Chasing The Tour | Stage 10

July 12, 2012

Today we saw the Tour approach the Alps and put forth a challenge to the favorites on the first Hors Catégorie climb of the race. The Col du Grand Colobier didn't turn the GC upside down as predicted (and hoped by some) but we were treated to Voeckler's attacking style and got to witness the longest, slowest sprint finish in Tour history.

The Col du Grand Colombier was packed with spectators who had been there since the day before so the atmosphere was electric. The Dutch and Norwegians were up there in full force and half of Australia seemed to be on the mountain waving their flags and inflatable kangaroos.

I believe tomorrow will be Cadel’s last chance to make up significant time on Wiggins. Anything could happen but as we’ve seen already SKY has supported Wiggins flawlessly and I can’t imagine a situation where Wiggins is isolated. It would be nice to see alliances form between the the likes of Evans, Nibali, Van den Broeck or Schleck to put Wiggins in a vulnerable position and crack him. That’s unlikely however and if things keep going the way they have for Wiggins and Froome, Cadel will be fighting for third place with Nibali. The Tour is only half over and we’ve seen countless riders in the past have bad days and crack in the mountains. However, there aren’t many high mountain stages in this year’s parcours and it will take an unlucky disaster to derail Wiggins.

If you’re interested in seeing a high level view of each rider’s results progression and where riders are making up time, check out the Tour de France Stage Tracker (more features on the way soon).

Photos

: We’re not even half way to Paris yet!

: Yvon Sanquer (manager of Cofidis) swarmed by the media this morning asking about Remy Di Gregorio’s doping investigation and team suspension

: Bradley Wiggins and his teammates looking relaxed at the startline in Mâcon

: UCI President Pat McQuaid was present at the start in Mâcon. When asked by cyclingnews to comment on the USADA’s lifetime ban placed on former USPS doctors/helpers Luis Garcia del Moral, Michele Ferrari and Jose “Pepe” Martí he said, “I’ve read what they’ve said but as they’re not licence holders so I don’t know how they can ban them or what they can be banned for.” For some good reading, head over to www.inrng.com for his response on McQuaid’s words.

: The peloton on their way out of Mâcon

: On the Col du Grand Colombier’s Tour debute there were thousands of crazy fans camping and waiting for days for the race to come through

: We’ve seen this man on the roadside in two previous Tours. He didn’t speak English so I couldn’t quite understand if he had a deeper message. The sign basically says 1. Tour of the cow 2. Spreading educated values 3. No doping at this level 4. No genetic doping

: The vistas from the Col du Grand Colombier near the top

: Sandy Casar abd Jens Voigt crest the Col du Grand Colombier in 5th and 6th position after the breakaway bunch of 25 is split to pieces

: On stage 10 Maxime Bouet summits the Col du Grand Colombier where is mother’s ashes were spread after she passed away a couple years ago. His father still rides the mountain once a week to pay his tributes.

: Thomas Voeckler takes his third all-time Tour de France stage win as well as the polka dot jersey

: Once again Wiggins is locked to Evans’ wheel and there is no change in the GC contenders after stage 10. Tomorrow’s mountain top finish might be a different story

Stage 10 Preview

Tomorrow is a short 140km stage but goes over two HC and two more categorised climbs finishing on top of La-Toussuire. You might remember La-Toussuire in 2006 when Floyd Landis lost over 10 minutes to Michael Rasmussen, while wearing the Yellow Jersey in stage 16. The next day he gaining nearly 6 minutes to climb back into contention. An you all know what happened next...

Quiz

1. What does Stage 8’s Cat 1 climb ‘Cote de la Passage de la Douleur’ translate as…?

2. True or False – the Col de Croix in Stage 8 includes the steepest climb of this year’s Tour?

3. Who are the twin brothers riding for in the Tour this year?

4. Name one of the first Australians to race in the Tour de France?

5. In 1928, an Australian team first entered the Tour as a ‘regional team’ (it included some New Zealanders). Name the famous Aussie team leader?

