lunes, 29 de octubre de 2012

Millar and Delgado. Part II. Guzet Neige 84.

9th July 1984, the only stage in the Pyrenees, it is climber´s time, Millar and Delgado are ready


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A very tough stage. But first we will introduce you about this Tour, and the situation before this stage.

The 1984 was a very expected Tour by cycling supporters, and that was due to the great French duel, the former winner of the Tour, Laurent Fignon, and the great champion Bernard Hinault, old mates, now fierce rivals

Photo: © AFP
People were expecting a strong comeback from Hinault, but Fignon was in a good shape ( 2nd in the overall of a polemic Giro and winner of the French championship)...........and there were many outsiders, such as the Colombians, with the star Luis Herrera, and climbers like Millar and Delgado.........and the young world champion, the American Greg Lemond who was in Fignon´s team and was supposed to be an outsider.

The route was very complete and the final week in the Alps was terrible. Cyclists had successive stages to Alpe D´Huez, la Plagne, Morzine and Crans Montana with a previous individual time trial ascent to la Ruchere........incredibly tough.

The Tour started as it was expected by so many people, Hinault won the prologue and turned into the first yellow jersey.

The shadow of a dominance of Hinault flew over the Tour.........but it only lasted three stages when Renault team won the team time trial, with la Vie Claire losing 55".

But the real key moment of the Tour took place in the 5th stage. A breakaway with Vincent Barteau ( Renault), Maurice le Guilloux ( La Vie Claire) and Paulo Ferreira ( Sporting Raposeira) was not chased by the bunch................perhaps because the two most important teams were represented.

Photo anglade


Finally Ferreira took the stage and the peloton arrived at the finish line nearly 18 minutes behind.............Barteau was the new leader...........and the favourites were more than 18 minutes ahead of him, with le Guilloux 2nd at 1'33" and Ferreira 3rd at 3'13.......could they keep the advantage?.

Perhaps the favourites had gone too far..........

The overall classification was
1. Vincent Barteau en 18h47'53"
2. Le Guilloux à 1'33"
3. P.Ferreira à 3'13"
4. Van der Poel à 17'45"
5. Anderson à 17'53"
6. Hanegraaf à 17'54"
7. M.Madiot à 17'58"
8. L.Peeters à 18'03"
9. LeMond à 18'04"
10. Fignon à 18'07"
11. Vanderaerden à 18'17"
12. Zoetemelk à 18'24"
13. Jules à 18'27"
14. Van den Haute à 18'28"
15. Veldscholten à 18'31" 

......and Hinault was losing nearly 19 minutes.

The important stages were still to come but not in a normal way. Fignon won the 67 km individual time trial in Lemans. Fignon won by 49" to Hinaut who was third in the stage and the initial appeareance of a favouritsm of the Badger was now Fignon´s...............but Barteau was still the leader with more than 12 minutes to Fignon.

Ferreira and especially Guilloux were still in contention but the first mountain stage was getting closer. Another beautiful duel between climbers was waiting..........

It was the moment for the 11th stage from Pau to Guzet Neige, a 226 km stage, in a hot day. It was the moment of the only stage of the Pyrenees..........


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Climbs............Portet de Aspet, 2nd category
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Col de la Core.........1st category
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Col de Latrape-Guzet Neige
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A difficult stage, with several attempts, but the first important breakaway was the one with de Rooy and Arnoud, with de Rooy leading the pace to the climb de Ares ( 3rd category).

When they faced Aspet, De Rooy was alone, and passed the steepest slopes of the climb alone. The bunch was 1 minute behind with some favourites suffering. Roche and Lemond had been dropped.

In the summit de Rooy is 33" ahead of a little group of important riders.....................and then the important moment appear..............a group of 8 riders leave the peloton.......Millar between them.

They catched de Rooy in the Col de la Core and open a gap of more than three minutes to the main group. At the summit only four riders resisted, Veldscholten, Millar, Didier and Bernaudeau ( the new leader of the climbers classification)....with nearly 3 minutes to the favourites, with Lemond and the yellow jersey Barteau a little behind.

In the col de Latrape Didier is dropped and Lemond is still suffering behind...........Bernaudeau, Millar and Veldscholten keep on going with the favourites more than 3 minutes ahead.

Simon, Kelly, Fignon and Hinault don´t move ............Lemond still suffers and Roche is out of contention.

Delgado attacks behind in the last part of Latrape and close the  gap to 2 minutes........Millar knows the danger and when he sees the references decreasing he attacks too.......another great duel...........the Spaniard is closing the gap quickly and to complete the show of the climbers the Colombian star attacks, Lucho Herrera leaves the peloton, so do Fignon and Arroyo a little after......Millar suffers, Herrera catches Delgado, but there is only one kilometer left.......Millar can win


Herrera passes Delgado and the Spaniard can´t stand his pace.....................Millar´s advantage is less than a minute but he see the finish line and put his cap, two years in a row for the Scottish in the Pyrenees. Delgado in going to be third ..the win seems to be forbidden for him but he is a great climber..........

Millar wins.........Phil Liggett´voice breaks of happiness


Hinault suffers and Fignon and Arroyo are increasing the difference.............Barteau ressists........a sick Lemond is saving the day.........the final classification of the stage is.....

1.Robert Millar......7h 3min 42 sec
2.Luis Herrera...........at 41"
3.Pedro Delgado.......at 1'01"
4.Bernaudeau............at 1'47"
5.Gerard Veldscholten 2'05"
6. Ángel Arroyo...........2'13"
7.Laurent Fignon..........same t.
8.Le Bigau................at 2'49"
9.Alfonso Flores.......at 3'
10.Ruttimann............at 3'05"

...Hinault a little behind


In the Alps the duel between Millar and Delgado continues, a good fight for the climber´s jersey

Photo pezcyclingnews

but Delgado crashes in the descent of the Joux Plane close to Morzine and Millar assures the 4th position and the polka dot jersey,a great Tour for Millar who finishes just behind of Fignon, Hinault and Lemond. Barteau couldn´t cope with the leader´s jersey finishing 28th overall 1h and 2" ahead of Fignon.

The final classification was incredible, the first positions are ocuppied by excellent riders:


1. Laurent Fignon...................112h03'40"
2.Bernard Hinault.......................10'32"
3.Greg Lemond..........................11'46"
4.Robert Millar...........................14'42"
5.Sean Kelly...............................16'35"
6.ángel Arroyo............................19'22"
7.Pascal Simon...........................21'17"
8.Pedro Muñoz..........................26'17"
9.Claude Criquelion....................29'12"
10.Phil Anderson........................29'16"

Fignon is the new boss of international cycling, but Hinault don´t surrender, Lemond waits his moment and Colombians, and especially Millar and Delgado are going to continue their particular fight in the mountains.

See you in the next duel between the Scottish and the Spanish.




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