1244: Egoi Martinez has been dropped by the front three (now a front two) and is falling back as Franco Pellizotti and Vladimir Karpets continue what must seem like a never-ending ascent up the mountain. News of the Manx Missile
Mark Cavendish too...he had been dropped by the main peloton but is now back with that group (which also contains Alberto Contador). It's going to be a long day in the saddle for Cav, however...he must climb for 40km just to get to the first summit today.
1242: The three riders at the front have got a lead of about 30 seconds on the next group of 15, and the main peloton are another two minutes back - with a few riders scattered between them.
1239: BBC Radio 5 Live's Alex Murray on 606: "Brad is in a great position in that he can follow attacks now rather than start them. As Felice Gimondi and others have said "Lick your opponent's plate clean before starting on your own"
1233: Well, we thought it would be lively, didn't we!
Franco Pellizotti went off the front of the breakaway on his own but has been caught by his rival for the polka dot jersey
Egoi Martinez and
Vladimir Karpets. Those three are clear on their own now, and the rest of the escapees are spreading out a bit on the road behind them.
1230: From anon, via text on 81111: "With Bradley Wiggins' time trial skills, how much time could he reasonably look at making on the leading two tomorrow? With him having proved he's no slouch in the mountains he's got to put some pressure on the two above him!"
The time trial is on Thursday anon...but it's a good question. I think Contador's comments about Wiggins (see 1152) show how much he respects the Garmin rider - he will want to put more time into him in the mountains today and tomorrow, to limit the damage that Wiggo can do in the time trial. Let's see what Wiggo can do in response - should be interesting...
1225: That gap keeps rising, as we go up (and up, and up) the Col du Grand St Bernard. The breakaway group of 21 riders are now
two minutes clear. A couple of Euskaltel riders have gone off the front of the peloton in an attempt to join them.
1220: We will have live commentary of the climax of this stage from the
Radio 5 Live team
from
1445 BST today. If you're outside the UK, worry not, as you can listen in too. I'll give you a reminder beforehand, as you will need to give this page a manual refresh to see the link.
1215: Fabian Cancellara was one of the riders to make up the gap and join the breakaway bunch, which now contains 21 riders. Pellizotti's main rival for the polka dot jersey,
Egoi Martinez, is up there too. Wiggo's Garmin team-mates are up near the front of the peloton but they seem happy to let this escape get away for now - the lead is up to
one minute and 20 seconds, with
10km of the 159km done.
1212: Im_partial on 606: "The peloton will again be split up all over the mountains today, and I am sure we'll see a series of abandonments. I'm tipping Schleck II (Andy) to give it another try today (with the able assistance of his elder brother Frank), if only to give him a chance to get further up the General Classification. It will be interesting to see how he has recovered from Sunday."
1208: A group of about 20 riders have opened up a gap on the peloton, with more riders off the front of the main bunch trying to join them.
Franco Pellizotti, who leads the King of the Mountains category, is up there at the front and there are plenty of Cervelo Test Team riders up there too.
1205: And, as expected, there have been a few early attacks. Astana, also as expected, are controlling the peloton and leading the chase.
1201: Right then. The riders are just rolling out of the neutral zone....lots of chat from you lot on
606 about early attacks today up the Col du Grand St Bernard. Today should be very lively, right from the start.
Lance Armstrong on Twitter:
"Interesting note - top 20 in this TdF separated by only 6 mins. Extremely rare with just 6 days to go. Tactically very risky 4 us."
1159: TOUR DE FRANCE 2009 AFTER STAGE 14:Yellow jersey : Alberto Contador (Spa/Astana)
Green jersey: Thor Hushovd (Nor/Cervelo)
Polka dot jersey: Franco Pellizotti (Ita/Liquigas)
White jersey: Andy Schleck (Lux/Saxo Bank)
1158: GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 15:1. Alberto Contador (Spa/Astana) 63 hrs 17 mins 56 seconds
2. Lance Armstrong (USA/Astana) + 1 min 37 secs
3. Bradley Wiggins(GB/Garmin) + 1 min 46 secs
4. Andreas Kloden (Ger/Astana) + 2 mins 17 secs
5. Andy Schleck (Lux/Saxo Bank) + 2 mins 26 secs
1156: enjoy_the_ride_again on 606: "Those who have not warmed up properly be warned; the road goes straight up."
Bradley Wiggins on Twitter:
"Just spoke to good mate Shane Sutton, a man you'd want in the trenches with you. Motivated for today, I think so!"
As well as being a 'good mate' of Wiggo, Shane Sutton is an Australian who is part of the crack coaching team at British Cycling. In fact, Wiggins has described him in the past as the 'heart and soul' of British cycling. Sutton is going to play a big part in the British team's future assault on the Tour de France too.
Lance Armstrong on Twitter:
"Just done team meeting. 2 big climbs today, will be aggressive from start, downhill finish. Team looks good."
1149: We are still in the Alps today, and another stern test awaits the 162 remaining riders as they travel the 159km from Martigny to Bourg St Maurice - starting in the next 10 minutes or so.
They go straight into the first climb of the day, the Col du Grand St Bernard, which is the 'roof' (highest point) of this year's Tour, at 2,473m. After a long descent into Italy, the second climb sees the riders go up the Col du Petit St Bernard (2,188m) before another downhill section to the finish.
1147: Spain's
Alberto Contador has taken the race by the scruff of the neck
after his attack on the climb up to Verbier on Sunday
and he is now one minute and 37 seconds ahead of his Astana team-mate, seven-time champion Lance Armstrong. Britain's Bradley Wiggins continued his magnificent Tourwith another superb performance in the mountains and he lies third, another nine seconds further back.
1145 BST: Blimey, good job Le Tour had a rest day yesterday eh? A chance for us all to get our breath back, let alone the riders, after the drama of stage 15.
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