top 10 tour de france 2010

2010 Tour de France

97th edition: saturday, july 3 - sunday, july 25, 2010, results, maps, stages with running gc, photos and start list with back numbers.

Les Woodland's book Cycling Heroes: The Golden Age is available as an audiobook here. For the print and Kindle eBook versions, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

2010 Tour Quick Facts:

3,641.9 km raced at an average speed of 39.585 km/hr.

197 starters and 170 classified finishers.

Alberto Contador was not the dominating rider he had been in previous grand tours, especially in the final time trial.

But his main competition, Andy Schleck ,was surprisingly passive for much of the race and allowed Contador to control the racing. Yet, Schleck very nearly won the 2010 Tour.

This was Contador's third Tour de France victory.

On February 7, 2012 the Court for Arbitration of Sport stripped Contador of his 2010 Tour championship after a positive for Clenbuterol, a banned drug, during the rest day in Pau.

In 2014 Denis Menchov was stripped of his 2009, 2010 and 2012 Tour placings because of irregularities with his biological passport.

Complete Final 2010 Tour de France General Classification:

The times for the top five riders reflect the post-Contador/Menchov ban. Those that come after 5th place Robert Gesink should have 43 seconds subtracted.

Alberto Contador (Astana) 91hr 58min 48sec
Andy Schleck (Saxo) 91hr 59min 27sec
Denis Menchov (Rabobank) @ 1min 22sec
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 3min 1sec
Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 6min 15sec
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) @ 8min 52sec
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) @ 10min 15sec
Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) @ 11min 37sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 11min 54sec
Christopher Horner (Radio Shack) @ 12min 2sec
Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 14min 21sec
Ruben Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 14min 29sec
Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) @ 14min 40sec
Andreas Kloden (Radio Shack) @ 16min 36sec
Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) @ 16min 59sec
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) @ 17min 46sec
Thomas Lovkvist (Sky) @ 20min 46sec
Kevin De Weert (Quick Step) @ 21min 54sec
John Gadret (Ag2r) @ 24min 4sec
Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) @ 26min 37sec
Daniel Moreno (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 29min 38sec
Christophe Moreau (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 34min 1sec
Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 39min 20sec
Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 39min 24sec
Sandy Casar (FDJ) @ 45min 52sec
Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 50min 27sec
Julien El Fares (Cofidis) @ 53min 22sec
Christophe Riblon (Ag2r) @ 55min 13sec
Damiano Cunego (Lampre) @ 56min 53sec
Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-Transitions) @ 58min 53sec
Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) @ 59min 17sec
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 59min 33sec
Mario Aerts (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 1hr 2min 36sec
Volodomyr Gustov (Cervelo) @ 1hr 9min 51sec
Juan Manuel Garate (Rabobank) @ 1hr 10min 3sec
Gorka Verdugo (Euskaltel) @ 1hr 1min 9sec
Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) @ 1hr 10min 11sec
Remi Pauriol (Cofidis) @ 1hr 10min 52sec
Kanstantsin Sivtsov (HTC-Columbia) @ 1hr 13min 19sec
Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel) @ 1hr 19min 9sec
Carlos Barredo (Quick Step) @ 1hr 20min 11sec
Christophe Le Mevel (FDJ) @ 1hr 22min 38sec
Janez Brajkovic (Radio Shack) @ 1hr 23min 38sec
Anthony Charteau (Bouygues Telecom) @ 1hr 24min 12sec
Cyril Gautier (Bouygues Telecom) @ 1hr 25min 12sec
Sergio Paulinho (Radio Shack) @ 1hr 25min 43sec
Matthew Lloyd (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 1hr 30min 2sec
José Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 1hr 38min 26sec
Daniel Navarro (Astana) @ 1hr 38min 30sec
Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo) @ 1hr 38min 32sec
Steve Morabito (BMC) @ 1hr 39min 11sec
Koos Moerenhout (Rabobank) @ 1hr 40min 45sec
Rafael Valls (Footon-Servetto) @ 1hr 42min 27sec
Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) @ 1hr 45min 1sec
Maxime Monfort (HTC-Columbia) s.t.
Grischa Niermann (Rabobank) @ 1hr 46min 32sec
Pierrick Fedrigo (Bouygues Telecom) @ 1hr 46min 37sec
Pierre Rolland (Bouygues Telecom) @ 1hr 46min 42sec
George Hincapie (BMC) @ 1hr 36min 50sec
Vasili Kiryienka (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 1hr 47min 54sec
Sylvester Szmyd (Liquigas) @ 1hr 48min 2sec
Iban Velasco Murillo (Euskaltel) @ 1hr 49min 57sec
Jurgen Van De Walle (Quick Step) @ 1hr 51min 33sec
Mathieu Perget (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 1hr 53min 39sec
Alexandr Kolobnev (Katusha) @ 1hr 55min 13sec
Jérôme Pineau (Quick Step) @ 1hr 57min 58sec
Geraint Thomas (Sky) @ 2hr 0min 5sec
José Joaquin Rojas (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 2hr 1min 58sec
Chris Anker Sørensen (Saxo) @ 2hr 4min 46sec
Amaël Moinard (Cofidis) @ 2hr 5min 10sec
Damien Monier (Cofidis) @ 2hr 9min 33sec
Francis De Greef (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 2hr 12min 22sec
Rui Alberto Faria (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 2hr 12min 28sec
Thomas Rohregger (Milram) @ 2hr 12min 57sec
Martin Elmiger (Ag2r) @ 2hr 15min 33sec
Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom) @ 2hr 16min 7sec
Imanol Erviti Ollo (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 2hr 19min 15sec
Rémy Di Grégorio (FDJ) @ 2hr 21min 34sec
Eduard Vorganov (Katusha) @ 2hr 27min 19sec
Sebastian Lang (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 2hr 29min 38sec
Arkaitz Duran (Footon-Servetto) @ 2hr 29min 49sec
Aitor Perez (Footon-Servetto) @ 2hr 32min 17sec
Eros Capecchi (Footon-Servetto) @ 2hr 34min 38sec
Linus Gerdemann (Milram) @ 2hr 36min 15sec
Yaroslav Popovych (Radio Shack) @ 2hr 37min 56sec
Alexander Kuschynski (Liquigas) @ 2hr 39min 40sec
Alessandro Ballan (BMC) @ 2hr 42min 38sec
Nicolas Vogondy (Bouygues Telecom) @ 2hr 42min 42sec
Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky) @ 2hr 43min 40sec
Johannes Fröhlinger (Milram) @ 2hr 49min 23sec
Christian Knees (Milram) @ 2hr 53min 38sec
Sébastien Minard (Cofidis) @ 2hr 54min 30sec
Matthieu Ladagnous (FDJ) @ 2hr 55min 36sec
Kristijan Koren (Liquigas) @ 2hr 57min 11sec
Ruben Perez Moreno (Euskaltel) @ 2hr 57min 17sec
Benoit Caugrenard (FDJ) @ 2hr 58min 5sec
Christophe Kern (Cofidis) @ 2hr 58min 34sec
Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r) @ 3hr 1min 9sec
Michael Barry (Sky) @ 3hr 1min 34sec
Matthieu Sprick (Bouygues Telecom) @ 3hr 1min 40sec
David Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions) @ 3hr 1min 48sec
Pavel Brutt (Katusha) @ 3hr 3min 12sec
Luke Roberts (Milram) 3hr 4min 7sec
Benjamin Noval (Astana) @ 3hr 5min 22sec
Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre) @ 3hr 6min 44sec
Maxime Bouet (Ag2r) @ 3hr 7min 40sec
Serge Pauwels (Sky) @ 3hr 8min 48sec
Alexandr Pliuschin (Katusha) @ 3hr 9min 5sec
Serguei Ivanov (Katusha) @ 3hr 9min 10sec
David De La Fuente (Astana) @ 3hr 11min 4sec
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo) @ 3hr 12min 57sec
Yukiya Arashiro (Bouoygues Telecom) @ 3hr 13min 20sec
Sébastien Turgot (Bouygues Telecom) @ 3hr 14min 5sec
Grégory Rast (Radio Shack) @ 3hr 14min 11sec
Inaki Isasi (Euskaltel) @ 3hr 14min 30sec
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) @ 3hr 14min 57sec
Maartem Wijnants (Quick Step) @ 3hr 15min 19sec
Lloyd Mondory (Ag2r) @ 3hr 16min 20sec
Fabian Wegmann (Milram) @ 3hr 17min 53sec
Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 3hr 18min 27sec
Fabian Cancellara (Saxo) @ 3hr 19min 43sec
Francesco Bellotti (Liquigas) @ 3hr 20min 26sec
Mauro Da Dalto (Lampre) @ 3hr 21min 49sec
Daniel Oss (Liquigas) @ 3hr 22min 19sec
Grega Bole (Lampre) @ 3hr 23min 31sec
Jens Voigt (Saxo) @ 3hr 23min 31sec
Ignatas Konvalovas (Cervelo) @ 3hr 23min 36sec
Brian Vandborg (Liquigas) @ 3hr 24min 17sec
Alan Perez Lezuan (Euskaltel) @ 3hr 24min 50sec
Lars Boom (Rabobank) @ 3hr 26min 18sec
Maxim Iglinskiy (Astana) @ 3hr 26min 28sec
Maarten Tjallingii (Rabobank) @ 3hr 27min 30sec
Gerald Ciolek (Milram) @ 3hr 27min 36sec
Kevin Seeldrayers (Quick Step) @ 3hr 39min 1sec
Danilo Hondo (Lampre) @ 3hr 29min 12sec
Andriy Grivko (Astana) @ 3hr 30min 6sec
Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia) @ 3hr 31min 10sec
Karsten Kroon (BMC) @ 3hr 31min 38sec
Martijn Maaskant (Garmin-Transitions) @ 3hr 31min 56sec
Jesus Hernandez (Astana) @ 3hr 32min 2sec
Oscar Freire (Rabobank) @ 3hr 33min 45sec
Matti Breschel (Saxo) @ 3hr 35min 31sec
Jérémy Roy (FDJ) @ 3hr 37min 57sec
Dries Devenyns (Quick Step) @ 3hr 38min 36sec
José Alberto Benitez (Footon-Servetto) @ 3hr 39min 12sec
Anthony Geslin (FDJ) @ 3hr 39min 37sec
Brent Bookwalter (BMC) @ 3hr 41min 37sec
Dmitriy Moravyev (Radio Shack) @ 3hr 41min 47sec
Stuart O'Grady (Saxo) @ 3hr 42min 39sec
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) @ 3hr 44min 38sec
Steven Cummings (Sky) @ 3hr 45min 47sec
Wesley Sulzberger (FDJ) @ 3hr 46min 59sec
Stéphane Auge (Cofidis) @ 3hr 49min 50sec
Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) @ 3hr 51min 23sec
Nicki Sörensen (Saxo) @ 3hr 54min 12sec
Bernhard Eisel (HTC-Columbia) @ 3hr 54min 16sec
Julian Dean (Garmin-Transitions) @ 3hr 56min 13sec
David Millar (Garmin-Transitions) @ 3hr 56min 46sec
Brett Lancaster (Cervelo) @ 3hr 57min 0sec
Dimitri Champion (Ag2r) @ 3hr 59min 45sec
Marcus Burghardt (BMC) @ 4hr 0min 47sec
Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas) @ 4hr 1min 2sec
Jeremy Hunt (Cervelo) @ 4hr 2min 21sec
Daniel Lloyd (Cervelo) @ 4hr 2min 59sec
Robbie McEwen (Katusha) @ 4hr 8min 28sec
Mirco Lorenzetto (Lampre) @ 4hr 9min 12sec
Anthony Roux (FDJ) @ 4hr 13min 37sec
Andreas Klier (Cervelo) @ 4hr 17min 16sec
Bert Grabsch (HTC-Columbia) @ 4hr 23min 1sec
Adriano Malori (Lampre) @ 4hr 27min 3sec
Anthony Charteau (Bouygues Telecom): 143 points
Christophe Moreau (Caisse d'Epargne): 128
Andy Schleck (Saxo): 116
Alberto Contador (Astana): 112
Damiano Cunego (Lampre): 99
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre): 243 points
Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia): 232
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo): 222
Jose Joaquin Rojas (Caisse d'Epargne): 179
Robbie McEwen (Katusha): 179
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 11min 15sec
Julien El Fares (Cofidis) @ 52min 43sec
Cyril Gautier (Bouygues Telecom) @ 1hr 24min 33sec
Radio Shack 276hr 2min 3sec
Caisse d'Epargne @ 9min 15sec
Rabobank @ 27min 49sec
Ag2r @ 41min 10sec
Omega Pharma-Lotto @ 51min 1sec
Astana @ 56min 16sec

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The stages with results:

Thursday, July 1: Official team presentation.

2010 Tour de France startlist with back-numbers.

Prologue, Saturday July 3: Rotterdam - Rotterdam 8.9 km individual time trial

Photos from the Rotterdam prologue

The Race: Several riders, most notably Bradley Wiggins, chose to ride earlier in the day, hoping to avoid the predicted rainstorm. The rain came earlier than forecast and Wiggins had to ride in a torrential downpour and was almost a full minute slower than winner Cancellara. The last riders got to ride on mostly dry streets. Most of the GC contenders chose to ride carefully, not wanting to crash. The result was that Lance Armstrong had the best ride of anyone hoping to wear yellow in Paris with Contador giving up only 5 seconds to Armstrong. Biggest disapointment was Andy Schleck, 122nd @ 1min 9sec.

No time bonuses this year so Cancellara, who won his fourth Tour prologue,will probably be in yellow for at least a few days.

Results: Prologue times and places are the same as the GC times and places.

