Tuesday, 21 July 2015

GALLERY: The Beauty & the Drama of the Pyrenees

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The Pyrenees climbs are some of the steepest and most treacherous of the Tour and provided plenty of action as riders fought for every second. - Words William Edwards, Photos Beardy McBeard

Chris Froome climbs to the summit of Stage 10’s La Pierre Saint Martin, the first mountaintop finish of this year’s Tour. Froome showed the form he had in 2013, when he rode to dominating wins atop Ax 3 Domaines and Mont Ventoux on his way to the overall race victory. Riders make their way up Stage 12’s Plateau de Beille as a storm causes dangerous conditions on the road. Team Katusha’s Joaquim Rodriguez pedaled to victory alone atop the mountain, earning his second stage win of this year’s Tour. Riders descend Stage 11’s Col du Tourmalet in the Pyrenees. The Tour will enter the Alps on Wednesday as the final stage in Paris on Sunday quickly approaches. Team Sky leads the peloton up the Col de la Core on Stage 12, the third and final day in the Pyrenees. The Britain-based squad has dominated this year’s race, taking ownership of the yellow and polka-dot jerseys, as well as two top-six GC positions through Stage 16. Thousands of fans lined the road on Stage 11’s Col du Tourmalet, a route that’s been used upwards of 80 times in the Tour de France. Attendance rates won’t disappoint in the four upcoming Alpe stages, either, especially on Stage 20’s Alpe d’Huez. Rafal Majka rides down the Col du Tourmalet on Stage 11, which he won by a minute. The Col du Tourmalet was the highest summit for the riders in the Pyrenees, and is the second highest overall in the Tour, next to Stage 17’s Col d’Allos. Chris Froome approaches the top of Stage 10’s La Pierre Saint Martin in the Pyrenees. The Briton left everyone behind on the climb, coming in almost a minute ahead of the second-place finisher. Team Sky’s Richie Porte (in polka-dots) controls the pace as he and teammate Geraint Thomas lead Chris Froome up Stage 11’s Col du Tourmalet. One of Froome’s top domestiques, Porte has announced he will sign with another team at the end of 2015. Race leader Chris Froome rides ahead of the Tour’s other top GC contenders on Stage 12’s Plateau de Beille. The Team Sky captain has managed to ward off any attacks against him thus far, as he proves to be the strongest rider in this year's Tour. Tinkoff-Saxo’s Rafal Majka crests the famous Col du Tourmalet on his way to winning Stage 11. Last year’s polka-dot jersey winner, Majka has proven to be a threat in the mountains. The peloton makes its way to the finish on Stage 12’s Plateau de Beille to survive the last day in the Pyrenees. Riders have four grueling mountain stages left before the Tour’s finale on the Champs-Elysees on Sunday. Cannondale-Garmin’s Dan Martin rides between walls of spectators on Stage 11’s Col du Tourmalet. The 28 year-old Irishman finished second on the stage, behind only Tinkoff-Saxo’s Rafal Majka.

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