FSA K-Wing Compact Carbon Drop Bars

Description and Materials

• Continuous carbon/kevlar composite construction
• Aero-Ergo flat-top riser central section follows the natural arc of the arms
• Internal cable routing
• Reinforced and textured lever and stem clamping areas

Sizes

• 31.8mm x W400, 420, 440mm (tested) (c-c)
• 125mm drop, 80mm reach
• 2° outward bend

Specs

• 3K carbon weave
• Color graphics
• Also available in white
• MSRP: $350.00
• 247 grams (400mm)

Initial Thoughts: FSA K-Wing Compact Carbon Drop Bars

At first look, these are some sexy bars out of FSA. With a visible carbon weave and nicely laid out graphics on the top section of the bars, the FSA’s attract some attention as you get ready to roll out on a ride. While the red/white combo might not match all road bikes, it is subdued enough to install on just about everything unless you are really picky about color choices.

With an average weight of 247 grams for the 400mm version (440mm on review), these carbon drop bars are going to be lighter than the aluminum counterparts but not on the lightest end of the carbon spectrum. The extra material that goes into the rise and the unique shape adds on 20-40 grams for the weight conscious. At $330.00 to $350.00 depending on where you shop, these are not a cheap set of drops, so be prepared for a little bit of sticker shock.

Over the course of the next couple of weeks, the Road.Bike198 crew is going to put in the milage to see how these carbon drop bars perform out on the road and in the mountains. Stay tuned for a full review in the coming weeks.

Click here to check out more: FSA K-Wing Compact Carbon Road Bar

Other products pictured: Bike Ribbon – Eleganza Bar Tape | Blue Nx7 | Garmin Edge 705

First Look: FSA K-Wing Compact Carbon Drop Road Bars is a post from: Bike198 - Road Biking

Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador (AFP Getty)

With the 2010 Tour de France over, we once again crown Alberto Contador the overall GC winner in Paris as Mark Cavendish sprints to another top of the podium finish in Paris. Winning by the 4th smallest gap in Tour history, Contador edged out Andy Schleck by a small margin of 39 seconds.

The 2010 Tour de France was one of the more exciting races in recent memory. With the final showing my Lance Armstrong and the nail biting beginning stages that appeared to be riddled with wrecks, mechanicals and weather that brought much of the GC contention to its knees. As the competition unfolded, it was clear that we were going to have a shootout between two of the best climbers in cycling…Contador and Schleck. In the end, Contador proved that his consistency in the mountains is what wins the Tour.

Contador Wins Through Extreme Drive

Alberto Contador (Astana) fires one off from the podium Photo: © Sirotti

However, nothing Alberto Contador is doing is illegal in the sport of cycling. He often breaks the “unwritten rules” of the Tour, but they are just that…unwritten. He is the purest of competitors and for that…he gains consistency through results. At the end of the day, there are many acts and performances that lead up to the yellow jersey in Paris and racing will always be racing.

Contador’s Thoughts on the 2010 Tour:

“I realized early on that this year’s race was going to be very close and I had to concentrate at each moment,” Contador said. “There were moments when I wasn’t at my best and I know that by showing nothing and by bluffing, I won this Tour.”

“The truth is there’s a lot of emotion. I think it’s the first Tour to give me this much emotion. You can’t imagine how much I’ve given. Yes, there were few days when I wasn’t in my best form, and that might be why I’m so emotional.”

“The last year has been difficult for all kinds of reasons,” he said. “This year I’ve not been at my best all the time and that was the case today. But of course in the end I’m very happy with how the year has now turned out. All the victories this year have been the result of a lot of hard work. It’s been said that I’ve not competed in a lot of races but I’ve spent a lot of time away from home preparing for this objective.”

Asked why he had struggled, Contador said: “You never really know why things don’t work out as you hope after the preparations you’ve done. There are so many aspects to the sport that you have to take into consideration. Cycling is not like math. You can’t plan things exactly.

