Tour de France 2012 - ÉTAPE.8 - Belfort-->Porrentruy 157.5.km(7)
08 Iulie 2012( Incident to 97,9 Samuel Sánchez)
Samuel Sánchez González (born February 5, 1978 in Oviedo, Asturias) is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer. He was the gold medal winner in the 2008 Beijing Olympics Men's Road Race. In recent years Sánchez has proven himself in hilly classics and stage races as one of the most important riders in the peloton. He's also known as one of the best descenders in the peloton.
Career
He started his professional career in 2000 at the Spanish team Euskaltel-Euskadi and still rides there today.
Early career
In 2003, Sánchez finished 6th in Liège–Bastogne–Liège and third overall in the Tour of the Basque Country. The following year, he came 4th in Liège–Bastogne–Liège, and came 15th overall in his first Vuelta a España. He recorded his first major victory in 2005 when he won the 13th stage in the Vuelta a España, finishing 11th in the general classification. After winner Roberto Heras was erased from the results for doping use, Sánchez shifted up to the 10th place.
2006
In 2006 the Asturian added two stage wins in the Vuelta al País Vasco and a second place on the steep finishing climb of the Belgian spring classic La Flèche Wallonne. Sánchez won two stages in the Tour of the Basque Country. He finished 4th overall in Paris-Nice, winning the points jersey in the process. In the Vuelta a España he won the 13th stage with a daring attack in a downhill section and finished 7th in the general classification. At the World Championships in the Austrian city of Salzburg Sánchez played a major part by creating the decisive break in the final kilometer for his leader Alejandro Valverde. Sánchez himself finished 4th behind Paolo Bettini, Erik Zabel and Valverde. One week later he won Züri-Metzgete, his first classic. With 12 km to go he attacked to solo into Zurich with half a minute to spare over Stuart O'Grady and Davide Rebellin.
2007
The next season Sánchez started with a 9th place in Paris–Nice and he won the final time trial in the Vuelta al País Vasco, finishing third in the final classification. After a winless classics season Sánchez won the final stage in the Volta a Catalunya. In the Vuelta a España he won the 15th stage ahead of Manuel Beltrán, after attacking in Alto de Monachil, showing his fast downhilling skills to catch Beltrán in the descent to Granada. Beltrán asked Samuel to let him win, but the Euskaltel rider denied him such satisfaction because he wanted to dedicate this win to his son, expected to be born in March 2008.
2008
In 2008, Sánchez rode the Tour de France for the first time, and finished 6th overall.
2008 Olympic Men's Road Race
Main article: Cycling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's road race
On August 9, 2008, Sánchez won the men's Olympic road race in 90% humidity and smog, a race that ran twice each lap through stone gates in The Great Wall of China. About a quarter of the way through the race, a breakaway group of 26 riders ahead of the peloton were the first viable group to have a chance of winning the race, but
Sánchez and his Spanish teammates, along with strong help from the Italians and Russians, drove the peloton at a tough pace to catch the group of 20 or so remaining members of the breakaway; and, with 20 km to go,
2009
In the 2009 UCI Road World Championships.
Sánchez's won the GP Llodio. He came third overall in the Tour of the Basque Country, winning the Points Classification. Sánchez came second in the Giro di Lombardia, before also finishing second to Alejandro Valverde in the Vuelta a España, his second podium finish in the event.
2010
Sánchez came first overall in the Vuelta a Burgos, as well as winning two stages and the Points Classification in the event. He also won the Tour of the Basque Country . Sánchez carried his good form into the Tour de France where he finished 4th overall
2011
Sánchez was among the favorites heading into the 2011 Tour de France, but a series of crashes in the first week saw him well down the classification as the race entered the Pyrenees. On Stage 12, the first summit finish of the Tour, Sánchez attacked the GC contenders on the final climb, to win the stage and gain back some time. The revised scoring system for the King of the Mountains competition also meant that Sánchez took the polka dot jersey.However, Jeremy Roy took the jersey the next day. On Stage 14, the next summit finish, Sánchez again attacked the GC contenders, and finished second on the stage to move up to sixth overall.He moved up to fifth on Stage 16, as he, Cadel Evans and Alberto Contador took time out of the other favorites on the descent into Gap. However on Stage 18, Sánchez lost time on the Col du Galibier and dropped to 8th overall. On the following stage though, he and Contador attacked on Alpe d'Huez, with Sánchez finishing second to Pierre Rolland.
