more time to work through proposals made at other meetings.
( To get on the email list to be informed when this meeting is re-schedualed see the bottom of this article. )

So for cyclists and pedestrians – the issue is not how the proposed landscape architecture will look through the windscreen of an idling car stuck in grid lock on Lake Shore Boulevard – but rather how to get to the cycling and walking infrastructure that is being proposed to be a part of it.

Paul Young, Cycling Advocate and Health Promotor at the South Riverdale Community Health Centre petitioned the City to instal Bike Lanes along Leslie Street at a Public Consultation Meeting on September 14, 2011 at the Toronto Fire Academy – 895 Eastern Avenue. The City has so far replied that the Street’s foot print is too narrow for 2 lanes North and South, plus Bike Lanes. They suggest alternate Cycling Routes be found.

From the minutes (Item 4 – http://www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/lrv/pdf/2011-09-14_minutes.pdf – my emphasis):

“TTC provided the following comments:
-$750,000 is the allocated budget for streetscaping of the study
area.
-Landscaping for the perimeter of the facility will be funded
separately
-Traffic Study indicates 4 lanes must be maintained in roadway
thus limiting the amount of space we have for streetscaping.
-Traffic lanes on Leslie should not be narrower than 3.3 metres.
-Pedestrian and cyclist safety should be considered in any re-design
of Leslie Street, including intersections and mid-block entrances to
the commercial plazas.
-TTC will use multi-use poles where feasible in order to reduce
sidewalk clutter.
-The poles on the east side of Leslie St. do not have the required
bearing capacity- (ie limited use).
-City of Toronto Transportation have been asked to participate in all
future working group meetings, and public meetings associated
with Streetscaping, Construction Staging and Traffic Management.
-City of Toronto Transportation has commented on the traffic
counts and is of the opinion that the numbers being used are
satisfactory for this exercise.”

I find cycling on Leslie Street between Queen and Lake Shore to be hell on two wheels, so I’ve been doing just as they suggest.

Imagine an area, a semi-circle extending north to Queen Street and centred by the intersection of Lake Shore and Leslie. This area is full of danger points of for cyclists and pedestrians.

Here’s a map I made that high-lights several problems areas I have noticed cycling and walking in the area – and some solutions I’ve imagined.

View Problems & Solutions: Leslie St. Gateway area in a larger map

List of Danger Points on Approch to the Leslie Gateway

1. The north/South Bike Lanes, Jones Avenue and Greenwood Avenue, end at Queen Street which, is a busy and dangerous route. Queen Street does not have Bike Lanes.

To connect the Greenwood Bike Lane to the Lower Don Recreation Trail, Knox Avenue is the obvious choice for a new Separated Bike Lane – it is a mere 20 metre jog West of the end of the Greenwood Bike Lane and the street already connects to the Lower Don Recreational Trail. ( The Bike Lane must be Separated along here because Knox is a through-way for Canada Post trucks, I suggest the western boulevard of 895 Eastern Avenue with planters separating the Bike Lane from the street – to replace the loss of green along the boulevard. )

Because there is no room for cyclists through the Leslie Street Gateway, I suggest a Cyclist’s Bridge over Lake Shore Boulevard at Knox Avenue.

2. Next is the problem of how to connect the Jones Avenue Bike Lane to the Lower Don Recreation Trail, which in turn, connects to my proposed cyclists bridge at Knox Ave..

Again, just a 20 metre jog to the West of the end of the Jones Avenue Bike Lane is a lovely, quiet neighbourhood street called Berkshire Avenue – which runs from Queen to Eastern, just West of the Eastern Avenue Chicane. A Cyclists Cross Walk needs to be installed at Eastern and Berkshire Ave..

On the South side of Eastern Avenue there are a series of film studio warehouses with massive parking lots that are rarely full – a perfect route to the Lower Don Recreational Trail. A Bike Path could be constructed along the eastern edge of the warehouse parking lot and then proceed between the eastern most warehouse and the back of the Price Choppers Store – where there is a 3 metre wide gap that cries out to be a Bike Path.
( On the map “Problems & Solutions: Leslie St. Gateway area” [http://g.co/maps/6z757] an info box shows on load titled: “Street View of proposed Bike Path route – Eastern Avenue, behind Price Chopper, to the Lower Don Recreational Trail“ - click on “more” (bottom right of info box), then click “Street View” in the drop down menu.)

3. Eastern Avenue, one block south of Queen, is a highway in all but name. At rush hour it generally runs faster than the posted speed limit. As Eastern approaches Leslie Street from the West, it chicanes north creating an extremely dangerous crossing area for cyclists and pedestrians – and a stressful predicament for car drivers trying to enter and exit residential streets to the North – and shopping malls to the South. Even with Bike Lanes on Eastern I feel very vulnerable through the chicane. Plus the Bike Lanes dissapear in favour of right turn lanes at Leslie in both directions.

In order to research this piece I did the ride again today – at 4:30pm. The on-Leslie experience for a cyclist is lots of turning cars and lane changing that forces you to the curb ( if you don’t take your lane ) and lots of waiting at lights. On “GO!” drivers power off the intersection in order to get to the next set of lights to stop at. The result being you’re pushed towards the curb – and then you catch all the impatient drivers at the next light – and do it all over again.

4. At Mosley Street just to the west of Leslie, at the exit from Price Choppers, there are too many traffic vectors in a tiny amount of traffic space. Fast moving traffic off of Eastern Avenue exits onto Mosley and either proceeds to Leslie, or turns into the Price Choppers parking lot. West bound traffic on Mosley – at the Price Choppers entrance - curves north towards Eastern Avenue – they may either slow to negotiate the right curve or decide to turn left into the parking area. Traffic exiting the Price Choppers lot may go right to Leslie, or reconnoiter well down Eastern to the west and hope no one is exiting onto Mosley and risk a left into the curve on Mosley – that stops short at the stop sign at Eastern. For a car it’s perfect fender bender territory – for a cyclist or pedestrian it’s a confusing, life threatening corner.

5. The intersection of Leslie Street and the Loblaws’ parking lot entrance – right across from the Price Choppers parking lot entrance is not a street but is fully Traffic Lighted like an regular intersction. There are three total lanes of traffic going in and out of each parking lot (left turn lanes on both). The crosswalk on the Price Choppers side is not clearly marked – add to that the fact that there is no clear definition between where the sidewalk ends and the crosswalk starts – the side walk continues across the intersection, dipping down to road level and becomes part of the street. Trucks and cars are regularly stopped or parked on the right hand side of the extra wide West bound ‘IN’ lane into Price Choppers – making the intersection more confusing than it already is.

—————————————–

I’m on Lito Romano’s email notification list. The next meeting of the Public Consultation Procss has not yet been set. I will post an update here when it is decided.

If you want to voice your opinion contact Lito Romano – TTC Community Liaison Officer ( lito.romano@ttc.ca ) and ask him to notify you when the next meeting of the “Leslie Street Streetscape Working Group’ meeting is set.

mh

@OccupyToronto - official

I’ve been doing a lot of media for OccupyToronto the last month and a half, so haven’t posted here much.

This morning while doing Occupy research, I came across  Brendan Kennedy, an avid cyclist and a Staff Reporter with the Toronto Star – who is covering Occupy Toronto for The Star.
( I was building my Twitter stream of people on-the-ground at St James Park – in advance of possible Police Services enforcement of a City of Toronto eviction notice;  an action protesters say they will counter with non-violent, civil disobedience. ) 

Brendan Kennedy TO Star Staff Reporter

Last year before the Civic Elections, Brendan Kennedy wrote about commuting to work by bicycle from Finch and Islington to The Toronto Star building at 1 Young Street – and back. It’s a good example of a do-able, long commute by bicycle.

Here’s the video that goes with the article:

The article touches on eveyrthing I find important around the issue of cycling infrastructure: the quality of the roads in Toronto for cyclists, the less dangerous, off-main-artery routes that a regular commute reveals,  and the annoying nature of the path system which as Kennedy says, [Is] “..indirect and meandering, designed for recreation, not commuting.”
“

Moving forward: Is the bicycle the solution to transit woes?

” - Sunday, October 10, 2010 - http://www.thestar.com/news/transportation/article/873415

“For me, the bicycle has always been the better way.

There are the obvious benefits: exercise, affordability, doing your part for the environment.

I also love the agility a bicycle affords — how it becomes an extension of your body, letting you slip through tight spaces to explore the city’s intersecting alleyways; or, during rush hour, zoom passed rows of gridlocked cars.

For commuting, I appreciate the predictability. I never have to listen to traffic reports, worry about construction detours or wait for a bus.

When I’m ready, I go.

7:32 a.m. – Southwest corner of Finch and Islington

It’s lonely in the suburbs for a cyclist.”

.. read the rest…

Twitter – @BKennedyStar - https://twitter.com/#!/BKennedyStar

Video: Commute by bicycle

mh

08/30/2011

Crossing the 20 Percent Mark

Green Energy Use Jumps in Germany

dapd

Germany is experiencing record highs when it comes to use of renewable energies.

During the first half of 2011, the share of renewable energy sources used by Germans in their total energy mix grew to one-fifth — a hefty boost over 2010. It’s a small step toward Germany’s ambition to phase out nuclear power.

It is a report that is bound to please Chancellor Angela Merkel. Just months after she expended significant political capital to guide Germany’s future energy production away from nuclear and toward renewable sources, a report by a leading energy industry group indicates that production of renewables in the country is rising rapidly.

According to the report, released on Monday by the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW), renewables accounted for fully 20.8 percent of production during the first six months of 2011. “Renewable energies have crossed the 20 percent mark in Germany for the first time,” the association said in a statement.

In 2010, green energy consumption totalled 18.3 percent of total demand.

The increase, the BDEW says, is unconnected to Merkel’s decision to immediately close seven nuclear power plants in the wake of the March disaster at the Fukushima complex in Japan. But it does give a boost to Germany’s long-term effort to phase out nuclear power completely by 2022. Chancellor Merkel has said the goal by then is to draw 35 percent of production from renewables.

Solar Also Rises

Total usage in Germany remained stable from 2010 at 275.5 billion kilowatt-hours, but energy from sources like wind, biomass, hydroelectric plants, solar panels and waste incineration rose to 57.3 billion KWh in the first six months of this year.

Wind power, the most important source, rose to 20.7 billion KWh, or 7.5 of total usage. Biomass (5.6 percent), photovoltaic solar (3.5 percent), and hydroelectric power (3.3 percent) were next in line. Waste incineration and other sources covered 0.8 percent of total demand.

The real change came in the photovoltaic sector, where output almost doubled — up more than 76 percent since 2010. “Because of the volume of new photovoltaic installations and the amount of sun during the spring, solar energy knocked hydroelectric from third place for the first time,” the BDEW said in a statement.

…

..read the rest.

Via Grist – http://www.grist.org/renewable-energy/2011-08-31-germany-sets-renewables-record

mh

“You’ve got to go big or go home.”

R.T. Rybak
Mayor, City of Minneapolis

Nice Ride Minnesota started one year ago with 65 stations and 700 bikes. This year they’re expanding the hugely popular system, and now they’re about to add 51 new stations that will dock a total of 1200 bikes.

BIXI Toronto started this spring (May 3, 2011), with 1,000 bikes and 80 stations. Council will be looking at the program and deciding weather to expand it this fall.

The Toronto Cyclists Union has a campaign underway to encourage council to expand the program to 3000 bikes with a larger service area next year. Councillor Mike Layton is leading the charge inside City Hall’s Public Works and Infrastructure Committee.

Advocates want the service expanded to an area bounded by Dupont St. to the north, High Park to the west and Broadview Ave. to the east. Currently, the boundary is Bloor St. to the north, Spadina Ave. to the west and Jarvis St. to the east. The proposal is the original plan that council scaled back after City Council vote that gave final approval for the Bike Share program in 2010.

BIXI Toronto Service Area - 2011 (links to toronto.bixi.com/stations/)

Initial data from the first few months shows a high demand on the edges of the current service block, says BIXI’s Jared Kolb, director of membership and outreach, indicating a demand potential that could help sustain the popular program through scaling efficiencies.
(See article at Toronto Star June 26, 2011: “More bikes needed to help Bixi survive, says union“)

From the Cyclists Union page “Toronto Cyclists Union Launches Campaign to Expand BIXI!“:

“Given the high level of ridership and demand at the edges of the service area, the Toronto Cyclists Union wants to see an expanded BIXI program of 3,000 bicycles serving more Torontonians across a larger service area.

“To that end, we have requested that City Staff be directed, through the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, to formulate a framework for expanding BIXI Toronto. To compliment this request, we have also launched a petition titled “We Want More BIXI!” on our website. Please take a moment to sign our petition!“

Via Grist (a beacon in the smog), “Bikeshare makes for a Nice Ride in Minneapolis” by Sarah Goodyear.

Embed of StreetFilms video: “Nice Ride MN: Minnesota’s Bike Share Expands” on Vimeo.

mh

What this city needs is more armoured personnel carriers. Traffic enforcement officers could drive them about instead of those little eco-friendly things they drive now — and when they see a car parked in one of the few remaining bike lanes…

No messy ticket writing, no court date … No Rule of Law!

Sounds like a Mayor Rob Ford kind of solution doesn’t it?.