Race Results Summary

Tour de France (2012) - Stage 10

Mâcon to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine (195km)

11 Jul 2012

View the full race results

Stage

Position	Name	Nationality	Team	Time
1	VOECKLER, Thomas	FRA	TEAM EUROPCAR	4:46:26
2	SCARPONI, Michele	ITA	LAMPRE - ISD	3
3	VOIGT, Jens	GER	RADIOSHACK-NISSAN	7
4	SANCHEZ GIL, Luis Leon	ESP	RABOBANK	23
5	DEVENYNS, Dries	BEL	OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP	30
6	CASAR, Sandy	FRA	FDJ-BIG MAT	+2:44
7	MARTINEZ DE ESTEBAN, Egoi	ESP	EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI
8	ROLLAND, Pierre	FRA	TEAM EUROPCAR
9	VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen	BEL	LOTTO BELISOL
10	FOFONOV, Dmitriy	KAZ	ASTANA	+2:52

General Classification

Position	Name	Nationality	Team	Time
1	WIGGINS, Bradley	GBR	SKY PROCYCLING	43:59:02
2	EVANS, Cadel	AUS	BMC RACING	+1:53
3	FROOME, Chris	GBR	SKY PROCYCLING	+2:07
4	NIBALI, Vincenzo	ITA	LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE	+2:23
5	MENCHOV, Denis	RUS	KATUSHA	+3:02
6	ZUBELDIA AGIRRE, Haimar	ESP	RADIOSHACK-NISSAN	+3:19
7	MONFORT, Maxime	BEL	RADIOSHACK-NISSAN	+4:23
8	VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen	BEL	LOTTO BELISOL	+4:48
9	ROCHE, Nicolas	IRL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+5:29
10	VAN GARDEREN, Tejay	USA	BMC RACING	+5:31

Sprint Classification

Position	Name	Nationality	Team	Points
1	SAGAN, Peter	SVK	LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE	232
2	GOSS, Matthew Harley	AUS	ORICA-GREENEDGE	205
3	GREIPEL, André	GER	LOTTO BELISOL	172
4	CAVENDISH, Mark	GBR	SKY PROCYCLING	129
5	PETACCHI, Alessandro	ITA	LAMPRE - ISD	109
6	BOASSON HAGEN, Edvald	NOR	SKY PROCYCLING	95
7	CANCELLARA, Fabian	SUI	RADIOSHACK-NISSAN	89
8	EVANS, Cadel	AUS	BMC RACING	86
9	WIGGINS, Bradley	GBR	SKY PROCYCLING	81
10	VEELERS, Tom	NED	ARG	76

Mountains Classification

Position	Name	Nationality	Team	Points
1	VOECKLER, Thomas	FRA	TEAM EUROPCAR	28
2	KESSIAKOFF, Fredrik Carl Wilhelm	SWE	ASTANA	21
3	SCARPONI, Michele	ITA	LAMPRE - ISD	21
4	FROOME, Chris	GBR	SKY PROCYCLING	20
5	VOIGT, Jens	GER	RADIOSHACK-NISSAN	18
6	EVANS, Cadel	AUS	BMC RACING	18
7	SANCHEZ GIL, Luis Leon	ESP	RABOBANK	18
8	PINOT, Thibaut	FRA	FDJ-BIG MAT	16
9	MORKOV, Michael	DEN	STB	14
10	DEVENYNS, Dries	BEL	OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP	14

Young Rider Classification

Position	Name	Nationality	Team	Time
1	VAN GARDEREN, Tejay	USA	BMC RACING	44:04:33
2	TAARAMAE, Rein	EST	COFIDIS, LE CREDIT EN LIGNE	25
3	PINOT, Thibaut	FRA	FDJ-BIG MAT	+3:22
4	VALLS FERRI, Rafael	ESP	VACANSOLEIL-DCM	+19:01
5	SAGAN, Peter	SVK	LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE	+27:07
6	KRUIJSWIJK, Steven	NED	RABOBANK	+28:42
7	GALLOPIN, Tony	FRA	RADIOSHACK-NISSAN	+29:07
8	MALACARNE, Davide	ITA	TEAM EUROPCAR	+29:27
9	IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI, Gorka	ESP	EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI	+33:33
10	BOASSON HAGEN, Edvald	NOR	SKY PROCYCLING	+34:39

tags: 2012 Tour de France, Col du Grand Colombier, Thomas Voeckler

Previous Article Next Article

Phil

You mean jura mountains not the alps.
Anonymous

Wiggins is so well protected its hard to imagine how you pull back the time on them.
Notso Swift

South African fans do alright

Douleur means Pain, so Passage of the Coast of Pain?
False, don’t know what is, but it didn’t seem that steep
Veilits (spelling may be wrong)
Snowy Munro
Oppy?
ed

So why aren’t RNT wearing yellow helmets now that they are leading the team’s comepetition?