Fabian Cancellara (Saxo) 10 min 0sec
Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia) @ 10sec
David Millar (Garmin-Transitions) @ 20sec
Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 22sec
Geraint Thomas (Sky) @ 23sec
Alberto Contador (Astana) @ 27sec
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions) @ 28sec
Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) s.t.
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) @ 32sec
Linus Gerdemann (Milram) @ 35sec
Brent Bookwalter (BMC) s.t.
Adriano Malori (Lampre) s.t.
Janez Brajkovic (Radio Shack) s.t.
Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) s.t.
Ruben Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 36sec
Niki Terpstra (Milram) s.t.
Andreas Kloden (Radio Shack) s.t.
Vasil Kiryienka (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 38sec
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) s.t.
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) s.t.
Robert Hunter (Garmin-Transitions) @ 39sec
Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) s.t.
Cadel Evans (BMC) s.t.
Andriy Grivko (Astana) @ 40sec
David Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions) s.t.
Vladimir Karpets (Katusha) s.t.
Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas) @ 41sec
Steve Morabito (BMC) s.t.
Kirstjan Koren (Liquigas)

72. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 55sec

74. Denis Menchov (Rabobank) @ 56sec

77. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) s.t.

79. Frank Schleck (Saxo) @ 57sec

92. Christian Vende Velde (Garmin-Transitions) @ 1min

122. Andy Schleck (Saxo) @ 1min 9sec

140. Damiano Cunego (Lampre) @ 1min 13sec

Did not Start: Xavier Florencio (Cervelo)

Fabian Cancellara (Saxo): 15 points
Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia): 12
David Millar (Garmin-Transitions): 10
Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia) 10min 10sec
Geraint Thomas (Sky) @ 13sec
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) @ 22sec
Radio Shack: 31min 25sec
HTC-Columbia @ 1sec
Garmin-Transitions @ 2sec
Sky @ 16sec
Astana @ 20sec

Rotterdam prologue route map

Rotterdam prologue course profile

Stage 1, Sunday July 4: Rotterdam - Brussels, 223.5 km

Photos from stage 1

The Race: As expected, the nervous peloton left riders and bike parts scattered across Holland and Belgium as crash after crash occured. An early break was caught late in the day. Garmin and Columbia closed the gap as they wanted to make sure that the day came down to a sprint. Cavendish crashed near the finish and Tyler Farrar also had an unfortunate run-in. In the final kilometer nearly all the GC men fell, but they were given the same time as the stage winner. It's thought that half the peloton was involved in the late-stage crashes. Several riders walked across the finish line.

Alessandro Petacchi took the stage and the Green Jersey.

Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) 5hr 9min 38sec
Mark Renshaw (HTC-Columbia) s.t.
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo) s.t.
Robbie McEwen (Katusha) s.t.
Matthieu Ladagnous (FDJ) s.t.
Daniel Oss (Liquigas) s.t.
Jose Joaquin Rojas (Caisse d'Epargne) s.t.
Christian Knees (Milram) s.t.
Ruben Perez (Euskaltel) s.t.
Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto) s.t.
Sebastien Turgot (Bouygues Telecom)
Linus Gerdemann (Milram) s.t.
Julien El Fares (Cofidis) s.t.
Luke Roberts (Milram) s.t.
Geraint Thomas (Sky) s.t.
Kanstantsin Sivtsov (HTC-Columbia) s.t.
Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) s.t.
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) s.t.
Carlos Barredo (Quick Step) s.t.
Michael Barry (Sky) s.t.
Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis) s.t.
Sebastien Minard (Cofidis) s.t.
Kevin De Weert (Quick Step) s.t.
Johannes Frohlinger (Milram) s.t.
Eduard Vorganov (Katusha) s.t.
Brett Lancaster (Cervelo) s.t.
Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo) s.t.
Stephane Auge (Cofidis) s.t.
Martin Elmiger (Ag2r) s.t.

48. Alberto Contador (Astana) s.t.

55. Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) s.t.

Did not start: Manuel Cardoso (Footon-Servtto), Mathias Frank (BMC)

Fabian Cancellara (Saxo) 5hr 19min 38sec
Kristjan Koren (Liquigas) @ 42sec

68. Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) @ 54sec

70. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 55sec

75. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 56sec

77. Frank Schleck (Saxo) @ 57sec

119. Andy Schleck (Saxo) @ 1min 9sec

Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre): 35 points
Mark Renshaw (HTC-Columbia): 30
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo): 26
Robbie McEwen (Katusha): 24
Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia): 5hr 19min 48sec
Radio Shack: 16hr 19sec

Stage 1 route map

Stage 1 profile

Stage 2, Monday July 5: Brussels - Spa, 201 km

Photos from Stage 2

Km 98.0: Côte de France, 2.2 km @ 6.2% gradient, Category 4 Km 128.5: Côte de Filot, 3.9 km @ 4.5% gradient, Category 4 Km 136.0: Côte de Werbomont, 4.5 km @ 3.5% gradient, Category 4 Km 161.5: Côte d'Aisomont, 4.5 km @ 5.2% gradient. Category 3 Km 167.5: Col de Stockeu, 3.0 km @ 5.9% gradient, Category 3 Km 189.0: Col du Rosier, 6.4 km @ 4% gradient, Category 3

The Race: At about 10 kilometers into the stage Sylvain Chavanel escaped with 7 other riders, including Jurgen Roelandts, Jerome Pineau and Matthew Lloyd. The break at one point had a 7-minute gap that shrank back down to only 46 seconds. But, the riders persisted with their adventure. Over the final three climbs Chavanel managed to shed his companions (who were all caught by the peloton) and cruised into Spa with a 4-minute gap.

It was another day of crashes as riders fell on the descents of the final climbs (the Stockeu was especially slippery) that were made more dangerous from the rain. Among the delayed were Armstrong, Contador, the Schlecks and Christian Vande Velde. The GC contenders all made it back to the main group except for Vande Velde, who came in 9min 49sec after Chavanel. Cancellara, who would sure have preferred to chase Chavanel and protect his Yellow Jersey did what he could to slow down the pack so that the Schlecks (and he says the other GC contenders who had fallen) could rejoin. That cost him the lead.

The race jury decided to neutralize the field sprint so the only Green Jersey points awarded were Chavanel's for winning the stage. Garmin-Transitions' GC man Christian Vande Velde's injuries from crashing forced him to retire.

Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) 4hr 40min 48sec
Maxime Bouet (Ag2r) @ 3min 56sec
Fabian Wegmann (Milram) s.t.
Bernhard Eisel (HTC-Columbia) s.t.
Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Omega Pharma-Lotto) s.t.
Fabian Cancellara (Saxo) s.t.
Karsten Kroon (BMC) s.t.
Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-Transitions) s.t.
Serge Pauwels (Sky) s.t.
Jeremy Hunt (Cervelo) s.t.
Styn Vandenbergh (Katusha) s.t.
Martijn Maaskant (Garmin-Transitions) s.t.
Thomas Rohregger (Milram) s.t.
Danilo Hondo (Lampre) s.t.
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) s.t.
Kirstjan Koren (Liquigas) s.t.
Mauro Da Dalto (Lampre) s.t.
Pierre Rolland (Bouygues Telecom) s.t.
Alexsandr Kuchynski (Liquigas) s.t.

Withdrawals: Adam Hansen (HTC-Columbia), did not start; Mickael Delage (Omega Pharma-Lotto), abandon

Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) 10hr 1min 25sec
Fabian Cancellara (Saxo) @ 2min 57sec
Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia) @ 3min 7sec
David Millar (Garmin-Transitions) @ 3min 17sec
Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 3min 19sec
Geraint Thomas (Sky) @ 3min 20sec
Alberto Contador (Astana) @ 3min 24sec
Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) @ 3min 25sec
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) @ 3min 29sec
Linus Gerdemann (Milram) @ 3min 32sec
Brent Bookwalter (BMC) @ 3min 32sec
Janez Brajkovic (Radio Shack) @ 3min 32sec
Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) @ 3min 32sec
Ruban Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 3min 33sec
Andreas Kloden (Radio Shack) @ 3min 33sec
Alexandre Vinodourov (Astana) @ 3min 35sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 3min 35sec
Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 3min 36sec
Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 3min 36sec
Andriy Grivko (Astana) @ 3min 37sec
Maxime Monfort (HTC-Columbia) @ 3min 38sec
Kristjan Koren (Liquigas) @ 3min 39sec
Daniel Oss (Liquigas) @ 3min 40sec
Carlos Baredo (Quick Step) @ 3min 43sec
Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky) s.t.
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) s.t.
Damien monier (Cofidis) @ 3min 44sec
Thomas Lovkvist (sky) @ 3min 45sec
Rui Alberto Faria (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 3min 46sec

51. Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) @ 3min 51sec

53. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 3min 52sec

57. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 3min 53sec

59. Frank Schleck (Saxo) @ 3min 54sec

85. Andy Schleck (Saxo) @ 4min 6sec

138. Damiano Cunego (Lampre) @ 9min 5sec

Jerome Pineau (Quick Step) 13 points
Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) 8
Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) 8
Maxime Monfort (HTC-Columbia) 5
Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) 44 points
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) 35
Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto) 34
Mark Renshaw (HTC-Columbia) 30
Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia): 10hr 4min 32sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 28sec
Quick Step 30hr 11min 40sec
Radio Shack @ 2min 51sec
HTC-Columbia @ 2min 52sec
Garmin-Transitions @ 2min 53sec
Sky @ 3min 7sec

Stage 2 route map

Stage 2 profile

Stage 3, Tuesday July 6: Wanze - Arenberg Porte du Hainaut, 213 km

Photos from stage 3

Km 48.0: Côte de Bothey,1.4 km climb @ 3.4% gradient, Category 4 Plus: 13.2 km of cobbles in 7 sectors over the last 30 km of the stage. See route map below.

The Race: Lance Armstrong predicted carnage in stage 3 and he was right. As usual, an early break of non-GC contenders containing Garmin's Ryder Hesjedal got away. In the long 4th sector of cobbles (see map below) Hesjedal dropped the other breakaways and continued on solo. Back in the peloton Saxo and Cervelo hammered away, shattering the field. Cancellara did a powerful acceleration and took Andy Schleck, Cadel Evans, Geraint Thomas and Thor Hushovd. That was the race. The Cancellara group caught Hesjedal and that 6-man group drove home to a nearly 1-minute advantage over the chase group containing Bradley Wiggins, Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Denis Menchov and Alexandre Vinokourov and until the end, Alberto Contador.

Vino doens't quite have this gregario di lusso job down cold. Near the end he left his GC man Contador to ride in alone, another 20-seconds back.

But further back still, Oh my! Yellow jersey Chavanel was plagued with flats, Franck Schleck crashed out of the Tour, Armstrong got a flat at the wrong time, late in the stage and lost contact with the Contador/Vinokourov group.

Now Cadel Evans and Andy Schleck are the best-placed GC men with Contador roughly a minute behind Evans. Who would have thought young Schleck would emerge from the cobbles in a commanding postion? This was thought to be a stage where Armstrong would gain some real time, but now he's almost 2 minutes behind Evans. Interesting stuff.

Thor Hushovd (Cervelo) 4hr 49min 38sec
Andy Schleck (Saxo) s.t.
Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-Transitions) @ 53sec
Bradley Wiggins (Sky) s.t.
Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) s.t.
Denis Menchov (Rabobank) s.t.
Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) s.t.
Alberto Contador (Astana) @ 1min 13sec
Robbie McEwen (Katusha) @ 1min 46sec
Mario Aerts (Omega Pharma-Lotto) s.t.
Arkaitz Duran (Footon-Servetto) s.t.
Thomas Lovkvist (Sky) s.t.
David Millar (Garmin-Transitions) s.t.
Gerald Ciolek (Milram) @ 2min 8sec
Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) s.t.
Stuart O'Grady (Saxo) s.t.
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) s.t.
Christophe Le Mevel (FDJ) s.t.

32. Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) s.t.

43. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 2min 25sec

46. Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) s.t.

54. Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) s.t.

DNF: Frank Schleck (Saxo), David Le Lay (Ag2r) DNS: Niki Terpstra (Milram), Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Transitions)

Fabian Cancellara (Saxo) 14hr 54min
Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 39sec
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) @ 46sec
Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) @ 1min 1sec
Andy Schleck (Saxo) @ 1min 9sec
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo) @ 1min 19sec
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) @ 1min 31sec
Alberto Contador (Astana) @ 1min 40sec
Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 1min 42sec
Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-Transitions) @ 1min 47sec
Denis Menchov (Rabobank) @ 1min 49sec
David Millar (Garmin-Transtions) @ 2min 6sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 2min 24sec
Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 2min 25sec
Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 2min 30sec
Thomas Lovkvist (Sky) @ 2min 34sec
Jose Joaquin Rojas (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 2min 35sec
Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia) @ 2min 35sec
Arkaitz Duran (Footon-Servetto) @ 2min 49sec
Robbie McEwen (Katusha) @ 2min 52sec
Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) @ 2min 53sec
Martijn Maaskant (Garmin-Transitions) @ 2min 57sec
Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo) @ 2min 58sec
Janez Brajkovic (Radio Shack) @ 3min
Andreas Kloden (Radio Shack) @ 3min 1sec
Christophe Riblon (Ag2r) @ 3min 2sec

48. Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) @ 3min 19sec

49. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 3min 20sec

Jerome Pineau (Quick Step): 13 points
Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step): 8
Rein Taaramae (Cofidis): 8
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo): 63 points
Geraint Thomas (Sky): 49
Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step): 44
Robbie McEwen (Katusha): 38
Geraint Thomas (Sky) 14hr 54min 23sec
Andy Schleck (Saxo) @ 46sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 2min 1sec
Saxo 44hr 45min 55sec
Garmin-Transitions @ 11sec
Sky @ 25sec
Astana @ 2min 21sec

Stage 3 route map. Cobbled sectors are in the detail inset.