Via Grist (a beacon in the smog), “Mayor of Vilnius takes out Mercedes parked in bike lane—with a tank [VIDEO]” by Sarah Goodyear

mh

Tour de France 2011 Stage 21 - Map

Today’s stage of the Tour de France 2011 is that most dignified of stages, nothing will happen today that will effect the outcome of the General Classification in any meaningful way. The top rider this year is Australian first time Champion Cadel Evans – he will win this race simply by finishing this stage with everyone of the other close contenders. The stage today is flat and short, and impossible to create a sustained breakaway on. Except for the Sprint at 35.5 km before the end, the entire group of 167 riders would finish in one big Peloton. Expect instead, a Peloton with a long, point.

The point here today is to celebrate French ingenuity, French Industry and French Culture. Also many politicians will be on hand to bask in the warm glow of a great tradition they had no hand in starting – and if they were around 98 years ago, probably would have stood in the way of (sorry I’m a tad cynical – and sad that the race is over).

En ligne – A sporting perspective
JEAN-FRANÇOIS PESCHEUX’S ANALYSIS: A sprint by tradition

“It has been the tradition since 1975 for the Tour de France to end with a prestigious stage finish on the Champs-Élysées. At the start in Créteil, we will remember Laurent Fignon, who held a licence with the local club. In 1989, his duel with Greg LeMond maintained the suspense right to the finish, where Fignon was sure that he would be the winner. That was the only occasion that the final stage was run as a time trial. Every other time, it has been a road stage that has been decided in a bunch sprint, except on four occasions. Those exceptions were the victories taken by Alain Meslet in 1977, Bernard Hinault in 1979, Eddy Seigneur in 1994 and Alexandre Vinokourov in 2005. It is incredibly hard to get a telling gap on this stage when breakaway riders are always within sight of the peloton.”

Tour de France 2011 Stage 21 - Profile

9:03

The riders complete the 7.7 km neutral zone and cross the start line at 9:03 AM EST (15:03 CET).

Cadel Evans is going with Yellow on Yellow today. A yellow bike, yellow shoes, yellow sunglasses even – how droll.

Evans in drinking Champagne offered by the team manager from the team car.

Haven’t they banned cars from this stage here in the city? And what about drinking and driving??? And open liquor in the car???

Oh yeah, it’s Champagne, and this is France – not backwards, uptight Toronto.

The ceremony apparently over, Cadel now swaps his yellow photo-op bike for a red and black coloured BMC Racing Team one.

9:41

Thirty seven minutes in the group is at the 14km mark of today’s stage – they averaging under half the rate these riders usually pedal at.

The riders will lap the Champs-Elysees 8 times at the finish. The Sprint Section is part of the third lap of that “Indy Car” style oval racing idiom.

The LIVE widget commentator opines that an attack will not likely happen until the Champs-Elysees.

Ah, my laundry’s done, I have to switch it up to the dryer and put in another load. Today I’m doing the curtains as well – you know how they can get smelly over a long period? With the humidity last night – with a big rain storm that broke a week long record breaking hot spell – I could smell my curtains!

>:|

Time for a wash, I thought – and with the weather nice and cool, a good day for it. Be right back…

10:21

The average speed of the Tour de France 2011, after 20 stages is 39.8 km/h over 3,335 km.

Interestingly, that’s more that 5 times the average commute time for Toronto subrbanites. Makes sense to build a 4 lane raised tubular cycle-way – like the 427 only for bicycles – charge people to take it too. Stressed out people from the ‘safe’ suburbs are willing to pay for those gym memberships… . Should be able to get them to pay for the privilege of cycling to work in half the time it takes them now.

StatsCan reports:

“Despite our winter weather, Ottawa leads the nation’s large cities in bicycle commuting, but the percentages are not very high: 2% of employed people in Ottawa bike to work, followed closely by Vancouver (1.9%). Next are Calgary (1.5%), Montreal (1.3%), Edmonton (1.2%) and Toronto (0.8%).”

So you can understand why our enlightened Mayor Rob Ford wants to remove bike lanes.

Right. If we have more room for cars commute times will go up because more road space for cars equals more cars.

It’s counter intuitive – but it’s not a new understanding of how transportation infrastructure functions – I learned that in grade 11 geography class, 30 years ago!

11:00

Tour de France 2011 - Stage 21 @ 10 56 AM EST (16:56 CET)

At about 10:30 the Peloton entered the oval part of the race, the 8 curcuits around the Champs-Elysees. the Peloton lengthened as several riders and teams began to attack. Ben Swift succeeded in creating a gap. 15 minutes ago 5 riders caught him. They now form an escape group ahead by 40 seconds.

The Escape Six

Paulinho
Koren
Riblon
Swift
Roy
Bak

Garmin-Cervelo and Omega Pharma-Lotto are in charge of the Peloton’s counter.

11:11

The Escape Six lead has been cut to 30 seconds, two ovals to go.

11:19

Interestingly you can count the 8 ovals around the Champs-Elysees on the LIVE widget screen shot. It’s that pattern of 8 bumps to the end, starting about half way through today’s coarse.

Tour de France Stage 21 - 11:19 AM EST

The Escape Six lead is down to 20 seconds.

11:24

Tour de France 2011 Stage 21 - 11:24 AM EST

11:28

Tour de France 2011 Stage 21 - 11:28 AM EST

11:30

FIN! Tour de France Stage 21 - 11:30 AM EST

Communism! Socialist bloody Egalitarians – Utopians. Everyone finished with the same time.

The first and last Republic shows us how it’s done with class.

Top 10 were:

1. Mark Cavendish
2. Boasson Hagen
3. Andre Greipel
4. Tyler Farrar
5. Fabien Cancellara
6. Danile Oss
7. Borut Bozic
8. Tomas Vaitkus
9. Gerald Ciolek
10. Jimmy Engoulwent

Tour de France 2011 Overall Classification – Top 20

Tour de France 2011 - Overall Classification after Stage 21 - top 20

Wrong again:

Lars Bak, who lead for the last seconds before the Peloton over whelmed him – finished LAST!

165.   MALORI Adriano   LAMPRE  2h 28' 34"  + 01' 32"
166.   BONO Matteo      LAMPRE  2h 28' 34"  + 01' 32"
167.   BAK Lars         HTC     2h 28' 45"  + 01' 43"

Everyone else at 00:00

Versus/NBC Review of the Finish
Courtesy NBC (opens in new window – or below)

mh

Tour de France 2011 Stage 20 - Map

Individual time-trial – A sporting perspective
JEAN-FRANÇOIS PESCHEUX’S ANALYSIS: A strong man rather than a specialist

“This is the race’s only individual time trial, as the one in the first week was a team time trial test, while putting another one into the middle of the race didn’t really serve any great purpose. The profile is rolling and the road does climb, although there aren’t any cols as such. Victory won’t automatically go to a specialist because the final time trial of the Tour is a very physical test that suits a strong man – last year’s Bordeaux-Pauillac test won by Cancellara was an exception. In this solitary exercise, there is no way a rider can bluff or hide in the wheels of their team-mates. But I think that the Tour will have been decided before Grenoble. It is often the third place on the podium, the best young rider classification or the team prize that is decided on this stage.”

Tour de France Stage 20 - Profile

Each rider leaves the Start area individually every 3 minutes. The order they go in is based on the Overall Classification after yesterday’s Stage 19.

Ryder Hesjedal has just completed the coarse, he’s in 17th place overall so there are 16 riders left to come. Ivan Basso is waiting for the Start Official to give him the Go sign. From the Live widget it appears that – because of the speed each rider is travelling the coarse – seven riders are on the coarse at any given time.

Hesjedal finished in a time of 21 minutes, 43 seconds, 1:31 slower than the best time so far recorded – that puts him in 37th place at the present time. Tony Martin has posted the best time so far, 20 minutes and 13 seconds! Martin was 47th in the General Classification after Stage 19, of 167 racers still in this year, thus he started 120th today.

We’re down to the last four riders still waiting their turn to start. They and the riders on the coarse right now are the who’s who of the race this year. Thomas Voeckler has just embarked – but I don’t know if that means they’ll be anybody in this kind of test or not. Cadel Evans is off, so it’s Evans, Voeckler, Cunego, Contador, Sanchez, Basso and Danielson are on the coarse. Yesterday’s winner and young upstart of this years race sporting the White Jersey, Pierre Rolland just finished – not very well.

Everyone has left the start, Andy Schleck the overall race leader was last to go. Tony Martin’s tome of 20:12 still stands, Contador just posted a great 20:33!, that puts him second, Andy and Frank and Cadel and Samuel now have a mark they must come close to, Contador is 3:55 seconds behind the race leaders so that’s the mark better than 23:55 – in other words, No ex be careful and finish the coarse like your riding a bike – no excitement here really…
It will be interesting to see how it all washes out in the GC. Has Hesjedal for example, improved his placing after a steady rise through the standings in the Alps this week?

Voeckler just came in with a 21:09. That’s 22 seconds better than Hesjedal who’s my benchmark here – being a Canadian.

Hey, here’s some news – Cadel Evans just tied Contador’s mark for second place today – 20:33!

Now it’s only Frank Schleck and his brother Andy Schleck to finish – they must bet the 24 minute mark to stay ahead of Contador

Frank is in at 22:07. Evans move past him in the GC to second place. That’s the mark Andy Schleck must beat – 21:07, a weird play of numbers here, if he ties his bothers time he stays in first place with Cadel Evans in a tie.

Andy finishes 21:09, 2 seconds behind Evans in the CG – Cadel Evans is in Yellow with one stage to go! Tomorrow is actually gong to matter! The final stage in these Tour de France races is usually perfunctory, a chance for the dignitaries to smile for the cameras and kiss babies… but tomorrow’s final stage is going to be a race between Cadel Evans, Andy Schleck and Frank Schleck.

10:57 AM EST

Re-thinking the numbers, it’s Frank in 3rd by 2 seconds and a tie for first between Cadel Evans and Andy Schleck. Perhaps we should just wait for the official word – which is not up yet – but that’s my take right now.

At the start of today’s stage:

1. SCHLECK Andy   TEAM LEOPARD-TREK   82h 48' 43"    00' 00"
2. SCHLECK Frank  TEAM LEOPARD-TREK   82h 49' 36"  + 00' 53"
3. EVANS Cadel    BMC RACING TEAM     82h 49' 40"  + 00' 57"

Finish today

Racer              Team            Time    Place      Effect on the GC
EVANS Cadel     BMC RACING TEAM    20:33   + 00' 21"       00
Frank Schleck   TEAM LEOPARD-TREK  21:07   + 00' 57"      +34
Andy Schleck    TEAM LEOPARD-TREK  21:09   + 00' 59"      +36

Ok that makes it a little easier to read. To top 3 in the GC remains in order, Evans goes from 57 second back of A. Schleck to 21 seconds back – and from 53 seconds behind Frank Schleck – to 19 seconds behind him. I think.

11:09

Still no official word yet…

11:24

Ok apparently my reading of the LIVE widget was full of shit, my numbers in the table above are wrong. Andy finished 2:38 behind Martin and so too were Frank’s numbers miss printed on the LIVE widget – he finished 2:48 back of Martin. Evans finished :07 behind Martin not 21 seconds. So that kicks it – the correct numbers work against a good finish on both sides of the equation.

Cadel Evans apparently, is the Tour de France 2011 Winner.

No need to race tomorrow after all.

That’s really disappointing, especially me mis-understanding all the numbers posted in the LIVE widget … and then seeing this:

Tour de France Stage 20 Finish Order – top 20

Tour de France Stage 20 Finish Order - top 20

Tour de France General Classification after Stage 20 – top 20

Tour de France General Classification after Stage 20 - top 20

July 24, 2011

Post script:

Looking back on my reporting 20 some hours ago, at the end of Stage 20, it is now evident that I did read the numbers being broadcast in the LIVE widget correctly, you can see it in the paragraph where I report Frank Schlecks time as “22:07″. But in the ensuing paragraphs  I seem to see 22 as 21 – and then 20.

Wishful thinking on my part perhaps, not wanting Le Tour 2011 to end – hoping for a race so close the final stage in Paris would have some meaning towards the final result of the race.

Looking back on the Tour de France 2011 here at FreeWheel, I note that I’ve made several (many) mistakes in my reporting – but last year, in my first reporting on this great race, I wasn’t aware of any.

I’m getting better at this – I was perfect – I’m younger than that now.

mh

Tour de France 2011 Stage 19 - Profile

Tour de France 2011 Stage 19 - Map

Today’s stage started at 8:38 AM EST (2:38 PM CET). It is a short stage at 109.5 km distance but it goes up as much as it goes sideways, with three categorized climbs, including the highest point in the 2011 race once again, the Col du Galibier (from Stage 18, this time in the opposite direction).

Tour de France Stage 19 – Mountains

Km mark    Mountain (elevation)         Distance  Gradient  Difficulty
Km 26.5    Col du Télégraphe (1 566 m)  11.9 km   7.1 %         1
Km 48.5    Col du Galibier (2 556m)     16.7 km   6.8 %         H
Km 109.5   Alpe d'Huez (1 850 m)        13.8 km   7.9 %         H

After some jockeying in the first 9 km before the first climb 14 riders established n escape that extended a lead over the Peloton to 2:50.

