Stage 15 as it happens
Stephane DUFOUR
3 Italians ahead (Eros Poli sp? is in front)
yellow jersey group 20mn behind
Roger Thomas
translations of bits of AP France's two stories on the stage, which I think
are worth reproducing. Eros Poli is quite a character. After his long break
on the road to Futuroscope he said he enjoyed it because it gave him a good
chance to look at the girls without other members of the peloton getting
in the way. He said he'd like to get a 25-minute lead one day, so that
someone could set up a table and cook him spaghetti. He'd eat it watching
the peloton go by. (He had 25 minutes at the foot of Ventoux. I suppose it
was too hot for pasta). L'Equipe had a great pic of him on that first big
breakaway stage with his forearms resting on the bars as if there
were tri-bars there, hands sticking out in front.
(By the way Tobias's reports for today are lurking in the thread "Tour
de France Stage 12". Thanks Tob, and I liked the Abdu joke.
CARPENTRAS (AP)-- Voici le classement de la 15e etape du Tour de France
Montpellier-Carpentras (231 km)
1. Eros Poli (Italie - Mercatone Uno) en 6h31:59 (moyenne : 35,358 kmh)
2. Alberto Elli (Italie) a 3:39
3. Pascal Lino (France) 3:39
4. Roberto Conti (Italie) 3:41
5. Richard Virenque (France) 4:00
6. Armand de las Cuevas (France) 4:00
7. Piotr Ugrumov (Russie) 4:00
8. Alex Zulle (Suisse) 4:00
9. Miguel Indurain (Espagne) 4:00
10. Marco Pantani (Italie) 4:00
Classement general apres la 15e etape:
1. Miguel Indurain (Espagne - Banesto) 75h11:35
2. Richard Virenque (France) a 7:56
3. Armand de las Cuevas (France) 8:02
4. Luc Leblanc (France) 8:35
5. Vladimir Poulnikov (Russie) 11:30
6. Marco Pantani (Italie) 11:55
7. Potr Ugrumov (Russie) 13:37
8. Thomas Davy (France) 16:12
9. Alex Zulle (Suisse) 16:13
10. Abraham Olano (Espagne) 17:51
The mountain brought forth a mouse Monday in the Ventoux, with the solitary
triumph of the Italian Eros Poli (Mercatone Uno) without any impact on the
general classification. But the mountain provoked a drama worthy of the legend
of this inhospitable summit: the yellow jersey Miguel Indurain, victim of a
back-wheel skid on a bend on the descent saved himself from the ravine by
putting his right foot to the ground in the fashion of motocross riders!
This incident without consequence underlined the fragility of all leaders like
Miguel Indurain, at the mercy of the slightest unforeseen incident in spite
of his 56 lead on Frenchman Richard Virenque.
The hero of this .... stage remains Eros Poli, the giant of the peloton
(1.93m --[6 foot 3 and bit])...etc etc... one of the winning Italian Olympic
100km time trialteam in Los Angeles 1984. 30 years old and also team time
trial at Villach worlds in 1987. At foot of Ventoux had 25 minutes on the
peloton. At summit had five minutes, enough to get him back to Carpentras ahead.
"It was hard to lift my 100 kilos all, that way up," said Poli, for whom
climbing is not a speciality, but who likes to exaggerate his fine
musculature -- he in fact weighs 85 kilos. [187lbs]..... As at Hautacam,
Marco Pantani left his mark. Setting off from the foot of the "bald mountain"
in the Giro reached the top of the 1,909m with exactly 4.35 deficit on Poli.
[Roger: I've just watched TV coverage. It's worth pointing out that Leblanc
went with Pantani and the two had 37secs on the Indurain group, before
Indurain magisterially pulled back Leblanc, who had been dropped by Pantani]
Behind, Indurain had taken things in hand. Only four men survived his
acceleration, once past the Chalet Reynard and into the lunar landscape:
Richard Virenque, Armand De Las Cuevas, Luc Leblanc and Roberto Conti.