Tonight’s stage – two HC climbs to start off with – not sure if the final climb is steep enough to cause the required GC damage. There was damage in 2006 but that was in the third week and the day before had been a monster stage finishing up Alp d’Huez.
- Tricky Dicky
  
  RNT were the only team that refused to agree to the “yellow helmet” team classification initiative. Every other team did. So, nothing to do with Sky’s ego.
  - Pete
    
    It was actually Radioshack and Katusha who seemed to have said ‘non’. http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=10578&status=True&catname=Latest News
Notso Swift

Re Shack: They either have more taste than Sky, or less Ego
- Paolo
  
  Or both…
Notso Swift

How do I delete this – tried to reply to Ed twice???
Mark

I was surprised that Cadel didn’t have a go over the top then extend down the Grand Colombier but Sky protected Wiggo extremely well. Little bit disappointing so hoping tonight will see some heavy blows landed.
- Greg
  
  Cadel is basically in the position Andy was last year. A few mins. down on a better time trial rider. Will be interesting to see if he learnt anything from what Andy did. A similar attack would seem to be his only hope.
  - Abdu
    
    Cadel doesn’t have a big brother though…
    - Greg
      
      Maybe he’ll have to adopt one.
Tricky Dicky

Well last night was yet another reason to dislike Voeckler – his gurning face and ’hot pants’ bib shorts are bad enough but HOW DARE he deny Jensie the stage. I’m surprised Voigt didn’t go up at the finish and bite little Tommy’s wagging tongue off and chew it up instead of settling for a post-ride recovery protein shake.
- CJ
  
  No. Voeckler is tremendously euro and must be commended on his impeccable bib length.
  - Abdu
    
    Got to admire Tommy’s V but jeez he’d be an annoying bloke to ride with, all that tongue gurning, gesturing for others to pull turns, etc. Der Jens’ Tweets post ride are funny, but not as funny as Matt Goss’ own version of a GreenEdge Backstage pass (don’t reckon this will be on the official email…): http://youtu.be/EKO7v2vrZas
Dezza

What about the big man Jens Voigt, would have loved for him to get across the line first, after bridging the gap!
- MJ
  
  Jens tweeted that he averaged 319 watts for 4 hours 45mins.
Abdu

You have to wonder why the ‘authorities’ (French police?) have to arrest the guy at the Tour? Is it because they want millions of people to see how great they are at busting dopers? If they’ve been investigating him for a year as they claim, it must have been a massive deal and super urgent right? If they arrested him for dealing, then he must be a Mr. Big doing huge numbers, right? Not defending him for one second, but it seems a massive crock to say he’s so big, that the issue was so urgent and would have a huge impact that they had to do it in front of the world.
- Anonymous
  
  There are a lot of valid reasons why they might wait until that point to do it but it also could be making a point to the riders – when we come get you for the doping it will be public and on a big scale.
  - Abdu
    
    Meh! I’m very cynical about them busting them like that, same with the annual bust a day before the Grand Depart. Pat McQuaid never fails to underwhelm though, how easy would it be for him to say “we’ll never allow them to work in cycling, etc.”? Instead he says “not my job…”
    - Anonymous
      
      Not a great reaction, but I feel like that is more political than anything else. As in the USADA doesn’t dictate what the UCI does thank you very much.
Steel

I am struggling to understand Evan’s team for the Tour. Seemingly BMC’s objective is to win the tour, yet they don’t give much support to Evans in the mountains. They’re all strong on the flat stuff, but are dropped early in the mountains. Recruiting Gilbert and Hushovd looks a little strange now. Perhaps they thought a TTT would be included this year.
- Matthias Schwarze
  
  Recruiting Gilbert and Hushovd always was strange. Taking Gilbert to the Tour after his performances this season was even more than questionable. A wasted spot i.m.o. If Cadel really wants to win this he needs to do something a.s.a.p. The halfhearted attacks in the last 3 kilometers are futile and ain’t gonna win the Tour.
  - http://twitter.com/tonyfahkry Tony Fahkry
    
    I agree. Why didn’t BMC pay good coin to get Rogers and Porte in replace of Gilbert. They could’ve bought both riders for the price of what they’re paying Gilbert to do nada in the mountains. Built it (the team) and they (TDF) will come!
    - Abdu
      
      Stranger things have happened. Like the quiet phone calls last year from Cavendish to Green Edge, making a serious offer to join them. Green Edge chose not to.
      