Stage 3 profile

Stage 4, Wednesday July 7: Cambrai - Reims, 153.5 km

Km 40.5: Côte de Vadencourt, 1.6 km climb @ 3.9% gradient, Category 4

Photos from stage 4

The Race: It was a straightforward flat sprinter's stage with a fairly predictable script. Five riders (Dimitri Champion, Nicolas Vogondy, Inaki Isasi, Francis De Greef, Iban Mayoz) who presented no GC threat were allowed to scoot off the front almost as the stage started. Their gap was allowed to grow to about 3 minutes before HTC-Columbia pulled on the choke collar. They were caught with 3 km to go. Columbia's leadout train did their best to put Cavendish in place but he wasn't able to answer the call to duty. Today was another day for Alessandro Petacchi who nabbed his second stage this year.

Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) 3hr 34min 55sec
Julian Dean (Garmin-Transitions) s.t.
Robert Hunter (Garmin-Transitions) s.t.
Sebastien Turgot (Bouygues Telecom) s.t.
Thos Hushovd (Cervelo) s.t.
Oscar Freire (Rabobank) s.t.
Gerald Ciolek (Milram) s.t.
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) s.t.
Vasil Kiryienka (Caisse d'Epargne) s.t.
Sandy Casar (FDJ) s.t.
Carlos Barredo (Quicki Step) s.t.
Sebastian Lang (Omega Pharma-Lotto) s.t.
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions) s.t.
Lloyd Mondory (Ag2r) s.t.
Christophe Riblon (Ag2r) s.t.

32. Alberto Contador (Astana) s.t.

36. Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) s.t.

51. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) s.t.

58. Andy Schleck (Saxo) s.t.

Fabian Cancellara (Saxo) 18hr 28min 55sec
David Millar (Garmin-Transitions) @ 2min 6sec
Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia) s.t.

47. Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) @ 3min 19sec

48. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 3min 20sec

Thor Hushovd (Cervelo): 80 points
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre): 70
Robbie McEwen (Katusha): 62
Thomas Geraint (Sky) 18hr 29min 18sec
Saxo 55hr 30min 40sec

Stage 4 route map

Stage 4 profile

Stage 5, Thursday July 8: Épernay - Montargis, 187.5 km

Km 18.5: Côte d'Orbais-l'Abbaye, 1.6 km @ 4.8% gradient, Category 4 Km 36.5: Côte de Mécringes, 1.3 km @ 5.4% gradient, Category 4

Photos from Stage 5

The Race: Like yesterday, an early break was allowed to go, this time at kilometer 5. In that break was the very stubborn Spanish champion Jose Ivan Gutierrez, who stuck it out until about 4 kilometers to go. But first HTC-Columbia then Lampre and Cervelo started to work to bring in the break, and with all that horsepower in the chase the adventurers were doomed. No one expected Tyler Farrar to be back sprinting this soon after getting busted up in earlier crashes, but Garmin did a lead out train for him. But HTC-Columbia was in the mood to win and the final man in the Columbia train, Mark Renshaw bulldozed his way through with Cavendish on his wheel and no one could match Cavendish's speed today. He gets his first Tour stage of the year and firmly silenced those who doubted his 2010 form.

Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) 4hr 30min 50sec
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions) s.t
Yukiya Arashiro (Bouygues Telecom) s.t.
Andriy Grivko (Astana) s.t.
Christopher Horner (Radio Shack) s.t.
Alberto Contador (Astana) s.t.
Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel) s.t.
George Hincapie (BMC) s.t.
Inaki Isasi (Euskaltel) s.t.
Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) s.t.

Did not start: Amets Txurruka (Euskaltel)

Fabian Cancellara (Saxo) 22hr 59min 45sec
Ryder Hesjadel (Garmin-Transitions) @ 46sec
Bram Tankink (Rabobank) s.t.

46. Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) @ 3min 19sec

47. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 3min 20sec

Thor Hushovd (Cervelo): 102 points
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre): 88
Robbie McEwen (Katusha): 81

9. Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia): 50

Thomas Geraint (Sky) 23hr 8sec
Andy Schleck (Saxo) @ 45sec
Saxo 69hr 3min 10sec

Stage 5 route map

Stage 5 profile

Stage 6, Friday July 9: Montargis - Gueugnon, 227.5 km

Km 69.5: Côte de Bouhy, 2.9 km @ 4% gradient, Category 4 Km 91.5: Côte de La Chapelle-Saint-André, 2.1 km @ 4.3% gradient, Category 4 Km 179.5: Côte des Montarons, 3.6 km @ 3.6% gradient, Category 4 Km 204.5: Côte de la Croix de l'Arbre, 2.3 km @ 4.5% gradient, Category 4

Stage 6 photos

The Race: Different day, different road, same story. Early break went and was caught after the sprinters' teams closed the gap at 10 km to go. Cavendish was again, by far the fastest rider as he nailed his second consecutive Tour stage. Tomorrow, heavy roads as the race heads into the Alps.

Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) 5hr 37min 42sec
Robert Hunter (Garmin-Transtions) s.t.
Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 3sec
Roger Kluge (Milram) s.t.
Matti Breschel (Saxo) s.t.
Christophe Kern (Cofidis) s.t.
Jerome Pineau (Quick Step) s.t.

38. Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) s.t.

55. Andy Schleck (Saxo) s.t.

56. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) s.t.

61. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) s.t.

65. Denis Menchov (Rabobank) s.t.

112. Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) s.t.

Withdrawals: None

Fabian Cancellara (Saxo) 28hr 37min 30sec
Geraint Thomas (Sky) @ 20sec
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo) @ 1min 16sec
Roman Kreuziger (Lqiuigas) @ 2min 24sec
Jose Joaquin Rojas (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 2min 32sec
Mathieu Perget (Caisse d'Epargne): 12
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo): 118 points
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre): 114
Robbie McEwen (Katusha): 105
Jose Joaquin Rojas (Caisse d'Epargne): 92
Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia): 85
Geraint Thomas (Sky) 28hr 37min 50sec
Andy Schleck (Saxo) @ 49sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 2min 4sec
Saxo 85hr 56min 25sec
Garmin-Transitions @ 5sec
Sky @ 19sec

Stage 6 route map

Stage 6 profile

Stage 7, Saturday July 10: Tournus - Station des Rousses, 165.5 km

Stage 7 photos

Km 51.5: Côte de l'Aubépin, 4.9 km @ 5% gradient, Category 3 Km 69.0: Côte des Granges (DESSIA), 5.9 km @ 3.5% gradient, Category 4 Km 84.5: Côte d'Arinthod, 8.5 km @ 4.7%, Category 3 Km 104.0: Côte du barrage de Vouglans, 6.6 km @ 5.6% gradient, Category 2 Km 134.5: Col de la Croix de la Serra. 15.7 km @ 4.3% gradient, Category 2 Km 161.5: Côte de Lamoura, 14 km@ 5% gradient, Category 2

The Race: As expected, polka-dot jersey holder Jerome Pineau made sure he was in the early break to snaffle up the climber's points offered in the day's 6 rated climbs. He did well, increasing his lead in the climbers' competition by being first over the first 5 ascents.

On the Col de la Croix de la Serra behind Pineau, a powerful group ripped itself free of the peloton and in it were Damiano Cunego, Thomas Voeckler, Rafael Valls, Sylvain Chavanel and Juan Manuel Garate. From this group Chavanel and then Valls got clear and Chavanel soloed across the finish line to win his second stage this year and reclaim the yellow jersey.

Back at the ranch, Fabian Cancellara melted on the hot climbs and conceded 14 minutes. None of the real contenders lost time and none of them mounted a serious attack, preferring to keep their powder dry for tomorrow's first day in the high mountains.

Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) 4hr 22min 52sec
Rafael Valls (Footon-Servetto) @ 57sec
Juan Manuel Garate (Rabobank) @ 1min 27sec
Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom) @ 1min 40sec
Mathieu Perget (Caisse d'Epargne) s.t.
Daniel Moreno (Omega Pharma-Lotto) s.t.
Pierrick Fedrigo (Bouygues Telecom) @ 1min 47sec
Ruben Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) s.t.
Eros Capecchi (Fotton-Servetto) s.t.
Cyril Gautier (Bouygues Telecom) s.t.
Damien Monier (Cofidis) s.t.
Jurgen Van Den Boreck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) s.t.
Chris Sorensen (Saxo) s.t.
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) s.t.
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) s.t

Withdrawals: Juan Jose Oroz (Euskaltel), did not start and Stijn Vanderbergh (Katusha), outside time limit.

Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) 33hr 1min 23sec
Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 1min 25sec
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) @ 1min 32sec
Andy Schleck (Saxo) @ 1min 55sec
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) @ 2min 17sec
Alberto Contador (Astana) @ 2min 26sec
Jurgen Van Den Boreck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 2min 28sec
Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-Transitions) @ 2min 33sec
Denis Menchov (Rabobank) @ 2min 35sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 3min 10sec
Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 3mn 11sec
Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 3min 16sec
Thomas Lovkvist (Sky) @ 3min 20sec
Rafael Valls (Footon-Servetto) @ 3min 39sec
Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) @ 3min 39sec
Juan Manuel Garate (Rabobank) @ 3min 44sec
Janez Brajkovic (Radio Shack) @ 3min 46sec
Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) @ 3min 46sec
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 3min 50sec
Christophe Le Mevel (FDJ) @ 3min 58sec
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) @ 4min 2sec
Christopher Horner (Radio Shack) @ 4min 3sec
Daniel Moreno (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 4min 4sec
Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) @ 4min 5sec
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 4min 6sec
Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) @ 4min 19sec
Cyril Gautier (Bouygues Telecom) @ 4min 20sec
Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom) @ 4min 35sec
Geraint Thomas (Sky) @ 4min 37sec
Jerome Pineau (Quick Step): 44 points
Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step): 36
Mathieu Perget (Caisse d'Epargne): 28
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo): 44 points
Andy Schleck (Saxo) 33hr 3min 18sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 1min 15sec
Rafael Valls (Footon-Servetto) @ 1min 44sec
Astana 99hr 12min 43sec
Rabobank @ 56sec
Caisse d'Epargne @ 1min 24sec

Stage 7 route map

Stage 7 profile

Stage 8, Sunday July 11: Station des Rousses - Morzine-Avoriaz, 189 km

Km 24.0: Côte de la Petite Joux, 2.3 km @ 4.3% gradient, Category 4 Km 73.0: Côte de Grésin, 4.3 km @ 3.9%, Category 4 Km 154.5: Col de la Ramaz, 14.3 km @ 6.8%, Category 1 Km 168.0: LES GETS, 3.9 km @ 4.8%, Category 3 Km 189.0: MORZINE-AVORIAZ, 13.6 km @ 6.1%, Category 1

Photos from stage 8

The Race: Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit. Today was filled with surprises. First of all Lance Armstrong's quest to win an eighth Tour de France ended today. A series of crashes and mishaps left him drained on the final ascent to Morzine-Avoriaz. After crashing the first time (he clipped a pedal on a traffic circle) he had to chase and just made contact before the hammer was dropped on the Col de la Ramaz. Another crash on the Les Gets ascent finished him off. On the final climb he had nothing left to contest the race with the other contenders, and finished almost 12 minutes down. That's who didn't win.

As to the winner. There was a selection on the Morzine climb (the finishing times below make it clear who had suds at the end of the day) and when Andy Schleck made an attack in the final kilometer Contador couldn't handle it and had to concede 10 seconds. Rather than have Leipheimer die with Armstrong, they had him stick with the leaders, which he did, finishing with Basso, Menchov, Contador, Evans, etc. So Radio Shack still has a dog in this fight. Schleck is starting to carve out a lead that can withstand the final time trial. Menchov and Van De Broeck are doing far better than I had expected. This is turning into an exciting race.

But what a day! The herd has been thinned.

Andy Schleck (Saxo) 4hr 54min 11sec
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) @ 10sec
Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) s.t.
Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) @ 20sec
Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) @ 39sec
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) @ 1min 14sec
Ruben Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 1min 37sec
Thomas Lovkvist (Sky) @ 1min 45sec
Anthony Charteau (Bouygues Telecom) @ 2min 5sec
Steve Morabito (BMC) @ 2min 15sec
John Gadret (Ag2r) @ 2min 18sec
Daniel Navarro (Astana) @ 2min 20sec
Eros Capecchi (Footon-Servetto) @ 2min 23sec
Rafael Valls (Footon-Servetto) s.t.
Christophe Riblon (Ag2r) @ 3min 27sec
Koos Moerenhout (Rabobank) s.t.

60. Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) @ 11min 40sec

61. Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 11min 45sec

Cadel Evans (BMC) 37hr 57min 9sec
Andy Schleck (Saxo) @ 20sec
Alberto Contador (Astana) @ 1min 1sec
Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 1min 3sec
Denis Menchov (Rabobank) @ 1min 10sec
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) @ 1min 11sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 1min 45sec
Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) @ 2min 14sec
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 2min 15sec
Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) @ 2min 31sec
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) @ 2min 37sec
Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) @ 2min 40sec
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 2min 41sec
Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 2min 45sec
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) @ 3min 5sec
Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) @ 3min 11sec
Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) @ 3min 23sec
Thomas Lovkvist (Sky) @ 3min 30sec
Rafael Valls (Footon-Servetto) @ 4min 27sec
Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 5min 3sec
Andreas Kloden (Radio Shack) @ 5min 39sec
Damien Monier (Cofidis) @ 6min 19sec
Christopher Horner (Radio Shack) @ 6min 33sec
John Gadret (Ag2r) @ 7min 12sec
Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-Transitions) @ 7min 28sec
Ruben Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 7min 52sec
Kevin De Weert (Quick Step) @ 7min 58sec
Daniel Moreno (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 8min 15sec
Juan Manuel Garate (Rabobank) @ 8min 39sec
Christophe Le Mevel (FDJ) @ 8min 53sec

39. Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 13min 26sec

Andy Schleck (Saxo) 30
Andy Schleck (Saxo) 37hr 57min 29sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 1min 25sec
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) @ 2min 17sec
Rabobank 113hr 59min 59sec
Astana @ 10sec
Radio Shack @ 2min 53sec

Stage 8 route map

Stage 8 profile

Stage 9, Tuesday July 13: Morzine Avoriaz - Saint Jean de Maurienne, 204.5 km

Photos from stage 9

Km 18.5: Côte de Châtillon, 2.1 km @ 3.9% gradient, Category 4 Km 46.0: Col de la Colombière, 16.5 km @ 6.7%, Category 1 Km 71.0: Col des Aravis, 7.6 km @ 5.9%, Category 2 Km 97.0: Col des Saisies, 14.4 km @ 5.1%, Category 1 Km 172.5: Col de la Madeleine, 25.5 km @ 6.2%, Hors Category

The race: What a terrific Tour this is! The day's break was 14-men strong but by the top of the final climb, the Col de a Madeleine, only 4 had survived, Anthony Charteau (Bouygues Telecom), Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne), Damiano Cunego (Lampre) and Sandy Casar (FDJ). Christophe Moreau (Caisse d'Epargne) was gapped, but chasing.

Back in the field, the damage the final climb did to the ambitions of several top riders was staggering. Yellow Jersey Cadel Evans cracked as badly as he did in the 2002 Giro. But this time it wasn't a matter of bonking. It turns out Evans fractured his elbow in a crash in Sunday's stage. He had hoped to cope with the injury but in the end he was unable to keep up with his challengers.

Look at the results below. Sastre and Wiggins have to be considered out of contention now. Astana set an incendiary pace on the Madeleine and after Daniel Navarro (Astana) swung off only Contador and Schleck were on his wheel. After some tentative probing attacks by both riders they went to work distancing the field. They caught Moreau who joined them in the chase. Up front the riders in the break were playing games and by slowing they let Schleck, Moreau and Contador, who were not doing anything at all that resembled playing, catch them. Casar led out and took the sprint and Andy Schleck is now the yellow jersey.

Sandy Casar (FDJ) 5hr 38min 10sec
Damiano Cunego (Lampre) s.t.
Christophe Moreau (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 2sec
Anthony Charteau (Bouygues Telecom) s.t.
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 52sec
Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) @ 2min 7sec
Jens Voigt (Saxo) s.t.
Denis Menchov (Rabobank) @ 2min 10sec
Kevin De Weert (Quick Step) @ 2min 50sec
Jurgen Ven Den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) s.t.
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 3min 48sec
Damien Monier (Cofidis) @ 3min 51sec
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) @ 4min 53sec
Cyril Gautier (Bouygues Telecom) @ 4min 55sec
Johan Gadret (Ag2r) s.t.

42. Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 8min 9sec

Andy Schleck (Saxo) 43hr 35min 41sec
Alberto Contador (Astana) @ 41sec
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 2min 45sec
Denis Menchov (Rabobank) @ 2min 58sec
Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 3min 31sec
Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) @ 3min 59sec
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) @ 4min 22sec
Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 4min 41sec
Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) @ 5min 8sec
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 5min 9sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 5min 11sec
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) @ 5min 42sec
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) @ 6min 31sec
Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) @ 7min 4sec
Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) @ 7min 13sec
Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 7min 18sec
Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) @ 7min 44sec
Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 7min 47sec
Thomas Lovkvist (Sky) @ 8min 3sec
Andreas Kloden (Radio Shack) @ 9min 5sec
Damien Monier (Cofidis) @ 9min 48sec
Ruben Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 10min 20sec
Kevin De Weert (Quick Step) @ 10min 26sec
Sandy Casar (FDJ) @ 10min 46sec
Christopher Horner (Radio Shack) @ 11min 6sec
John Gadret (Ag2r) @ 11min 45sec
Daniel Moreno (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 12min 48sec
Christophe Le Mevel (FDJ) @ 13min 26sec
Christophe Riblon (Ag2r) @ 14min 30sec
Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-Transitions) @ 15min 15sec
Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 15min 54sec

Did not Start: Fabio Felline (Footon-Servetto),Vladimir Karpets (Katusha), Simon Gerrans (Sky), Roger Kluge (Milram).

Abandon: Markus Eibegger (Footon-Servetto)

Anthony Charteau (Bouygues Telecom): 85 points
Jerome Pineau (Quick Step): 85
Christophe Moreau (Caisse d'Epargne): 62
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo): 124 points
Caisse d'Epargne 131hr 5min 36sec
Radio Shack @ 31sec
Astana @ 35sec

Stage 9 route map

Stage 9 profile

Stage 10, Wednesday July 14: Chambéry - Gap 179 km

Km 77.0: Côte de Laffrey, 7.0 km @ 9% gradient, Category 1 Km 98.0: Côte des Terrasses, 3.3 km @ 7.1%, Category 3 Km 145.5: Col du Noyer, 7.4 km @ 5.3%, Category 2

Stage 10 photos

The race: The first 35 kilometers were insane with attacks flying everywhere. The French riders were particularly intent given that this is July 14, their national day. By the 40th km a group of 6 had managed to break clear. The pack, being policed by Schleck's Saxo team, was content to let them go, letting the gap grow to over 14 minutes at the end. The pack is hot, tired and battered and didn't have much fight in it today.

The riders in the break, however, were very motivated. With the major climbing done for the day Mario Aerts tried to leave the others with something like 14 km left in the stage. That started the attacking games that finally resulted in Sergio Paulinho (Radios Shack) and Vasil Kiryienka (Caisse d'Epargne) getting free of the others with Paulinho taking a very close sprint.

Sergio Paulinho (Radio Shack) 5hr 10min 56sec
Dries Devenyns (Quick Step) @ 1min 29sec
Maxime Bouet (Ag2r) @ 3min 20sec
Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) @ 12min 57sec
Remi Pauriol (Cofidis) @ 13min 57sec
Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) @ 14min 19sec
Kristjan Koren (Liquigas) s.t.
Maarten Tjallingii (Rabobank) s.t.
Juan Manuel Garate (Rabobank) s.t.

34. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) s.t.

44. Cadel Evans (BMC) s.t.

46. Denis Menchov (Rabobank) s.t.

70. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) s.t.

130. Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 15min 47sec

Andy Schleck (Saxo) 49hr 56sec
Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) @ 6min 23sec
Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 17min 22sec
Jerome Pineau (Quick Step): 91 points
Anthony Charteau (Bouygues Telecom): 90
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo): 138 points
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre): 131
Robbie McEwen (Katusha): 116
Jose Joaquin Rojas (Caisse d'Epargne): 98
Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia): 97
Roman kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 5min 11sec
Caisse d'Epargne 147 hr 7min 2sec
Astana @ 14min 54sec

Stage 10 route map

Stage 10 profile

Rest Day, Monday July 12: Morzine-Avoriaz.

Long ago Alberto Contador said that the 2010 Tour would be settled in the Pyrenees. After Sunday's stage this looks more true than ever. It seemed that the big guys were racing stage 8 so as not to lose the Tour rather than trying to win. There were no epic attacks, just an extremely hard day that allowed the better riders to ride to the top of the GC standings. Tomorrow's stage is unlikely to change the selection since the crest of the final rated climb, the Hors Category Col de la Madeleine is placed about 35 km before the finish. If a rider is feeling lucky, he could attack on the descent and try to hold the lead the remaining 13 km to the finish

After working too hard to control the leaders on the Morzine ascent yesterday, leaving him vulnerable to Schleck's devastating final attack, Contador has said he'll let the others (read: yellow jersey Evans and BMC) police the pointy part of the peloton tomorrow.

It's a shame the race is deprived of the angry ferocity Armstrong can bring to the race, but the 2010 Armstrong is certainly not the 2004 Lance who always rode near the front of the peloton and stayed completely out of trouble. I can't imagine Armstrong clipping a pedal, a banal way to crash, 10 years ago. Also he missed the Cancellara move in stage three that took Evans and Schleck clear, an unheard of lapse with the old Lance 1.0. Back then he was the most heads-up, alert, dialed-in rider on the road. Father Time is no friend of athletes.

Stage 11, Thursday July 15: Sisteron - Bourg-lès-Valence, 184.5 km

Km 56.5: Col de Cabre, 5.0 km @ 5.9% gradient, Category 3

Photos from stage 11

The Race: Almost as the flag was dropped Stephane Auge (Cofidis), Jose-Alberto Benitez (Footon-Servetto) and Anthony Geslin (FDJ) flew the coup. Given the day's rather flat profile, the sprinter's teams were not going to let the break succeed. They were caught well before the sprint. And what a sprint it was. As Lampre, Garmin and Columbia fought for position a head-butting argument at top speed broke out between Columbia final lead-out man Mark Renshaw and Garmin's Julian Dean. Cavendish easily took the stage. That makes 13 Tour stage wins for Cavendish, the most of any active rider.After launching Cavendish it sure looked like Renshaw then moved over to block Tyler Farrar. Petacchi's second place gave him enough points to make him the new green jersey.

The Tour judges made their displeasure with Renshaw's tactics very clear by ejecting him from the race.

Mark Cavendish (HTC), 4hr 42min 29sec
Jose Joaquin Rojas (Caise d'Epargne) s.t.
Edvald Boason Hagen (Sky) s.t.
Kevin de Weert (Quick Step) s.t.
Daniel Lloyd (Cervelo) s.t.
Alexandr Pliuschin (Katusha) s.t.
Brett Daniel Lancaster (Cervelo) s.t.

Withdrawals: Did not start-Charles Wegelius (Omega-Pharma-Lotto), Robert Hunter (Garmin-Transitions)

Ejected from the Tour de France: Mark Renshaw (HTC-Columbia)

Andy Schleck (Saxo), 53hr 43min 25sec
Levi Lepiheimer (Radio Shack) @ 3min 59sec
Kevin de Weert (Quick Step) @ 10min 26sec
Christopher Horner (Radio Shack) @ 11min 35sec
Kanstantsin Sivtsov (HTC-Columbia) @ 17min 50sec
Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 17min 51sec
Jerome Pineau (Quick Step): 92 points
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre): 161 points
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo): 157
Robbie McEwen (Katusha): 138
Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia): 132
Jose Joaquin Rojas (Caisse d'Epargne): 122
Andy Shcleck (Saxo), 53hr 43min 25sec
Caisse d'Epargne, 161hr 14min 29sec
Rabobank @15min 38sec

Stage 11 route map

Stage 11 profile

Stage 12, Friday July 16: Bourg-de-Péage - Mende, 210.5 km

Km 31.0: Côte de Saint-Barthélémy-le-Plain, 10.7 km @ 3.1% gradient, Category 3 Km 59.0: Col des Nonières (NONIERES), 5.7 km, 3.8%, Category 3 Km 96.0: Suc de Montivernoux, 13.7 @ 4.4%, Category 2 Km 133.0: Côte de la Mouline, 3.9 km @ 5%, Category 3 Km 208.5: Côte de la Croix-Neuve (Montée Laurent Jalabert), 3.1 km @ 10.1%, Category 2

Photos from stage 12

The race: The action really started on the third category Col des Nonières when 18 riders broke away. What was surprising was the number of GC threats that were allowed to get away including Ryder Hesjedal, Andreas Kloden, Alexandre Vinokourov as well as KOM competitor Anthony Charteau and green jersey hunter Thor Hushovd. But get away they did and with so many teams represented in the break Saxo had to do almost all of the chasing.

Kloden thought the group too big and his acceleration brought it down to just 4: Kloden, Vino, Hesjedal and Vasil Kiryienka.

On the final climb, the Côte de la Croix-Neuve (Montée Laurent Jalabert) which has patches of 14% gradient, the break came apart. Vinokourov went for the solo victory with the other breakaways getting sucked up by the relentless peloton.

In the peloton Joaquin Rodriguez shot away and Contador was on his wheel like stink on poo. Schleck didn't have the suds to join the move as the pair rode away from the pack and up towards Vinokourov. They went by the Kazakh with Rodriguez taking the stage. Vinokourov was third at 4 seconds. Schleck came in fifth, ten seconds after Rodriguez and Contador. It looks like the steeper the terrain, the more vulnerable Schleck is.

Hushovd grabbed enough intermediate sprint points to retake the green jersey. Charteau retook the polka dots and Tyler Farrar finally had to abandon.

Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) 4hr 58min 26sec
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) @ 4sec
Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 10sec
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) @ 15sec
Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) @ 17sec
Ruben Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 31sec
Vasil Kiryienka (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 48sec
Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) @ 53sec
John Gadret (Ag2r) s.t.
Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) @ 1min 11sec
Eros Capecchi (Footon-Servetto) s.t.

57. Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 3min 35sec

Withdrawals: Did not start- Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis), Abandon- Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions)

Andy Schleck (Saxo) 58hr 42min 1sec
Alberto Contador (Astana) @ 31sec
Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) @ 4min 6sec
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) @ 4min 27sec
Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) @ 4min 58sec
Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 5min 2sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas-Domo) @ 5min 16sec
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 5min 30sec
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) @ 6min 25sec
Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) @ 6min 44sec
Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) @ 7min 34sec
Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 7min 39sec
Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) @ 7min 47sec
Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 8min 8sec
Thomas Lovkvist (Sky) @ 8min 24sec
Ruben Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 10min 41sec
Damien Monier (Cofidis) @ 11min 4sec
Kevin De Weert (Quick Step) @ 11min 27sec
Christopher Horner (Radio Shack) @ 11min 56sec
John Gadret (Ag2r) @ 12min 28sec
Christophe Le Mevel (FDJ) @ 14min 9sec
Sandy Casar (FDJ) @ 14mn 11sec
Daniel Moreno (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 14min 33sec
Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-Transitions) @ 16min 44sec
Christophe Riblon (Ag2r) @ 17min 55sec
Kanstantsin Sivtsov (HTC-Columbia) @ 19min 64sec
Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 21min 16sec
Anthony Charteau (Bouygues Telecom): 107 points
Jerome Pineau (Quick Step): 92
Andy Schleck (Saxo): 64
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo): 167 points
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre): 161
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 5min 16sec
Radio Shack 176 hr 11min 16sec
Caisse d'Epargne) @ 21sec
Astana @ 15min 43sec

Stage 12 route map

Stage 12 profile

Stage 13, Saturday July 17: Rodez - Revel, 196 km

Km 24.0: Côte de Mergals, 3.7 km @ 3.8% gradient, Category 4 Km 31.5: Côte de Bégon, 3.1 km @ 4.5%, Category 4 Km 72.0: Côte d'Ambialet, 5.2 km @ 4.6 %, Category 3 Km 125.0: Côte de Puylaurens, 4.3 km @ 3.9%, Category 4 Km 188.5: Côte de Saint-Ferréol, 1.9 km @ 6%, Category 3

Photos from stage 13

The Race: With 5 ascents rated cat 3 and cat 4, the day looked perfect for a break. Three of the best, Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step), Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) and Pierrick Fedrigo (Bouygues Telecom) left the embrace of the peloton at just the fifth kilometer. They were allowed a gap of 6 minutes but Lampre and Columbia, wanting another shot at a sprint, reeled them back in. It was all together by the time the pack reached the final climb, the Côte de Saint-Ferréol. Alessandro Ballan (BMC) took of at the base of the hill with several riders unsuccessfully trying to get up to the former world champion. Astana's Alexandre Vinokourov lit the jets, blasted by Ballan's chasers and then Ballan himself. Vino extended his lead on the descent while Bouygues Telecom's Thomas Voeckler did all he could to get up to the fleeing Kazakh but couldn't close the gap and was caught by the pack. In the end the determined Vinokourov soloed into Revel with 13 seconds.

Alessandro Petacchi's second place was enough to allow him to take back the green jersey. I assume Thor Hushovd is looking at tomorrow's race profile to figure out a plan to get it back. There are a couple of intermediate sprints before the big stuff in stage 14.

Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) 4hr 26min 26sec
Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) @ 13sec
Anthony Geslin (FDJ) s.t.
Grega Bole (Lampre) s.t.
Christophe Moreau (Caisse d'Epargne) s.t.
Martin ELmiger (Ag2r) s.t.
Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJ) s.t.

33. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) s.t.

34. Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) s.t.

43. Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) s.t.

51. Andy Schleck (Saxo) s.t.

100. Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 4min 35sec

Withdrawal: Rein Taaramae (Cofidis), abandon

Andy Schleck (Saxo) 63hr 8min 40sec
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) @ 6min 12sec
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) @ 6min 25sec
Damien Monier (Cofidis) @ 10min 31sec
Sandy Casar (FDJ) @ 14min 11sec
Daniel Moreno (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 15min 54sec
Remi Pauriol (Cofidis) @ 23min 21sec

36. Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 25min 38sec

Mario Aerts (Omega Pharma-Lotto): 65
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre): 187 points
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo): 185
Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia): 162
Radio Shack 189 hr 31min 13sec
Caisse d'Epargne @ 21sec
Rabobank @ 16min 13sec

Stage 13 route map

Stage 13 profile

Stage 14, Sunday July 18: Revel - Ax-3 Domaines, 184 km

Km 155.5: Port de Pailhères, 15.5 km @ 7.9% gradient, Hors Category Km 183.0: Ax-3-Domaines, 7.8 km @ 8.2%, Category 1

Stage 14 photos

The race: Advantage Contador. Early into today's stage an 11-man group made good its escape. A few dropped off while others bridged, keeping the group at 11 for a while. The gap grew to about 10 minutes but that came down rapidly once Astana hit the front and really raised the speed. Once the first climb, the Port de Pailhères, started the real carnage started. While Carlos Sastre and Rafael Valls attacked, Contador and Schleck were content to keep an eye on each other.

Up front, Ag2r's Christophe Riblon was the first of the breakaway riders over the top (the rest of them were caught by the chasing pack) and he forged on ahead, chased by Sastre. The final ascent to Ax-3-Domaines proved indecisive. Riblon managed to stay away until the end, allowing him to garner the greatest win of his career. Near the top Contador tried twice to shed Schleck, but couldn't. Then the two marked each other, slowing to a near standstill. Denis Menchov, seeing a golden opportunity took off with Samuel Sanchez hot on his wheel. Schleck and Contador sobered up a bit and went after the fleeing duo.

The gap between the two top contenders remains unchanged, which plays to Contador's advantage. If Schleck doesn't have a good two minutes in hand for the 51-kilometer individual time trial, I think his goose is cooked. Even though both riders put out statements that the day went their ways, the more days that get burned up with Contador staying within TT reach, the less likely Schleck can ultimately prevail. Ask Claudio Chiappucci how it worked out for him in 1990.

Here's what Riblon had to say after the stage:

"I was really disappointed with my start of the Tour, because I wanted to do something overall, and it did not work. Especially the last two days were very difficult, and I was almost depressed. Then [AG2R's directeurs sportif] Vincent Lavenu and Julien Jurdi talk to me at length, explaining that I'm usually in good shape by the third week of a Tour, so I had to take my chances and go in a breakaway. They gave me morale, but last night I would still not bet a euro on me. "In the final I did not want to say, 'I won'. I constantly repeated to myself, 'I'm going to win', but I did not want to be sure, not until the last kilometer. I remembered last year when I wondered how Brice Feillu had done what he did to win the stage to Andorra Arcalis. We were behind, and I do not understand how we failed to reel him in – how could he have stayed ahead when there were riders chasing him down. Now I realize why he could do it. When you’re alone in front, with a few kilometers to the finish, the support of the public helps to carry you and it encourage you, it transforms you and gives you strength. I gave everything and I felt I could not lose."

Christophe Riblon (Ag2r)
Denis Menchov (Rabobank) @ 54sec
Andy Schleck (Saxo) @ 1min 8sec
Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) s.t.
Damiano Cunego (Lampre) @ 1min 49sec
Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) @ 1min 53sec
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) @ 2min
Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 2min 2sec
Vasil Kiryienka (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 2min 16sec
Christopher Horner (Radio Shack) @ 2min 26sec
Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) @ 2min 27sec
Thomas Lovkvist (Sky) @ 2min 30sec
Kanstantsin Sivtsov (HTC-Columbia) @ 2min 51sec
Kevin De Weert (Quick Step) @ 3min 1sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 3min 3sec
Ruben Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 3min 17sec

36. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 4min 59sec

37. Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 5min 39sec

62. Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) @ 15min 14sec

70. Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) s.t.

Andy Schleck (Saxo) 68hr 2min 30sec
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 2min 31sec
Denis Menchov (Rabobank) @ 2min 44sec
Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) @ 4min 51sec
Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 5min 56sec
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 6min 52sec
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) @ 7min 4sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 7min 11sec
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) @ 7min 17sec
Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) @ 8min 3sec
Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) @ 8min 15sec
Thomas Lovkvist (Sky) @ 9min 46sec
Andreas Kloden (Radio Shack) @ 10min 17sec
Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 11min 30sec
Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 12min 39sec
Ruben Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 12min 50sec
Christopher Horner (Radio Shack) @ 13min 14sec
Kevin De Weert (Quick Step) @ 13min 20sec
John Gadret (Ag2r) @ 13min 50sec
Christophe Le Mevel (FDJ) @ 16min 4sec
Daniel Moreno (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 17min 37sec
Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) @ 21min 53sec
Christophe Riblon (Ag2r) @ 23min 29sec
Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) @ 27min 46sec
Sandy Casar (FDJ) @ 28min 17sec
Kanstantsin Sivtsov (HTC-Columbia) @ 28min 28sec

38. Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 39min 44sec

Anthony Charteau (Bouygues Telecom): 115 points
Andy Schleck (Saxo): 76
Caisse d'Epargne 204hr 16min 0sec
Radio Shack @ 8sec
Rabobank @ 17min 13sec

Stage 14 route map

Stage 14 profile

Stage 15, Monday July 19: Pamiers - Bagnères-de-Luchon, 187.5 km

Km 30.0: Côte de Carla-Bayle, 3.1 km @ 4.1% gradient, Category 4 Km 105.0: Col de Portet-d'Aspet, 5.8 km @ 6.8%, Category 2 Km 126.5: Col des Ares, 6.1 km @ 4.7%, Category 2 Km 166.0: Port de Balès, 19.3 km @ 6.1%, Hors Category

Photos from stage 15

The Race: Never a dull moment at this Tour. The attacks started with the starter's flag but nothing gained any traction for a while. At about the 26th kilometer the peloton split with, no surprise here, Schleck in the back half. Astana tried tried to make the split permanent but Saxo dragged the chasing half back into contact. At the 93rd kilometer 10 men broke loose. In that group were some top-notch riders including Thomas Voeckler, Johan Van Summeren, Alessandro Ballan and Lloyd Mondory.

At the start of the final climb, the Port de Balès, the break had about 9 minutes. 8 kilometers from the top Voeckler, the reigning French road champion, took off and held off all chasers until the end.

Back in the yellow jersey group Schleck launched the long-promised attack with 3 kilometers to go to the summit. It looked like a move that would stick, but a few seconds after that, his chain dropped and got stuck between the crank and the bottom bracket. Schleck had to dismount and repair his bike

Meanwhile, Contador did not stick around to watch. He took off with Denis Menchov and Samuel Sanchez. Over the top the Contador group had 30 seconds on a frantically chasing Schleck. On the descent and the run-in to the finish the lead stretched to 39 seconds, enough to give Contador the lead by 8 seconds.

I suspect a Saxo mechanic will find himself tied to an anthill this evening.

Here's what Schleck had to say after the race:

"Now I’m really angry. I will ride on the Tourmalet until I fall from my bike and give everything to this race. "I felt really good but what counted at the end of the day is the time that you have when you arrive at the finish and I was so far back even with what I did on the descent. "I promised my brother this morning that I wouldn’t take any risk on the downhill but I think I went down pretty fast... for me, let me put it that way. I didn’t want to lose too much time. "Things happen, and everything happens for a reason. People can say what they want but they also have realize that Alberto was one of the guys who waited for me in Spa and that was really a great sign of fair play. Chapeau! Today was a different story, a different scenario but the Tour is not finished."

[Question: Andy, you seem so calm. You speak really relaxed but are you not mad with your bike or at anyone – maybe with Alberto?] "What happened, happens. I cannot change the situation even if I’m mad. Of course I wouldn’t have minded to throw my bike into the fence and just hit someone but you’ve got to keep yourself under control in situations like this. If you just stay calm it’s worthwhile. If yell at people, it won’t change the situation. It is how it is. I’m not crying behind my jersey. In the end it comes down to the fact that this is a bike race and we will make the final count. I’m not done with."

Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom) 4hr 44min 51sec
Alessandro Ballan (BMC) @ 1min 20sec
Aitor Perez (Footon-Servetto) s.t.
Lloyd Mondory (Ag2r) @ 2min 50sec
Francesco Reda (Quick Step) s.t.
Brian Vandborg (Liquigas) s.t.
Andy Schleck (Saxo) @ 3min 29sec
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) @ 3min 55sec
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) @ 3min 55sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 4min 8sec
Serguei Ivanov (Katusha) @ 4min 14sec
Ruben Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 5min 18sec
Christophe Moreau (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 5min 44sec

32. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) s.t.

36. Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 6min 58sec

48. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 9min 35sec

Withdrawal: Mauro Santambrogio (BMC), abandon

Alberto Contador (Astana) 72hr 50min 42sec
Andy Schleck (Saxo) @ 8sec
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 2min
Denis Menchov (Rabobank) @ 2min 13sec
Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 3min 39sec
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) @ 5min 1sec
Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) @ 5min 25sec
Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) @ 5min 45sec
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) @ 7min 12sec
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) @ 7min 51sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 7min 58sec
Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 8min 19sec
Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) @ 9min 2sec
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 9min 15sec
Andreas Kloden (Radio Shack) @ 11min 14sec
Thomas Lovkvist (Sky) @ 12min 9sec
Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) @ 12min 34sec
Kevin De Weert (Quick Step) @ 14min 7sec
John Gadret (Ag2r) @ 14min 24sec
Ruben Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 14min 47sec
Christopher Horner (Radio Shack) @ 15min 37sec
Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 16min 16sec
Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 17min 44sec
Daniel Fernandez (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 20min
Christophe Le Mevel (FDJ) @ 21min 18sec
Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) @ 27min 7sec
Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-Transitions) @ 28min 56sec
Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) @ 30min 9sec
Chirstophe Moreau (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 34min 39sec
Remi Pauriol (Cofidis) @ 35min 14sec
Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom): 82
Andy Schleck (Saxo) 72hr 50min 50sec
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) @ 4min 53sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 7min 50sec
Radio Shack 218hr 42min 52sec
Caisse d'Epargne @ 4min 27sec
Rabobank @ 17min 23sec

Stage 15 route map

Stage 15 profile

Stage 16, Tuesday July 20: Bagnères-de-Luchon - Pau, 199.5 km

Km 11.0: Col de Peyresourde , 11.0 km @ 7.4% gradient, Category 1 Km 42.5: Col d'Aspin , 12.3 km @ 6.3%, Category 1 Km 72.0: Col du Tourmalet (Souvenir Jacques Goddet), 17.1 km, 7.3%, Hors Category Km 138.0: Col d'Aubisque , 29.2 km @ 4.2%, Hors Category

Photos from stage 16

The race: Andy Schleck decided to wait until Thursday's finish at the top of the Tourmalet to try to win the Tour. There was no change in the top ten GC placers today even though the day's route had four giant climbs.

