It is said those who can't remember history are doomed to repeat it. With this year's Tour de France wrapping up, it appears that this saying holds true for sports as well as life.
In 2004, Thomas Voeckler grabbed the yellow jersey during a long break away. For days he carried the yellow jersey on his shoulders. When the race tipped upwards in the mountains everyone expected him to lose it to Lance Armstrong but to everyone's surprise, Voeckler rode better and faster than ever to hold onto the jersey. It took three mountain stages to finally dislodge his grasp on the jersey.
In 2007 on stage 14, Alberto Contador attacked on stage 14 climbing the Plateau-de-Beile. Cadel Evans didn't respond and allowed Contador a 1:50 cushion. Everyone assumed that Evans would grab the jersey on the penultimate day during the time trial after all, he was the best rider. Somehow Contador rode the time trial like he has never before. While Evans was faster, somehow Contador was quick enough to retain the jersey relegating Evans to second place.
Looking back on 2008, the same situation happened on stage 17 climbing Alpe d'Huez. Evans kept watching Frank Schlek and failed to notice Carlos Sastre. Sastre attacked at the base and rode his way to winning the stage and a 1:34 gap over Evans. Again everyone thought Evans would win the jersey during the time trial but again, powered by the yellow jersey, Sastre rode the time trial of his life. While Evans was faster it wasn't enough and again he wound up second.
Maybe next time, when someone attacks, Evans will cover it to make sure he retains yellow.
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