Alpe d’Huez by Peter Cossins
Author:Peter Cossins [Peter Cossins]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781781314777
Publisher: AurumPress Ltd
8
Bend ten sits right above Le Ribot and bend twelve almost 200 metres below. A missing car-sized section of the parapet suggests that some poor unfortunate has recently made this trip in horrifyingly direct fashion, taking the signpost indicating the number of this hairpin with them.
Thanks to a substantial dressed stone foundation, the bend juts out from the cliff face just enough to offer a brief glimpse back to bend eleven. With the crowds slightly sparser, Van Impe has the chance to glance back at the terrain he’s most recently covered and check on the progress of the chase group behind. But he doesn’t take it. He’s been distracted by Zoetemelk.
A willing collaborator for the last few minutes, the Dutchman is now refusing to come through. Van Impe is well aware of the instructions Louis Caput has passed on to his rider, but is bewildered by Zoetemelk’s uncomplaining acceptance of them. He urges the Gan-Mercier rider to come through and provide another relay, but all he gets is a shake of the head. In a brief but very agitated conversation conducted in angry Dutch, the Belgian warns his rival that he will attack if the collaboration doesn’t continue. It makes no difference. Zoetemelk is staying faithful to team orders and the hopeless and romantic hopes Caput has for Poulidor.
When the Dutchman again refuses to come through, Van Impe’s anger provokes him into forgetting the orders he’s been given by his team director, Guimard. Instead of maintaining a steady pace to the finish and stretching the advantage over the Thévenet group, he accelerates. But he can’t shake his shadow.
Unsure of his next move, Van Impe calls up Guimard for instructions. The little Belgian climber wants to win the stage. For him, victory on any summit is cherished above all else and leading the Tour into Alpe d’Huez would be the most beautiful outcome. However, having bought into his team director’s plan to focus everything on winning the yellow jersey, he knows he should play the longer game.
Sensing that his plan is in danger of going awry, Guimard quickly motors up alongside his leader and implores Van Impe to sustain his pace. The Gitane DS yells: ‘Ride! Ride! You’re going to take the jersey.’ He knows this is a critical moment, that the Belgian’s temperament is fragile, but also that it will be bolstered by taking the yellow jersey for the first time in his career. This, he knows, will confirm to Van Impe that he, and not Freddy Maertens, is the rider best placed to give Belgium its sixth Tour win in eight seasons.
Guimard, though, is also aware that Gitane are heading into dangerous waters. While he has faith in the reliability of experienced pros such as Van Impe’s roommate Robert Mintkewicz, Sylvain Vasseur and seasoned Belgian Willy Teirlinck, young French riders Hubert Arbs, André Chalmel, Jean Chassang and Alain Meslet are all making their debut appearances at the Tour. Belgian René Dillen is making only his second. Guimard’s team certainly
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