“But this year I’ve not been in my best shape. Today I didn’t feel too well. I didn’t sleep well and woke up with stomach ache, but ultimately the day turned out pretty well for me, although I suffered more today than at any other time this year.”

“Andy is a great rider and he is getting closer to me. We spend a lot of time together and I know his mindset and the way he works. I think he is going to be a major rival for many years to come. He’s very young and I’m quite young too.”

As well as happiness, Contador admitted to a good degree of relief having put himself right on the verge of securing a third yellow jersey. “When I started riding a bike as a kid it was my dream to win the Tour de France because it is the most beautiful race in the world. I can see what it means to so many people and I’ve felt under so much pressure, which comes not only coming from outside but also from myself. So it’s such a huge relief to have won the title.”

As for his future plans, Contador said: “I’m going to go away, rest and relax, and think about what I’m going to do in the future. At the moment, I’m evaluating several different options for next year. I hope to have a quiet winter, after which I’ll set my objectives. The Giro and the Vuelta might be a possibility for next year. As for this year’s Vuelta, I will rest and relax for a bit and then see how it looks with the team. However, the most likely scenario is that I will not take part.”

Time will tell if Contador can rise to the challenge of carrying the demeanor expected out of rider that dominates the Tour de France. So far…he sure has made it an exciting race to watch in recent years.

Ultimate Drive | Alberto Contador Wins 3rd Tour is a post from: Bike198 - Road Biking

Pierrick Fedrigo (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) wins the sprint in Pau. Photo: © AFP Photo

Lance Armstrong set out on Stage 16 of the 2010 Tour de France with one goal in mind, a stage win. With seemingly the worst luck in Tour de France history, Lance Armstrong’s last stand at the Tour has been riddled with mechanicals and a series of wrecks that even baffled the 7 time winner who arguably has the most Tour experience in history. To try to regain composure and go out on a high note, Lance Armstrong wanted a stage win.

The 199.5km stage 16 from Bagneres-de-Luchon to Pau was going to be Armstong’s stage and he made this readily apparent by making the early breakaways. The Lance of old seemed to be in stage 16 as he joined an 8 man breakaway all competing for the win. It all came down to the last 500 meters, but the last push by Pierrick Fedrigo proved to be too much for the veteran and Armstrong will go this Tour without a stage win.

“It was a very, very beautiful day, one of the best,” said Fedrigo. “I can’t say much more. When the group of Contador almost came back to us I attacked because I knew it was my day.”

Photo: (James Startt)

Lance on his performance on Stage 16:

“It was a tough day. I paid for it at the end,” Armstrong admitted. “I warmed up a little bit before the race and it went right at kilometre zero. 200km at the front took it out of me. I had a no sprint at the end. But I tried.”

“I had this day kind of dog-eared in the book but it was harder than I expected,” he admitted. “I guess I felt better as the race went on. It was tough day for all the peloton. It was hard…It’s been a while since I sprinted. We knew that Fédrigo was the fastest and then Cunego. We tried to catch his wheel. There were some questions whether or not we’d catch Barredo but I was just not quick enough.”

Despite not winning the stage, Armstrong was proud to have made one final flourish, one last show of pride. The attack also meant RadioShack kept the lead in the team classification ahead of Caisse d’Epargne.

“We did what we wanted to do: we tried to win the stage. We maintained team GC and Chris Horner had an amazing race. Caisse d’Epargne had two guys there but that means we’re equal on the day.”

When asked about the Tour de France and his professional cycling career, Lance simply said, “Lance Armstrong is over in about four or five days.”

So what now for Lance Armstrong?

With Andreas Kloden far off in the distance, Lance needs to take a more supportive role for Levi Lepheimer as the remaining days of the Tour de France unfold. That 3rd spot on the podium is still up for grabs, but it is going to take the team effort of Radio Shack to get Levi on the podium in Paris. Up until this point, it has appeared that Armstrong has been saving himself for a chance at winning stage 16. Now that it is over, it is time to put on the supportive role and really crank out a great Tour for Levi and the rest of the Radio Shack team.

