The Tour will probably be won by Bradley Wiggins, but the alpine stage, won by Pierre Rolland – much more than a young promise of French cycling – with the uphill finish in La Toussuire, he said three fundamental things for the history of this Tour: 1) that in the Sky house, today as today, the fittest if not the strongest is Christopher Froome, but by team orders he has to be Wiggins' "wingman". 2) who is Vincenzo Nibali, still today attacking twice on the final ramp, with shots full of desire to fight, he is the most dangerous rival of Wiggins and the battleship Sky; 3) that Cadel Evans, detached at the finish after 1' 26" by Wiggins and Nibali, gave the clear sensation of having already lost the Tour after his extension (a completely unrealistic result) on the Col du Glandon had shaken the whole Tour caravan.
After the skirmishes of the last few days, today's stage from Albertville to La Toussuire, although short (just 148 km) presented, before the final ascent, two "hors Categorie" mountains, which have become legends of the Tour, such as the Col de La Madeleine and the Croix de Fer. There were all the ingredients to attack Wiggins, who, being born a pistard and having already done the Tour de France six times without ever leaving a big mark, was expected at the first high mountain test. Surprisingly, it was not an adversary like Nibali or Evans who put him in crisis for a few seconds when he saw heaven suddenly close and hell open up, but his lieutenant himself. Froome. It happened that four kilometers from the finish, when Nibali's sprint had whipped Wiggins and his companions, forcing them to react until they reached the "shark", Froome suddenly sprinted with a powerful acceleration and angry. The Kenyan-British perhaps thought of towing Wiggins into the attack who instead remained nailed behind, also overtaken by Nibali. Moments of panic in the Sky house, shivering among the suiveurs in the face of the "rebellion" of the follower. Froomer must have received a curt earwrapping from his team manager because he practically slowed down, almost stopped waiting for Wiggins. Wiggins was safe. Not so Evans who fell further and further back along with Frank Schleich. The help of his young co-equipier Van Garderen was of little use to him. Last year's Tour winner looked more and more like a loser. Among the men in the standings, Denis Menchov went worse than him who got lost along the way while both Janez Brajkovic and Jurgen Van der Broeck did better, even if they lost more ground from Wiggins. Traces of Ivan Basso have unfortunately been lost for some time.
Talking of the skirmishes for the yellow jersey, the stage also experienced something else in a landscape of rare beauty. The exploit of Rolland who at La Tossuire repeats giving depth to the success at Alpe d'Huez in last year's 2011 Tour, it is an undertaking that confirms and enhances the qualities of the transalpine cyclist. If yesterday Vockler (now disappeared like our Scarponi) was the "chouchou" of France, today Rolland was its hero. First-rate climber, courage to no end (he fell on the descent, chased and then pulled away from everyone), Rolland is a candidate within a few years to break the French fast in the Tour's roll of honor (last success, that of Bernard Hinault, is from 1985). To strengthen the French hopes there is also Thibaut Pinot, 22 years old, who after having already won a stage, today finished second 55” from Rolland, preceding a wild Froome by a hair's breadth. Two seconds from the two they arrived in the order Van Der Broeck, Nibali and one Wiggins, who for the first time in this Tour, despite getting away with no damage, gave the impression of having suffered more than he should. Given the unexpected friendly fire (Froome's shot) he must therefore have liked the pat on his back, as a sign of friendship, exchanged with Nibali at the finish line. Those who didn't want to suffer anything was Fabian Cancellara who preferred to leave the Tour at the start from Macon to race next to his wife who is about to give birth.