Lzagirre     Urtasun
Greipel      Iglinskiy
Gutierriez   Costa
Koren        Riblon
Flecha       Pineau
Burghardt    Duque
Buffaz       Hoogerland

At the base of the climb Greipel was dropped from the escape group.

9:00 AM EST – 16 Km

As the Peloton reached the base of the Col du Télégraphe several riders established a chase group out in front of the peloton – a who’s who of the tour de France 2011:

Contador      Navarro
Andy Schleck  Frank Schleck
Cadel Evams   Carlos Berrado
Chris Sorensen  Thomas Voeckler

Navarro and Sorensen are dropped.

Contador is leading this attack – and time after time he’s up on his pedals attacking, shaking any pretenders from the tail of this chase group. Pretty soon it’s only Cadel Evans, Andy Schleck and Thomas Voeckler who can maintain the elite pace.

Carlos Berrado and Frank Schleck are re-assimilated by the Peloton at 9:09. Resistance is futile, apparently. The Peloton is 1:00 behind the Contador chase group which is: A. Contador, C. Evans, A. Schleck and T. Veockler.

The Lead group of 14 has whittled down to 11. Burghardt, once one of that group, is waiting for the Contador group, to see if he can maintain there better than in the Pineau lead front group.

Burghardt tries to pace the Contador Chase but Contador will have none of that, and with a boost of power the reining Champion re-takes the lead-out chores of his group. The Contador chase is now 40 seconds behind the Pineau 11.

9:15

With 5 km until they summit, the lead Pineau group is now only 25 seconds ahead of the Contador Chase. The Peloton is 50 seconds behind the Contador Chase

The Contador Chase Group

A. Contador
A. Schleck
C. Evans
T. Voeckler
M. Burghardt

Cadel Evans has mechanical issues, he has to dismount three times to fix something on his bike.Teammate M. Burghardt stays with Evans, he’s going to need help catching up again. With 4.5 km to the summit the team BMC car finally gets to Evans and Burghardt, they give Evans a new bike. Evans has lost 50 seconds to the Contador group.

9:20

The Contador group catches the Pineau breakaway. Iglinskiy and A. Schleck are marking Contador.

Contador is resting a little now with-in the new breakaway which is 1:05 ahead of Evans and Burghardt in pursuit.

The lead group is: Cotador, Koren, A. Schleck, Costa, Riblon, Flecha, Doque, Hoogerland and Izagirre.

Voeckler has fallen off the leaders, 25 second back now. A. Schleck is currently Yellow, 10 seconds overall ahead of Voeckler.

Evans and Burghardt have been caught by the Peloton, 1:08 back of the Contador group which is 1km from the summit. There is a 5km decent and then it’s up the highest peak in this years race, the Col du Galibier. Voeckler is steadily losing seconds to the Contador group, now 30 seconds behind.

At the summit it’s Izagirre, then A. Schleck and then Contador over the top.

9:30

Voeckler has been joined by Pineau and 7 others, they are 32 seconds behind the Contador group.

Voeckler/Pineau 9 are closing on the Contador group, 20 second back as the lead group begins their assent up the Col du Galibier. Flecha and Hoogerland dropped from the lead group, now join the Voeckler/Pineau group now back 35 seconds again behind the Contador 7.

9:38 – 1 hour in

The lead group is down to 5 Contador, Schleck, Izagirre, Riblon and Costa. The average speed of the first hour was 33.8 km/h.

Voeckler is in a chase group of four, still 33 seconds behind the lead group. The Voeckler group includes Flecha, Koren and Duque.

9:42

Andy Schleck takes the lead of the Contador group, helping his one time nemesis up this hellish climb, realizing he can pick up time on Cadel Evans – his actual nemesis in the here and now. Contador has been lead-out since the 16 km mark when he began the pursuit of the original ‘Escapee 14′.

9:47 – 4 km up the hellish 17 km Col du Galibier climb

Contador group leads, Voeckler Chase: -33 seconds, Evans and the Peloton: -1:40.

10:00

Izagirre has been dropped by the leaders, now the Contador 4 – Contador, Schleck, Riblon and Costa. The Peloton are slowly falling back, all the riders are now well onto the same mountain but the lead group has expanded their lead, now 1:47. Voeckler’s group isn’t fairing much better, their also falling off the pace set at the front, now 48 seconds back.

10:05

Evans takes the lead of the Peloton group and begins to catch the Contador 4 – as a result the Peloton begins to shatter. Evans is making back time with 5 km before the Contador 4 summit. Now 1:30 back.

Evans is leading out a chase group off the front of the Peloton now, about 20 riders are with him.

Meanwhile it looks like Voeckler has hit a wall, he is wobbling all over his bike, barely able to crack his pedals. The mountain has beat him, sad to see this happen.

10:08

The Evans chase group has made up 15 seconds on the leaders, now 1:15 back – what a show of ability from Evans on this terrible mountain! The pace of the Evans chase has destroyed some riders – the group is down to 14.

10:10

Evans now only 1:07 back!!!

Th Evans chase group has caught the Voeckler group. Now Samuel Sanchez, a probable to podium in this years race, has attacked out front of the Evans chase group. Evans chases him down and gets on his wheel. Now Rolland and Charteau bridge the gap and join the elite two. This group is an elite one, like the Contador group. These guys may catch the front runners before this is over. They clock in now at 50 second back! What a run!

It’ a close race now and all the lead group and the Evans/Sanchez chase group have sumited. As the results of the point allocation are posted I see Canadian, Ryder Hesjedal is in this elite Evans/Sanchez Chase group as well. Yay! Go Ryder!

Order over the top of the Col du Galiber:

1. A. Schleck (0)
2. A. Contador (0)
3. R. Costa (0)
4. C. Ribon (0)
5. S. Sanchez (+35)
6. R. Hesjedal (+42)
7. C. Evans (+48)

Down the other side Contador, a good decent cyclist, leads the quartet who stay with him. Sanchez is good at this too, he’s only 15 seconds behind, going probably, 80 km/h. Evans: 20 seconds. Hesjedal plays it safer, he’s lost contact with the other two.

10:30

Sanchez has caught the leaders half way down the Col du Galibier! What an explosion! He attacked the front of the Evans chase group 5 km from the top of the mountain abour 50 seconds behind the Contador group and then caught them with a sweet decent. Nicely played!

The Evans Chase Group:
(30 seconds back)

Evans
Jeannesson
Casar
F. Schleck
Danielson
Hesjedal
Cunego
Velits
Rolland

10:43 – 45 km to go

The Evans chase group had narrowed the gap to just 23 seconds when the Contador 5 started to work as a team, taking equal amounts of work in front. With that, the gap to the Evans chase increased to 32 seconds.

10:57

The Evans Chase is no more, at the foot of today’s last accent, the Evans group caught the Contador group. That completes an heroic comeback for Evans who – with some 5 km to go up the first climb of today’s race, the Col du Télégraphe – had mechanical difficulties that set him back 1:50.

Cadel Evans rested back in the Peloton for about 50 minutes and then began this amazing pursuit – closing the 1:30 second gap between he and an elite group of riders who joined him – and the elite lead Contador group of riders — over one of the most gruelling mountains in this years Tour de France the 2,556 metre Col du Galibier! We have just witnessed an epic saga that stands with the great Greek plays.

But this is not over. This is now the beginning of the next chapter in this epic tale!

Who will win this great stage race, the finish line at the top of the last great climb today, the 1,850 metre Alpe d’Huez – a 13.8 km run, a 7.3% incline, a Category ‘H’ High Mountain man-killer…

The Escape Group:
(leads by

Contador       Riblon
A. Schleck     Casar
F. Schleck     Jeannesson
Sanchez        Evans
Danielson      Cunego
Hesjedal       Velits
Costa          Rolland

11:00 – 24 km to go

The leader of the General Classification are playing it coy, marking their nemesis carefully. The also rans of this group – who can put places in the over standing behind them, and need to bring themselves closer to the leaders in time – are attacking the front of the group. Rolland and Hesjedal attack and counter attack. Then Riblon, Jeannesson and Costa try their luck. The 14 km accent up the Alpe d’Huez is just minutes away.

The Contador/Evans group has slowed the pace now as they approach the big mountain. This has allowed the Yellow Jersey wearing Thomas Voeckler group to catch the lead group.

Cadel Evans tries to talk strategy with Andy Schleck – perhaps trying to confuse his rival for overall win with some strategy about Contador – perhaps playing on the bad blood between the other two? Andy ignores him and as this continues, Frank Schleck pulls around and away, forcing Evens to break off the little talk and get on Frank’s wheel.

Meanwhile out front of the Peloton Ryder Hesjedal and Pierre Rolland are making a breakaway attempt that has some ‘legs’ – the two are in front by 47 seconds – and they have just started to climb the mountain. As the Peloton reaches the foot of the mountain the 2 breakaway-ers are 52 seconds up.

11:10

Evans is the first to challage the Peloton, he lead out and takes Mollema with him, they have a lead of 50 metres on the Peloton, now being lead by Frank Schleck. The lead-out fails, and now Contador attacks. Shortly Andy Schleck responds, he doesn’t want to let Contador get away too much – Evans marks the rider just seconds ahead of him in the General Classification.

11:15

Cotador catches Rolland and Hesjedal and Andy Schleck and Evans are closing the gap. The peloton has shattered in their wake.

Contador attacks again and Pollard goes with him, but Ryder Hesjedal can’t nmaintain the pace and falls off. Meanwhile Evans and Andy Schleck steadily pace each other closer and closer to the leaders. Contador adds another level of speed and loses Pollard behind him. Cadel and Andy are 13 seconds back – steady go. Hesjedal has found a pace he likes, alone in third.

Basso leads the remnants of the Peloton that include Voeckler in Yellow. They are 55 seconds behind Contador. Andy Schleck is, at this moment, wearing virtual Yellow.

11:25

Contador is still dancing up the mountain,then comes Pollard +10 seconds back, then the Evans/Schleck group at +38 seconds.

11:27

Contador leads all alone.
Pollard +25
Velits +45
Sanchez +50

at +58, a chase group including:
F. Schleck
A. Schleck
Evans
Hesjedal
Danielson
Peraud
Cunego
De Gendt

11:37 – 5km to go

Sanchez has passed Velits and caught Pollard. They are +23 behind the dancing Contador. Evans/Schleck and co. are 1:05 back.

Sanchez and Pollard are working together and are catching Contador, now +12! 4 km to go.

At the 4 km mark the Evans/Schleck chase group is 1:08 back.

De Gendt attacked out of the Evans/Schleck chase group a few minutes back, he has now established himself between the leader and the chasers, he’s riding with Velits in a second group, 12 seconds behind Sanchez and Pollard.

11:45 3 km to go

Now Cunego attacks out of the Evans/Schleck chase group, Evans after his successful heroic pursuit appeasr to be done, still riding at an lite level he doesn’t appear to be able to even try and catch Contador. The Schleck’s have no interest in breaking for Evans, Contador is not a threat to Andy’s time right now, so they sit back and pace on Evans back wheel – making sure they don’t lose him, but don’t help him either.

Rolland and Sanchez are catching Contador! Only 6 seconds back now!!! The two catch the reining champion and now vie for position to the line, Contador isn’t playing.

11:47

Evans tries an attack but Andy and Frank mark him easily.

Meanwhile Rolland is going for it, he has exploded out front now – a 7 second lead on Contador and Sanchez.

11:47 – 2 km to go

Rolland still holds the lead, Evans back 1:00. Evans attacks have split th chase group and now Evans and the Schleck brothers have caught De Gendt and Velits.

Sanchez and Contador start attacking and responding, attacking and responding, clawing they way back up up Pollard.

Sanchez drops Contador as Samuel takes his last best chance to catch Pollard, but he’s too late! Pollard has it – Pollard wins!

Stage 19 – Top 16 Finish Order

Stage 19 Top 16 Finish Order

Top 60 Overall Classification – after Stage 19

Tour de France 2011 - Top 60 Overall Classification after Stage 19

(click on images to go to letour.fr page in question)

mh

Contador’s rather average showing today may have cost him a chance at a podium finish in Tour de France 2011.

Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal rode a strong race today finishing 10th, 3:31 seconds after the winning Schleck brother, picking up 6 places in the overall classification. Unfortunately Hesjedal lost 1:10 in the overall time classification – killing any outside hopes some writers may have had that he could still find a way to finish in the top 10 of this years race.

Andy’s brother Frank Schleck finished second, Cadel Evans finished 8 seconds behind Frank, then came Basso 3 seconds later.

And then surprisingly – after a weeks worth of comments saying he wasn’t going to win this year – 3 seconds after Basso comes Thomas Veokler. Voeckler’s ride with the leaders today keeps him at the top of the time classification – and still very much in this race to win it all.

Were Voeckler’s comments a way of diverting attention away from the Frenchman? To tone down the nationalist rhetoric which the media usually play up – and which seems to become an energy source for many riders? To disappear in the mass of riders, only to burst forth in the final stages? Or perhaps it just part of his character, the way he goes about his business. If so I like him a little more today – even though I’ve never meet or spoken to the man.