If Lance falls to the back of the pack and just hangs out for the remaining stages, this LA supporter will be pretty disappointed.

Lance Armstrong Goes For It…and Fails – Stage 16 – Tour de France is a post from: Bike198 - Road Biking

Are you looking for a cheap way to get some extra energy for those last climbs on your road ride? Next time you have a store stop, have a Coke and a smile. Over our last road ride last weekend, a friend of mine reminded me of a riding tip that actually produces real results and it all centers around having a Coke and a smile.

I actually first learned about this trick from some marathon runner friends of mine. During their extremely long runs, they would have their supporters hand them Coke during the run for extra energy. Now, they obviously couldn’t handle the carbonation at that point in time, so whoever was giving them the Coke during the run would shake it up to make the Coke flat before consumption.

Now…you can’t exactly pack a cold can of Coke in your jersey pocket and head out on your favorite long ride. However, most long rides include some sort of store stop where you can pick one up, drink it and go about your ride.

What Does A Can Of Coke Do For Your Riding?

While it may seem off the wall at first, Coke contains caffeine, sugars and calories that your body needs during hard, strenuous road rides. This extra jolt during a ride can make those remaining climbs easier on the body and legs as you grind up the hill.

While you ride, your body is burning a massive amount of fuel. Typically, the simple sugars and carbs that we love so much get burned off quickly with a nice result of increased energy. But…the reason we should not eat too many simple sugars is the same reason we can not rely on them to last the entire ride…they burn off quickly, so you need a more sustainable energy source inside your body.

But, this leaves the door open to refuel your body with some more of these simple and complex sugars in the middle of a ride and add a nice little pick me up with the additional caffeine. If you think your stomach is going to have a hard time with the carbonation, you can shake up the can (use caution when opening) like the marathon runners to get rid of some of the pressure.

Is it all in the caffeine?

In an article by Peak Performance, they outlined the benefits of using Coke as a sports drink:

So why is Coke so popular with athletes? The research shows that Coke’s carbonation is not especially troublesome during exercise (and most athletes de-fizz it anyway). Coke’s carbohydrate can keep muscles working as glycogen levels plummet, and if Coke is mixed half-and-half with Gatorade, for example, which some athletes do, the resulting mixture possesses a carbohydrate content of about 8.6-8.7 percent, which is within the optimal range of carbohydrate concentrations.

But, no doubt the real appeal of Coke is due to its caffeine (as mentioned, a 12-ounce slug of Coke has between 30 and 45 mg of caffeine, slightly less than the increasingly popular Mountain Dew). As regular readers of Peak Performance are aware, caffeine has been shown to be performance-enhancing in a variety of different studies, and it continues to vie with creatine for the position of the hottest legal ergogenic aid available to athletes. In the past three years, research has shown that caffeine can jazz up 1500-metre running performances, improve interval workouts, heighten 100-metre swimming times, bolster sprint-cycling ability, broaden the endurance of experienced cyclists and even rev up 10-K running performances.

Will this energy be long lasting over the course of 40 miles or so? No…probably not…but it might get you over that mid-ride plateau that can sometimes zap the life out of a road bikers legs making the ending stages harder to handle.

So next time you hit up a store stop…have a coke and a smile…

Coke image by Brother O’Mara

Have a Coke and a Smile – Extra Road Riding Energy For The Last Climb is a post from: Bike198 - Road Biking

Alberto Contador Climbing Stage 15 (AFP Getty)

Attacking with the yellow jersey in the last 4 kilometers of the daunting Bales Pass, the Luxembourg rider, Andy Schleck, made a surprise effort to gain additional time on his key rival, two-time winner Alberto Contador.

But then suddenly he stalled. Moments later, Contador propelled around Schleck in a stunning counterattack. Soon, however, Schleck came to a complete halt, dismounted his bike to fix the chain that had been thrown from his chain ring while shifting.

