Jon took his first stage of this year’s Grand Boucle and Pantini restored order in the GC by taking sole posession of the Maillot Jaune. In the French Alps, Contador and Sanchez showed themselves to be excellent team mates, one of whom took his shirt out of the wrong drawer over the past two days. Still, a menacing looking Schleck the Younger countered the uphill attacks by The Accountant with ease and managed to erase the gap the two Spaniards had created just before the finish line. Tomorrow should be an epic stage. Hopefully, Gesink has rested enough now to have a go either tomorrow or Friday. I reckon he fancies Friday, but tomorrow may suit him better.
Stage 17 results:
1. Jon (Pistachios) 13
2. Pantini (Pistachios) 7
3. Cameron (Pistachios), Robin, Sapna (Oncles) 5
6. Lucas, Todd (Pistachios), Ronnie (Oncles) 4
9. Chris & Mandy (Pistachios), Matt (Oncles) 2
11. Jeroen (Pistachios) 1
12. Bec, Michael, Milton, Paul (Pistachios), Alan, Astrid, Rogier, Suchi (Oncles) 0
GC after stage 17:
1. Pantini (Pistachios) 580
2. Matt (Oncles) 575
3. Astrid (Oncles) 569
4. Ronnie (Oncles) 560
5. Jeroen (Pistachios) 545
6. Rogier (Oncles) 540
7. Bec (Pistachios) 530
8. Cameron (Pistachios) 527
9. Sapna (Oncles) 532
10. Jon (Pistachios) 517
11. Milton (Pistachios) 496
12. Todd (Pistachios) 479
13. Lucas (Pistachios) 461
14. Paul (Pistachios) 440
15. Robin, Suchi (Oncles) 413
17. Michael (Pistachios) 412
18. Chris & Mandy (Pistachios) 410
19. Alan (Oncles) 384
The Pistachios have regained the leade by 1930 vs 1927
Robin
A glorious consolation to also firm-up my position smack bang in the middle of the table.
By: lerealtour on July 20, 2011
at 10:47 pm
Congrats, Jon! I am afraid you will forever be known as Jonathan “Middle of the Pack” Bertram. Still much better than Robin “At the Back of the Pack” van Koert, though (second year going now).
By: Robin on July 21, 2011
at 12:16 am
Jon, I’m sure the view from the middle is better than the one from the back!
I can’t help but feel Frank is the forgotten contender. He’s got considerable time on everyone except for Cadel and I’m sure a yellow jersey would improve his time trialling.
I would expect Contador and Andy to get some time on Cadel tonight. Contador’s attacks can split the pack and Andy can go with him, whereas Andy can’t seem to split the pack on his own. So Contador’s resurrection might just be the undoing of Cadel. Let’s hope not.
By: Mic on July 21, 2011
at 1:52 am
yes Mic I’m thinking the same thing. I’m really worried about Caddy getting smashed in the mountains tonight.
I don’t expect him to finish with the leaders but hopefully he can minimise the loss to about 20 secs.
They both know they can’t win the tour with him that close, so the kitchen sink will be thrown before the stage finishes.
Blood, sweat and a pile of Spanish entrails is on tonights menu. My prediction is that Contapation will finally get what’s been coming to him. And that’s the fastest decent of the Colibier, straight over the side rail.
Pantheon
By: pantini on July 21, 2011
at 7:06 am