July 15, 2005

"Everybody is waiting" for the Pyrenees

Lanc Armstrong and all of his main rivals for overall victory in the 2005 Tour de France finished with the same time today, leaving the leaderboard unchanged - except for Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde, who had been in fifth, but abandoned the race due to a knee injury. Today's 107-mile 13th stage of the 21-stage race was over fairly flat terrain, leaving little opportunity for any of the top riders to gain time on Armstrong. The three tough mountain stages in the Pyrenees are tomorrow, Sunday and Tuesday, with a rest day Monday.

The first of the three Pyrenean stages has five progressively harder climbs before finishing with a steep ascent to Ax-3 Domaines.

Armstrong, looking gaunt and exhausted, placed fourth the last time the Tour visited the ski station in 2003 — the shakiest of his record six wins. Ullrich powered past Armstrong on the climb, cutting the American's overall lead to just 15 seconds. Spain's Carlos Sastre won the stage that day.

Armstrong has been stronger so far this year.

The Ax-3 Domaines climb rates a 1 on the rising scale of difficulty that starts at 4. Before that final ascent comes the 9.4-mile climb over the Port de Pailheres. It peaks at 6,565 feet and is so hard that it is classified as "hors categorie" — or unrated. The ascents combined form a "one-two punch," said Armstrong.

"Pailheres is a very tough climb," he added. "Very long, very steep and incredibly narrow at the top."

Saturday's 137-mile stage from Agde on the Mediterranean coast is followed Sunday by perhaps the hardest stage this year. It has a succession of five climbs, one rated 2, the others 1, before an "hors categorie" final ascent to Saint-Lary Soulan.

Monday is a rest day before the last high mountain stage. Should the Pyrenees not prove decisive, the outcome of the three-week race will likely be decided in a time trial the day before the Tour ends July 24. Armstrong will retire then — he hopes with a seventh consecutive win.