Ahead Contador powered along with other rivals, Samuel Sanchez and Denis Menchov. But as he opened the gap on his key rival, Contador opened a huge debate. Instead of accelerating, should Contador have waited? Was he ignoring the time-honored tradition in the Tour that no one attacks the yellow jersey when he is down?

At the finish, Contador cruised in 39 seconds ahead of Schleck, enough to dispose the Luxembourg rider of the prized yellow shirt by a mere 8 seconds.

But as Contador pulled the yellow jersey over his shoulders on the victory podium, the debate simmered.

Contador’s Response:

“We’d been marking each other and I was starting to think about attacking. I was told after I did attack that there had been an incident, but when I launched the attack I didn’t have any idea about what the incident was,” Contador said. “When I did find out what had happened we already had a big advantage and it was too late to do anything about it as we were all riding hard.”

“Some people understand what happened and others didn’t understand. Those are the circumstances of racing and I knew there would be some debate about this incident. I attacked before he had a problem with his chain and was a long way ahead when I heard what had happened,” Contador said.

“I realise that this is a delicate situation and that there is going to be a lot of debate about it. But as I said before, at the moment I attacked I didn’t know what had happened to him, and when I found out I was already a long way ahead. On the Spa stage I told my teammates to stop without knowing at that time whether the riders who were in the lead would do the same. Then we had the stage on the pavé and there was another situation with a crash and the race did not stop there. And anyway I don’t believe that 30 seconds at this point in the race is going to decide whether or not you win the Tour de France,” he said.

“I can understand him being disappointed with the way that the stage turned out for him. But when it happened I was on the attack and the most important thing for me is that I gained time today. For me it doesn’t change anything. The goal is still Paris. I will keep focused on the race and trying to extend my advantage on several riders who are close to me in the standings.”

When one reporter said that he must have seen that Schleck had a mechanical problem because he was behind the Luxembourger when it happened, Contador responded: “I wasn’t aware exactly what had happened. I had my focus fixed very much on what I was doing. The other riders with me didn’t know what was going on either. We were all focused on pushing as hard as we could, all taking turns to work.”

Andy Schleck’s Response:

After the finish, Schleck was visibly unhappy. “I told Alberto, ‘how can you do that?’” he said. “Okay that’s racing. But I would not want to win like that. The thing is that he waited for me when I crashed in Spa and I really appreciated that. But then why attack me here?”

“He better be nervous for the next days,” Schleck said. “Now I am not in first any more. I am the one that will be attacking.”

Yvon Sanquer’s (Astana) Response:

Yvon Sanquier, manager to Contador’s Astana team, was visibly shaken as he spoke by the team bus at the finish. “That certainly is not the way we hoped to take over the yellow jersey, but, what can you say?” Sanquier said. “I mean, Sanchez and Menchov were definitely going. What was Alberto supposed to do, stop and wait? You know it is not like we have referees at every corner to call a play.”

Should Alberto Contador Have Waited?

If you believe the response by Contador, he didn’t know…so it would make sense that he would not wait for Andy Schleck to get the chain up and running again before attacking the climb. However, knowing Alberto Contador’s previous track history of even attacking his own team when they are down, one has to wonder if he would have actually cared given all of the facts ahead of time.

The unwritten law in the Tour de France is to not attack the wearer of the yellow jersey when they are down. Previous winners of the Tour de France, including Lance Armstrong, have waited for their rivals as they dealt with mechanicals and crashes, but the law of the Tour is just that…an unwritten law.

At what point in the race do you wait and when is it just racing? For many of the riders, this decision is made on a personal level gauging public perception. For Alberto Contador, I think his goal is very defined as it was last year. He wants yellow in Paris and he will ride in a way that lets him achieve that goal.