Tour de France 2011 – Stage 18 Finish Order

Place  Name             Team         Time         Behind Leader
1.     SCHLECK Andy     TREK         6h 07' 56"
2.     SCHLECK Frank    TREK         6h 10' 03"   + 02' 07"
3.     EVANS Cadel      BMC          6h 10' 11"   + 02' 15"
4.     BASSO Ivan       CANNONDALE   6h 10' 14"   + 02' 18"
5.     VOECKLER Thomas  EUROPCAR     6h 10' 17"   + 02' 21"
6.     ROLLAND Pierre   EUROPCAR     6h 10' 23"   + 02' 27"
7.     CUNEGO Damiano   LAMPRE       6h 10' 29"   + 02' 33"
8.     TAARAMAE Rein    COFIDIS      6h 11' 18"   + 03' 22"
9.     DANIELSON Tom    CERVELO      6h 11' 21"   + 03' 25"
10.    HESJEDAL Ryder   CERVELO      6h 11' 27"   + 03' 31"

Stage 18 Minute by Minute

5:30 AM EST

The race started at 5:30 AM EST (11:30 AM CET) after a 4.6 km neutral zone start. Conditions at the start were ideal, 23 C.

But at the Finish Line, on top of Le Col du Galibier, it was snowing. The finish at Col du Galibier is the highest Stage finish in Tour de France history – at 2,645 metres! The Col Agnel (2 744 m) is the highest elevation in this years race.

Tour de France 2011 – Stage 18 Mountains

Km mark    Mountain                   Length    Pitch   Difficulty
Km 107.0   Col Agnel (2 744 m)        23.7 km   6.5 %   Category H
Km 145.5   Col d'Izoard (2 360 m)     14.1 km   7.3 %   Category H
Km 200.5   Col du Galibier (2 645 m)  22.8 km   4.9 %   Category H

The racers played it conservatively off the start, everyone stayed together – until the 15 km mark, when 20 riders tried a half-hearted attack – they were duly subsumed.

6:00 AM

The race in the first half hour is averaging 60km/hour!!! No wonder no one can escape.

6:30

16 escape off the front of the Peloton – they are 45 second out.

The average speed for the first hour was 50.3 km/h.

6:55

The Escape16 are 4:55 ahead – time to list them:
(in no particular order)

Monfort             Erviti
Posthuma            Roche
P Moreno            Devenyns
U Perez             Bookwalter
Tjallingii          Duque
Navardauskas        Hondo
Iglinkkiy           Hoogerland
Izizar              Delaplace

Well I just pushed the wrong button and all the narritive data from the race today is gone.

Se ya tomorrow.

mh

“9:59

…

Ryder Hesjedal is again leading the escape 10. He has forced this race, created the early breakaways – including this successful group of 10 – and has paced it away from the main group – he’s having a great day.”

(from the minute by minute narrative from today’s Stage 16 blog.)

Ryder Hesjedal crosses the line in Stage 16

In the end he catapulted his teammate, and sprinting specialist, Thor Hushovd to the Stage victory for Team Garmin-Cervélo, and finished 3rd – 2 seconds back.

Ryder Hesjedal Celebrates a Garmin-Cervélo Stage Win after launching Thor Hushovd to the victory ahead of Edvald Boasson Hagen of Sky Pro Cycling.
Photograph by: Stefano Rellandini, Reuters

A Podium finish for the rider from Victoria British Columbia who created all the breakaways from the main group in the first 100 km of the race, and rode aggressively all day, pushing the successful escape he created, 5 kilometres ahead of the main body of racers – a 6:10 lead at one point.

In the final kilometres of the race there was no doubt about who would be on the Podium, as three elite riders on today’s 162.5 km stage battled it out for for step height at the presentation ceremony.

Hesjedal moves up the standings to 28th place overall (from 32nd yesterday), but Hesjedal is still more than 20 minutes behind Tour de France 2011 overall leader, Thomas Voeckler with 5 race stages to go – well out of contention to win overall, or even to better his 7th place finish in Tour de France 2010. With bruised ribs from a fall earlier in ‘LeTour’ – he is too far back now for anyone to reasonably expect a top 10 finish.

Yet never say never – with 3 High Mountain stages, an Individual Time-trial, plus the flat, mainly ceremonial ride through Paris to go – anything is possible.

Hesjjedal is a well rounded cyclist, good at time trials, a good pace setter – essential for long flat rides that require team co-operation – as well as being one of the top mountain climbers of this generation. Anything is possible – but to reach 7th place again he must make up 17 minutes and leap-frog 20 riders. Probably not going to happen, even though he picked up almost 5 minutes today. The race leaders won’t let a break away like happened today, happen again, but I can’t wait to watch him try.

A beautiful stage ride today for Canada’s great Ryder Hesjedal – one of the best road cyclists in the world.

Race Summary from Versus/NBC

mh

OK, this year I’ve missed a few stages and the number of faithful visitors has plummeted as a result. I’m sorry about the state of things around here, and I apologize.

But! The internet connectivity issues have been resolved, and the solution to that has been a lot of stress – which had left me in need of a break from daily grind…

But I’m back, and raring to go! Tomorrow morning at 7:30 AM EST this space will be Live Blogging the Tour de France – Stage 16.

* * *

So far the news is that no one rider has distinguished himself from the crowd as a clear Tour de France 2011 Champion – even after days of High Mountain hell in the Pyrenees.

This Stage allows the sprinters one of only two chances left in this year’s Tour to to profit from their skills, with sprint points available 50 km from the finish line.

After the category 2 Col de Manse, 11km from the finish it’s a step decline to the victors line, which will favour downhill specialists – today could see a ‘never-won-a-stage-before‘ winner.

Here’s the Profile and the Map – and a video preview of the stage from letour.fr’s YouTube Channel:

Tour de France Satge 16 Profile

Tour de France 2011 Stage 16 Map

11:15

Yeah, I slept in. But that’s OK, tomorrow is another day, and the first of three High Mountain Stages.

Re-Cap

Today saw a great race from a Canadian perspective. Canadan racer Ryder Hesjedal helped Garmin-Cervelo team mate Thor Hushovd to the line for the stage win and himself finished third behind 2nd place, Edvald Boasson Hagen of Sky Pro Cycling.

Ryder Hesjedal was in fine form all day, leading out again and again from the Peloton, and later, leading out from a successful escape group of 10. The three top finishers were part of the escape group that split from the Peloton at the 100 km mark and sustained the divide for the rest of the race.

Blow by Blow

Today’s race began at 13:16 CET (7:16 AM EST), and at 8:46, at the 79 km mark, Ryder Hesjedal made his first attack. He was joined by Jeremy Roy; then a group of 15 counter attacked – 11 of them caught the 2 escapees at the food station area where team helper’s are allowed to pass water, power bars and the like to riders. But the escape raced through the food zone and the Peloton were obliged to do the same.

‘No soup for you! – stage 16 leaders.

8:58

Just after the food station area the letour.fr commentator writing in the LIVE widget said he thought the group of 13 were going to succeed in separating themselves from the Peloton. At 8:58 he decided it was appropriate to list the group – as indeed, they were establishing a break:

1. Knees (SKY)
2. Kreuziger (AST)
3. Di Gregorio (AST)
4. Coppel (SAU)
5. Hesjedal (GRM)
6. Hoogerland (VCD)
7. Roy (FDJ)
8. Jeannesson (FDJ)
9. Mollema (RAB)
10. Zandio (SKY)
11. Roche (ALM)
12. Gallopin (COF)
13. Marcato (VCD)

Almost immediately, Hesjedal & Kreuziger lead-out off the front of the escape group creating a 0:15 cushion. The 11 behind vote amongst themselves for someone to counter attack. Meanwhile, a counter attack from the Peloton. A Quick Step rider makes a try.

Up in the higher elevations of today’s stage, in the second half of the coarse, it’s been raining since the start – now the racers have caught the weather – the road is wet from a recently passed shower.

9:03 – Rain

A Peloton counter attack has succeeded – in part – they have caught 7 of the 13 ‘escapers’. Then a group lead out from the Peloton again, and 8 successfully chase down 6 – then the rain begins. It poured rain constantly though the last 3rd of the race.

9:19

After the leading group of 15 split in two, reform, and then are again caught by the Peloton – the final escape group of 10 finally emerges, at the 99km mark:

1. Lazaun
2. Hushovd
3. Hesjedal
4. Grivko
5. Hagen
6. Devenyns
7. Roy
8. Martin
9. Ignatiev
10. Marcato

They are chased by 5:

Mollema
Ventoso
Burghardt
Dumoulin
Jeandesboz

But the 10 have left the others in the mist for good. By 9:21 the 5 have melted back into the Peloton, which has fallen behind by nearly a minute.

Mollema, Dumoulin and Jeandesboz try again – and manage to separate theselves from the Peloton, but they cannot haul back the 10.

9:27

The Peloton is now 2:05 behind the group of 10.

9:29

The Live widget says the Peloton has given up seemingly. They’ve fallen back a full 50 seconds in just a couple of minutes – now 2:55 behind!

The brave musketeers in the chase group of 3 are only 1:20 behind – and maintaining.

9:40

The 10 have more energy in them yet! They contest for the Sprint points at the 117.5 km mark, and increase their lead on the Peloton to 6 minutes!

Sprint winners:

1. Devenyns.
2. Roy.
3. Martin

9:42

As the 3 musketeers reach the Sprint Area thy are 2:10 behind.

As the Peloton reaches the Sprint Area (117.5 km) the escapees are 5 km ahead!

9:59

The 10 are 3:10 ahead the the chase 3, and 6:10 ahead of the Peloton.

The temperature begins to fall as the leaders reach into high elevations, the rain is really coming down now. It’s only 10 degrees Celsius at the 162.5 km finish line – 35 km to go for the Lead 10.

AG2R and Europcar teams are pacing the Peloton together, taking turns at the front in long trains.

Ryder Hesjedal is again leading the escape 10. He has forced this race, created the early breakaways – including this successful group of 10 – and has paced it away from the main group – he’s having a great day.

10:07

With 25 km to go the escape 10 begin to fight it out to control the group, and win the stage. Ignatiev (not the Liberal Party of Canada leader) attempts a lead-out which sustains for a time. The 3 chasers give up their dream an fall back to the Peloton – now 6:20 behind the leading 10.

10:09

At the 151.0 km mark Ryder Hesjedal leads-out to catch Ignatiev as he begins today’s only categorized climb, the Col de Manse a 9.5 km climb with an average 5.2 % gradient – Category 2.

10:13

As Ignatiev goes under the 20 km to go arch, Hesjedal and the other 8 are 15 seconds off his pace up this mountain. The Peloton is 5 km behind.

The chase group of 9 reconfigure, then split in two, Devenyns and Perez Lezaun have 5 seconds on the other 7, still 10 seconds off Ignatiev’s pace.

10:18

The Hesjedal group drop Grivko – he’s been in all today’s breakaways.

Devenyns is 5 seconds behind Ignatiev – the chase 7 are 22 seconds back.

10:21

5 km to go to the top of the mountain. Hesjedal and Hushovd are pacing the Chase 8 (they’ve caught Devenyns) – now just 8 seconds behind Ignatiev.

10:23

Hesjedal catches Ignatiev! They lead the Hushovd 8 chasers by 16 seconds.

At the same time back a the bottom of the climb, Alberto Contador decides to lead-out from the Peloton. He’s up on his pedals in the rain.

“He came dancing across the water
With his galleons and guns
Looking for the new world
And that palace in the sun.”

Neil Young: “Cortez the Killer” from the Zuma album, 1975

Cancellara, Frank and Andy Schleck, Cadel Evans and race leader Voeckler give chase, there’s over-all lead in that dancing. Sanchez joins them soon after.

10:30

25 riders eventually join the Yellow Jersey breakaway which picks up about 35 seconds on the leaders, way up there at the top of the climb in the mist, the clouds, at their palace in the sky.

With 1 km to go to the top of the Col de Manse, Ryder Hesjedal leads the Stage 16 race, 17 seconds between himself and the Chase 9. Boasson and Hushovd currently lead the Chase 9

Meanwhile, Contador attacks again. He tries to divide himself from the 25 Yellow Jersey group riders. This he must think, is a good day to try and catch Voeckler in Yellow.

With only three mountains, a Team Sprint day, and the final day in Paris left to the pretenders, now is not to early to become focused – Contador has 03′ 42″ to make up perhaps here on this mountain, in the rain with a dangerous gambit down the other side to the finish, can make up much of it…

Voeckler responds to each attack with almost an ease of movement. Evans and Frank Schleck are the only ones close enough in time to Voeckler to catch him I think, and it seems they’ve chosen not to – today.

Evans leads the pull back this time and draws to Contador wheel.

10:34

The mountain begins to separate the heros from the pretenders. Hesjedal still leads by 10 seconds, Boasson and Hushovd are right behind, the remnants of the lead 10 are now only 4:45 ahead of Cotador Evans and Samuel Sanchez – who have shattered the peloton near the midway point of the climb. Voeckler seems content to play it steady go – losing a little time to Evans in the breakaway.

10:34

Boasson and Hushovd catch Hesjedal.

Contador attacks again on the other side of the mountain. The dangerous, fast, wet descent begins for the lead 3.

Contador is taunting Evans – while Evans just focuses on the wheel he must stay in contact with. We see now who is the instigator in the Schleck brothers vesus Contador games of the past few years. Now with no chance to to win, Contador plays head games with a man 2 minutes ahead of him.

Not allowing oneself to become emotionally involved is the key to beating this tactic. Race your race at the time you wish to race it, chose your battle field – don’t let Contador suck you into a race on a day when it doesn’t make any sence for you to race him. Can Frank Schleck learn this lesson?

