Riblon slips away as leaders stalk each other

CYCLING TOUR DE FRANCE:A BATTLE with all guns blazing was expected on day one of the Pyrenees, but instead we got more of a chess match. Race leader Andy Schleck and last year's champion Alberto Contador shadowed each other closely during yesterday's 14th stage, to such an extent that with less than four kilometres remaining the other contenders simply rode away from them.

The main beneficiary of the stop-go racing was the day’s winner, Christophe Riblon, the only one of an early breakaway who was able to stay clear until the summit finish at Ax 3 Domaines.

The Ag2r La Mondiale rider might have been caught had the overall contenders not been involved in such a tactical battle, but instead he was given enough leeway to grab his biggest career result and also to snatch the fourth French stage in this year’s Tour.

Riblon, a team-mate of Nicolas Roche, went away with eight others 25km after the start in Revel and built a lead of 10 minutes. Among those present were Geraint Thomas (Sky) and US time-trial champion Dave Zabriskie (Garmin Transitions), but it was fellow Frenchman Amaël Moinard (Cofidis) who lastest longest, finally being shelled by Riblon on the penultimate climb of Port de Pailhéres.

The lone leader then soloed up the final climb, hitting the line 54 seconds ahead of Denis Menchov (Rabobank) and Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel Euskadi).

The Russian and the Spaniard had jumped clear of the group of main contenders when Contador and Schleck got tangled up in a battle of wits. After Contador unsuccessfully tried three times to shake off his rival, he insisted that Schleck stop shadowing his wheel, and deliberately dropped off the back to try to entice him to pass him. The effect was that several other big names simply rode away, although the dropped duo were able to recapture all bar Menchov and Sánchez, who stole 14 seconds.

Roche had a solid performance on this first Pyrenean stage, placing 18th. He came home two minutes 27 seconds behind his team-mate, but only conceded 1:33 to Menchov and Sánchez, and just 1:19 to the Schleck/Contador group. He remained an excellent 14th overall.

“I was happy,” he said after what was a tough, hot day’s racing through some stunning mountain scenery.

“I though I was going to be able to put a bit more time into Basso and Kreuziger, who had a bad day. In the end I didn’t get much, so that was a disappointment. But I was happy I had good legs today on the final climb.

“If you look at the top 20, there are only good names now at this stage. It is a sign of improvement as I didn’t climb with those guys last year.”

One big name who certainly lost time was seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong. He was promising big surprises before the stage but, as has been the case on many days in this tour, he and his RadioShack team-mates have simply not been in the running.

He crossed the line 70th, over 15 minutes back, yet the suspicion remains that he will make a big effort to win today’s stage to Bagnères-de-Lucon.

That will depend on his legs, and whether he can squeeze out one last big performance.

One who is certain to have a go is Schleck, though, as he holds a mere 31-second advantage over Contador. The Spaniard will take fare more time than that out of him in Saturday’s 52-kilometre time trial, and so the onus is on the race leader to build a bigger buffer.

“I am quite satisfied with today’s result,” he said, but then admitted that he needs to open a gap.

“I will attack when the time is right and I’m sure that tomorrow’s stage will be different.”

Today’s race takes in the tough Port de Balès climb, which is nearly 20 kilometres long.

It is followed by a 21.5 kilometre descent to the line, which could give noted downhill specialist Sànchez the chance to reinforce his third place overall, and perhaps even edge closer to the two riders ahead of him.