In 2012, Sanchez main focus was the Tour de France and the Olympic Games. He started the season in good form when he won the Tour of the Basque Country.
Samuel Sánchez González (born February 5, 1978 in Oviedo, Asturias) is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer. He was the gold medal winner in the 2008 Beijing Olympics Men's Road Race. In recent years Sánchez has proven himself in hilly classics and stage races as one of the most important riders in the peloton. He's also known as one of the best descenders in the peloton.
Career
He started his professional career in 2000 at the Spanish team Euskaltel-Euskadi and still rides there today.
Early career
In 2003, Sánchez finished 6th in Liège–Bastogne–Liège and third overall in the Tour of the Basque Country. The following year, he came 4th in Liège–Bastogne–Liège, and came 15th overall in his first Vuelta a España. He recorded his first major victory in 2005 when he won the 13th stage in the Vuelta a España, finishing 11th in the general classification. After winner Roberto Heras was erased from the results for doping use, Sánchez shifted up to the 10th place.
2006
In 2006 the Asturian added two stage wins in the Vuelta al País Vasco and a second place on the steep finishing climb of the Belgian spring classic La Flèche Wallonne. Sánchez won two stages in the Tour of the Basque Country. He finished 4th overall in Paris-Nice, winning the points jersey in the process. In the Vuelta a España he won the 13th stage with a daring attack in a downhill section and finished 7th in the general classification. At the World Championships in the Austrian city of Salzburg Sánchez played a major part by creating the decisive break in the final kilometer for his leader Alejandro Valverde. Sánchez himself finished 4th behind Paolo Bettini, Erik Zabel and Valverde. One week later he won Züri-Metzgete, his first classic. With 12 km to go he attacked to solo into Zurich with half a minute to spare over Stuart O'Grady and Davide Rebellin.
2007
The next season Sánchez started with a 9th place in Paris–Nice and he won the final time trial in the Vuelta al País Vasco, finishing third in the final classification. After a winless classics season Sánchez won the final stage in the Volta a Catalunya. In the Vuelta a España he won the 15th stage ahead of Manuel Beltrán, after attacking in Alto de Monachil, showing his fast downhilling skills to catch Beltrán in the descent to Granada. Beltrán asked Samuel to let him win, but the Euskaltel rider denied him such satisfaction because he wanted to dedicate this win to his son, expected to be born in March 2008.
2008
In 2008, Sánchez rode the Tour de France for the first time, and finished 6th overall.
2008 Olympic Men's Road Race
Main article: Cycling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's road race
On August 9, 2008, Sánchez won the men's Olympic road race in 90% humidity and smog, a race that ran twice each lap through stone gates in The Great Wall of China. About a quarter of the way through the race, a breakaway group of 26 riders ahead of the peloton were the first viable group to have a chance of winning the race, but
Sánchez and his Spanish teammates, along with strong help from the Italians and Russians, drove the peloton at a tough pace to catch the group of 20 or so remaining members of the breakaway; and, with 20 km to go,
2009
In the 2009 UCI Road World Championships.
Sánchez's won the GP Llodio. He came third overall in the Tour of the Basque Country, winning the Points Classification. Sánchez came second in the Giro di Lombardia, before also finishing second to Alejandro Valverde in the Vuelta a España, his second podium finish in the event.
2010
Sánchez came first overall in the Vuelta a Burgos, as well as winning two stages and the Points Classification in the event. He also won the Tour of the Basque Country . Sánchez carried his good form into the Tour de France where he finished 4th overall
2011
Sánchez was among the favorites heading into the 2011 Tour de France, but a series of crashes in the first week saw him well down the classification as the race entered the Pyrenees. On Stage 12, the first summit finish of the Tour, Sánchez attacked the GC contenders on the final climb, to win the stage and gain back some time. The revised scoring system for the King of the Mountains competition also meant that Sánchez took the polka dot jersey.However, Jeremy Roy took the jersey the next day. On Stage 14, the next summit finish, Sánchez again attacked the GC contenders, and finished second on the stage to move up to sixth overall.He moved up to fifth on Stage 16, as he, Cadel Evans and Alberto Contador took time out of the other favorites on the descent into Gap. However on Stage 18, Sánchez lost time on the Col du Galibier and dropped to 8th overall. On the following stage though, he and Contador attacked on Alpe d'Huez, with Sánchez finishing second to Pierre Rolland.
In 2012, Sanchez main focus was the Tour de France and the Olympic Games. He started the season in good form when he won the Tour of the Basque Country.