Voeckler has ceded 20 seconds to Contador, Evans and Sanchez up the mountain so far. He will not play the game – but he will not lose the tour de France 2011 on this climb either. Tomorrow he may have to dance with that ego at the front.

Contador and Evans over the top Contador follows – the safe position – hoping his little game will cause Evans to make a horrible mistake at 80 km/h.

10:38

Boasson, Hesjedal and Hushovd are as one – 5 km to go.

Evans has left Contador behind on the dangerous decent. No crash thus far.

10:42

A crash on the decent! Jeannesson loses contact with the road on a left hand turn. Andy Schleck has been dropped by the Voeckler group, thus losing more time in the over all.

10:44

Inside 1 km to go Hushovd is in back of Boasson and Hesjedal. Of the three Hushovd is the best sprinter – it his his to lose.

10:45

Hushovd wins!!!

Hushovd swings out of the vacuum behind the other two and accelerates to the line just ahead of Boasson. Hesjedal falls off the final sprint, finishing 2 seconds behind the other two.

Evens is 7 seconds ahead of Contador down the mountain – 5 km to go.

Evans finishes 11th.

Voeckler has lost 24 seconds to his closest rival for the over-all lead – but still wears the Yellow Jersey. Andy Schleck is out of contention after today’s stage. His brother, Frank Schleck is still very much in this.

Despite his fall Jeannesson finishes the race with the Yellow Jersey group (27th, +4:44) .

Top 36 Finishers Stage 16

Tour de France 2011 Stage 16 - Top 36 Finish Order

Tour de France 2011 – Overall Classification after Stage 16

Tour de France 2011 - Overall Classification after Stage 16

NBC Post Stage 16 Wrap
(Link opens NBC Flash Player in new window, or play below, right here.)

Summary Video via NBC Cycling Tab (opens in new window): http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/42363489/?ta=y

mh

Tour de France 2011 Stage 14 Profile

Tour de France 2011 Stage 14 Map

Tour de France 2011 Stage 14 – Mountains & Hills

Mark    Mountain                           Run.      Rise   Category
Km 26.5   Col de Portet-d'Aspet (1 069 m)  4.3 km    9.7 %     2
Km 62.5   Col de la Core (1 395 m)         14.1 km   5.7 %     1
Km 94.0   Col de Latrape (1 110 m)         5.6 km    7.2 %     2
Km 109.0  Col d'Agnes (1 570 m)            10.0 km   8.2 %     1
Km 118.0  Port de Lers (1 517 m)           3.8 km    5.5 %     3
Km 168.5  Plateau de Beille                15.8 km   7.9 %     H

. . .  .

mh

This has lead to some creative takes on the situation…

City planners are in a frenzy; below, a hidden camera video from a recent meeting…

Via Mother Jones in an article by Kevin Drum, “Carmageddon: LA’s Billion-Dollar Car-Pool Lane“.

mh

Tour de France 2011 Stage 13 Profile

Tour de France 2011 Stage 13 Map

Tour de France 2011 Stage 13 Mountains and Passes

Mark         Mountain                 Length   Degree   Category
Km 43.5    Côte de Cuqueron           1.5 km    8.1 %       3
Km 65.0    Côte de Belair             1.0 km    8.4 %       4
Km 110.0  Col d'Aubisque (1 709 m)    16.4 km   7.1 %       H

…

mh

We’re into it now Dorthy. This ain’t Kansas – this is the Pyrenees mountains. Today it’s one Category 1 climb, and two High-Mountain climbs. It’s also the second longest stage in Tour de France 2011 (Stage 6 was 226.5 km – Stage 18, another High-Mountain stage, is 200.5 km).

Tour de France 2011 Stage 12 Profile

Tour de France 2011 Stage 12 Map

Today’s stage started at 5:10 AM EST (11:10 AM CET) with a neutral zone rolling start. The riders crossed the Start line at 5:20 AM EST.

10:22 AM EST

Tour de France 2011 Stage 12 LIVE 10:22

10:49

Right now there are 5 different groups of riders ahead of the Peloton which is 3:21 behind the leading group of two: G. Thomas and J. Roy. 1:25 behind them are three riders including R. Perez Moreno – part of the break-away 6 from yesterday’s close finish. The race is fluid the first chase group has morphed with the second chase group at the bottom of the Col du Tourmalet.

Mountains – Cugnaux Luz-Ardiden

Mark             Mountain                Distance       Difficulty
Km 141.5  Hourquette d'Ancizan (1538 m)  9.9 km 7.5 %   Category 1
Km 175.5  Col du Tourmalet (2115 m)      17.1 km 7.3 %  Category H
Km 211.0  Luz-Ardiden (1715 m)           1.3 km 7.4 %   Category H

11:00

Tour de France 2011 Stage 12 LIVE 10:58

11:11

Now things are becoming clear. The 2 leaders are still maintaining a break, but the first chase group now has all the favourites for the Tour de France 2011 over-all win.

Tour de France 2011 Stage 12 LIVE 11:11

11:17

Tour de France 2011 Stage 12 LIVE 11:17

3 km to go…

Vanendert and Sanchez are 1:15 ahead of nine chasers when Frank Schleck attacks. Alberto Contador has been marking F. Schleck, who had been riding with his brother Andy – until he had to change wheels due to a puncture – now Contador is letting Frank break away.

With 2 km of the hellish climb remaining, Evans, A. Schleck, Contador, Voeckler and Basso are 0:15 behind the surging F. Schleck. Basso tries to close the gap but the attempt fails, Frank Schleck holds on.

Frank Schleck takes third place as Samuel Sanchez wins the stage ahead of break-away mate, Jelle Vanendert who secures 2nd.

Post Race Post

Versus/NBC Video summary of stage 12
(see all Tour de France 2011 videos from Versus/NBC)

Tour de France 2011 Stage 12 – Top 30 Finish Order

Tour de France 2011 Stage 12 Top 30 Finish Order

Tour de France 2011 Over-all Classification after Stage 12

Tour de France 2011 Top 40 Over-all Classification after Stage 12

mh

From the “Grist List” at Daily Grist

Tour de France 2011 Stage 11 Profile

Tour de Fance 2011 - Stage 11 Map

After a rolling start the racers crossed the Start line at 1:14 PM CET (7:14 AM EST)

9:51

Tour de France 2011 Stage 11 - LIVE - 9 47 AM EST

10:12

Recap – the race so far

The six escapees now out front left the Peloton early – at 7:31 AM, or 13 km into the race. At the 28km mark – the top of the days first climb, the Category 3, Côte de Tonnac – a 3.6 km climb at 4.9 % the escapees lead was 4:15. Team HTC is pacing the Peloton. In the first hour of the race the lead increased to 4:25 – the average speed of the race in the first hour was 42.6 km/hr.. Then the rain came… . The escapee’s lead began to dwindle at 8:51 EST – down to 3:35.

The 6 escapees:

R. Perez Moreno
L. Boom
A. Grivko
M. Delage
T. Valentin
J. Engoulvent

The second hour of racing clocked in at an average of 47 km/hour.

At 9:25 EST Garmin-Cervelo moved the front of the Peloton to pace the group. HTC had all 9 riders up front as well.

Near the end of the third hour of racing, three teams are vying to control the race and to place their sprinter at the lead of the Peloton for the end of the race – to win the stage. Team HTC, Omega Pharma-Lotto and Garmin-Cervelo are in long trains.

Ryder Hesjedal is out front right now pacing for Garmin-Cervelo’s Tyler Farrar.

At 10:03 (125.5 km mark) the Peloton had closed the gap to 2:05.

10:16

Tour de France 2011 Stage 11 - LIVE - 10 13 AM EST

At 10:21 the Peloton crested the second climb of the day – at the 135.5 km mark, the Category 4, Côte de Puylaurens, a 4.2 km climb at 3.8 % – the gap had been reduced to 1:20.

10:43 AM EST

Tour de France 2011 Stage 11 - LIVE - 10 42 AM EST

10:58

Two team trains are pacing the Peloton with-in 10 km to the finish, and 30 seconds behind the escape group – Team HTC and BMC are ‘training’ right beside each other at the head of the massive Peloton

11:58

Team HTC leads out!

At 5km to go the gap is just 9 seconds!

The escapees split – Boom out front by 5 seconds. At 1km to go the team sprinters for HTC Pharma-Lotto and Garmin-Cervelo are on his tail – the rest of the escape group has been caught.

11:00

Cavendish wins!

Greipel second, Farrar third.

Wow! What a finish. You can’t catch an escapee any closer to the line than that I don’t think. Holy light-speed Bat-Man!

Post race post

July 14 2011 – 9:04 AM

Versus/NBC Video summary of stage 11
(see all Tour de France 2011 videos from Versus/NBC)

Stage 11 Finish Order – top 10 and notable

Total distance covered: 167.5 km

Place Rider                 Team       Time         Gaps
1.    CAVENDISH Mark        HTC        3h 46' 07"
2.    GREIPEL André         LOTTO      3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"
3.    FARRAR Tyler          CERVELO    3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"
4.    GALIMZYANOV Denis     KATUSHA    3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"
5.    HAGEN Edvald Boasson  SKY        3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"
6.    FEILLU Romain         DCM        3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"
7.    ROJAS Jose Joaquin    MOVISTAR   3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"
8.    TURGOT Sébastien      EUROPCAR   3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"
9.    VENTOSO Francisco     MOVISTAR   3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"
10.   BONNET William        FDJ        3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

18.   RENSHAW Mark          HTC        3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

26.   CANCELLARA Fabian     TREK       3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

29.   SCHLECK Andy          TREK       3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

44.   GESINK Robert         RABOBANK   3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

46.   HUSHOVD Thor          CERVELO    3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"
47.   CONTADOR Alberto      SAXO BANK  3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

50.   EVANS Cadel           BMC        3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

55.   HINCAPIE George       BMC        3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

66.   GILBERT Philippe      LOTTO      3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

70.   PEREZ MORENO Ruben    EUSKALTEL  3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

75.   VOECKLER Thomas       EUROPCAR   3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

82.   SCHLECK Frank         TREK       3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

96.   LEIPHEIMER Levi       RADIOSHACK 3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

104.  CASAR Sandy           FDJ        3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

111.  COSTA Rui Alberto     MOVISTAR   3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

115.  VALENTIN Tristan      COFIDIS    3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"
116.  DELAGE Mickaël        FDJ        3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

118.  CHAVANEL Sylvain      QUICK STEP 3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

122.  HESJEDAL Ryder        CERVELO    3h 46' 07"   + 00' 00"

134.  ENGOULVENT Jimmy      SOJASUN    3h 46' 42"   + 00' 35"

137.  BOOM Lars             RABOBANK   3h 47' 17"   + 01' 10"

143.  GRIVKO Andriy         ASTANA     3h 47' 48"   + 01' 41"

158.  RIBLON Christophe     AG2R       3h 51' 50"   + 05' 43"

mh

Monday, July 11 is a rest day in the Tour de France 2011 – see you tomorrow for Stage 10

Tour de France 2011 Stage 10 Profile - Aurillac to Carmaux - 158 km

Tour de France 2011 Stage 10 Map - Aurillac to Carmaux - 158 km

Top Three – Stage 9

1. Luis-Leon Sanchez
2. Thomas Voeckler
3. Sandy Casar

Over-all Leaders

Yellow:     VOECKLER Thomas     TEAM EUROPCAR 38h 35' 11"
Green:      GILBERT Philippe    OMEGA  PHARMA - LOTTO 217 pts
Poka-dot:   HOOGERLAND Johnny   VACANSOLEIL-DCM 22 pts
White:      GESINK Robert       RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM 38h 39' 12"
Leading Team:                   TEAM EUROPCAR 115h 03' 31"

8:02 AM EST

After a rolling start the racers crossed the Start line at 7:38 AM EST (1:38 CET).

Tour de France 2011 Stage 10 7:57 AM EST LIVE (gaps.letour.fr/us.php)

8:08

After Sunday’s Stage 9 ‘crash’ (see Versus Summary at FreeWheel Stage 9 post), where a Convoy car, trying to avoid a tree growing unusually close to the edge of the road, swerved into a group of racers, launching one of them into a barbed wire fence and crashing another – the race director reminded the Convoy drivers not to run over the cyclists.

I say get the Team Convoys off the course altogether – they should follow behind the slowest riders. Motorcycles with cameramen are bad enough – but necessary I guess – TV is very important to the funding of the race.

Tour de France 2011 LIVE 8 07 (gaps.letour.fr)

10:00

Six escapees have been out front all race long – I guess it’s time to go through the process of opening two windows and typing all their names into the blog post (Note to webmaster at lerour.fr – because the LIVE widget is a ‘Flash Object’ and doesn’t allow copy and paste).

R. Di Gregorio
S. Minard
A. Vichot
J. El Fares
M. Marcato
A. Delaplace

Tour de France 2011 LIVE 10:00 AM EST (gaps.letour.fr/us.php)

10:21

For those of you who have commented here that cycling is not a realistic urban transportation alternative – the Peloton heading up a Category 3 mountain is doing 56km/h!!! Enabled cycle-ways stretching across the city like the spokes of a wheel could replace half the cars easily – as well as improve our quality of life and the economic efficiency (imho).

