Rolf Aldag, the directeur sportif of the HTC Columbia team, had said on German television that after the ejection of lead-out man Mark Renshaw, the team would not work to bring the breaks back. This clearly was not the game plan for stage 13, as the American squad was doing the majority of the work to reel in the day's break. HTC still fell short of a stage victory, thanks to Alexander Vinokourov, who escaped on the final climb of the day to take the day's glory.
Aldag maintained that the team did everything it could and there was no mistake made. "Vino is an explosive rider," he told Radsport News. "These short and steep ramps and then the descent - he can do that really well." Vinokourov blasted by Alessandro Ballan and never let the most ambitious chasers get anywhere near his wheel. The last man standing behind was Thomas Voeckler, but he was never able to get closer than ten seconds on the descent.
Behind, Michael Rogers was leading the peloton. "My display showed 520 watts when Vino attacked. I can't do more," he said after the stage. Some had predicted that certain sprinters would have trouble making it over the final rise with the front group, but HTC knew what they were doing. The field sprint behind Vinokourov was won by Mark Cavendish, so the team's work for the day paid off.
While Alessandro Petacchi was third on the day and lost only four points to Cavendish, Thor Hushovd had to surrender his green jersey again. He was a distant eighth, giving up 12 points to Cavendish. Cavendish is still 25 points behind Petacchi now, and he may be running out of fast road in order to get enough points back. Hushovd may lose points in the sprints, but his ability to get some of them back in the intermediate sprints may give him the upper hand in Paris.
That three-way battle could end as close as last year, when Hushovd beat Cavendish by ten points. Throwing Petacchi into the equation will make the race for green even more exciting this time around.
There are only two potential bunch sprints left. Stage 18 into Bordeaux, a very traditional sprint finish. Then of course the final day into Paris. But HTC Columbia should take note of the 2005 Tour de France finish. Vinokourov escaped in the final kilometer of the Champs-Élysées to take a solo win. This upcoming Sunday, the HTC Columbia train may have to bring out a few more watts in order to get Cavendish over the line in first spot.