With Schleck out of yellow and looking incredibly strong in the Pyrenees, Alberto Contador might find this was a bad move in the mental battle as we have seen some chinks in AB’s climbing armor in this year’s Tour. Of course, Schleck is also in the drivers seat as he need to gain some serious time to overcome Contador’s time trialing ability.

So…should Contador have waited…or is that just part of racing?

Should Contador Have Waited? Schleck Loses Yellow is a post from: Bike198 - Road Biking

Back to his best: Cavendish takes another stage Photo: © Roberto Bettini

Stage 11 of the 2010 Tour de France came down to an exciting sprint finish. As legendary lead-out man Mark Renshaw made his move to position Mark Canvendish for the sprint win, he head butted Garmin Slipstreams lead-out man Julian Dean as he pulled out Tyler Farrar. What does it mean for the best sprint lead-out man in the Tour? He is now kicked off the Tour de France.

Mark Renshaw’s Statement Regarding Removal:

“I’m extremely disappointed and also surprised at this decision. I never imagined I would be removed from any race especially the Tour de France. I pride myself on being a very fair, safe and a straight up sprinter and never in my career have I received a fine or even a warning.”

“Julian came hard in on my position with his elbows. I needed to use my head to retain balance or there would have been a crash. If had used my elbows when Julian brought his elbow on top of mine we would also have crashed. The object was to hold my line and stay upright.

“I hadn’t started the sprint yet. We were still at 375m to go. After that Cavendish had to start his sprint early and I was also ready to finish off the sprint as I still had a lot left in my legs. It would have been good to try to take some more points. I only saw open space on my left. I had no idea Tyler Farrar was there. By no means would I ever put any of my fellow riders in danger.”

Video Coverage from VS on the Incident:

Mark Cavendish On The Sprint Finish:

“Julian came and he was fighting with Mark at the finish and it left me boxed in – if he’d have pushed him across, as soon as I saw a gap I had to go,” said Cavendish after the finish.

“Normally I go with 200 or 250 [metres] maximum and at 375 metres to go I saw a gap… it wasn’t so much a sprint but a little breakaway, well, by my standards anyway! It was hard, actually… It was a really, really long way to the finish – I thought somebody would be on my wheel and come around, but they didn’t,” he explained.

“I don’t know whether Tyler [Farrar] was with Julian, maybe he thought Tyler was with him… otherwise he was just trying to put Mark off,” continued Cavendish, who had a back seat view of the incident before jetting off for the stage win. “Like I said, if Julian was [coming across intentionally] it shut the door and I could’t go – maybe that’s what he was doing: trying to shut the door for me.”

Was Kicking Renshaw Off The Tour Excessive Punishment?

After watching the footage, I will let you make your own conclusions, but I think the reason he was kicked off the Tour was because it was so blatant. In high speed, confined sprint finishes in the Tour de France, full contact racing can have drastic and devastating results if gone wrong. Especially in this year’s Tour that has already been plagued with wrecks and incidents that have taken out much of the top GC contention, the Tour can not afford to have all of their top sprinters taken out of the race because of actions taken during the event by riders.

If Renshaw would have just done it once or twice, he would have gotten a slap on the wrist, but with the frequency and force he applied, the Tour organizers had to take drastic measures for the safety of the other riders on the Tour. Now…the big question remains…can Mark Cavendish win without Mark Renshaw?

In another flatter stage of the Tour, the overall standings remain unchanged and Andy Schleck gets to enjoy another stage in yellow just over 40 seconds ahead of Alberto Contador.

Next Stage: Stage 12 - 210.5km – Bourg-de-Peage to Mende

Stage 11 Final Results

GC Standings After Stage 11

Stage 11: 3rd Win for Cavendish – Renshaw Booted from TdF is a post from: Bike198 - Road Biking

Why Should You Ride A Charity Bike Ride?

