Hesjedal leaps up classification with Tour's Tourmalet ride

RYDER HESJEDAL AND CHRIS HORNER ON STAGE SEVENTEEN

Ryder Hesjedal made his own history on the Col du Tourmalet today, 100 years after the Tour de France first introduced the pass. His ride through the rain, cold and mist was enough to see him jump up the classification, ready to be the best-placed Canadian since Steve Bauer’s fourth in 1988
in when the race ends on Sunday
.

“It was drama plus,” team Garmin-Transitions’ Hesjedal explained. “I was not surprised with the day, the whole Tour has been tough. I knew it was going to add to the epic day.”

The 174-kilometre sateg, covering four high mountain passes, was the Tour’s first cold and rainy day this year. Hesjedal did not really seem to mind, he stuck with his direct rivals after Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck rode ahead to the win. Hesjedal, though, dropped Levi Leipheimer and Alexandre Vinokourov to jump from 10th to eighth overall.

The only final test that remains is a 52-kilometre time trial on Saturday and a chance for him to finish seventh or sixth overall in Paris on Sunday.

“We came here to win a stage with Tyler Farrar and get a top ten with Christian Vande Velde,” said sports director, Matt White. “We got one of those two even with both of those guys watching the race at home on television.”

The two were forced to abandon after they crashed during stage two to Spa. Hesjedal stepped up, though, and has been the star of the American team at the Tour de France.

White believes more is possible in Saturday’s time trial.

“He can pick off Joaquin Rodriguez for seventh.”

Hesjedal is 9’18” behind leader Contador and 2’15” behind Spain’s Rodriguez.

“I feel good and the longer TT will suit me,” Hesjedal continued. “I feel the best I felt in the whole Tour, which is a good signal with the crono coming up.”

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