Tour de France 2008/15. stage

00000 Result of the 15th stage 00000
		Simon Gerrans (CA)	4:50:44 h
2.		Egoi Martínez (EUS)	+ 0:03 min
3.		Danny Godfather (CPT)	+ 0:10 min
4th		José Luis Arrieta (ALM)	+ 0:55 min
5.		Bernhard Kohl (GST)	+ 4:03 min
6th		Carlos Sastre (TNK)	+ 4:03 min
7th		Alejandro Valverde (MOV)	+ 4:12 min
8th.		Denis Menshov (TLJ)	+ 4:23 min
9.		Frank Schleck (TNK)	+ 4:41 min
10.		Christian Vande Velde (CPT)	+ 4:43 min
		Egoi Martinez (EUS)
Intermediate results after the 15th stage
		Frank Schleck (TNK)	63:57:21 h
2.		Bernhard Kohl (GST)	+ 0:07 min
3.		Cadel Evans (OLO)	+ 0:08 min
		Óscar Freire Gomez (TLJ)	219 pts.
2.		Thor Hushovd (CA)	172 pts.
3.		Erik Zabel (MRM)	167 pts.
		Bernhard Kohl (GST)	85 pts.
2.		Sebastian Lang (GST)	60 pts.
3.		Egoi Martínez (EUS)	50 pts.
		Vincenzo Nibali (CAN)	64:02:43 min
2.		Roman Kreuziger (CAN)	+ 1:53 min
3.		Maxime Monfort (COF)	+ 3:12 min
		Team CSC-Saxo Bank	191: 43: 49 min
2.		Ag2r	+ 3:32 min
3.		Rabobank	+ 28:13 min

The 15th stage of the Tour de France 2008 on July 20th was 183 kilometers long and ran from Embrun to Prato Nevoso . There were two sprint ratings as well as a mountain rating of the Hors Catégorie , a mountain rating of the 3rd category and a mountain rating of the 1st category (the mountain arrival) on the program.

It rained at the start. Right after the start there were the first attacks, but they all failed. Egoi Martínez , José Luis Arrieta and Danny Pate made a successful escape attempt at kilometer 12. Martínez won the first sprint classification. After that, Simon Gerrans joined the three. While the field was calm, the four leaders increased their lead on the climb to Col Agnel to over 13:45 minutes at times. The Lampre-Fondital team only picked up the pace briefly . Martinez also won this mountain classification, which was the second highest point on this tour and forms the border with Italy. Now Silence-Lotto took up the follow-up work in the field and some drivers fell behind. Thomas Voeckler attacked at the pass, but dropped back again as nobody went with him. Óscar Pereiro fell on the descent and had to give up the race with a shoulder injury. This increased the lead of the leaders again to a maximum of 17:05 minutes. Gerrans won the second sprint classification. Under Lampre's leadership, the breakaway's lead melted slightly again, and later the CSC-Saxo Bank team also got involved . In a roundabout, several drivers fell again on the slippery asphalt due to light rain, but were able to continue. Due to the resulting speed reduction, the top quartet was able to gain some time again. Arrieta was able to secure the second, smaller, mountain classification. In the field, CSC now increased the pace and the lead of the leading group melted more clearly. Martínez attacked the top group on the climb to the mountain finish. Godfather and Gerrans followed him, Arrieta had it pulled down. Andy Schleck now took the lead in the main field, which tore it apart. Cadel Evans , Denis Menschow , Carlos Sastre , Fränk Schleck , Bernhard Kohl , Alejandro Valverde , who was able to move back into the top 10 of the overall standings, and Roman Kreuziger followed Schleck. Menshov attacked, but fell in a bend on the slippery asphalt in light rain, but was able to catch up again. Sastre attacked now, Kohl and Menschow were able to follow. The others could keep close behind. Meanwhile, Gerrans attacked in the top trio and was the first to reach the goal in Prato Nevoso, which was reached on a 200 meter long and 6.5 meter wide home straight. Valverde was able to catch up with the group around Sastre. Evans could not keep up the pace in the next chase group and lost his yellow jersey. Kohl increased the pace again and finished fifth after Arrieta, who was still ahead of him. With that he extended his lead in the mountain classification, which he had already secured. Fränk Schleck, who finished ninth, was able to secure the yellow jersey with a few seconds ahead of Kohl, who was one second ahead of Evans in this classification.

tasks

• 37 Óscar Pereiro - Fall
• 43 Mark Cavendish - before the start of the stage
• 89 Mark Renshaw - during the stage
• 91 Stijn Devolder - during the stage

Sprint ratings

• 1st intermediate sprint in Guillestre (14.5 km) (962 m above sea level)

First	Egoi Martínez	6 pts.
Second	José Luis Arrieta	4 pts.
Third	Danny godfather	2 pts.

• 2nd intermediate sprint in Rossana (kilometer 114.5) (578 m above sea level)

First	Simon Gerrans	6 pts.
Second	Danny godfather	4 pts.
Third	José Luis Arrieta	2 pts.

• Finish sprint in Prato Nevoso (kilometer 183) (1440 m above sea level)

First	Simon Gerrans	20 pts.
Second	Egoi Martínez	17 pts.
Third	Danny godfather	15 pts.
Fourth	José Luis Arrieta	13 pts.
fifth	Bernhard Kohl	12 pts.
Sixth	Carlos Sastre	10 pts.
seventh	Alejandro Valverde	9 pts.
Eighth	Denis Menshov	8 pts.
Ninth	Frank Schleck	7 pts.
Tenth	Christian Vande Velde	6 pts.
Eleventh	Roman Kreuziger	5 pts.
Twelfth	Samuel Sánchez	4 pts.
Thirteenth	Cadel Evans	3 pts.
Fourteenth	Andy Schleck	2 pts.
Fifteenth	Kim churches	1 point

Mountain ratings

• Col Agnel , HC category (kilometer 58) (2744 m above sea level; 20.5 km at 6.6%)

First	Egoi Martínez	20 pts.
Second	José Luis Arrieta	18 pts.
Third	Simon Gerrans	16 pts.
Fourth	Danny godfather	14 pts.
fifth	Thomas Voeckler	12 pts.
Sixth	Bernhard Kohl	10 pts.
seventh	Rémy Di Gregorio	8 pts.
Eighth	Yaroslav Popovych	7 pts.
Ninth	John-Lee Augustyn	6 pts.
Tenth	Jens Voigt	5 pts.

• Colle del Morte, category 3 (km 157) (710 m above sea level; 1.7 km at 7.2%)

First	José Luis Arrieta	4 pts.
Second	Egoi Martínez	3 pts.
Third	Simon Gerrans	2 pts.
Fourth	Danny godfather	1 point

• Prato Nevoso , Category 1 (km 183) (1440 m above sea level; 11.4 km at 6.9%)

First	Simon Gerrans	30 pts.
Second	Egoi Martínez	26 pts.
Third	Danny godfather	22 pts.
Fourth	José Luis Arrieta	18 pts.
fifth	Bernhard Kohl	16 pts.
Sixth	Carlos Sastre	14 pts.
seventh	Alejandro Valverde	12 pts.
Eighth	Denis Menshov	10 pts.