If you are new to the sport of road biking or are looking to increase your mileage limit for your road rides, charity bike rides are a perfect way to increase your fitness and test the limits of your riding with very little risk. Typically, if you are going to try your first century (100 miles or 160 km) or metric century (100 km or 62 miles), you are going to want to try to test your legs ability to go the distance on charity bike rides for several reasons (that you end up paying for with the entry fee):

Charity Bike Rides Are Well Supported

When you ride in an organized charity bike ride, about every 25 miles (if you are doing the century or metric) has a sag stop where you can refill bottles with water or other electrolyte drink, eat a snake (fruit, bananas, cookies), get a goo or two, use the restroom and get ready for the next leg of the ride. Unless you plan store stops into your long un-supported rides, you are never going to have pit stops as good as they are on organized road rides.

Charity Bike Rides Have Medical Support

While you are riding a charity bike ride, (I did the Hospitality Highway Century 2 years running) there are automobiles that sweep the course to make sure everyone is ok. If you get into redzone trouble, help is just a phone call or wave of the hand away, so you can get help or get picked up for a mechanical easily and quickly.

Charity Bike Rides Give Back To A Great Cause

By participating in a charity bike ride, you are giving your money and effort into raising awareness and funds for a good cause. With 1,000′s of road bikers showing up to some of these events, every rider counts in the push to make our sport and the cause better in the long run. Even when most events are now ranging around $45.00 to enter, at least you have a good idea of where that money is going and you end up getting a t-shirt out of the deal.

Where Can I Find Charity Bike Rides In My Area?

The #1 best place to find a charity bike ride in your area is your local bike shop. If they do not already have fliers available, just ask the guy behind the counter and he can point you in the right direction. If there are any local, organized cycling groups in your area, one of the board members will know and you can also check their forum site to see when the next organized charity ride is going on in your area.

Charity Bike Ride: Road Bike Rides For A Cause is a post from: Bike198 - Road Biking

Photo: Paulinho executed the final kilometers of his breakaway win to perfection. (AFP/Getty Images).

The breakaway finally keeps off the chasers. In a fantastic effort by Sergio Paulinho (Team Radio Shack) and Vasili Kiryienka (Caisse d’Epargne), the two riders kept off the chasing packs and ended in a sprint that was won by Paulinho in less than have a wheel length to bring a stage win to team Radio Shack.

As Chris Carmichael at Bicycling said:

It was no surprise that Stage 10 had a breakaway winner. After three hard days in the Alps, temperatures in the mid-90s, and with 10 days of racing already in their legs, the peloton is tired. There’s still a lot of racing left to be done, and the riders know they still have some really hard days in the Pyrenees to come. So once a breakaway group of appropriate size and composition was established, the peloton backed off the throttle and let them ride away to a 14-minute lead by the finish.

But even knowing that they were not at risk of being caught didn’t make the day out in front of the peloton easy for the breakaway riders. They still had to deal with the heat and share the pacemaking, and there were four decent climbs on the course (only three were categorized, but there was a final climb that topped out at about 10 kilometers from the finish line). As a result, when it was time to start making potentially race-winning moves, fatigue played a big role.

At the end of a long road race, nobody has the same kick in their legs that they would have at the end of a shorter criterium. Likewise, you can’t launch stinging attacks the way you might have done to establish the break in the first place. More than likely, you only have one or two strong attacks left in your legs at all, so you have to be careful how you use them. Interestingly, if you look at power files from long road races, the power outputs for the attacks and sprints are not nearly as high as what the athletes are capable of in short training sessions. The speeds aren’t as high either, which makes sense because they are attacking after five hours in the saddle. To win you don’t need to generate huge numbers, you just have to have the energy to produce bigger numbers than the rest of the guys you’re with.

“I knew I had to attack to get away from the group, and I actually felt pretty good,” Paulinho said after the stage. “I was just a little bit stronger than Kiryienka, and waited until the last moment to make my move.”

“We did a lot of work for the team in the first week of the race. The last two stages were very important to the team, and we were quite strong. All we really wanted was to get a stage win,” Paulinho said.