At about the 5th kilometer a break of 18 had broken clear of the peloton. That group included Lance Armstrong, Chris Horner, Nicolas Roche and Bradley Wiggins. From there riders would drop out and others would bridge up but this original break would go the distance. As the ascent of the final climb, the Col d'Aubisque began, the break was 10 strong and included Armstrong, Horner, Sandy Casar, Ignatas Konovalovas, Carlos Barredo, Jurgen Van De Walle, Pierrick Fedrigo, Christophe Moreau, Ruben Plaza and Damiano Cunego. Halfway up the climb the break had gained a 7min 30sec lead on the Yellow Jersey group.

With about 45 kilometers to go Carlos Barredo attacked the break and established a lead of about 40 seconds. That was quickly cut to 25 seconds and it stayed there for a while as the chasers gave an uneven pursuit. Finally Moreau and Horner went deep and their efforts snagged Barredo with a kilometer to go. Fedrigo was by far the fastest man and he easily won the stage. Hushovd took the field sprint and again became the green jersey.

Pierrick Fedrigo (Bouygues Telecom) 5hr 31min 43sec
Jurgen Van De Walle (Quick Step) s.t.
Carlos Barredo (Quick Step) @ 28sec
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo) @ 6min 45sec
Aleksandr Kuchynski (Liquigas) s.t.
Matthew Lloyd (Omega Pharma-Lotto) s.t.
Alan Perez (Euskaktel) s.t.
Rui Albert Faria (Caisse d'Epargne) s.t.
Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) s.t.

39. Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) s.t.

43. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) s.t.

55. Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) s.t.

81. Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 23min 42sec

Withdrawals: Did not start, Iban Mayoz (Footon-Servetto), Bram Tankink (Rabobank)

Alberto Contador (Astana) 78hr 29min 10sec
Andy Schleck (Saco) @ 8sec
Ruben Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 8min 2sec
Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Eparnge) @ 8min 19sec
Christopher Horner (Radio Shack) @ 8min 52sec
Daniel Moreno (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 20min
Christophe Moreau (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 27min 54sec
Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 33min 13sec
Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 33min 46sec
Sandy Casar (FDJ) @ 35min 20sec
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 37min 18sec
Julien El Fares (Cofidis) @ 41min 1sec
Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) @ 44min 4sec
Christophe Riblon (Ag2r) @ 44min 29sec
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo): 191 points
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre): 187
Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia)
Andy Schleck (Saxo) 78hr 29min 18sec
Radio Shack 235hr 24min 46sec
Caisse d'Epargne @ 4 min 27sec
Rabobank @ 30min 53sec

Stage 16 route map

Stage 16 profile

Rest Day, Wednesday July 21: Pau

Stage 17, Thursday July 22: Pau - Col du Tourmalet, 174 km

Km 13.5: Côte de Renoir, 2.2 km @ 6% gradient, Category 4 Km 56.5: Col de Marie-Blanque, 9.3 km @ 7.6%, Category 1 Km 117.5: Col du Soulor: 11.9 km @ 7.8%, Category 1 Km 174.0: COL DU TOURMALET (Souvenir Henri Desgrange), 18.6 km @ 7.5 %, Hors Category

Stage 17 photos

The Race: It was a wet, rainy and foggy day.The day's break was up the road before the first climb: Alexandr Kolobnev (Katusha), Edvald Hagen (Sky), Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky), Remi Pauriol (Cofidis), Ruben Perez (Euskaltel), Marcus Burghardt (BMC), Kristjan Koren (Liquigas). Later Cervelo riders Ignatas Konovalovas and Carlos Sastre tried to bridge up to them, but despite Sastre's long solo push (Konovalovas soon gave up), neither were successful.

As the race began to ascend the Tourmalet, Saxo and Rabobank turned themselves inside out keeping the speed high. Up ahead Kolobnev attacked the break and only Burghardt could go with him. Then Kolobnev burned Burghardt off his wheel.

With about 10 kilometers to go Schleck exited the now very small yellow jersey group with Contador on his wheel. It looked to me to be a mild attack but looks can be deceiving. No one else could latch onto the move. Schleck powered away with Contador glued grimly to his wheel. Schleck tried several times to drop the Spaniard, but Contador looked to be having a very good day. Contador gave his own shot at riding to the top alone but Schleck was not going to be dropped either.

As they raced up the mountain they caught and passed all of the earlier breakaway riders. Contador did not contest the sprint, letting Schleck have the stage win. Samuel Sanchez, who had crashed badly early in the stage, finished in front of Denis Menchov, thereby defending his third place in the General Classification. It'll be interesting if his 21-second lead over the Russian will hold up over the 51-kilometer time trial on Saturday. The general consensus is that Schleck lacks the power to beat Contador in the final time trial. My question: Can Menchov take 3 minutes and 45 seconds out of Schleck and move up to second place? Probably not, but Schleck is going to have to do the ride of his life to keep second.

Here is what Andy Schleck had to say after the stage:

"I'm satisfied with the stage win but I also wanted to turn white into yellow but unfortunately it wasn’t possible. I really tried hard, you have to believe me about that. I changed rhythm and I tried everything but I think we're on the same level on the climbs. Alberto attacked and I could go with him – it was a quick response – but in the end he didn’t sprint to win the stage because I did the most work. I have a lot of respect for that, it shows that he’s a great champion. "I tried to find out how he was feeling. You need to look at someone to see how he was coping. I think you can find out a lot if you look someone in the eyes. He didn’t have the sunglasses on today so it was possible to see, that's why I looked so many times. But he always looked good and that’s kind of what killed me. "El Pistolero is strong, huh? I could not drop him. He was always there. I wanted to find out if he was getting weak but he didn't succumb. He even attacked me to show, 'Hey, listen young boy, I’m still here! You better stop playing these games with me.' "I'm super happy to win this stage today – it’s the Queen stage of this year’s Tour. To win on the Tourmalet is like a win on Alpe d'Huez. "When I turned to talk to him, I said: 'You pass?' And he didn't. I would have done the same. Why should he pass me? In the end, he let me win the stage and I’m super happy."

Andy Schleck (Saxo) 5hr 3min 29sec
Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) @ 1min 18sec
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) @ 1min 27sec
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 1min 32sec
Denis Menchov (Rabobank) @ 1min 40sec
Christopher Horner (Radio Shack) @ 1min 45sec
Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 1min 48sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 2min 14sec
Damiano Cunego (Lampre) @ 3min
Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) @ 3min 26sec
Andreas Kloden (Radio Shack) @ 3min 30sec
John Gadret (Ag2r) @ 3min 35sec
Kanstantsin Sivtsov (HTC-Columbia) @ 3min 44sec
Steve Morabito (BMC) @ 3min 58sec
Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 4min 12sec
Carlos Barredo (Quick Step) @ 4min 16sec
Vasil Kiryienka (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 4min 27sec
Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Eparnge) s.t.
Pierre Rolland (Bouygues Telecom) @ 4min 30sec
Christophe Moreau (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 4min 36sec
Ruben Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 4min 59sec
Gorka Verdugo (Euskaltel) @ 5min 15sec
Daniel Moreno (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ @ 5min 23sec
Amael Moinard (Cofidis) @ 5min 30sec
Anthony Charteau (Bouygues Telecom) @ 5min 37sec
Sylvester Szmyd (Liquigas) @ 5min 42sec
Cyril Gautier (Bouygues Telecom) @ 5min 44sec
Alexandr Kolobnev (Katusha) @ 5min 52sec

43. Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) @ 8min 59sec

49. Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) @ 10min 45sec

59. Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 12min

69. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 16min 28sec

72. Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) @ 16min 48sec

88. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 23min 19sec

Withdrawals: Simon Spilak (Lampre), abandon.

Alberto Contador (Astana) 83hr 32min 39sec
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 3min 32sec
Denis Menchov (Rabobank) @ 3min 53sec
Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 5min 27sec
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) @ 6min 41sec
Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) @ 7min 3sec
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) @ 9min 18sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 1min 12 sec
Christopher Horner (Radio Shack) @ 10min 37sec
Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epagne) @ 12min 46sec
Ruben Plaza (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 13min 1sec
Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) @ 14min 24sec
Andreas Kloden (Radio Shack) @ 14min 44sec
Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) @ 16min
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) @ 17min 57sec
John Gadret (Ag2r) @ 17min 59sec
Thomas Lovkvist (Sky) @ 18min 30sec
Kevin De Weert (Quick Step) @ 20min 3sec
Daniel Moreno (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 25min 23sec
Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) @ 25min 50sec
Christophe Moreau (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 32min 30sec
Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 37min 58sec
Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 41min 3sec
Sandy Casar (FDJ) @ 42min 56sec
Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 45min 13sec
Julien Al Fares (Cofidis) @ 48min 56sec
Christophe Riblon (Ag2r) @ 50min 27sec
Damiano Cunego (Lampre) @ 51min 56sec
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 53min 46sec
Andy Schleck (Saxo) 116
Andy Schleck (Saxo) 83hr 32min 47sec
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) @ 6min 33sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 10min 4sec
Radio Shack 250hr 44min 40sec
Caisse d'Epargne @ 8min 30sec
Rabobank @ 33min 39sec

Stage 17 route map

Stage 17 profile

Stage 18, Friday July 23: Salies-de-Béarn - Bordeaux, 198 km

Rated climbs: none this stage

Stage 18 photos

The Race: The top ranks of the General Classification remained unchanged. The day's flat stage saw a 4-man break go with Liquigas' Daniel Oss its the last survivor. He was nailed with about 4 kilometers to go by a peloton intent upon a sprint finish. In that sprint Thor Hushovd went too early while Cavendish easily took his fourth stage of the year. Petacchi's third place gave him the green jersey.

Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) 4hr 37min 9sec
Anthony Roux (FDJ) s.t.
Alessandro Ballan (BMC) s.t.
Alan Perez (Euskaltel) s.t.
Serguei Ivanov (Katusha) s.t.
Jose-Alberto Benitez (Footon-Servetto) s.t.

Withdrawal: Francesco Reda (Quick Step), abandon

Alberto Contador (Astana) 88hr 9min 48sec
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) @ 10min 12sec
Luis-Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 12min 46sec
Christophe Moreau (Caisse d'Epargne) @32min 30sec
Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 41min 34sec
Sandy Casar (FDJ) @ 42min 36sec
Julien El Fares (Cofidis) @ 48min 56sec
Christophe Riblon (Ag2r) @ 51min 56sec
Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-Transitions) @ 55min 7sec
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 55min 25sec
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre): 213 points
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo): 203
Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia): 197
Andy Schleck (Saxo) 88hr 9min 56sec
Radio Shack 264 hr 36min 7sec
Rbobank @ 33min 39sec

Stage 18 route map

Stage 18 profile

Stage 19, Saturday July 24: Bordeaux - Pauillac 52 km individual time trial

Stage 19 photos

The Race: Just a couple of observations. The wind came up late in the day, giving an advantage to the early starters. That certainly helped Denis Menchov who time-trialed Samuel Sanchez off the podium. Andy Schleck went out hard and came very close to being the virtual yellow jersey before Alberto Contador clawed back the time needed to give him a comfortable lead. Clearly Contador was sub-par today. Look at the results below and you can see he was 35th, slower than lots of guys he normally waxes. Staying in yellow against a very determined Andy Schleck must have been very tiring work.

Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) 1hr 56sec
Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia) @ 17sec
Bert Grabsch (HTC-Columbia) @ 1min 48sec
Ignatas Konovalovas (Cervelo) @ 2min 34sec
David Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions) @ 3min
Koos Moerenhout (Rabobank) @ 3min 3sec
Vasil Kiryienka (Caisse d'Epargne) @ 3min 10sec
Maarten Tjallingii (Rabobank) @ 3min 21sec
Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 3min 33 sec
Geraint Thomas (Sky) @ 3min 38sec
Denis Menchov (Rabobank) @ 3min 51sec
Jeremy Roy (FDJ) @ 4min
Stuart O'Grady (Saxo) @ 4min 6sec
Maxime Monfort (HTC-Columbia) @ 4min 14sec
Nikki Sorenson (Saxo) @ 4min 15sec
Pavel Brutt (Katusha) @ 4min 15sec
David Millar (Garmin) @ 4min 20sec
Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @
Dmitriy Muravyev (Radio Shack) @ 4min 38sec
Steve Morabito (BMC) @ 4min 39sec
Chris Sorensen (Saxo) @ 4min 46sec
Martijn Maaskant (Garmin-Transitions) @ 4min 48sec
Kanstantsin Sivtsov (HTC-Columbia) @ 4min 59sec
Sebastien Turgot (Bouygues Telecom) @ 5min 2sec
Sebastian Lang (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 5min 7sec
Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo) @ 5min 8sec
Anthony Roux (FDJ) @ 5min 9sec
Christophe Kern (Cofidis) @ 5min 14sec
Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky) @ 5min 15sec
Brett Lancaster (Cervelo) @ 5min 16sec

33. Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) @ 5min 32sec

35. Alberto Contador (Astana) @ 5min 43sec

40. Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 5min 51sec

41. Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) @ 5min 59sec

44. Andy Schleck (Saxo) @ 6min 14sec

48. Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) @ 6min 30sec

52. Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) @ 6min 40sec

67. Lance Armstrong (Radio Shack) @ 7min 5sec

69. Christopher Horner (Radio Shack) @ 7min 8sec

Alberto Contador (Astana) 89hr 16min 27sec
Andy Schleck (Saxo) @ 39sec
Denis Menchov (Rabobank) @ 2min 1sec
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 3min 40sec
Jurgen Van den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) 6min 54sec
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) @ 9min 31sec
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana)) @ 17min 46sec
Kevin De Weert (Quick Step @ 21min 54sec
Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-TRansitions) @ 58min 53sec

32. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 59min 33sec

Andy Schleck (Saxo) 89hr 16min 6sec
Radio Shack 267 hr 44min

Stage 19 route map

Stage 19 profile

Stage 20, Sunday July 25: Longjumeau - Paris/Champs-Élysées, 102.5 km

Stage 20 photos

The Race: The day's only drama occurred before the official stage start. Radio Shack showed up with black jerseys with the number "28", symbolizing the 28 million people who are thought to have cancer in the world today. The officials said those were not approved jerseys and they had to be changed, threatening disqualification. The team slipped their regular jerseys over the black ones. Hold on, said the judges, your numbers are covered up. So, the riders had to stop, change jerseys and re-pin their numbers.

