Tops and flops of the 102nd Tour de France – Frankfurter Rundschau

The 102nd Tour de France offered many highlights. Photo: Kim Ludbrook

Paris –

Those responsible for the 102 Tour de France wanted a spectacle – and they got it. On the penultimate day it came to the nerve-wracking finale in cycling mecca L’Alpe d’Huez -. With the better end for Christopher Froome

The focus was on tour in 2015 and often German Professional cyclists who convinced again with five stage wins to Paris. Tour Patron Froome had to resist even many doping issues in addition to the attacks of his rivals. Tops and Flops of the Tour in 2015 at a glance:

TOPS:

TONY MARTIN: Three-time world time trial champion was the main actor in the first Week 102. Tour de France. His futile hunt for the yellow jersey on the first three days already took on tragic traits. On the cobbled stage to Cambrai he made it with a solo victory after all. Two days later his triumphal procession ended in yellow on the asphalt in Le Havre. With a broken collarbone the tour was completed. He still walked with a smile

GERMAN:. With five stage victories to Paris, the German cyclists continued the strong performance of 2013 (6 successes) and 2014 (7 / record). André Greipel rose with three victories on the king of the sprinters. In addition to the Martin-success in Cambrai also Simon Geschke won the uphill finish in Pra Loup. For this purpose, Martin was presented three times the yellow jersey, Greipel rode several days in green. A positive surprise was the third place Tour rookie Emanuel Buchmann on the second Pyrenean stage. The strong performances of John Degenkolb however, were not rewarded with a stage win

CHRISTOPHER Froome:. The Briton has long been invincible in the 102 Tour de France before it was exciting again in the Alps , Culmination of Froomes show was the solo victory in La Pierre-Saint-Martin 59 seconds ahead. The dominance of this success reminded Lance Armstrong and threw many doping questions. Until three days before all the attacks of his rivals on the Tour winner in 2013 bounced off. The boss handed but

Nairo Quintana. The Colombian made his climbing show in the Alps, the Tour again exciting. Who knows what would have happened if the goal would have been a few hundred meters higher in L’Alpe d’Huez. Lost the man from the Andes, the tour on the North Sea coast, where he lost to Froome 1:28 minutes. Although it is not yet quite reached this year, the compared to Froome five years younger Quintana is the future

Peter Sagan. The Slovakian offered pure entertainment on the bike His breakneck downhill. by Gap had the highest entertainment value. Hardly a day went by where Sagan was not represented in a breakaway. He was not rewarded. Five times second, third twice, three times fourth, even fifth was his bitter balance. That was enough for at least green jersey

Africans. With MTN-QHUBEKA first time an African team took part in the Tour – and knew right away to convince. Daniel Teklehaimanot of Eritrea wore the mountain jersey even for a few days and made his home in overcrowded cinemas. The highlight was the stage win for MTN by Stephen Cummings in Mende

FLOPS:.

LANCE ARMSTRONG: The lifetime locked doping offenders bothered again the Tour -Quiet. The uninvited guest from Texas took two days participating in a charity race in the atmosphere of the Tour de France and drew all the attention on what he clearly enjoyed. Typical Armstrong that he also made doping insinuations towards Froome

Laurent Jalabert:. On French television, the former world champion greets every day as an expert. That he turned Froomes victory in the Pyrenees publicly in doubt, had a piquant note. Because Jalabert is ex-doper had lied for years and was only in 2013 busted for post as EPO sinners

Luca Paolini. The 38-year-old Italian was responsible for the so far only positive doping test at the 102nd tour – and a remarkable bargain. The driver of the Russian Katusha team tested positive for cocaine, which is still detectable for days

ASTANA:. Even before the tour caused the scandal team of Alexandre Vinokourov for the first scandal. When Lars Boom too low cortisol level had been measured, but contrary to the rules of the Movement for a credible cycling (MPCC) allowed Astana start the Dutchman. It did not help. Astana and last year’s winner Vincenzo Nibali disappointed largely, the Italians had only the stage victory in La Toussuire a bright spot

Alberto Contador. The two-time Tour winner had come to be the first rider since Marco Pantani 1998 Double win in Giro and Tour. The company failed. In the mountains of the ex-doper remained conspicuously inconspicuous. When it mattered, he was the pace of Froome and Quintana does not follow

SPECTATOR:. Part of the audience presented itself not in the Tour as gracious hosts. Specifically Froome and his Sky team had let a gauntlet endure. Froome was strewn with urine and spat, his colleague Richie Porte was punched in the ribs and pelted the Sky team car with full Coke cans. (Dpa)