July 13, 2011 – 9:15

Via letour.fr

OVERALL STANDING ON TIME

Result after Stage 10

Total distance covered: 1749 km

#   Rider                    Team          Time             Gaps
1.  VOECKLER Thomas         EUROPCAR      42h 06' 32"
2.  SANCHEZ Luis-Leon       RABOBANK      42h 08' 21"   + 01' 49"
3.  EVANS Cadel             BMC           42h 08' 58"   + 02' 26"
4.  SCHLECK Frank           TREK          42h 09' 01"   + 02' 29"
5.  SCHLECK Andy            TREK          42h 09' 09"   + 02' 37"
6.  MARTIN Tony             HTC           42h 09' 10"   + 02' 38"
7.  VELITS Peter            HTC           42h 09' 10"   + 02' 38"
8.  KLÖDEN Andréas          RADIOSHACK    42h 09' 15"   + 02' 43"
9.  GILBERT Philippe        LOTTO         42h 09' 27"   + 02' 55"
10. FUGLSANG Jakob          TREK          42h 09' 40"   + 03' 08"
11. BASSO Ivan              CANNONDALE    42h 10' 08"   + 03' 36"
12. CUNEGO Damiano          LAMPRE        42h 10' 09"   + 03' 37"
13. ROCHE Nicolas           AG2R          42h 10' 17"   + 03' 45"
14. DE WEERT Kevin          QUICK STEP    42h 10' 19"   + 03' 47"
15. GESINK Robert           RABOBANK      42h 10' 33"   + 04' 01"
16. CONTADOR Alberto        SAXO BANK     42h 10' 39"   + 04' 07"
17. DANIELSON Tom           CERVELO       42h 10' 54"   + 04' 22"
18. TAARAMAE Rein           COFIDIS       42h 11' 24"   + 04' 52"
19. VANDE VELDE Christian   CERVELO       42h 11' 25"   + 04' 53"
20. SANCHEZ Samuel          EUSKALTEL     42h 11' 33"   + 05' 01"
21. BARREDO Carlos          RABOBANK      42h 11' 36"   + 05' 04"
22. KARPETS Vladimir        KATUSHA       42h 11' 37"   + 05' 05"
23. MONFORT Maxime          TREK          42h 11' 39"   + 05' 07"
24. HUSHOVD Thor            CERVELO       42h 11' 45"   + 05' 13"
25. ZUBELDIA Haimar         RADIOSHACK    42h 11' 46"   + 05' 14"
26. JEANNESSON Arnold       FDJ           42h 11' 53"   + 05' 21"
27. PERAUD Jean-Christophe  AG2R          42h 12' 04"   + 05' 32"
28. MILLAR David            CERVELO       42h 12' 04"   + 05' 32"
29. TROFIMOV Yury           KATUSHA       42h 12' 11"   + 05' 39"
30. RUIJGH Rob              DCM           42h 12' 15"   + 05' 43"
31. CASAR Sandy             FDJ           42h 12' 15"   + 05' 43"
32. THOMAS Geraint          SKY           42h 12' 23"   + 05' 51"
33. LEUKEMANS Bjorn         DCM           42h 12' 58"   + 06' 26"
34. COPPEL Jérôme           SOJASUN       42h 13' 07"   + 06' 35"
35. GERDEMANN Linus         TREK          42h 13' 12"   + 06' 40"
36. LEIPHEIMER Levi         RADIOSHACK    42h 13' 48"   + 07' 16"
37. URAN Rigoberto          SKY           42h 13' 52"   + 07' 20"
38. HAGEN Edvald Boasson    SKY           42h 14' 17"   + 07' 45"
39. DEVENYNS Dries          QUICK STEP    42h 14' 48"   + 08' 16"
40. GUSEV Vladimir          KATUSHA       42h 15' 17"   + 08' 45"
41. GAUTIER Cyril           EUROPCAR      42h 15' 44"   + 09' 12"
42. ROLLAND Pierre          EUROPCAR      42h 15' 52"   + 09' 20"
43. VERDUGO Gorka           EUSKALTEL     42h 17' 04"   + 10' 32"
44. PATERSKI Maciej         CANNONDALE    42h 18' 42"   + 12' 10"
45. MARTINEZ Egoi           EUSKALTEL     42h 19' 38"   + 13' 06"
46. VANENDERT Jelle         LOTTO         42h 20' 09"   + 13' 37"
47. TEN DAM Laurens         RABOBANK      42h 21' 13"   + 14' 41"
48. HINCAPIE George         BMC           42h 21' 25"   + 14' 53"
49. PINEAU Jérôme           QUICK STEP    42h 21' 46"   + 15' 14"
50. VAN GARDEREN Tejay      HTC           42h 21' 48"   + 15' 16"
51. TALABARDON Yannick      SOJASUN       42h 21' 54"   + 15' 22"
52. HESJEDAL Ryder          CERVELO       42h 22' 04"   + 15' 32"

Tour de France 2011 Stage 9 Profile - Issoire to Saint-Flour - 208 km

Tour de France 2011 Stage 9 Map - Issoire to Saint-Flour - 208 km

Click on the images to go to letour.fr – they have some content on stage 9.

From the summary video page at letour.fr:

“At 102km a crash that will have ramifications on the battle for overall honors in 2011 occurred. Alexandre Vinokourov went off the right side the road on a sweeping left bend and into the forest. He was helped back to the road by two Astana team-mates but his Tour was over. He was one of four men to abandon the race because of the incident and his injuries included a fractured femur and possible broken hip. Omega Pharma-Lotto also lost its leader Jurgen van den Broeck (with spinal injuries), as well as Frederik Willems (fractured collarbone) and Dave Zabriskie quit with a fractured wrist. It prompted a brief respite from racing for the peloton which allowed the escapees to build their lead to over seven minutes.”

Versus Summary of Stage 9

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

(I, on the other hand, don’t have a reliable internet connection today. See ya tomorrow for stage 10.)

mh

We’re not in the Plains anymore, Dorthy.

Today is the first mountain stage of the Tour de France 2011 – although not the first categorized grade, (there have been 3 category 4′s so far), but this is the real thing. Today’s race includes two category 4, a category 2, and one one category 3 to finish the day.

Tour de France 2011 Stage 8 Profile

Tour de France 2011 Stage 8 Map - Aigurande to Super-Besse Sancy

9:50 AM EST

Today’s stage started with a neutral zone ride, the riders crossed the Start line at 12:26 CET (6:22 AM EST).

The Tour de France LIVE widget commentator says Chris Horner (RadioShack) is yet another victim of yesterdays gully crash, after the race (12 minutes behind the winner), he was diagnosed with a concussion, a broken nose and a hematoma in his right leg – he’s out of the race.

10:08

At the 10 km mark of the stage 9 riders lead out in front, there are still out there now with 35 km to go in the race. The escapees are approaching the the big climb of the day the category 2 Col de la Croix Saint-Robert.

Here’s a handy table from letour.fr

Mountain passes & Hills of Stage 8 – Aigurande to Super-Besse Sancy

Km Mark        Mountain                Length      Gradient  Difficulty

Km 65.5   Côte d'Évaux-les-Bains            1.7 km climb   6.2 %      Category 4
Km 119.5  Côte du Rocher des Trois Tourtes  1.3 km climb   4.6 %      Category 4
Km 164.0  Col de la Croix Saint-Robert      6.2 km climb   6.2 %      Category 2
Km 189.0  Super-Besse Sancy                 1.5 km climb   7.6 %      Category 3

The Nine Escapee’s

1. Faria da Costa
2. Riblon
3. Zandio
4. Engels
5. Van Garderen
6. Kolbnev
7. El Fares

10:28

I’m working from the Jones Branch of the Toronto Public Library – they only allow me one, 1 hour booking of a computer per day, I’m saving that for the finish. Right now I’m using 15 minute sessions to Live Blog the race – it is hell on earth – I have to re-sign in to all sites re-open pages, windows and then if I’m not quick and aware at all times – the thing will just shut down and throw all the content I haven’t published yet, into the garbage.

As such the race as it embarked up the Col de la Croix Saint-Robert has completely changed; the nine in the lead are no more and who they were is lost on the internet (Tour de France’s LIVE widget).

10:42

There were three leaders up the mountain – now there are four in the lead down the other side:

1. Faria da Costa
2. Riblon
3. Van Garderen
4. Gautire

There is a chase group of three, 33 seconds behind them:

1. Vinokourov
2. Tiralongo
3. Flecha Giannoni

The Peloton is 1:15 behind the chase group.

10:45 – 10 km to go

10:55 – 5km to go

Faria da Costa has struck out on his own, up the Category 3, Super-Besse Sancy. He has built a 20 second lead up the mountain.

Tiralongo, Riblon, Flechia Giannni, Van Garderen and Gautire are chasing. The Peloton is 1 minute behind.

Team BMC, including Cadel Evans, is pacing the Peloton. Thor Hushovd, wearing the Yellow jersey for Garmin-Cervelo, is marking Evans

11:03 – 100m to go!

Faria da Costa and Vinokourov race for the stage win! Contador and Andy Schleck are right behind them!

Alberto Rui Costa takes it!

1. Alberto Rui Costa
2. Plilippe Gibert
3. Cadel Evans
4. Samuel Sanchez
5. Peter Velits
6. Dries Dvenyns
7. Damiano Cunego
8. Alberto Contador
9. Andy Schelck
10. Frank Schleck

Well that is interesting – after the first mountain stage the the Anti-hero (Contador)) and the Heroes (the Schleck brothers) finish 8, 9, and 10.

A foreshadowing of days to come to be sure.

mh

A Live-’ish’ Blog

Sorry about the content in my Stage 5 post, or lack there-of. And for not posting yesterday for Stage 6 – internet connectivity problems, bla, bla, bla. Today I’m Live Blogging the race from the Jones Avenue branch of the Toronto Public Library.

Today I’m starting at 11:42 AM EST (5:42 PM CET). The race is almost over – but that’s where all the fun happens anyway, isn’t it?

Tour de France 2011 Stage 7 Profile - Le Mans to Châteauroux (218 km)

Tour de France 2011 Stage 7 - Le Mans to Châteauroux (218 km)

Today’s stage race officially started at 12:22 CET (6:22AM EST).

11:44 AM EST

16 km to go. Four riders are 26 seconds in the lead, now 17, their going to be caught obviously. For the record they are: Urtansun, DeLage, Meersman and Talabardon. 10 seconds now. These four have been out in front from the first minute of the race; sad to see this happen every stage, the break-always never seem to work, why do they bother? One wonders.

11:54

The four persistent ones have been caught by a Peloton consisting of 90 or so riders – 80 more are about 2 minutes behind. There was a bad crash earlier today and that is why the Peloton is split in half as it is. Rider Wiggins is out of the Tour de France, as are 5 other riders, because they finished over the time limit yesterday. I’ll list those out of the race for you later in this post. I believe we are down to 172 riders – but don’t quote me on that.

12:03

On these flat stages it’s all about sprinter’s abilities and team work drafting, and rotating out of the wind-breaker position at your proper time. Team HTC is in control of the tip of the Peloton as we close in on the finish. Under 1 km to go!

Mark Cavendish team HTC wins! All 9 riders of HTC lead the Peloton to catch the escapees, and then paced the group all the way to the finish – their motivation was to control the race and launch their star sprinter at the line. Mark Cavendish’s team-mates Goss and Renshaw were the last two to take the front. Goss powered the tip of the Peloton in the final rotation and then ‘slung’ him across the line in the final metres – as planned.

1. Cavendish
2. Petacchi
3. Greipel

The mass of riders in a Peloton are more than just a wind break in my opinion, they create an energy field of some kind that actually holds those riders in the group, in it. They become carried along by the mass, like gravity holds a moon in orbit, but not the way we currently understand gravity. This is another force, an electro-magnetic one perhaps – perhaps dark matter, that not-understood missing half of all the matter in the universe.

When a team ‘leads out’ from the tip of the Peloton as team HTC did so beautifully today they create a tip of a spear that uses the inertia of the mass of the rest of the riders to extend the leading edge of that mass. A good example of this is the way a shaped charge that is rigged for cutting through steal behaves, the colliding vectors of explosive force create a needle-point of extremely high energy – a vector point that resembles the tip of the Peloton in a cycling race. With synchronized team work they push out ahead of the group borrowing energy one from another, but as well as from the entire mass of riders, they speed still faster to the line.

A thing of beauty – and a physics thought experiment at the same time!

see letour.fr 2011 for pages and pages of content.