Then the race had the normal outcome. A break went off, was caught with 6 kilometers to go and Cavendish won the stage. Alessandro Petacchi came in second, making him the 2010 green jersey. I believe that's the first time a rider has won consecutive final sprints on the Champs-Élysées. Contador gets his third Tour win, joining the great Philippe Thys, Louison Bobet and Greg LeMond in the 3-time winners club.

Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) 2hr 42min 21sec
Lars Boom (Rabobank) s.t.
Daniel Moreno (Omega Phaarma-Lotto) s.t.
Rui Alberto Faria (Caisse d'Epargne) s.t.

170 classified finishers

Complete 2010 Tour de France Final General Classification

Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 6min 54sec

Stage 20 route map

Stage 20 profile

Summary of 2010 Tour de France race course.

The 2010 edition will start with a prologue time trial at Rotterdam and will then head through Belgium and land in France at the end of the third stage. That third stage will have seven cobbled sectors totaling 13.2 kilometers.

The 2010 edition moves clockwise and will be Alps first. Then it will spend 4 days in the Pyrenees, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Tour's inclusion of high Pyrenean climbs. The Tourmalet will be climbed twice, including a hilltop finish with only 3 stages to go. The penultimate stage will be a 51-kilometer individual time trial at Bordeaux. It appears that the Tour will continue to de-emphasize time trialing, given that with the Prologue, there are only 59 kilometers of riding against the clock. Like last year, there won't be time bonuses for the intermediate sprints or for stage wins.

In summary the Tour will have:

Startlist with back-numbers as of July 2:

The Tour organization's March 30 team invitation announcement is below the startlist.

198 riders are scheduled to start.

1 Alberto Contador (ESP) 2 David De La Fuente (ESP) 3 Andriy Grivko (UKR) 4 Jesus Hernandez (ESP) 5 Maxim Iglinskiy (KAZ) 6 Daniel Navarro (ESP) 7 Benjamin Noval (ESP) 8 Paolo Tiralongo (ITA) 9 Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ)

Team Saxo Bank

11 Andy Schleck (LUX) 12 Matti Breschel (DAN) 13 Fabian Cancellara (SUI) 14 Jakob Fuglsang (DAN) 15 Stuart O'Grady (AUS) 16 Fränk Schleck (LUX) 17 Chris Anker Sørensen (DAN) 18 Nicki Sörensen (DAN) 19 Jens Voigt (ALL)

Team Radioshack

21 Lance Armstrong (USA) 22 Janez Brajkovic (SLO) 23 Christopher Horner (USA) 24 Andreas Klöden (GER) 25 Levi Leipheimer (USA) 26 Dmitriy Muravyev (KAZ) 27 Sergio Paulinho (POR) 28 Yaroslav Popovych (UKR) 29 Grégory Rast (SUI)

Sky Professional Cycling Team

31 Bradley Wiggins (GBR) 32 Michael Barry (CAN) 33 Steven Cummings (GBR) 34 Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP) 35 Simon Gerrans (AUS) 36 Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) 37 Thomas Lövkvist (SUE) 38 Serge Pauwels (BEL) 39 Geraint Thomas (GBR)

Liquigas-Doimo

41 Ivan Basso (ITA) 42 Francesco Bellotti (ITA) 43 Kristjan Koren (SLO) 44 Roman Kreuziger (TCH) 45 Alexander Kuschynski (BLR) 46 Daniel Oss (ITA) 47 Manuel Quinziato (ITA) 48 Sylvester Szmyd (POL) 49 Brian Vandborg (DAN)

Garmin - Transitions

51 Christian Vande Velde (USA) 52 Julian Dean (NZL) 53 Tyler Farrar (USA) 54 Ryder Hesjedal (CAN) 55 Robert Hunter (AFS) 56 Martijn Maaskant (HOL) 57 David Millar (GBR) 58 Johan Van Summeren (BEL) 59 David Zabriskie (USA)

Française des Jeux

61 Christophe Le Mevel (FRA) 62 Sandy Casar (FRA) 63 Rémy Di Grégorio (FRA) 64 Anthony Geslin (FRA) 65 Matthieu Ladagnous (FRA) 66 Anthony Roux (FRA) 67 Jérémy Roy (FRA) 68 Wesley Sulzberger (AUS) 69 Benoït Vaugrenard (FRA)

Team Katusha

71 Vladimir Karpets (RUS) 72 Pavel Brutt (RUS) 73 Serguei Ivanov (RUS) 74 Alexandr Kolobnev (RUS) 75 Robbie McEwen (AUS) 76 Alexandr Pliuschin (MOL) 77 Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP) 78 Stijn Vandenbergh (BEL) 79 Eduard Vorganov (RUS)

AG2R La Mondiale

81 Nicolas Roche (IRL) 82 Maxime Bouet (FRA) 83 Dimitri Champion (FRA) 84 Martin Elmiger (SUI) 85 John Gadret (FRA) 86 David Le Lay (FRA) 87 Lloyd Mondory (FRA) 88 Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA) 89 Christophe Riblon (FRA)

Cervelo Test Team

91 Carlos Sastre (ESP) 92 Xavier Florencio (ESP) 93 Volodymir Gustov (UKR) 94 Jeremy Hunt (GBR) 95 Thor Hushovd (NOR) 96 Andreas Klier (GER) 97 Ignatas Konovalovas (LIT) 98 Brett Lancaster (AUS) 99 Daniel Lloyd (GBR)

Omega Pharma-Lotto

101 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (BEL) 102 Mario Aerts (BEL) 103 Francis De Greef (BEL) 104 Mickael Delage (FRA) 105 Sebastian Lang (ALL) 106 Matthew Lloyd (AUS) 107 Daniel Moreno (ESP) 108 Jurgen Roelandts (BEL) 109 Charles Wegelius (GBR)

Team HTC - Columbia

111 Mark Cavendish (GBR) 112 Bernhard Eisel (AUT) 113 Bert Grabsch (ALL) 114 Adam Hansen (AUS) 115 Tony Martin (ALL) 116 Maxime Monfort (BEL) 117 Mark Renshaw (AUS) 118 Michael Rogers (AUS) 119 Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR)

BMC Racing Team

121 Cadel Evans (AUS) 122 Alessandro Ballan (ITA) 123 Brent Bookwalter (USA) 124 Marcus Burghardt (ALL) 125 Mathias Frank (SUI) 126 George Hincapie (USA) 127 Karsten Kroon (HOL) 128 Steve Morabito (SUI) 129 Mauro Santambrogio (ITA)

131 Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) 132 Carlos Barredo Llamazales (ESP) 133 Kevin De Weert (BEL) 134 Dries Devenyns (BEL) 135 Jérôme Pineau (FRA) 136 Francesco Reda (ITA) 137 Kevin Seeldrayers (BEL) 138 Jurgen Van De Walle (BEL) 139 Maarten Wijnants (BEL)

Team Milram

141 Linus Gerdemann (GER) 142 Gerald Ciolek (GER) 143 Johannes Fröhlinger (GER) 144 Roger Kluge (GER) 145 Christian Knees (GER) 146 Luke Roberts (AUS) 147 Thomas Rohregger (AUT) 148 Niki Terpstra (HOL) 149 Fabian Wegmann (GER)

Bbox Bouygues Telecom

151 Thomas Voeckler (FRA) 152 Yukiya Arashiro (JAP) 153 Anthony Charteau (FRA) 154 Pierrick Fedrigo (FRA) 155 Cyril Gautier (FRA) 156 Pierre Rolland (FRA) 157 Matthieu Sprick (FRA) 158 Sébastien Turgot (FRA) 159 Nicolas Vogondy (FRA)

Caisse d'Epargne

161 Luis León Sánchez Gil (ESP) 162 Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (POR) 163 Imanol Erviti Ollo (ESP) 164 José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (ESP) 165 Vasili Kiryienka (BLR) 166 Christophe Moreau (FRA) 167 Mathieu Perget (FRA) 168 Ruben Plaza Molina (ESP) 169 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (ESP)

Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne

171 Rein Taaramae (EST) 172 Stéphane Auge (FRA) 173 Samuel Dumoulin (FRA) 174 Julien El Farès (FRA) 175 Christophe Kern (FRA) 176 Sébastien Minard (FRA) 177 Amaël Moinard (FRA) 178 Damien Monier (FRA) 179 Rémi Pauriol (FRA)

Euskaltel - Euskadi

181 Samuel Sánchez (ESP) 182 Inaki Isasi (ESP) 183 Egoi Martinez (ESP) 184 Juan Jose Oroz (ESP) 185 Alan Perez (ESP) 186 Ruben Perez (ESP) 187 Amets Txurruka (ESP) 188 Iban Velasco (ESP) 189 Gorka Verdugo (ESP)

191 Denis Menchov (RUS) 192 Lars Boom (HOL) 193 Oscar Freire (ESP) 194 Juan Manuel Gárate (ESP) 195 Robert Gesink (HOL) 196 Koos Moerenhout (HOL) 197 Grischa Niermann (ALL) 198 Bram Tankink (HOL) 199 Maarten Tjallingii (HOL)

Lampre-Farnese Vini

201 Damiano Cunego (ITA) 202 Grega Bole (SLO) 203 Mauro Da Dalto (ITA) 204 Francesco Gavazzi (ITA) 205 Danilo Hondo (ALL) 206 Mirco Lorenzetto (ITA) 207 Adriano Malori (ITA) 208 Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) 209 Simon Spilak (SLO)

Footon-Servetto

211 Eros Capecchi (ITA) 212 Jose Alberto Benitez Roman (ESP) 213 Manuel Cardoso (ESP) 214 Arkaitz Duran Daroca (ESP) 215 Markus Eibegger (AUT) 216 Fabio Felline (ITA) 217 Iban Mayoz Echeverria (ESP) 218 Aitor Perez Arrieta (ESP) 219 Rafael Valls Ferri (ESP)

March 30, the Tour announced those teams receiving invitations:

The organisers of the Tour de France, that will take place from 3rd to 25th July 2010, have selected the 22 teams that will start the race in Rotterdam on Saturday 3rd July.

The 16 teams hereunder have been selected in compliance with the agreement passed with the International Cycling Union (UCI) in September 2008:

Germany Team Milram Belgium Quick Step Omega Pharma – Lotto Denmark Team Saxo Bank Spain Caisse d’Epargne Euskaltel – Euskadi Footon – Servetto USA Team HTC-Columbia France AG2R La Mondiale BBox Bouygues Telecom Cofidis, le Crédit en ligne Française des Jeux Italy Lampre – Farnese Liquigas - Doimo Kazakhstan Astana The Netherlands Rabobank

6 other teams have been invited by the organisers in order to compete on the 97th Tour de France:

USA Garmin - Transitions Team RadioShack BMC Racing Team Great Britain Team Sky Russia Katusha Team Switzerland Cervélo Test Team

From 2011 on, in compliance with the agreement passed between the organisers of the main Tours and the International Cycling Union (UCI), the first 17 teams of the world ranking established at the end of 2010, according to the sporting results of the teams, will be automatically selected. The other teams will receive wild cards from the organisers.

2010 Tour de France

Cycling race / from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, dear wikiwand ai, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:.

Can you list the top facts and stats about 2010 Tour de France?

Summarize this article for a 10 year old

The 2010 Tour de France was the 97th edition of the Tour de France cycle race, one of cycling's Grand Tours . It started on 3 July with an 8.9 km prologue time trial in Rotterdam , the first start in the Netherlands since 1996 . [1] The race visited three countries: the Netherlands, Belgium and France, and finished on 25 July on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.

The total length was 3,642 kilometres (2,263 mi) including 60.9 kilometres (37.8 mi) in time-trials. Following an opening prologue time trial, the first three stages passed through the Netherlands and Belgium on routes designed to replicate some features of the spring classic cycle races . This included seven cobblestone sectors totaling 13.2 kilometres (8.2 mi) , the longest distance of cobblestones in the Tour since 1983, on stage 3. [2] There were six mountain stages, three of them with mountaintop finishes, and two medium mountain stages. In the 100th anniversary year of their first inclusion on the Tour, the emphasis was on the Pyrenees , with two ascents of the Col du Tourmalet . [2]

The Tour was initially won by Alberto Contador , who was later revealed to have failed a doping test. After a series of events, the CAS finally decided in February 2012 that Contador would lose his results from 2010, declaring Andy Schleck the new winner. [3] Schleck also won the young riders' competition for the third time running. France's Anthony Charteau won the polkadot jersey as the King of the Mountains whilst the Italian sprinter Alessandro Petacchi won the green jersey for victory in the points classification .

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97th edition 3 July 2010 - 25 July 2010

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Bill Strickland is the Rider-in-Chief of Bicycling . His equal passions for cycling and writing have led to the books Ten Points: A Memoir ; Tour de Lance: The Extraordinary Story of Cycling’s Most Controversial Champion ; Mountain Biking: The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Ride ; and The Quotable Cyclist . His Bicycling story, “100 Pedal Strokes” won a National Magazine Award for Interactive Feature in 2008. In 2009, he assigned and edited the story “Broken,” which won the National Magazine Award for Public Interest. “The Escape,” the December, 2011, edition of his Bicycling magazine column The Pursuit, was named a Notable story by The Best American Sports Writing . Various editions of his books have been translated into Dutch, German, Hebrew, and Japanese. He uses commas by rhythm and sound, which is a terrible way to do it but makes him happy.

