Luz-Ardiden, France

Tour de France, Stage 12: A Strong Finish

Cadel Evans of the BMC Racing Team confirmed his climbing form on the Tour de France's first major mountain stage by finishing fifth and gaining more time on several of the overall contenders.

Following Attacks

Following an attack by Frank Schleck in the final kilometers of the climb to Luz-Ardiden, Evans was among a select chase group that included Ivan Basso, Andy Schleck, Alberto Contador and Damiano Cunego. "The first real mountain top finish in the Tour there's always something you don't expect and something you do expect," Evans said. "It's still early in the mountains and it's a long way to Paris. If the team just keeps going as it has done every day so far, we'll really put ourselves in a great position and get ourselves in a great position in Paris."

Gaining Time

Olympic champion Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) rode away from Jelle Vanendert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) to take the stage win, while Frank Schleck (Team Leopard Trek) was third. Evans comfortably followed Basso home as defending Tour champion Contador (Saxo Bank Sungard) conceded 13 seconds. Thomas Voeckler (Team Europcar) finished 20 seconds behind Evans to keep the yellow jersey with a 1:49 advantage over Frank Schleck and 2:06 over Evans in third. "You're never particularly comfortable in the Tour at any moment, right now included," Evans said. "We just have to stay calm for now and see how things go in the coming days."

Team Astana’s Sweden, Fredrik Kessiakoff, wins solo on top of the Kitzbüheler Horn. He explains "I feel very well since the last training camp at altitude, the legs are there. Yesterday evening I watched the road of the stage and saw the mountainous profile, I felt that it could fit me. The team has worked very well to place me before the mountain, then after a kilometer climb, the attacks started from, I moved in a group, but I decided not to respond to attacks I preferred to keep my own rhythm. The others left me do and I left without looking back, then I crossed the finish line alone in the lead, it was wonderful! "

Indeed, it is a big emotion that invades Fredrik tonight. He joined the very first time a professional road cycling team three years ago. Former Mountain Bike specialist it’s his first victory on the road "I am delighted, I can not believe it, I think tonight I'll sleep with a big smile on the face! ".

Fredrik is now leading the overall standings of the Tour of Austria with a 1min18s on Italian Mauro Santambrogio (BMC), second in this ranking, "I am proud to wear the leader's jersey, and of course we will do everything for defend it! We have a good team here, we are all in good shape, we will give the maximum, but it won’t be so easy”