Imperious, the Navarre rider retook Pantani on the descent to lead seven men
to the finish, including his six runners up on gc: Virenque, De Las Cuevas,
Leblanc, Poulnikov, Pantani, Ugromov.......
Behind his nickname of "Commedia del arte" and "Cinecitta" and his well-
developed sense of spectacle, Eros Poli has exceptional fighting qualities as a
"rouleur" of the first order.
Alrady exploited this on stage to Futuroscope. "I wanted a big moment. Thanks
to all those on the roadside who encouraged me and helped to go further."
He thanked spectators by spectacularly throwing them his racing cap [Roger:
Actually a cut-down racing cap to make a visor, the sort of thing that American
woman in shorts used to wear at Wimbledon. I tossed it to the crowd at the
finish in a very Wimbledon way too].
From Verona, north-east Italy. Tallest etc, Signed his first pro contract
only at age of 29, with Del Tongo. Says he got good money as an amateur from
the Italian Federation and personal sponsors. Became Mario Cipollini's gregario
(domestique), leading him out in sprints. In 1993 worked in vain in Paris-
Roubaix for Franco Ballerini.. At the start in Compiegne was Eros with his hair
plastered down, comb in his hand. Very coquettish, he had to make himself
beautiful before taking on the cobbles [Roger: and why not!]
--
Roger Thomas
Roger Thomas
Lance Armstrong did not start stage 15. The bare result of stage 15
(from AP France) as follows:
After a breakaway of 170km Eros Poli won 15th stage on his own. Well done
the tallest man in the peloton (does anyone know exactly how tall? -- I'm
6 foot 8 inches, so interested). He came in 3 minutes in front of
Alberto Elli (GB-MG) and Pascal Lino (Festina). Miguel Indurain retains the
yellow jersey.
--
Roger Thomas
Roger Thomas
Before some clever proof reader gets his (or her -- where are all the hers
on this net?) oar in. Indurain's lead over Virenque is of course 7 56,
not 56 (wishful thinking) and it was Poli not me who threw his eye-shade-ex-
team-cap to the crowd not me (more wishful thinking, indeed downright
fantasy!)
--
Roger Thomas
Frits G. Boel
: This is as much info as I've been able to collect so far (6.15pm UK time).
: Lance Armstrong did not start stage 15. The bare result of stage 15
: (from AP France) as follows:
: After a breakaway of 170km Eros Poli won 15th stage on his own. Well done
: the tallest man in the peloton (does anyone know exactly how tall? -- I'm
: 6 foot 8 inches, so interested). He came in 3 minutes in front of
My dutch newspaper said he is 1.94 m. If 1 foot = 0.3 m and
1 inch = 0.025 m, he is 6 foot 5.66 inches.
: Alberto Elli (GB-MG) and Pascal Lino (Festina). Miguel Indurain retains the
: yellow jersey.
: --
: Roger Thomas
Frits
jcw...@muskingum.edu
It was reported that Poli was 6 foot 3 or 4 inches.
Jeff White
Roger Thomas
fr...@erasmus.et.tudelft.nl "Frits G. Boel" writes:
> Roger Thomas (Ro...@alcala.demon.co.uk) wrote:>
> My dutch newspaper said he is 1.94 m. If 1 foot = 0.3 m and
> 1 inch = 0.025 m, he is 6 foot 5.66 inches.
Short people may find this boring. I've now done the sums more accurately
(assuming Tour officials don't get heights wrong!). I was working on
1 metre being 39 inches. It's actually 39.37 inches. This makes
Signor Poli 76.3778 inches. That's 6 feet 4.3778 inches.
Which other Tour riders are over 6 foot? Indurain, Yates, Anderson. Who
else?
--
Roger Thomas
ilan vardi
Roger Thomas <Ro...@alcala.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>Which other Tour riders are over 6 foot? Indurain, Yates, Anderson. Who
>else?
Van Hoeydonck, or however it's spelled. He rides a frame that's about
a foot too small. He's out the tour, so there's also Cipollini, who
is as tall as Indurain, but weighs less!