Tour, 12.etappi

[Willy]

Mayo yrittänee kotiyleisönsä edessä karkuun. Riittääkö voimat viimeisissä ykköskategorian nousuissa, jää nähtäväksi. Kerroin 5.00 (Lad, B&W)riittää itselleni pieneen peliin.

Tässä hieman pohjustusta. Eurosport.com:


Mayo ready for Pyrenean party

Basque cycling fans are preparing to crash the Tour de France party on Friday as the race climbs into the Pyrenees for two key mountain stages that will help determine the overall winner.


The French have had plenty to celebrate during the first half of this year's Tour, including a Bastille Day win by Richard Virenque and Thomas Voeckler in the yellow jersey.

However, as the riders climb into the Pyrenees, most of the support will be for the Euskaltel-Euskadi team that is supported by Basque authorities and includes mostly riders from the small Basque region in northern Spain.

To show their loyalty, many lining the route will be waving the Basque flag and wearing orange T-shirts that match the team's jersey.

An estimated 70,000 T-shirts have been given to supporters by local authorities in recent weeks.

Many more fans are also expected to line the roadside on the climb to the finish at La Mongie on Friday and on the seven climbs that are sprinkled across Saturday's stage to Plateau di Beille.

REAL THREAT

All the Basque fans will be expecting Euskaltel team leader and elite climber Iban Mayo to attack on the final long ascent to the finish at La Mongie.

Before the start of the Tour, Mayo was considered a real threat to American Lance Armstrong's attempt at a record sixth Tour crown.

Mayo's challenge has been dulled after he lost time in the early stages of the race but he has promised to make up for it with a spectacular stage win in the Pyrenees.

"The Pyrenees are looming, that's my terrain and so everybody is asking me if I will attack," said Mayo.

"Naturally the answer is yes."

"If I could choose, I'd like to win at La Mongie on Friday. I know that thousands of Basque fans are getting ready to line the climb to the finish so it would be incredible to win in front of them."

"It won't be easy because everybody will be expecting me to attack but that won't stop me trying."