THE RACE LIVE

The film of the stage

McEwen Wins Again While Horner Is The Hero

Escapes are mandatory in the intermediate stages between the mountain ranges of the Tour de France. Since the beginning of the Armstrong Era, the winners in the days between the Alps and the Pyrenees have been riders that have been involved in an ‘echapee’. That was almost the case again today. But because the battle for the green jersey is on again, thanks to the retirement of the former points classification leader Tom Boonen, the winner was determined in a bunch sprint. Robbie McEwen rewarded his Davitamon-Lotto team-mates by crossing the line first. Before the Australian champion threw his salute, however, there was one big question that needed to be answered: will they or won’t they stay away?
‘They’ were Chris Horner and Sylvain Chavanel. The former was part of a five-man break that escaped the peloton after 17 kilometers of the stage from Miramas to Montpellier, the latter a man riding on the motivation provided by the whiff of a win and the performance of his colleague David Moncoutie on Bastille Day.
Together with the instigator of the today’s long escape Carlos Da Cruz, the Spanish opportunist Juan Antonio Flecha, and two local ‘roulers’ Thomas Voeckler and Ludovic Turpin, the American who rides for Saunier Duval-Prodir worked hard in the obligatory attack.
After a rapid hour of racing, Horner’s quintet had a lead on the peloton in excess of nine minutes. Normally this would have signaled the theme of what was yet to come. In ordinary circumstances the escapees would have pushed their leading margin even higher and the peloton would have been content to roll into town to contest the sprint for sixth place. Boonen’s absence, however, changed the format of this transitional stage.
Davitamon-Lotto riders came forward after the rapid first hour – in which the leading five covered 51km! – and began their pursuit. Their sprinter, Robbie McEwen, began the hot stage ranked third in the points classification and the flat course was ideally suited for a bunch finish. This is why guys like Wim Vansevenant, Johan van Summeren and Christophe Brandt put the peloton into overdrive en route to Montpellier. Two of these Davitamon-Lotto riders who swapped off at the front of the bunch for hour after hour are ranked last and second-last in the stage, but McEwen insisted on reminding everyone at the finish that his victory was largely thanks to their toil.
With the 35 points he collected for the stage win, McEwen is now only 22 points behind Thor Hushovd in the race for the green jersey. Wedged between the Norwegian who leads the points classification and the winner of stages five, seven and 13 is today’s runner-up, Stuart O’Grady.
The green jersey was the catalyst for today’s pursuit. Had the contest not been so close, it’s almost certain that Horner would have become the seventh American to win a stage of the Tour. The 33-year-old has made a late debut at the Tour but he has proven his worth in the first fortnight. He was ninth in the stage to Gerardmer and 10th today. But you cannot read today’s results to get a true impression of what unfolded in the capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon region.
Nothing can be taken away from McEwen’s victory. He was strong and patient in the sprint to the line. He followed the wheel of his team-mate Fred Rodriguez around the final turn and burst into the lead in the dying meters to claim stage win number three for this year alone. But it was Horner who clung on to 10th place who deserves a special mention today.
Chris had been ahead of the peloton for over 150km. He worked in unison with his four escape companions to try and stay clear of the committed pursuit. When this group was caught by Chavanel 10km from the finish, it seemed only a matter of time until they were swallowed up. But the Frenchman wanted to give Cofidis their second win in as many days. He attacked hard and only Horner could follow.
As the kilometres counted down their advantage over the peloton slowly trickled down: 18 seconds with five kilometres to go; 15 seconds with four kilometres to go; eight seconds at the start of the last kilometre… will they or won’t they stay away? No is the answer.
Rodriguez caught his compatriot and claimed third behind his team-mate but Horner clung on for 10th place. Congratulations Chris! Being beaten by McEwen is something all riders in the pro peloton are growing accustomed to. Not conceding defeat, however, is the hallmark of a true champion.

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