1997 Tour de France
Desbiens wins stage; Ullrich in lead as race reaches midway point
By Andrew Hood
Outside Online correspondent
 |
Sergei Outschakov's winning sprint ruled too dangerous
(418k avi) |
It was a day for climbers to lick their wounds and a stage for the winless teams to look for a victory before the Tour de France takes its lone rest day Thursday.
Following two exciting stages through the French Pyrenees that put German wunderkind Jan Ullrich (Telekom) into the overall lead, Wednesday's 11th stage was a battle between teams looking to post a victory with the Tour reaching its midway point.
After a steep climb welcomed the riders right off the gun, scores of riders tried to get away from the peloton over the final half of the 192-kilometer (115-mile) stage from the tiny republic of Andorra to Perpignan along the Mediterranean Sea.
After several failed efforts, including a 47-kilometer, four-man break featuring U.S. Postal's George Hincapie, three men from three winless teams — Sergei Outschakov (Polti), Laurent Desbiens (Cofidis), and Carlo Finco (MG) — held a break into the finish.
Outschakov actually won the race, but judges awarded the stage to second-place Desbiens after ruling that the Ukrainian rode a dangerous sprint.
 |
Outschakov edged Desbiens toward the side barrier
(440k avi) |
Finco finished third, 18 seconds ahead of the lead group of riders led by Gan's Frédéric Moncassin.
Wednesday's stage was a bit of a breather following two days of exciting racing that saw the opening moments of what could be the start of the Ullrich era. The 23-year-old German moved into the overall lead by winning decisively on the steeps of Arcalis.
Early in the day, the Festina squad controlled the pace heading up the Port d'Envalira, the Tour's high point featured in Tuesday's stage. Team captain and second-place overall Richard Virenque confirmed his hold on the pink climber's jersey by topping out first. Also, there was good news for Virenque when the race jury reviewed video and rescinded a 20-second penalty
they imposed after Tuesday's stage. With the modification, Virenque is now second at 2'38.”
On the descent, the winless teams started squabbling for the stage. As the peloton sped past vineyards and peach orchards, riders from teams hungry for a podium led out on breaks. FDJ's Flavio Vanzella and Andrea Peron tried to get away twice. Rabobank's Rolf Sorensen led an unsuccessful early charge. World champion Johan Museeuw (Mapei) also tried to break twice.
Cofidis tried early with Laurent Gaumont and finally held a break with Desbiens.
The U.S. Postal team was in the action again. American Hincapie worked a break with Gaumont, Mapei's Wilfried Peeters, and Roslotto's Alexandre Gontchenkov for 47 kilometers midway through the stage, building up a 2'30" lead before being absorbed by the peloton.
Outschakov, Desbiens, and Finco pulled clear with less than 20 kilometers to go, and the peloton, looking for another field sprint, nearly reeled them in.
"I knew I could do something on this Tour de France as I had no pressure on my shoulders," said Desbiens, who was a last-minute selection for the team.
Two hours after the race, the racers boarded a special charter flight to Saint-Entienne in central France. Everyone else associated with the race has to make the four-hour drive.
On Thursday the racers enjoy a day off the bikes, though all surely will take training rides.
Friday the fireworks begin anew with the first time trial of the three-week Tour, a decisive stage that overall leader Ullrich heads into as the favorite. The 55-kilometer (33-mile) course features a category-two climb midway through the stage.
Saturday the Tour climbs to the hallowed steeps of L'Alpe d'Huez, followed by two more climbing stages that will test Ullrich's hold on the maillot jaune.
Stage 11 results
Andrew Hood is Outside Online's European cycling correspondent.
|
