A Gulf In Class

On the fearsome slopes of the Col du Tourmalet Andy Schleck destroyed a coalition of the six subsequently placed rides, putting 1'45" into them. This was a break of astounding force; regular rotation of the poursouviants eases individual load considerably, yet Schleck powered away from big names such as Sanchez and Menchev into the thick fog.

However, the one man he failed to break was the very one he most wanted to: Alberto Contador. Albert the Accountant's eight second lead looks slender, but when his vastly superior time-trialling ability is taken into account it is obvious that Schleck needed to make up far more than eight seconds. Contador clung limpet-like to his competitors back wheel, conserving his energy, doing the minimum necessary to hold his position in both stage and GC. Intrestingly, then, that when Contador made his move in his usual devastating style Schleck was able to follow. Thwarted, Contador once more retreated to Schleck's back wheel, settling for negating his ever-weaker attacks.

The parallels with the famous duel between Jaques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor on the Puy de Dôme are worth looking at. In both instances the second placed rider took the stage win - Poulidor in 1964. Both times the two riders had broken off the front of the peloton and were riding alone, but Anquetil arrogance exceeded Contadors: he wanted to beat his great rival despite having a similarly slender lead as Contadors. By the summit of the Puy de Dôme Anquetil was only fourteen seconds ahead. Anquetil's lead was extended to 55 seconds by the end of the penultimate stage's time-triall, and we could well see a repeat of that on Saturday.

The struggle up the Tourmalet was hugely engrossing, but at the same time it feels like we have been deprived of a direct fight for victory between these two great cyclists. Schleck gained ten seconds on the short climb to Morzine-Avoriaz; Contador wrestled ten seconds back up to Monde. Had Schleck's chain not inexplicably snagged immediately following his attack on the Port de Balès perhaps we could have seen it then, but alas Lady Luck intervened.

What we can be sure of is that next year's edition will be even closer. Last year Contador won by four minutes; this year it will be no more than two; next year, who knows? The route this year, despite its punishing difficulty, was brilliantly thought-out by Mr Prudhomme and will hopefully give him to confidence to try something equally mountaneous. We could have just seen the second stage of one of the great rivalries of sport, and Prudhomme would be a fool to resist allowing it to develop further.