Sanchez wins chess.

Samuel Sanchez won the 12th stage of Tour de France .

 

The Spaniard Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) won the first mountain stage to Luz-Ardiden. Alberto Contador has shown its weaknesses. Heroic, Thomas Voeckler retained the yellow jersey!

 

The fight, the great, she would be held the first meeting with the mountain? Not really. But skirmishes were enough to see a new image in the Tour de France: Alberto Contador outstanding. Abandoned by his rivals (Evans, A. Schleck, Basso, Cunego) in the final meters of the final climb to Luz-ArdidenThe Spanish lost 13 seconds on its main competitors. Saw nothing significant like that. But he probably lost more in the head. Fell twice since the start of the Tour, he was right to say that his pedal stroke was not as fluid. Here he is generally relegated to nearly two minutes now its competitors. And again, the addition could have been more salt, if they had shown a little more savvy.
Leopard-Trek set time:

To attend this event, it took patience 210 km, and between Cugnaux Luz-Ardiden, Storm front and two mounted retracted much of dupes. "It is not for us to take responsibility for running"Warned Bjarne Riis Thursday morning, despite the 1'30''behind his colt Alberto Contador. There were not even need to push this Leopard-Trek. The formation of the Schleck brothers wanted to show his strength at the foot of Tourmalet, Which was the second last climb before Luz-Ardiden. It has long asked why. Besides eliminating riders like Robert Gesink, Tony Martin ou Andreas Klöden, Diminished by a further fall, she started her own embarrassment. For to unfold and it has also stripped. In the first slopes of the final climb, no one was there to drag the Schleck brothers, planted at the top of the main group, not knowing what to do.
Voeckler Jaune rest:
It was all the benefit of Thomas Voeckler (Ninth in the stage 50 seconds) and heroic in the wheel of teammate Pierre Rolland (10th), to maintain its Yellow Jersey one more day. The Europcar team has thus found to play an unexpected role of leader in a final mountain stage. Without any complex. And with great gusto. Leader with still nearly two minutes ahead, the Alsatian can see beyond the Pyrenees. By adding a Jeannesson Arnold (12th) new White Jersey Best Young, a leader Jeremy Roy of the day in a breakaway of six riders (Roy, Kadri, Mangel, Perez Moreno, Thomas, Gutierrez), the French have brought honor to July 14. The fireworks, he has therefore given way to large firecrackers.
CounterThe biggest loser:
It was not until the last 4 miles to finally see the two Schleck brothers out of their torpor. Timidly at first, in turn. Then, a little more openly. A 2.5 km from the finish, Frank Schleck and left his companions on the spot. Not enough to take the stage win. Considerate, Samuel Sanchez was launched from the foot of the last climb in the company of Belgian Jelle Vanendert, he dominated in their final duel. Schleck failed finally to 7 seconds. But thanks to twenty times a second quartet unveiled strong men (Evans, A. Schleck, Basso, Cunego) of this Tour, it is now second overall. In this group, it lacked a missing mark. Stuck in the final Counter let go 13 seconds more. The strategy will have to change.
Ranking the 12th step:
1. Sanchez (Esp, Euskaltel-Euskadi) 6h01'15''
2. Habit dert (Bel, Omega Pharma-Lotto) à 7''
3. F. Schleck (Lux, Leopard-Trek) To 10''
4. Basso (Ita, Liquigas) at 30''
5. Evans (Aus, BMC) to 30''
Ranking General:
1. Voeckler (Fra, Europcar) 51h54'44''
2. F. Schleck (Lux, Leopard-Trek) At 1'49''
3. Evans (Aus, BMC) at 2'06''
4. A. Schleck (Lux, Leopard-Trek) At 2'17''
5. Basso (Ita, Liquigas) at 3'16''