On the ascent of Planche des Belles Filles Vicenzo Nibali triumphs and regains the yellow jersey at the end of a stage marked by the abandonment of Contador. A day of pain for the Spaniard, an exhilarating stage for Nibali who now holds the keys to the Tour, absolute ruler of the race even regardless of the misfortune of the others who in one week knocked out two big names of the caliber of Froome and Contador. The drama for the Spanish champion takes place precisely in the stage that the Pistolero had put on his agenda for the first major attack on top of the Planche des Belles Filles. There were about a hundred km from the finish when the Tour was shaken by a shocking news from Radiocorsa: "Contador has fallen". He was on the Petit Ballon descent before tackling the Platzerwasel one: the Spaniard is on the side of the road, his shirt torn in several places, his knee wounded and bleeding. There is an immediate perception of disaster.
Contador, confused but still in a competitive trance, would like to get back on his bike, but the doctor holds him back to give him first aid and bandage his leg. All around is a crowd of cars and spectators photographing the moment that changed the course of the Tour. The minutes pass, they seem like an eternity. In front of the group of Nibali, Valverde and Gallopin in the yellow jersey they don't want to accelerate but they can't wait for the unfortunate champion because there is a group of riders ahead with more than 4 minutes with Kwiatkowski in the virtual yellow jersey. Contador, before restarting with a bandaged knee, also had to change the left shoe destroyed in the fall. When Bjarne Rijs helps Contador to get back on track, his delay is now more than 4 minutes behind Nibali's group.
The Spaniard bravely tries to recover but his pedaling immediately reveals that the blows are serious. Morale is low. Saxo-Tinkoff stops three or four riders to try and lend a hand to their captain. The hope is to be saved today, then tomorrow is the day off to get back on track. But the climb was an ordeal, the subsequent descent in the fog and the slippery road due to the constant rain was a nightmare: after a few km Contador, increasingly suffering, gave up. He stops, gets off his bike, thanks his companions, almost apologetically, then gets into Rijs' car. At the hospital, the first x-rays will even ascertain a fracture of the tibia. The Tour also loses the other big favorite after Froome. A situation that gives Nibali the green light for the final success but which takes away the charm of a duel that could have set the Tour on fire.
Speaking of Contador's drama, let's come to the moment of the imperious shot by Nibali who leaves the small group of Valverde and Porte and goes in search of Purito Rodriguez who was looking forward to the first success of a season full only of ailments, after having conquered the polka dot jersey passing in the lead on the main hills of the day. The Spanish climber, who had left Kwiatkowski and the last survivors of the escape that characterized a long stretch of the stage in the lurch, was caught up by Nibali one and a half kilometers from the finish. “When he overtook me, it looked like a plane!”, Purito will say at the finish line.
.
An action, that of the Astana Shark, which led him to overtake Rofriguez in the blink of an eye, flying towards the finish line with a grit that left no way out for his opponents. Second at 15” was Thibaut Pinot, third Valverde at 20”, fourth with the same gap Jean Peraud, fifth Bardet and sixth Teejay Van Garderen, both at 22”, seventh Richie Porte at 25”. The former Gallopin jersey, despite gritting his teeth, reached 4'46” ahead of a disappointing Pierre Rolland by a few seconds. The classification, on the eve of the Alps after this Tuesday rest, speaks more and more Italian with Nibali in the yellow jersey with a 2'23” advantage over Porte. Valverde is third at 2'47”.