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Schleck takes stage win atop Col du Tourmalet

Contador preserves overall lead

Coppi and Bartali, Anquetil and Poulidor, Armstrong and Ullrich... now there's Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck. The talented duo today showed that they are head and shoulders ahead of the Tour de France peloton with a masterful display on the slopes of the col du Tourmalet. While Schleck took stage honours it was Contador who will remain in yellow, the likelihood of wearing it into Paris now even stronger.

Side-by-side, like the great rivals of yesteryear, Schleck and Contador battled over the final 10km of today's 174km parcours, having watched each other closely over the col de Marie-Blanque and col du Soulor, the first category climbs that punctuated proceedings on a misty day in the Pyrenees.

With the weather helping create a mood of forboding, all eyes were on the pair as they hit the final significant climb of this year's Tour de France. While there weren't the expected fireworks, there was a touching embrace as the two riders hit the finish line in the top two places - despite the talk of foul play after stage 15 there remains a mutual respect that should be the backbone of this sporting relationship for years to come.

For Contador, the spoils of staying with his rival up the Tourmalet's slopes is the maillot jaune while Schleck can finish on Sunday safe in the knowledge he may not have done enough to take the title - provided a significant performance in the time trial is not forthcoming - but he's got two stage wins and the potential to go all the way one day.

The Luxembourger isn't giving up on hopes of the win, however. "I'm going to try and do a fast time trial; I'm motivated and my form is better than before. You saw that today on the last climb with Alberto and myself," he said after the finish.

"I don't want to sound arrogant but the battle for the win is between me and Contador, with Sanchez and Menchov going for third.

"But I'm not going to give up until we get to Paris - last year I was four minutes down and this year it's eight seconds - anything is possible."

And of the battle between Samuel Sanchez - third place overall, 3:32 behind Contador - and Denis Menchov, who sits in fourth overall, 21 seconds behind Sanchez, it will come down to the time trial on Saturday.

After suffering a serious fall early in today's stage, the Spaniard fought back to narrowly open the gap to his Russian rival, although it's not likely the buffer is big enough given the disparity in ability between the two when it comes to the time trial. The race for the final podium place is far from over.

Farewell to the Pyrenees

It was a fond farewell to the Pyrenees in this centenary of its mountains featuring on the Tour de France route. and was therefore fitting that one of its most famed climbs, the col du Tourmalet, would host one of the most important chapters in this year's edition of the race.

After days of blistering heat the rain and cooler temperatures were surely a pleasant change, despite the obvious dangers the moist roads posed on the descents. Nevertheless, unlike the first week of this year's Tour there were surprisingly few crashes.

Liquigas' Kristijan Koren attacked in the first few kilometres of racing and after six clicks the break had been established and set to work getting a gap over the peloton. Marcus Burghardt (BMC Racing), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky), Alexandr Kolobnev (Team Katusha), Rémi Pauriol (Cofidis), Juan Antonio Flecha (Team Sky), and Ruben Perez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) joined him ahead of the peloton - first stop: the category four côte de Renoir.

The minute mark was soon reached and with 159km of the stage remaining the gap had been extended to 3:21, just as Stephane Auge, Jose Ivan Gutierrez and Daniel Lloyd attacked the bunch in an attempt to get over to the break. Team RadioShack was having nothing of it and soon shut down the sortie off the front.

Cervélo's Ignatas Konovalovas was another of those to try his luck in an attack and succeeded, dangling off the front of the peloton but in reality going nowhere - he posed no threat to the big names so was left to fend for himself.

With just under 150km of the stage remaining Samuel Sanchez came down hard and was sprawled on the ground; soon after Carlos Sastre could be seen off the front of the peloton as his countryman finally got to his feet and began the process of being paced back to the bunch, which took almost 10km.

As the speedo indicated 34km gone in the stage the break enjoyed a gap of 5:10 and 10 minutes later that had been extended to nearly seven minutes, with Sastre having put a couple of minutes into the peloton. Like the rain, the break's advantage wasn't letting up and pushed on towards eight minutes.

Sastre springs a surprise

Having ridden off the front of the peloton with teammate Konovalovas for the better part of 20km, Sastre decided it was time to head out solo with 122km to go and build on his lead over the peloton. At this point the break was continuing to gain time and had cracked the eight-minute barrier.

On the first category col de Marie-Blanque the break splintered a little but came back together on the descent and with 88km of the stage remaining the gap had grown to 8:21, approaching its maximum advantage for the day.

As the breakaway headed onto the early slopes of the col du Soulor - at 67km to go - it held an advantage of 7:47, with Sastre 4:46 behind the escape. The peloton started the same climb with that deficit cut to 7:19 as Sastre began eating into the gap between himself and the leading septet - within several kilometres of starting the climb he had wiped 30 seconds off it.

But as Sastre passed the sign indicating five clicks to the summit he still had a deficit of 3:41 to the leaders and with Astana controlling the peloton up the Soulor there were only a couple of minutes separating the solo Spaniard - the 2008 Tour champion. With heavy mist shrouding the riders it seemed only a matter of time before he would be pulled back.

And with a small flock of sheep threatening to disupt proceedings in the peloton - making an unexpected appearance on the mountain's slopes - the break crested the climb with a gap of 3:13 to Sastre and 4:59 to the main field. The peloton then summited the Soulor with a deficit of 4:17 and 52.4km remaining in the stage.

Faced with a 24km descent to the intermediate sprint in Adast it was 'safety first' for the main field while the break took the opportunity to claw some time back as a result. As the escapees hit 30km to go, it enjoyed a gap of 5:27 but with the Tourmalet looming the question remained: would it be enough to net one of them a stage win? It was at this point that Sastre decided to ease up on his endeavours, with the time between himself and the peloton dropping to 25 seconds.

Tourmalet time

Through the towns preceeding the Tourmalet, Rabobank and Saxo Bank dominated the front of the peloton - the Dutch squad working hard for Denis Menchov and Robert Gesink, Bjarne Riis' men breaking up the field for Schleck's expected attack.

Up ahead the escape continued to stay together - with 20km to go the gap remained at 4:04 although with the work done by the aforementioned two teams that became 3:55 as the break began the final climb. Within a kilometre that had dropped a further 40 seconds.

Then the expected happened - Boasson Hagen was the first to pop on the Tourmalet, followed by teammate Flecha, then Pauriol, Perez and Koren, with only Burghardt able to stay with Kolobnev, the gap going from 2:46 to 2:31 as Chris Anker Sorensen buried himself for his illustrious teammate in the best young rider's jersey before it was time for Jakob Fuglsang to take over and lift the tempo, shedding more riders who conceded defeat to the speedsters up front.

With 13.7km to go Kolobnev flew off alone and left Burghardt behind as the speed kicked up a notch in the peloton; Schleck's time was running out for an attack but as the gap between Kolobnev and the chasing group dropped below two minutes with 11km to go, it seemed that the big names were on schedule to catch the Russian and begin hitting out in the finale of the stage.

Instead of a GC contender attacking with 10km to go, it was Carlos Barredo hitting out - no sooner had the Spaniard tried his luck than he was followed 20 seconds later by the inevitable attack from Schleck; with Contador on his wheel, the Luxembourger had given himself a tough task if he was to maintain the foray off the front for the final ten kilometres.

Flying past Barredo, the pair left the remainder of the field flailing and as Samuel Sanchez tried getting across with Menchov, the 'Andy and Alberto Show' kicked into another gear, leaving the likes of the Euskaltel-Euskadi leader, the Rabobank captain and his sidekick Gesink, Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Roman Kreuziger and Levi Leipheimer behind.

Eating up the deficit to Kolobnev in chunks, with nine kilometres to go the Katusha rider remained seven seconds in front of the dynamic duo sporting the white and yellow jerseys. He was caught 600m later as the leading pair continued its mission to distance itself from the big names behind.

And after less than four kilometres of attacking Schleck and Contador had put more than a minute into the group containing Sanchez and Menchov, the former battling hard despite obviously being in a mountain of pain up the slopes of the famed slopes of the Tourmalet, the latter hoping to usurp his Spanish opponent with the ultimate goal an appearance on the overall podium in Paris.

Final throes on the final mountain

With five kilometres remaining and 1:16 separating the first two groups on the road, the pace was incessant, Schleck checking behind occasionally to see his 'yellow shadow' - Contador - on his wheel. Sensing this presence the Saxo Bank captain tried kicking again as Astana's numero uno matched him stroke for stroke.

On the nine percent gradient and the climb getting more difficult Contador himself kicked with 3.9km to go; Schleck fought hard to respond, managing to do so and giving his friend and foe a long, piercing look when he sidled up to him amidst the cacophony emanating from the manic roadside fans.

Behind them Gesink was riding a superb race, pulling the chasing bunch with his Russian teammate safely tucked in and conserving energy ahead of an expected flurry of attacks in the final kilometres.

There were no such attacks coming from the leading pair however, the efforts of the final 10,000 metres leaving nothing in the tank of either rider. The mutual respect between each dictated the outcome - Schleck would have the stage honours thanks to the work he had done throughout the course of the Tourmalet whilst Contador would sure up his ascendancy overall courtesy of the response to his young rival.

And so it was that Schleck took his second stage win of this year's race, followed by Contador and 1:18 later, countryman Joaquim Rodriguez finished in third. A fantastic effort from Ryder Hesjedal netted fourth place, 1:27 behind the winner and an exhausted Sanchez rolled over the line five seconds later.

Full Results

Scott Sunderland's analysis

I think Andy Schleck did all he could really, although I did think that Saxo Bank or even Andy himself might have had a dig on the Soulor. As it was Andy was maybe a little isolated on the final climb and he was left one on one with Contador to try and drop him. That was always going to be difficult to do as they are just so equal in this moment.

On the Tourmalet, I don’t know whether from a tactical viewpoint Andy could have done any more than he did. He went to the front when he needed to and he made it hard, and he also dropped back to look and see if Contador was cracking. But he wasn’t, so there really wasn’t much more he could do. They were very evenly matched.

Right now, it looks as though Contador will win the Tour. I wouldn’t say it’s impossible for Schleck – the gap is only eight seconds – but the odds are really against him. Schleck’s been very consistent over the three weeks and he is improving in time trials, but whether he has the concentration to beat Contador over 52km is another matter.

That said, I think if Andy still had the 30 second lead that he had over Contador on Monday morning, he’d have a real chance. He’d have been started behind Contador and he would have had his times to aim at. Instead it’s Contador who now will know exactly what he needs to do.

Overall, I think Contador is at about the same level that he was at last year, it’s just that everyone else has closed the gap. Andy in particular has been more consistent this year and that’s made a big difference. As well as that Samuel Sanchez and Denis Menchov have been very impressive and that’s going to be another very interesting battle on Saturday.

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Tour de France 2010: Bradley Wiggins falters on Col de la Madeleine

The Col de la Madeleine does not have the same grisly reputation as Mont Ventoux, but the 15-mile ascent between the valleys of the Isère and the Avre is something of a graveyard for the hopes of British cyclists in the Tour de France as Bradley Wiggins found out today when he lost 4min 55sec to the stage winner Sandy Casar.

In the overall standings he slipped only two places, to 16th, but he is now more than 7min behind the new race leader Andy Schleck. Today he was talking bravely of trying to ride for a place in the top 10 which would be perfectly respectable in a Tour which looks far harder than last year's when he finished fourth.

But respectable will be small consolation. As Sunday's stage to Avoriaz indicated, he will not get near his placing of last year unless he makes a comeback worthy of Lazarus in the Pyrenees.

Team Sky's sports director, Sean Yates, said the team should no longer focus entirely on Wiggins's bid for a high overall placing: "It's already been a fairly successful Tour but I think we should put more emphasis on trying to pick off a stage win.Bradley can still move up and gain top 10, top five, you never know. But I don't think at this point we're in a position where we should put all our eggs in one basket."

Wiggins said: "I'll just do my best every day. I don't want to give up, there's been so much support out there on the road. It's been fantastic. I don't want to give up and throw my toys out of the pram, finish at the back or go home, so I'm going to just push on every day and maybe just recalibrate, say top 10 is now the goal. It's not because we haven't tried."

It would have been no consolation to Wiggins, who rode through the finish with an ice-pack on his neck, but he was in good company. In 1996, the Madeleine was where another British Olympic individual pursuit champion, Chris Boardman, saw his chances of taking a high overall placing disappear. In 1969, a less celebrated Britannique, Derek Harrison, slipped from among the best to being one of the also-rans on these slopes.

Today, the Sky leader survived the initial sort-out on the first hairpins at the foot of the Madeleine, and made it on to the flat middle section with about 30 other riders, all of whom remained with the favourites, Alberto Contador and Schleck. The damage occurred when the climb reared up a second time, with about six miles to the top, in a second, brutal section as Contador realised that the then race leader Cadel Evans was in trouble. "We put everything into it, it hasn't worked," said Wiggins. But he was not the only rider in the Tour to become aware of that today.

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Tour de France Top 10 - 2010s

Can you name the top 10 in the tour de france gc, 2010 to 2019.

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Sprint | Cluses (25.5 km)

Date: 13 July 2010
Start time: -
Avg. speed winner: 36.284 km/h
Race category: ME - Men Elite
Distance: 204.5 km
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ProfileScore: 264
Vert. meters: 5144
Departure: Morzine-Avoriaz
Arrival: Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne
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