Chris Froome leads Tour poker game but Nairo Quintana still to play hand
— -- ESCALDES-ENGORDANY, Andorra -- It was mentioned the other day that the Tour de France is being raced like a game of poker. If so, is Colombian Nairo Quintana the rider bluffing?
After the last of three stages in the Pyrénées on Sunday, many were wondering why Quintana had not yet attacked, or shown any sign of making a move, other than to follow the wheel of Briton Chris Froome (Sky) who took the race lead on Saturday, and will continue to do so on Tuesday when the Tour resumes after Monday's rest day for stage 10.
Froome, who beat Quintana in 2013 and last year to win the Tour, questioned Quintana's tactics after Sunday's rain and hail stricken finish to the ninth stage at Andorra-Arcalis.
"I was waiting for his attack all the way to the last kilometre," he said. "In the last kilometre I thought, 'He hasn't attacked,' that he was saving it for one big move. I'd like to think he was on his limit. It was a tough day. He stuck to my wheel like glue by the look of it."
Froome finished the stage in 11th place at 6:35 to Dutch stage winner Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) with Quintana and Briton's Adam Yates (Orica-BikeExchange) who is second overall to Froome at 16 seconds. Two seconds further back came Ireland's Dan Martin (Etixx-QuickStep), Australian Richie Porte (BMC), and Spaniard Jesus Herrada (Movistar).
Froome leads the Tour by 16 seconds over second-placed Yates, 19 seconds over Martin who is third, and 23 seconds over Quintana, fourth. Porte is 14th at 2:10, while other top contenders include Dutchman Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo), seventh at 44 seconds, American Tejay van Garderen (BMC), 11th at 1:01 and Italian Fabio Aru (Astana), 13th at 1:23.
On Monday, as riders enjoyed the first day of the Tour that finishes on Sunday week in Paris, many others were still wondering about Quintana who is fourth overall at 23 seconds.
Was he holding back with a view to making a charge on Thursday's next crucial day for the overall contenders, that being stage 12 from Montpellier to the summit of Mont Ventoux, after which there is the 37.5km stage 13 time-trial from Bourg-Saint-Andéol the next day?
Or, is he waiting to make a late charge for victory in the Alps in week three; but then risk leaving his run too late, as he did last year on stage 20 to l'Alpe d'Huez where he was second. Then Quintana beat Froome on that penultimate stage by 1:20, but he still finished 1:12 down to Froome overall after losing 1: 28 on stage two and then another 1:40 on stage 10. Asked what he thought about Quintana not attacking on Sunday as Martin and Porte did, Yates said: "It's hard to say. If he had a bad day, he is still pretty good. He finished in the front group of 'GC' [general classification] guys. We will see in the next couple of weeks."
Quintana did not give anything away on Monday. Asked if not attacking on Sunday was due to a lack of strength or his strategy, he said: "It was a very hard stage and the temperature change was brutal. Having almost 40 [Celsius] degrees go down to 10. The legs are out of tune and many went to the limit. And you can't go higher. There were strong attacks."
Quintana was also coy about his intent for Mont Ventoux, a.k.a the 'Giant of Provence'. At 15.7km in length, the climb rises to its 1,912 metre altitude at an an average gradient of 8.8 per cent one. Adding to its punishment is how the road exits a corridor of forest half way, exposing riders to barren moon-like scree slopes and the full glare of sun and wind.
As third placed Martin said of the climb on Monday: "On Ventoux, there's no place to hide, and truth be told, it doesn't make any difference if you're on somebody's wheel or not."
Martin, who is playing down his overall chances despite his form and position, also questioned if the top contenders may play games on the climb if there is a strong headwind and knowing that the time trial waits the next day.
"It could become tactical and I wouldn't be surprised to see some riders not going all in," Martin said. "It also looks like it will be a hot day, but this doesn't bother me. I always feel fine when the temperatures are going up."
Quintana did not hide his desire to win at Mont Ventoux, saying: "It's famous in cycling." But then he deflected attention to Froome, crediting the Briton for the form he has in the Tour. "Big riders have won there and I like to win, but Froome is strong," Quintana said. "Let's wait to see what can happen. [I am] always waiting to see how they are rivals."
If not Mont Ventoux, then is Quintana planning a Tour winning strike in the Alps next week? Again he was circumspect, saying: "the Tour is long. There are many more mountains to come. We can't pin it on a single day. I have to go day by day and see a possibility of attack. "This year (Froome) has said he has delayed his preparation to be stronger in the last week. We are surprised, so we do not know what to expect. I am also prepared. Surely we will find ourselves in a dogfight and the legs will decide."
Whatever he is scheming, Quintana has every reason to feel good about where he is at. Not only has he avoided he time losses of last year, but he is also a year stronger in mind and body to take Froome on. It's now up to him to show he has learned from the past.
"On previous occasions, I'd lost much more [time] with less opportunities," Quintana said. "Now it's at 23 seconds and much remains in this Tour to cover and try to get that time.
"Froome is quite strong and his team is very powerful, but I am better than other years. Let's see what can happen in the time trial where I have more weakness against him."
Suffice to say, for all the stress and suffering of 1,766.5km raced so far, this 103rd edition of the Tour still has much more to offer - for some, the very best, while for others the worst.
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