“In the team meeting this morning, we were told we needed to have someone in the breakaway. We also had to look out for the team classification, so when I saw a rider from Caisse d’Epargne go, that’s when I decided I had to be there.”

This win brings a much needed boost to Team Radio Shack as they shift their focus from Lance Armstrong to Levi Leipheimer.

The Race For 9th

The second sprint race for the finish of the day came from the usual suspects. While none of them were in contention for a stage win, the sprinters made their moves up front to grap precious points for the green jersey. What resulted was a typical sprint setup for the finish and 9th place in the stage. Mark Cavendish came out on top and picked up the points.

With no real shake-up in the overall standings, Andy Schleck stays in yellow as we head into Stage 11.

Next Stage: Stage 11 - Sisteron to Bourg-les-Valence (184.5km)

Stage 10 Final Results

GC Results After Stage 10

Results: 2010 Tour de France Stage 10 – Chambery to Gap is a post from: Bike198 - Road Biking

Frenchman Sandy Casar (Française des Jeux) celebrates the second Tour de France stage win of his career. Photo: © Roberto Bettini

The 204.5km 9th stage of the 2010 Tour de France from Morzine-Avoriaz to Saint Jean de Maurienne marked one of the most exciting stage finishes outside of all out sprints. A breakaway containing Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Farnese Vini), Sandy Casar (Française des Jeux), Luis León Sanchez (Caisse d’Epargne) and Anthony Charteau (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) was almost assured a breakaway success with a run at the finish. Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck, however, had other plans. Closing a several minute gap coming out of the long Cat 1 climb and fast descent, the rival pair closed the gap through the flat finish and caught the lead pack with only a kilometer left to race.

Accomplished sprinter Sandy Casar came out with the stage win and Andy Schleck picked up the yellow jersey in a hair standing finish that had everyone on their toes. You could almost see the “holy s!#t!” look on the breakaway riders faces as Andy Schleck dove to the inside corner in that remaining kilometer.

The exciting end to Stage 9 was proceeded with a brutal climb up Col de la Madeleine where we got to watch the famous pair of climbers (Schleck and Contador) duke it out for this year’s Tour supremacy. The constant attacking back and forth lead to a break up of the overall pack and several chase groups all trying to not lose too much time on the two top contenders of the GC classification.

Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) has a word with Tour rival Alberto Contador (Astana) as the duo put time into all the other GC contenders. Photo: © Roberto Bettini

When the dust settled, Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador showed what it really looks like to have two climbing powerhouses but the hammer down.

“We’re both at about the same level, although now I have a lead of 41secs,” said Schleck, who won the stage to Morzine-Avoriaz on Sunday to close to within 20sec of Evans. “It’s now up to him (Contador) to attack in the Pyrenees.”

“I know what my aim is now, and which wheel I have to follow—Andy Schleck’s. I think he’s the most dangerous,” said Contador, who up until now has been largely unchallenged on the race’s tough climbs. “It was a really epic stage, and the very hard climb to the Madeleine left a lot of people struggling.”

Cadel Evans Loses Big

Race leader Cadel Evans (BMC) rode the ninth stage with a fractured elbow. Photo: © Roberto Bettini

With Schleck and Contador attacking and then working together to catch the lead group, yellow jersey wearer Cadel Evans lost big. With a fracture elbow, the fast, attacking pace proved to be too much for the veteran and he lost 7:47 in the GC classification putting him out of contention for a win at this year’s Tour. Noticeably shaken and upset at the end of stage 9, Evans still did a great job of carrying the yellow jersey while blue tape held together a battered left arm.

“I’m not at my normal level, but when you’re in the yellow jersey at the Tour whether you’re good or not you have to be there,” said Evans. “I haven’t seen the results yet but I’m pretty sure it’s over for this year.”