Stage 7 finish order

1.   CAVENDISH Mark          HTC          5h 38' 53"
2.   PETACCHI Alessandro     LAMPRE       5h 38' 53"    + 00' 00"
3.   GREIPEL André           LOTTO        5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
4.   FEILLU Romain           DCM          5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
5.   BONNET William          FDJ          5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
6.   GALIMZYANOV Denis       KATUSHA      5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
7.   HUSHOVD Thor            CERVELO      5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
8.   TURGOT Sébastien        EUROPCAR     5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
9.   ROJAS Jose Joaquin      MOVISTAR     5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
10.  HINAULT Sébastien       AG2R         5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
11.  PINEAU Jérôme           QUICK STEP   5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
12.  JEANNESSON Arnold       FDJ          5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
13.  BOZIC Borut             DCM          5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
14.  GILBERT Philippe        LOTTO        5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
15.  ROCHE Nicolas           AG2R         5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
16.  SCHLECK Andy            TREK         5h 38' 53"    + 00' 00"
17.  O’GRADY Stuart          TREK         5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
18.  MILLAR David            CERVELO      5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
19.  VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen   LOTTO        5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
20.  RENSHAW Mark            HTC          5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
21.  FUGLSANG Jakob          TREK         5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
22.  EVANS Cadel             BMC          5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"

31.  SCHLECK Frank           TREK         5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
32.  VINOKOUROV Alexandre    ASTANA       5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
33.  CONTADOR Alberto        SAXO BANK    5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
34.  GUTIERREZ José Ivan     MOVISTAR     5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"

79.  CHAVANEL Sylvain        QUICK STEP   5h 38' 53"   + 00' 00"
101. HESJEDAL Ryder          CERVELO      5h 41' 59    + 03' 06"
127. HINCAPIE George         BMC          5h 41' 59"   + 03' 06"
157. LEIPHEIMER Levi         RADIOSHACK   5h 41' 59"   + 03' 06"
172. FARRAR Tyler            CERVELO      5h 41' 59"   + 03' 06"

Individual times after Stage 7

1.  HUSHOVD Thor           CERVELO     28h 29' 27"
2.  EVANS Cadel            BMC         28h 29' 28"  + 00' 01"
3.  SCHLECK Frank          TREK        28h 29' 31" 	+ 00' 04"
4.  MILLAR David           CERVELO     28h 29' 35"  + 00' 08"
5.  KLÖDEN Andréas         RADIOSHACK  28h 29' 37"  + 00' 10"
6.  FUGLSANG Jakob         TREK        28h 29' 39"  + 00' 12"
7.  SCHLECK Andy           TREK        28h 29' 39"  + 00' 12"
8.  MARTIN Tony            HTC         28h 29' 40"  + 00' 13"
9.  VELITS Peter           HTC         28h 29' 40"  + 00' 13"
10. GESINK Robert          RABOBANK    28h 29' 47"  + 00' 20"
11. VINOKOUROV Alexandre   ASTANA      28h 29' 59"  + 00' 32"
12. GILBERT Philippe       LOTTO       28h 30' 00"  + 00' 33"
13. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen  LOTTO       28h 30' 06"  + 00' 39"
14. BARREDO Carlos         RABOBANK    28h 30' 07"  + 00' 40"
15. BASSO Ivan             CANNONDALE  28h 30' 30"  + 01' 03"
16. DE WEERT Kevin         QUICK STEP  28h 30' 31"  + 01' 04"
17. GERDEMANN Linus        TREK        28h 30' 33"  + 01' 06"
18. ROCHE Nicolas          AG2R        28h 30' 39"  + 01' 12"
19. CUNEGO Damiano         LAMPRE      28h 30' 39"  + 01' 12"
20. ROJAS Jose Joaquin     MOVISTAR    28h 30' 42"  + 01' 15"
21. VOECKLER Thomas        EUROPCAR    28h 30' 42"  + 01' 15"
22. PINEAU Jérôme          QUICK STEP  28h 30' 48"  + 01' 21"
23. KARPETS Vladimir       KATUSHA     28h 30' 56"  + 01' 29"
24. CONTADOR Alberto       SAXO BANK   28h 31' 09"  + 01' 42"
25. DANIELSON Tom          CERVELO     28h 31' 24"  + 01' 57"
26. VANDE VELDE Christian  CERVELO     28h 31' 24"  + 01' 57"
27. MONFORT Maxime         TREK        28h 31' 27"  + 02' 00"

48. HESJEDAL Ryder         CERVELO     28h 33' 55"  + 04' 28"

mh

This will be a Live Blog. The race starts at 6:05 7:50 AM EST (12:05 PM CET).

Tour de France 2011 - Stage 5 Profile

Tour de France 2011 Stage 5 Map (click on image to go to letour.fr page)

Thanks for visiting. Comments are welcome, I’ll try to respond, or answer any questions you may have with-in one day.

I’ve been having trouble with my internet connection the past few days; for now that is resolved – thanks to the Toronto Public Library free Wi-Fi connection! (Google Map of all the hot-spots – every branch now has a server.) Barring any unforeseen problems, I will be Live Blogging all the Stages of the Tour de France 2011.

Live Blog

6:29 AM EST

Good morning racing fans!

I miss-read the start time on the letour.fr site last night – Stage 5 starts at 7:50 AM EST (13:50 CET).

Tour de France 2011 Live Widget - Stage 5 Start: 7:50 EST | 13:50 CET

7:54 AM EST

They off!

Tour de France 2011 Stage 5 - 7 50 AM EST

mh

Tour de France 2011 - Stage 4 Profile

Tour de France 2011 Stage 4 - Lorient to Mûr-de-Bretagne (172.5 km)

11:08

The race today started with a neutral zone warm-up, no racing allowed, but due to slick conditions due to rain there was a crash. Everyone got back up on their bikes and the race began at 7:09 AM EST (13:09 CET). Thirteen minutes later an escape group of 5 riders formed. After half an hour they created a gap of 4:55 seconds before the Peloton drew them back with a strategic burst of power.

11:16

The escapes have been caught, they’re gamble foiled. Contador, Husovd are near the front of the Pelaton with 3 km to go!

11:22

George Hincapie, Gesink, Gilbert, Evans – among many – are near the front.

11:25

Evans wins over Contador by an inch! (2.46 cm). Vinokourov third.

• Thor Hushovd holds on to the Yellow (Evans is 1 second behind him).
• Evans gets the Polka-dot.
• And Jose Joaquin Rojas won a sprint somewhere along the line today, he wears Green tomorrow, riding for Movistar Team (???) – like he did today. Who are those guys? (Wikipedia says…).
• White:  Geraint Thomas

STAGE STANDING BY POINTS
Finish Order – Stage 4

Rider                       Team            Time               Gaps
1. EVANS Cadel              BMC             4h 11' 39"
2. CONTADOR Alberto         SAXO            4h 11' 39"       + 00' 00"
3. VINOKOUROV Alexandre     ASTANA          4h 11' 39"       + 00' 00"
4. URAN Rigoberto           SKY             4h 11' 39"       + 00' 00"
5. GILBERT Philippe         LOTTO           4h 11' 39"       + 00' 00"
6. HUSHOVD Thor             CERVELO         4h 11' 39"       + 00' 00"
7. SCHLECK Frank            TREK            4h 11' 39"       + 00' 00"
8. SANCHEZ Samuel           EUSKALTEL       4h 11' 39"       + 00' 00"
9. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen    LOTTO           4h 11' 39"       + 00' 00"
10. KLÖDEN Andréas          RADIOSHACK      4h 11' 39"       + 00' 00"
11. WIGGINS Bradley         SKY             4h 11' 45"       + 00' 06"
12. ROJAS Jose Joaquin      MOVISTAR        4h 11' 45"       + 00' 06"
13. BASSO Ivan              CANNONDALE      4h 11' 45"       + 00' 06"
14. CUNEGO Damiano          LAMPRE          4h 11' 47"       + 00' 08"
15. KREUZIGER Roman         ASTANA          4h 11' 47"       + 00' 08"
16. HORNER Christopher      RADIOSHACK      4h 11' 47"       + 00' 08"
17. GESINK Robert           RABOBANK        4h 11' 47"       + 00' 08"
18. DEVENYNS Dries          QUICK STEP      4h 11' 47"       + 00' 08"
19. HESJEDAL Ryder          CERVELO         4h 11' 47"       + 00' 08"
20. LEIPHEIMER Levi         RADIOSHACK      4h 11' 47"       + 00' 08"
21. MARTIN Tony             HTC             4h 11' 47"       + 00' 08"
22. MILLAR David            CERVELO         4h 11' 47"       + 00' 08"
23. SCHLECK Andy            TREK            4h 11' 47"       + 00' 08"
24. GAUTIER Cyril           EUROPCAR        4h 11' 47"       + 00' 08"
16 more at + 00' 08"

See full stage result at letour.fr Stage 4 classifications.

Team Standings after Stage 4

1.  TEAM GARMIN - CERVELO          41h 05' 55"
2.  SKY PROCYCLING                 41h 05' 57"   + 00' 02"
3.  TEAM LEOPARD-TREK              41h 05' 59"   + 00' 04"
4.  TEAM RADIOSHACK                41h 06' 05"   + 00' 10"
5.  HTC - HIGHROAD 	       41h 06' 08"   + 00' 13"
6.  PRO TEAM ASTANA                41h 06' 44"   + 00' 49"
7.  MOVISTAR TEAM                  41h 07' 10"   + 01' 15"
8.  TEAM EUROPCAR                  41h 07' 10"   + 01' 15"
9.  QUICK STEP CYCLING TEAM        41h 07' 16"   + 01' 21"
10. RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM          41h 07' 29"   + 01' 34"
11. KATUSHA TEAM                   41h 07' 41"   + 01' 46"
12. OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO           41h 07' 43"   + 01' 48"
13. BMC RACING TEAM                41h 08' 00"   + 02' 05"
14. COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE     41h 08' 14"   + 02' 19"
15. LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE            41h 08' 14"   + 02' 19"
16. FDJ                            41h 08' 37"   + 02' 42"
17. VACANSOLEIL-DCM                41h 09' 02"   + 03' 07"
18. AG2R LA MONDIALE               41h 09' 24"   + 03' 29"
19. LAMPRE - ISD                   41h 09' 59"   + 04' 04"
20. SAUR-SOJASUN                   41h 12' 24"   + 06' 29"
21. EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI            41h 12' 25"   + 06' 30"
22. SAXO BANK SUNGARD              41h 13' 44"   + 07' 49"

Individual Standing after Stage 4
- down to where Canadian, Ryder Hesjedal riding the Canadian made Cervélo bike for Garmin-Cervélo is streaking up the standings

1.  	HUSHOVD Thor            TEAM GARMIN - CERVELO
2. 	EVANS Cadel             BMC RACING TEAM            + 00' 01"
3. 	SCHLECK Frank           TEAM LEOPARD-TREK          + 00' 04"
4. 	MILLAR David            TEAM GARMIN - CERVELO      + 00' 08"
5. 	KLÖDEN Andréas          TEAM RADIOSHACK            + 00' 10"
6. 	WIGGINS Bradley         SKY PROCYCLING             + 00' 10"
7. 	THOMAS Geraint          SKY PROCYCLING             + 00' 12"
8. 	HAGEN Edvald Boasson    SKY PROCYCLING             + 00' 12"
9. 	SCHLECK Andy            TEAM LEOPARD-TREK          + 00' 12"
10. 	FUGLSANG Jakob          TEAM LEOPARD-TREK          + 00' 12"
11. 	MARTIN Tony             HTC - HIGHROAD             + 00' 13"
12. 	VELITS Peter            HTC - HIGHROAD             + 00' 13"
13. 	VAN GARDEREN Tejay      HTC - HIGHROAD             + 00' 13"
14. 	HORNER Christopher      TEAM RADIOSHACK            + 00' 18"
15. 	LEIPHEIMER Levi         TEAM RADIOSHACK            + 00' 18"
16. 	BRAJKOVIC Janez         TEAM RADIOSHACK            + 00' 18"
17. 	GESINK Robert           RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM      + 00' 20"
18. 	VINOKOUROV Alexandre    PRO TEAM ASTANA            + 00' 32"
19. 	GILBERT Philippe        OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO       + 00' 33"
20. 	VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen   OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO       + 00' 39"
21. 	BARREDO Carlos          RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM      + 00' 40"
22. 	GAUTIER Cyril           TEAM EUROPCAR              + 00' 58"
23. 	BASSO Ivan              LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE        + 01' 03"
24. 	DE WEERT Kevin          QUICK STEP CYCLING TEAM    + 01' 04"
25. 	GERDEMANN Linus         TEAM LEOPARD-TREK          + 01' 06"
26. 	CUNEGO Damiano          LAMPRE - ISD               + 01' 12"
27. 	ROCHE Nicolas           AG2R LA MONDIALE           + 01' 12"
28. 	SILIN Egor              KATUSHA TEAM               + 01' 12"
29. 	ROJAS Jose Joaquin      MOVISTAR TEAM              + 01' 15"
30. 	VOECKLER Thomas         TEAM EUROPCAR              + 01' 15"
31. 	URAN Rigoberto          SKY PROCYCLING             + 01' 18"
32. 	CHAVANEL Sylvain        QUICK STEP CYCLING TEAM    + 01' 21"
33. 	PINEAU Jérôme           QUICK STEP CYCLING TEAM    + 01' 21"
34.  	HESJEDAL Ryder          TEAM GARMIN - CERVELO      + 01' 22"

mh

The Garmin-Cervélo Team has done it again on their mountian-bike-looking, new Cervélo ‘S5′ road racing bikes. This time it’s Tyler Farrar who wears the Yellow after a long flat race that favoured the sprinters and the best team at strategy.

Here’s the finish, watch Tyler Farrar drafting and then he swings around to the win – his team-mate celabrates in the background having launched him to the line perfectly! Nice video.

mh

A Live Blog

8:30 AM EST

In the Team time trial Team is spelt with a capital – each team will start the race seven minutes apart like in a rally race – each team will start 9 riders, the 5th rider in each team to cross the finish marks that teams time. Drafting, spelling each other off and team strategy are all important on this flat 23 km route.

