A DROPPED CHAIN COSTS SCHLECK DEARLY…english version

Just as he was making a bid for time gains on his chief rival, Andy Schleck’s bike bucked him out of the yellow jersey. He had made the decision to attack Alberto Contador with about three kilometers to climb on the Port de Bales and although he opened up a solid advantage, he ultimately lost the battle because of a mechanical problem. His chain dropped and got wedged between his crank and the bottom bracket. Not only did her nearly crash, he had to do an emergency repair on a bike that was the same color as the jersey he would ultimately surrender in unfortunate circumstances.Contador was not going to wait around while Schleck repaired his bike and he had the support of one of the best descenders in the world for the 21km downhill to Luchon. Samuel Sanchez joined forces with Contador and Menchov to put time into Schleck who got to within 22” of the rider who began the stage 31” behind but ended it eight seconds ahead. The battle for yellow is far from over!

The Progress Report
The 187.5km 15th stage of the 2010 Tour de France began at 12.23pm with 175 riders still in the race. The course from Pamiers to Bagneres-de-Luchon featured two intermediate sprints – in Clermont (55km) and Fronsac (136km) – and four categorized climbs: the Carla-Bayle (cat-4 at 30km), col de Portet d’Aspet (cat-2 at 105km), the col des Ares (cat-2 at 126.5km) and the ‘Hors Category’ Port de Bales (166km).

Fast Start To Stage 15
There were attacks from kilometer zero to 35km but none were able to gain any advantage on the peloton. At 26km, the bunch split and Astana had the courage to try and gain an advantage on the second peloton that included Schleck. The maximum gain of the move was 10” before Saxo Bank reeled it back in. At the first climb, the points winners included the riders in first and second in the green jersey race – Petacchi and Hushovd – and they then tried to get in a move of 18 riders. The bunch, however, refused to allow any escape gain an advantage early. No escape was allowed to succeed in the first hour which was raced at an average speed of 47.5km/h. 
Lampre led the peloton to the first intermediate sprint and the points were won by Hunt (CTT), Knees (MRM) and Pineau (QST). 
No escape was allowed any leeway until the 93km mark when seven were involved in the initial move, but three others came across at 95km. The members of the elusive escape were: Vandborg (LIQ), Van Summeren (GRM), Ivanov (KAT), Mondory (ALM), Ballan (BMC), Reda (QST), Roberts (MRM) – who started the move – Voeckler and Turgot (BTL) and Perez Arrieta (FOT). The average speed for the second hour was 47.3km/h.

Portet d’Aspet
The peloton was 4’35” behind the 10 escapees at the foot of the Portet d’Aspet. McEwen (KAT), O’Grady (SAX) and Gutierrez (GCE) were at the front of the peloton that cruised up the second climb, cresting it 7’40” behind the stage leaders. No riders slowed down at the Fabio Casartelli memorial on the descent of the second climb. The Saxo Bank team led the peloton to the top of the Port des Ares 10 minutes behind the 10 escapees. The maximum gain was 10’45” at 138km. 
Geslin (FDJ), Mayoz (FOT) and Lancaster (CTT) crashed as the peloton approached the Port de Bales when the pace of the peloton had been increased by O’Grady (SAX). They arrived at the base of the final climb by 9’00”.

Voeckler Races To Victory
The first to drop from the lead group were Reda, Roberts and Mondory, this prompted Voeckler to attack 8km from the top of the Port de Bales. It would prove to be the winning move, and the first time that a French champion has won a stage of the Tour since Jacky Durand in Cahors in 1994. He descended with panache, let the closest of the escape remnants (Perez Arrieta and Ballan) over the top by 1’30” and Contador by 4’15” but by then there was an entirely different battle going on… the one to keep the yellow jersey!

Dropped Chain Cost Schleck Yellow Jersey!
With about 3km to climb, Schleck launched an attack from an elite group that included Contador, Van den Broeck, Menchov and S. Sanchez. He quickly opened up a solid lead and appeared destined to increase his advantage on the rider in second place. After about 20 pedal strokes, however, his chain fell from the front derailleur and got stuck near the bottom bracket of his yellow bike… it was not an easy mechanical problem to remedy at the best of times – but with Contador seizing the moment to attack, it required a cool hand at time of intense pressure! Schleck eventually remedied the situation but not until he’d lost 28 seconds – from the moment he dropped his chain until he started riding again – to a rider who was determined to put distance into him. 
Contador received reinforcements for his quest for the yellow jersey from Menchov and Sanchez. At the top, this trio was 30” ahead of Schleck – who was chasing furiously for the final moments of the climb, passing the likes of Armstrong and Kloden like they were standing still.
Although he got to within 22” of Contador on the descent, Schleck lost 39” to the Spaniard at the finish. Contador will wear the yellow jersey in stage 16.