Dramatic Move In the Alps By U.S. Cyclist

CANNES, France — Do you believe in miracles?You would think that Floyd Landis does after yesterday’s performance in the 17th stage of the Tour de France. His chances for a victory written off after his deflating performance the day before, Landis shocked the caravan yesterday by mounting an unlikely attack on an early climb, and turned it into one of the most dramatic comebacks in the history of this century-old race.He roared ahead alone, in the lead for some 125 kilometers, and erased all but 30 seconds of his eight-minute deficit in the standings. That took him from the ashes of 11th place to a very close third, and back in the race despite the terrible odds. “I had to make up for it,” Landis said afterward. “I had to show I deserved to be a leader.”It was clear from the start that Landis was determined to make up for lost time, but doubtful that he believed in such a miraculous ending. He didn’t believe even in himself Wednesday night. Explaining to reporters in his hotel room that the only thing he wanted to do at that point was “go out and have a few beers,” he gave his forecast for the rest of the race:“I don’t expect to win this Tour anymore,” he said. “Eight minutes is too much. Maybe just a stage victory.”It turned out to be not just any stage victory, but one for Tour de France lore. He conquered a grueling leg — 200 kilometers in all, five rated climbs, all under torrid heat — and without the help of his teammates through most of it. Not bad for his first stage victory.On the first ascent, the Col de Saissies, the Phonak team set a fatiguing pace and prepared the foundation for Landis‚ attack. Peeling away from three T-Mobile riders who were then at the head of the group, Landis charged ahead to catch an 11-man breakaway, and eventually dismantled it one man at a time.Between the second and third climbs of the day, Landis was three minutes behind the remaining group of sprinters, and three minutes ahead of the peloton containing the Tour favorites. There, he was forced off his bike for mechanical problems, and was given a new one going into the third climb, the Col de la Colombiere.The new wheels seemed to give him new life: He took off after the remaining leaders, caught up with them halfway up the climb, and at the summit he found himself with a shocking 8:35 advantage on the yellow jersey and its nearest competitors — meaning Landis had the virtual lead of the Tour.One key to his success this time was one of the fundamentals of the sport: eating.On Wednesday, Landis and many other riders skipped out on one of the food stops because the pace of the leaders was dangerously fast. That lack of energy caught up with him on the final climb to the La Toussuire, where he ran out of gas and lost 10 minutes, the yellow jersey and what seemed like all hopes for a Tour de France victory.Yesterday, Landis was well rested and refueled, smiling and chatting at the starting line. He dipped into every food bag and had enough power to sustain a constantly blistering pace.Another important fundamental was his handling of the downhills. He was perfectly aerodynamic and took only minimal risks on the curves.Second-placed Carlos Sastre (CSC), on the other hand, took no chances on the final downhill, braking solidly at the curves, adding an additional 10 seconds on the gap between him and Landis.Missing out on the yellow jersey is generally a good thing for the Phonak team, as it means they don‚t need to chase down every attack. But at this point, that logic goes out the window.For one thing, the top riders are so close together now that any attack is significant. This has made the 93rd edition of the Tour de France one of the most exciting ever to watch, even if it lacks some of the brightest stars.Plus, it is pretty clear who the man to beat is now, and it is not the guy wearing the yellow jersey, Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d’Epargne). Landis is the top time-trialist in the bunch, and if he keeps the same margin he has now, 30 seconds, he could very realistically take a broad overall lead on Saturday’s race against the clock.Today’s mostly downhill race from Morzine to Macon likely won’t change the standings significantly, unless there is a crash. This is now Landis’ race to lose.That comes as little surprise to his one-time teammate Lance Armstrong, who was visiting the Tour this week. Speaking on French television, he explained why Landis was the favorite from the start.“He has the desire,” Armstrong said. “He wants to win, and I don’t think anyone on this Tour can beat him. He’s tough.”

Dramatic Move In the Alps By U.S. Cyclist

Dramatic Move In the Alps By U.S. Cyclist

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