Radio Shack Looking Good For High Placement

Levi Leipheimer had a great day in the mountains and was able to gain positioning in the GC standings to cement himself as a possible for the podium in Paris. Team partner, Lance Armstrong, also looked comfortable in stage 9 which begs the question, “Will Lance win a stage in his last Tour de France?”. With a strong showing and not having to worry about overall standings, it looks like Lance Armstrong has a serious ability to get on the top of the podium during a stage at this year’s Tour.

Final Results: Stage 9

GC Standings After Stage 9

Results: 2010 Tour de France – Stage 9 Morzine-Avoriaz – Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne is a post from: Bike198 - Road Biking

This was Andy Schleck's (Saxo Bank) first ever stage win at the Tour Photo: © Fotoreporter Sirotti

Stage 8 of this year’s Tour de France promised to be an exciting event. With the GC contenders taking it easy in Stage 7, the steeper slopes of Stage 8 and a rest day on Monday guaranteed that the riders looking for yellow in Paris were going to bring out their climbing legs and start attacking. With everyone betting on an Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong shootout, the day took a very different turn that resulted in a very confident Andy Schleck pulling out the stage win with a very different turn of events in the field.

The 189km stage from Station des Rousses to Marzine Avoriaz marks the first of the tough climbing stages. With climbing powerhouses like Andy Schleck, Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong, this was the first time we are able to see who really has the legs to win this years Tour. With Frank Schleck out of the running for team Saxo Bank with a broken collar bone as he fell victim to the cobblestones, his brother Andy is now picking up the responsibility for Saxo Bank to deliver yellow in Paris and slow down the climbing genius of Alberto Contador. After is strong win in stage 8, Andy Schleck is looking to be the front runner for this years Tour.

Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) attacks Alberto Contador (Astana) Photo: © Roberto Bettini

“I’m very happy to have won the stage, but we have a strategy and I wanted to stick with it. It’s not the time for experimenting,” said the Saxo Bank climbing specialist. “Maybe I would have taken the yellow jersey, but my aim is to have it when the race finishes in Paris. And to do that, we have to go step by step. It will come.”

“I was hoping it would be decisive, though I was quite nervous this morning,” he added. “I knew it would be a stage where whoever had the legs would be up front. It is in these types of stages that we see the real favorites, the contenders and the others who are struggling. I was right up there 100 percent, both physically and mentally. It’s a great victory for me, but now I’m taking aim at the yellow.”

Stage 8 Seals The Deal For Lance Armstrong

Teammates try to take care of Lance Armstrong (RadioShack) Photo: © Roberto Bettini

The 2010 Tour de France continues to unload back luck on Lance Armstrong’s last Tour appearance. What started off with a flat at a critical time in the cobblestones has turned into a time gap that can not be recovered after a crash in stage 8. Armstrong suffered from 3 crashes in stage 8 that spelled the end of his yellow jersey contention.

“I had a bad day,” Armstrong told French TV within seconds of crossing the line. “I came around one roundabout and my pedal touched [the curb], then my front tyre rolled off.

“It’s hard to recover from something like that,” he said. “They started the Ramaz pretty hard and I was already suffering. Then it went from bad to worse. It was a bad day. Now I’m going to hang in there and enjoy my last Tour.”

Schleck offered his sympathy to Armstrong. “Lance had a pretty bad crash – he crashed in front of me, and he could do nothing.

“I almost went down with him,” Schleck said. “He came back but he was pretty beaten up. On the [Ramaz], he lost contact with our group. I expected him to be up there in the front.

“To be really honest, I’m a little sorry for him because he really wanted to be good in this last Tour. I think his morale is a little down now.”

A dissappointing end to a fantastic career, Armstrong now has to sit back and give support to his teammate, Levi Leipheimer who sits 8th in the overall GC standings.

After Stage 8, Cadel Evans (BMC) is in yellow.

Next Stage: 204.5km – Morzine-Avoriaz to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne

Stage 8 Final Results

GC Standings After Stage 8

Results: 2010 Tour de France – Stage 8 – Station des Rousses – Morzine-Avoriaz is a post from: Bike198 - Road Biking