(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Serrano takes the victory, attacking on the final climb and beating out his fellow riders in the breakaway of the day. This is Liberty Seguros' first stage victory of the Tour, a big lift for a team that's been doing bad enough that their own director has publically criticized his team leaders. Team Discovery gave up it's lead in the team classification to T-Mobile after T-Mobile's rider Kessler made it into the break. Disco have to make up 11 minutes in the time trial or send another rider on a break tomorrow if they want continue their domination of the various classifications.
Some minor reshuffling was done in the GC after Rasmussen and Vino each lost about half a minute to Ullrich and Evans. CSC and Discovery blew apart the peloton on the final climb and the various overall contenders tried to duke it out to move up position in the top ten. Armstrong was strong as he has been throughout, with him and Basso crossing the line ahead of all the other overall contenders (but far, far behind Serrano).
- Stage 18 Photo Gallery (Graham Watson)
- Stage 18 Summary (VeloNews)
- Stage 18 Results (CyclingNews)
- Stage 18 Live Report (Daily Peloton)
TiVo-delayed Stage Log
Today's stage is an odd looking stage, well suited to the breakaway.
My prediction: I'm gonna go with Erik Dekker today. I thought about CSC or T-Mobile trying to do a break today -- CSC almost succeeded yesterday, and T-Mobile needs all the seconds it can get to try and get back into first in the team classification, but I don't know who on their squads other than Vino could handle today's weird stage. I'm also gonna throw in a vote of confidence for Horner, who still hasn't left his mark.
Vino smartly took a time bonus to jump over Leipheimer into 6th place overall.
10 riders in a break, almost 12 minutes ahead. T-Mobile has put Kesseler in the break, which could put them back in the lead in the team classification. Even if they take the lead I think Disco has the advantage in the time trial now that Kloden has abandoned.
Voeckler, Merckx, and a CSC rider are in the break.
Cat 2 climb, 66k to go
Disco is setting the tempo.
Break: Kessler, Voeckler, Da Cruz, Martinez, Zandio, Pellizotti, Serrano, Vasseur, Merckx
From previous stages it would seem that Merckx would have the best chance of getting away.
Da Cruz is trying to escape from the breakaway. He is now chasing a naked man running up the climb with 10k to go.
CSC is now setting tempo.
Da Cruz has cracked and it's Merckx escaping away know. Voeckler is going to try and hunt down Merckx. Merckx is over the top but Voeckler is now on his wheel. There's a group of three just behind them trying to latch on.
It's now a group of six. Not sure where the sixth rider came in, but it's Vasseur, Voeckler, Pellizotti, Zandio, Merckx, and Serrano
On last climb to go. Someone in this break is gonna win, but who?
Merckx goes and Voeckler has matched it. Everyone but Zandio and Pellizotti is able to respond.
Voeckler has cracked.
Now Merckx is cracking.
Serrano is attacking
Back in the peloton Kashechkin is attacking, which will probably get a response from Discovery, which will want to protected Popo's white jersey
1.6k to go, over the top of the climb, and Serrano is still in the lead. Merckx and Vasseur are chasing, but I don't know if they have it in them to bring Serrano back.
Serrano zips up the jersey. He can feel this victory. Serrano wins and Liberty Seguros gets its first stage win of the Tour.
Back in the other part of hthe race, Sastre, Hincapie, Popo, and Armstrong are keeping a high pace up the climb.
Now it's Basso, Armstrong, Ullrich and Evans. Vino is losing time. No sign of Rasmussen. Oh wait, there's Rasmussen with Leipheimer and Vino a bit back. Evans will want these seconds on Vino.
Basso is gritting his teeth. Armstrong is stone-faced. Ullrich is falling off their pace.
Armstrong leads the group over the top of the climb.
Evans goes across first in this group.
Ras/Vino lose 36 seconds. Landis loses even more.
