Time to climb
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ByEurosport
Published 20/07/2004 at 19:45 GMT
The legend, the myth, the mountain... Wednesday, the Tour de France tackles what, in the words of Lance Armstrong, will be the 2004 race's "critical day," a 15.5 km individual time-trial to the summit of Alpe d'Huez, the Mount Everest of pro cycling.
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
"That's the stage that will decide who wins the Tour de France," the five-time defending champion said at the unveiling of the 2004 Tour de France race route late last year in Paris.
Arguably the most storied summit in cycling, Alpe d'Huez has an almost annual rendez-vous with the Tour de France.
The climb has served as finish line for 22 alpine stages since 1952, but 2004 is the first year the mountain has been set aside for a time-trial.
The Tour, of course, has offered other uphill races against the clock (10 in the past 25 years), the last a 32-km effort from Grenoble to the Chamrousse ski station in 2001.
Armstrong won that test, but the U.S. Postal leader warned his past performance doesn't necessarily predict a repeat.
"Chamrousse has nothing in common with Alpe d'Huez," Armstrong said, alluding to the latter's 21 switchback turns and lung-numbing beyond-category grades.
"I'm going to be spending a lot of [training] time there," the 32-year Texan said last year, at the get-go of his 2004 Tour preparations.
Is Armstrong ready for Wednesday's race of truth?
Judging by the US Postal leader's omnipotence in the race thus far, the answer is obvious.
"I'm excited to do it, to be on the Alpe," Armstrong said with near nonchalance after stomping to a win on Tuesday's seven-summit, 180.5-km stage from Valreas to Villard-de-Lans.
Now, the dominant question being bantered at the Tour de France is who could challenge Armstrong on Wednesday's Alpe d'Huez assault.
"Ivan Basso," insists Armstrong.
We disagree. And we'll also say the words Armstrong -- forever careful to maintain an objective, PR-friendly personae -- won't.
Alpe d'Huez and the whole 2004 Tour de France enchilada are already stuffed deep into the American's back pocket.
Wednesday's real question: By how much will Armstrong obliterate the top-to-bottom Alpe d'Huez record of 36 min 50 sec, set by Italian Marco Pantani in 1995?
Alpe d'Huez Fact File
Distance: 15.5-km
Summit Altitude: 1,860 metres
Switchback Turns: 21
Past Stage Winners
1952 - Fausto Coppi (Itay)
1976 - Joop Zoetemelk (Netherlands)
1977 - Hennie Kuiper (Netherlands)
1978 - Kuiper
1979 - Joachim Agostinho (Portugal), Zoetemelk (two stage finishes)
1981 - Peter Winnen (Netherlands)
1982 - Beat Breu (Switzerland)
1983 - Winnen
1984 - Luis Herrera (Colombia)
1986 - Bernard Hinault (France)
1987 - Federico Echave (Spain)
1988 - Steven Rooks (Netherlands)
1989 - Gert-Jan Theunisse (Netherlands)
1990 - Gianni Bugno (Italy)
1991 - Bugno
1992 - Andrew Hampsten (USA)
1994 - Roberto Conti (Italy)
1995 - Marco Pantani (Italy)
1997 - Pantani
1999 - Giuseppe Guerini (Italy)
2001 - Lance Armstrong (USA)
2003 - Iban Mayo (Spain)
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