The Frenchman Cyril Dessel won stage 16 of Tour de France

Posted by bumeral

July 22, 2008

The Frenchman Cyril Dessel (AG2R) won stage 16 of Tour de France, which took place in the Alps, and for which he held four hours, 31 minutes and 27 seconds

Cyril Desel earned his first victory in the Tour de France
France - The Frenchman Cyril Dessel, of AG2R, won the second Alpine stage disputed between Cuneo and Jausiers, 157 kilometres a day in which the Luxembourg Frank Schleck, of CSC, retained the yellow jersey and his fellow Spanish Carlos Sastre fell to fourth place in the overall standings.

Dessel, 33, fulfilled a dream that began in 2006, when dressed in yellow in the Tour but without winning any stage. It has the following imposed for speed in a sprint between four to his compatriot Sandy Casar (Francaise), the Spanish David Arroyo (Caisse d’Epargne) and Ukrainian Yaroslav Popovych (Silence), the most prominent survivors of flight hours .

Franck Schleck came with the yellow jersey safe 1.28 to the winner along with his brother Andy, Carlos Sastre, Berhnard Kohl, Cadel Evans, Alejandro Valverde and Damiano Cunego. Denis Manchov missing, injured the day for a “gift” from 35 seconds to their direct rivals. Worse was to Vandevelde, who gave 4 minutes, therefore eliminated first in the Alps.

The dismissal of Menchov and the collapse of Vandevelde alter the overall standings. Sastre allowed to move from sixth to fourth place, just steps away from the drawer, and 49 seconds of the leader Alejandro Valverde and Samuel Sanchez advanced one box. Not changed the posts of honor, with Frank Schleck in front, followed by Austrian Bernhard Kohl to 7 seconds and Australian Cadel Evans third to 8.

The first major opportunity for climbers not turned the Alpine asphalt into a battlefield. The CSC took the tip of Menchov, but failed to immutable Evans, a rival to beat, nor Kohl, with his relentless jersey “faralaes” credited as interim king of the mountain. The judge will be the Alpe d’Huez, where there will be worth the halftone

The Tour left the Italian town of Cuneo with a radiant sun and stifling heat announcement in the Alps. The president of the French anti-doping campaign Agency (AFLD) Pierre Bordry, “coconut” for cyclists, said at the start that he had no more positive on the table. Good news at the time of removing the seals in the second Alpine stage, which promised zafarrancho fighter.

The attacks were not expected path of the Col de la Lombarde at a frenetic pace that consumed 49 kilometers in the first hour of the race. Stefan Schumacher, the German Gerolsteiner one that swept in the trial of Cholet and sheathed the yellow jersey two days off from the first group were fleeing in the first ramps of the port and began his journey particular conquest of the first day high.

Schumacher premiered on unpublished Lombarde manage apace after the 21 km climb. On the cusp, which brought the Tour again in France, passed a group of 31 riders with guards of the favourites to 4 minutes. There were Voigt and Arvesen of CSC, Popovych of Silence, Arrow of Rabobank, Gutiérez Arroyo and the Caisse d’Epargne and Zubeldia and Txurruka of Euskaltel, among others. At 9 minutes the key players in 9 minutes, also with men Sastre in the bow.

Next Alpine resort, the Col de la Restefond Bonetto, the roof of the Tour (2,802 meters). The road highest in Europe, just two steps from heaven ruined Schumacher and selected the group that would fight for the stage and the overall standings. In this the CSC failed to rid himself of Kolh, Evans and Menchov, and what Andy Schleck in the promotion imperial attempt with a suffocating pace. He suffered Valverde, who spent those of Cain in the last kilometre, but managed welded.

John Lee Augustyn (Barloworld) put his name on the prize of Restefond along with Bahamontes and Millar, their only conquerors. Pursued by Popovych, David Arroyo, Dessel, a specialist in downhill, and Casar, the South African fell by an embankment in the fall. Susto immense. There was to emulate Juanito Oyarzábal to return to the road, miraculously unharmed. At the same curve almost went Cadel Evans.

The dramatic decline of 24 kilometers to Jausiers not changed the script. The quartet head not ceded to the thrust of the persecutors. Dessel was the fastest and intelligent with a final attack that gave him the first victory in the Tour and fourth of the season. The Talaverano David Arroyo tried it, but he lacked the “auction”.

Behind the roosters flew in. time to Menchov. Led by the “kamikaze” Samuel Sanchez in the fall, came together in the final repecho leading to goal. All but Menchov, who gave clues to the Alpe d’Huez. He hoped the stage of the century.

On Wednesday, is battling the queen stage of the Tour, the seventeenth, Embrun and L’Alpe d’Huez, fourth and finally end up. In the journey of 210 miles runners will face two ports of legend: the Galibier and Croix de Fer. Day key to clarify the overall standings.

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