TdF Stage 16 Orthez - Gourette-Col d'Aubisqu

After all the dopingshit with Vinokourov and the Astana team the stage of today started with a protest from the french teams and two german teams. After a few minutes they too started to ride and so the last pyrenees stage could start.

It was a though stage ending on the legendly col d'Aubisque. An early escape with great names like Sastre, Soler, Mayo, Verdugo and Arroyo left early but they couldn't get to the finishline and were taken at the beginning of the Aubisque. There Rabobank and Discovery Channel made it hard and everyone had to let them go except for Rasmussen, Contador, Evans and Leipheimer battling for the three first spots in the general rank. It looked like the Dane and the Spaniard would make another battle between their two but Leipheimer came back and finished second after Rasmussen who went solo after Contador cracked.

For Euskaltel Haimar Zubeldia could maintain sixth with 4 minutes advantage on the number 7 and 20 seconds after Carlos Sastre. Sadly Mikel Astarloza wasn't able to stay in the top 10, he went to the 11th place, but with a good trime trial he should get back in the top 10.

Stage Result

1 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 6.23.21 (34.20 km/h)

2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel Pro +0.26

3 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Discovery Channel +0.35

...

6. Haimar Zubeldia +1:52

21. Mikel Astarloza +7:11

34. Gorka Verdugo +10:14

35. Amets Txurruka +10:27

44. Ruben Perez +21:36

68. Inigo Landaluze +29:20

69. Inaki Isasi +29:20

70. Jorge Azanza +29:20

General Rank

1 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 76.15.15

2 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Discovery Channel +3.10

3 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor - Lotto +5.03

...

6. Haimar Zubeldia +9:39

11. Mikel Astarloza +16:52

25. Amets Txurruka +49:04

41. Inigo Landaluze +1:33:39

52. Gorka Verdugo +1:52:28

55. Ruben Perez +1:56:41

86. Jorge Azanza +2:46:07

92. Inaki Isasi +2:56:15