A note on yesterdays stage win by Philippe Gilbert. I mistakenly said that Gilbert wears three jerseys at the end on Stage 1 – that was incorrect, one rider cannot wear three – so the next best riders in each category are awarded the jersey. As over all race leader, Gilbert wears Yellow today, Cadel Evans get the Green, sprint champion’s shirt and Thor Hushovd gets to wear the best climbers Polka-dot attire.

There are 22 teams in this years Tour de France, the teams will start the Time Trial according to the team’s ranking after Stage 1. Team Saxo-Bank SunGard finished last as a team yesterday so they go first, they depart at 14:30 CET – 8:30 AM EST – the first ranked team after Stage 1 is Team Omega Pharma – Lotto, they will start their time trial at 16:57 CET – 10:57 AM EST.

22. 8:30 Team Saxo Bank Sungard is on the coarse.

This Alberto Contador’s team, he was caught in the huge pile up in the Peleton with 9 km from the finish yesterday – the team decided to finish the stage together – so their aggregate times put them in last place.

21. 8:37 Euskaltel – Euskadi is off.

20. 8:44 Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling is next

19. 8:51 AG2R La Mondiale

18. 8:58 Saur-Sojasun

17. 9:05 Rabobank Cyling Team

16. 9:12 FDJ

15. 9:19 Liquigas – Cannondale

14. 9:26 Team Garmin-Cervélo

13. 9:33 Team Europcar

12. 9:40 Quickstep Cycling Team

11. 9:47 Movistar Team

10. 9:54 Pro Team Astana

9. 10:01 Team Katusha

8. 10:08 Sky ProCycling

7. 10:15 Team Lampre – ISD

6. 10:22 COFIDIS, Le Crédit en Ligne

5. 10:29 Team RadioShack

4. 10:36 HTC-Highroad

3. 10:43 Team Leopard – Trek

2. 10:50 BMC Racing Team

1. 10:57 Team Omega Pharma – Lott

***

10:20

Team Garmin-Cervélo has posted the best time thus far – 24′ 48″, or 55.6 km/hour! They are 12 seconds (“) ahead of Rabobank and 28″ ahead of Saxo Bank. Team Sty Procyling is on the coarse and are the favourite today – at the quarter marker they posted a better time than Garmin-Cervélo – 0.98 seconds faster…

10:25

At the 2nd marker, the half way point in the circle, Team Sky ProCycling is 4″ behind Garmin-Cervélo; now they turn around into the wind for the last half back to the finish.

10:33

Sky ProCycling has finished with a 55.5 km/hour rate – Garmin-Cervélo still holds first place.

10:45

The letour.fr “Tour de France Live” commentator thinks Garmin- Cervélo may win the stage. The 5th best team , and 5th last to start today Team RadioShack is well off the pace in 5th position at the quarter way milestone.

10:57

Team RadioShack finishes well, just 10″ back of the Leaders. (updated @ 11:22)

1.  Garmin-Cervélo     00', 00" - 24:48
2.  BMC Racing Team    00', 04" - 24:52
3.  Sky ProCycling     00', 04" - 24:52
4.  HTC-Highroad       00', 05" - 24:53
5.  Team Leopard       00', 05" - 24:53
6.  Team RadioShack    00', 10" - 24:58
7.  Robobank           00', 12" - 25:00
8.  Team Saxo Bank     00', 28" - 25:16
9.  Pro Team Astana    00', 32" - 25:20

11:11

Team Omega Pharma is +26 seconds at the quarter marker a miracle now can only upset Garmin-Cervélo!

11:27

Team Omega Pharma – Lott is too far back to win.

Thor Hushovd takes the Yellow Jersey for Team Garmin-Cervélo as they finish first in Stage 2.

Fastest Bike in the world: Toronto’s Cervélo – Vroomen & White Designs (and the riders may have something to do with it as well).

11:30

Team Omega Pharma finishes +39″.

After 2 Stages, some individual placements of interest:

Stage 2       Rider                      After Stage 1
1.            HUSHOVD Thor               (3)
6.            SCHLECK Frank              (12)
7.            CANCELLARA Fabian          (18)
10.           SCHLECK Andy               (33)
13.           HINCAPIE George            (60)
18.           CAVENDISH Mark             (69)
22. 	     LEIPHEIMER Levi            (38)
30.           GILBERT Philippe           (1)
61.           HESJEDAL Ryder             (96)
75.           CONTADOR Alberto           (82)
176.          FARRAR Tyler               (181)

See the Stage 2 Classification at letour.fr

mh

A Live Blog

Tour de France 2011 Stage 1 Profile

The Tour de France started at 5:58 AM local Toronto time. The route started on a causeway that joins the mainland to Isle of Noirmoutier. At high tide the causeway is actually under water! The race then runs along the coast before winding into the interior to a category 4 climb at the finish!

10:43

3 hours and 45 minutes into today’s stage the riders are here:

Tour de France 2011 Stage 1 at 10 36 AM EST

11:17

There have been three minor (no one out of the race) crashes so far, all happened in the Peleton.

The Three escapees have been out there since the white flag waved signalling the start of racing. The day began with a “neutral zone” ride of 15.5 km (no racing allowed – a warm up).

Tour de France 2011 Stage 1 at 11 19 AM EST

11:27

Just as I took the last picture the escapees were caught by the Peleton – with 18 km to go.

The climb to the finish should shake out some riders from a leading pack – we shall see.

Tour de France 2011 Stage 1 at 11 29 AM

11:33

A group of 50 riders has broken off the pack to try and get a head start on the climb, The group includes Andy Scheleck, Gilbert, Evans and Gautier…

11:38

Up the mountain they go!

Tour de France 2011 Stage 1 at 11 38 AM EST

11:42

As the teams sprint up the mountain there has been a massive crash in the Peleton with less than 5 km to go. It melee has trapped Contador he has no way to get to the lead group.

11:49

Cancellara attacks Gilbert with 1000 metres to go but Philippe Gilbert catches him before the finish to win Stage 1!

Tour de France 2011 Stage 1 at 11 49 AM EST

11:55

Here’s the initial finish list – letour.fr is still up-dating the final classification for Stage 1

Tour de France 2011 top 10 classification after Stage 1

Philippe Gilbert wears the Yellow for over all time leader, the Green for sprint champion, and the Poka-dot for best maintain climber. Ah, the spoils of a fist stage win.

Many have picked Philippe Gilbert as a dark horse contender to win the Tour out right. He has the tools but just hasn’t been able to put it all together yet – the commentator at letour.fr was impressed with the way Gilbert kept his head at the end, countering Cancellara’s attack with poise inside the last kilometre. Gilbert is having an extraordinary year so far on the 2011 UCI (International Cycling Union) World Tour having won 4 consecutive one day UCI sanctioned races – he’s one to watch in this years Tour de France.

Here some notable finishes for today:

12. SCHLECK Frank
18. CANCELLARA Fabian
33. SCHLECK Andy
38. LEIPHEIMER Levi
48. CHAVANEL Sylvain
60. HINCAPIE George
69. CAVENDISH Mark
82. CONTADOR Alberto
96. HESJEDAL Ryder
181. FARRAR Tyler

Over All Classification after Stage 1

Click on image to go the the letour.fr page

mh

2011 Tour De France Stage Map Saturday, July 2 - Sunday, July 24, 2011

Stage 1 – Saturday July 2, 2011

Tour de France Stage 1 - 191.5 km

Stage 1 – Passage du Gois Mont des Alouettes – a 191.5 km route will start on the west coast, actually on a tidal causeway linking the mainland to the Isle of Noirmoutier in Vendée, (which is actually under water at high tide!) and then runs along the coast before winding into the interior to a category 4 climb at the finish.

Who’s Riding this year?

Lance Armstrong, while listed on the Team RadioShack ‘Riders’ page is apparently not riding in this year’s Le Tour.

Team RadioShack 2011 "Riders" page

“Never say never,” Armstrong laughed at the start of an exclusive interview Tuesday with The Associated Press, then quickly added, “Just kidding.”
[...]
“I can’t say I have any regrets. It’s been an excellent ride. I really thought I was going to win another tour,” Armstrong said about his comeback attempt in 2009, four years after his first retirement. “Then I lined up like everybody else and wound up third.

“I have no regrets about last year, either,” he added, despite finishing 23rd. “The crashes, the problems with the bike — those were things that were beyond my control.”

From an Associated Press interview by Jim Litke via telephone videotape published in the Daily Herald.

Ryder Hesjedal & Team Garmin-Cervélo

Canadian cyclist Ryder Hesjedal, who finished Tour de France 2010 in seventh place under the Team Garmin-Transitions banner is back for another run at a Le Tour win.

Team Garmin-Transitions is now Team Garmin-Cervélo – as Slipstream Sports LLC has lost Transitions to a major change in marketing direction (I notice the fashion eye glass manufacturer are advertising with Major League Baseball in a big way this year).

Cervélo - Baracchi 1994-95

But the change is in a good direction I think, now teamed up with avant-garde, Toronto based bicycle designers and manufacturers “Cervélo – Vroomen & White Designs” the team now has an elite bicycle manufacturer on side – and in fact Team Garmin-Cervélo are unveiling the new Cervélo S5 for this year’s Tour de France.

Cervélo started in 1995 and have designed some of the fastest – and most odd looking – racing bikes ever seen. To the left is the Cervélo – Baracchi, the first brilliant design by Phil White and Gérard Vroomen. These guys caught my attention back in the 90′s, but then I heard nothing further. This bicycle is revolutionary and remains the state of the art in bicycle design in my opinion. Starting with the efficiencies found through wind tunnel testing and computer modeling, the Baracchi remains – 15 years after it’s birth – the fastest bike in the world – yet it remains unaccepted by a seemingly overly conservative cycling culture. But Phil White and Gérard Vroomen weren’t stupid about it, they have allowed themselves to bend like grass in the wind, and have designed more regular looking bicycles that are still amongst the fastest bikes in the world.

“In 2003, Cervélo became the bike supplier to Team CSC, at the time the 14th team on the world ranking. Cervélo was by far the smallest and youngest bike company to ever supply a team at this level. Team CSC has been crowned the world’s #1 pro cycling team aboard Cervélo for three years. The partnership lasted for six years, until the end of 2008.”

Wikipedia: “Cervélo” entry

Cervelo is now certainly on the inside of that cycling culture, a major sponsor on the Vesus broadcasts of last year’s Tour de France, and this year a partner with one of the sports elite teams. Team Garmin-Cervélo and Slipstream Sports LLC could use this platform to force a change to the rule books of international cycling and finally make a way for the revolutionary Baracchi design to compete – and it certainly will compete – at which point every team will be forced to use it.

The Contenders

Contador
Last years winner, Alberto Contador, this year going for his third straight and 4th in five years finds himself under the gun, as the International Cycling Union have appealed the Spanish Cycling Federation’s aquital of Contador to the International anti-doping commission – the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) who may rule he was on performance enhancers during the 2010 Tour de France, and which may ban him from competing this year – if and when it decides to rule on the case.

Schleck
Two-time runner-up Andy Schleck is back and says he wants the fans to cheer him to victory over Contador this year. Schleck’s nemesis for the past few years is easy to hate, and in light of the dope scandal hanging over the Contador, the strategy may just work. As Yogi Barra pointed out, sport is “90% half mental”.

Barry Ryan writing at CyclingNews names his top 10 in this years Tour:

Tour de France 2011: the top 10 contenders

1. Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-SunGard)
2. Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek)
3. Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
4. Cadel Evans (BMC)
5. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
6. Robert Gesink (Rabobank)
7. Fränk Schleck (Leopard Trek)
8. Chris Horner (RadioShack)
9. Bradley Wiggins (Sky)
10. Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale)

* * *

The 98th running of ‘Le Tour’ starts tomorrow, Saturday, July 2 at 8 a.m. ET – live on TSN2.

“Both TSN and TSN2 will feature prime-time encore broadcasts of every stage.” ..says the blurb at TSN. I don’t get TSN2 – so I hope the rebroadcast on TSN is a real time affair – rather than a clip show. I don’t expect an English Canadian edit of ‘Le Tour’ would be worth watching.

Due to constraints on my time, I won’t be live blogging every stage as I did last year here at BikingToronto – but I’ll be writing regular pieces on the race and especially on the leaders, which I expect will include Canadian great Ryder Hesjedal.

mh

Google Street View on Madison Ave. looking west - The Madison Pub - site of the June 6th 2011 BikingToronto Social (7:00 PM)

I’m Going to the BikingToronto social tonight 7:00 PM June 6th 2011 – I always like to be prepared for a trip in near rush hour conditions, so I made a map of my intended route that (hopefully) will avoid killer traffic.

View Getting to “The Maddy” in rush hour for the BikingToronto Social June 6th 2011 in a larger map

I can’t stay too long though – afterwards (for an 8:00 start) I’m heading straight down Huron Street via Phoebe and Soho, to Queen and Cameron St. to see a play – at the Cameron House pub. The three mini-plays being staged in the back space are an Archival Acting performance – three short works by Actors/Writers Susan Applewhaite, Geoff Kolomayz and Edgar Nentwig – directed and produced by Beline Caroline Azar. PWYC 8-10 PM.

mh