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Lap of honor Retiring Jalabert stages thrilling break in PyreneesPosted: Thursday July 18, 2002 12:59 PMLA MONGIE, France (Reuters) -- Laurent Jalabert put on a show for his fans during the first mountain stage of the Tour de France on Thursday, to celebrate 14 years of a distinguished career. The 33-year-old Frenchman, who announced his retirement Tuesday, took the rest of the bunch by surprise when he attacked in the first super category climb of the Tour, the Aubisque pass. The CSC-Tiscali leader proved, as he reached the top of the first Pyrenees climb, that his decision to quit had not been made because he had lost his touch or his form. "I really meant to do something today but I guess I was too well placed in the overall standings for the others to let me go all the way," he said. "I believed in my chances, but when I saw that the gap was reducing, I knew it was over. I'm glad I tried, I made a show," he added. The "Panda" made it to the summit of the first serious climb of the race with a one minute 17 seconds lead over Basque rider David Etxebarria and was some two minutes over the leading contenders for Tour victory. But after riding much of the stage alone up front, Jalabert was eventually caught and finished ninth, 1.49 behind winner Lance Armstrong. The favorites did not seem to react at first to Jalabert's attack leaving the French veteran to his farewell celebrations, but they should have been warned. Surprise jersey Last year, Jalabert also attacked in the Pyrenees between St Lary and Soulan, leading the race over some of the most demanding passes of the Franco-Spanish mountain chain -- Peyresourde, Portillon, Azet -- and the long breakaway earned him a surprising king of the mountains jersey at the end of the Tour. His long solitary ride in the lead also proved a point after an unlucky start to the Tour. Jalabert had finished second in the prologue, two seconds behind three times champion Armstrong, and in the team time trial, his CSC-Tiscali team, who had clocked the best intermediate times, lost precious minutes waiting for Danish champion Michael Sandstod when he suffered a puncture. Had they won the stage, Jalabert would have taken the Tour leader's yellow jersey. In Monday's time trial, the Frenchman also lost precious ground due to a puncture. He was 20th, 4:18 behind race leader Igor Gonzalez Galdeano, at the start of the first mountain stage in Pau. His lap of honor ended during the last climb to La Mongie, when he was overtaken by Armstrong's U.S. Postal team. "Now I hope to win a stage. Let's be realistic, I have no chances overall," Jalabert said. The Frenchman, who started his career as a sprinter before becoming an all-rounder and even a time trial specialist, is ending it as one of the best climbers in the bunch. But had he managed to benefit from all his qualities in the same year during his 14 seasons in the bunch, Jalabert might have done better than his best result in the Tour -- fourth in 1995.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
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