      True.
  - http://twitter.com/tonyfahkry Tony Fahkry
    
    I agree. Why didn’t BMC pay good coin to get Rogers and Porte in replace of Gilbert. They could’ve bought both riders for the price of what they’re paying Gilbert to do nada in the mountains. Built it (the team) and they (TDF) will come!
https://twitter.com/#!/BPriestie Priestie

Jens rode with panache. Voeckler rode with class. Maxime Bouet rode with courage.

You can’t get much better than that.
- Abdu
  
  Yep. That pic of Bouet is pretty special, knowing the back story makes it seem a pretty lonely ride for the bloke in amongst all those screaming fans…
- Abdu
  
  Yep. That pic of Bouet is pretty special, knowing the back story makes it seem a pretty lonely ride for the bloke in amongst all those screaming fans…
Sean

Hey CT how come no videos of the final 10-15 minutes of the race this year? I loved that about your site when covering a race!
- http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips
  
  Hey Sean, the ASO is extremely protective over their video rights and not much gets past on youtube. Also, the internet connections here are so bad that it’s nearly impossible for me to go looking for these.
  - Sean
    
    You’d think they would release their own highlight video that all cycling sites could link to (or at least contain advertising). That would curb the youtube piracy but also bring them all sorts of page-view / advertising $$. Ah well, thanks for the reply!
JC

Wiggins, Froome, Sky in general have no panache at all. They have all the appeal of Armstrong’s Postal robots. If they win, let’s hope it’s because they rode strongest in the mountains, responded to attacks, launched 1-2 attacks…and not because they won 2 friggin TTs..
- Salacious Muttonchops
  
  I’m with JC on this one; SKY is a panache-less blancmange.
- ed
  
  That’s how Indurain won 5 Tours - take time in the TTs and mark the climbers - pretty boring to watch.
  
  I don’t think the ASO will use a similar format for next year’s parcours.
- ed
  
  That’s how Indurain won 5 Tours - take time in the TTs and mark the climbers - pretty boring to watch.
  
  I don’t think the ASO will use a similar format for next year’s parcours.
- Abdu
  
  Wiggins is a wheel sucker, but if it wins him the Tour no one will care. Every time Cadel animates the race from here, and he did last night as well, Wiggo just keeps sucking on that back wheel. He has to, and would be stupid to try to win it by being a better rider (as opposed to just having a better TT and team), but he’s still a wheel sucker.
  - JC
    
    Cadel will sort out these drones tonight with a viscious attack that sticks
- Robert Merkel
  
  It may not be exciting to watch, but you can’t argue with the effectiveness.
  
  It’s not Sky’s fault (assuming Wiggo’s indignation is genuine and they are doing this clean) that most of alleged GC contenders in the other teams can’t hold the wheel of Sky’s domestiques when the road starts to rise, let alone launch attacks.
  - Dan williams
    
    Agreed, and lets not forget that Evans stuck to Andy S like sh*t to a bears fur last year.
    - JBS
      
      Hang on, are we talking about the same Evans that left Andy for dead on the run into Gap? Then let him go on the Col d’Izoard only to reel him in basically solo on the Galibier last year? Evan’s has copped a fair amount of flak over the years for wheelsucking, a lot of which was warranted, but credit where credit’s due!
      
      Personnally can’t blame Wiggins for his tactics this year, they may not be pretty but so far they’re very effective.
  - JC
    
    Fair enough but CE gots to attack tonight and attack hard. He won last year so 2nd means nil. Might as well risk it all
Anonymous

Why is Cadel trying to outsprint Wiggins in the flattish final few hundred metres? I kind of got embarrassed for him when I saw that, almost like he was incapable of doing anything more threatening. If Cadel’s plan is to wait for a later stage to attack, then that’s fine, just can’t understand these futile little efforts. Wiggins will never have any trouble holding his wheel in that situation. He needed to get out there with Nibali and VDB and pile the pressure on Sky on the final climb and descent.
- AaronG
  
  I felt embarrassed too. So he causes a split and wins 2 or 3 seconds?? I didn’t see Cadel seriously attack last night – it’s almost as if he said to Vincenzo “You can bury yourself on stage 10 and get as many seconds as you can and I won’t chase you. I’ll take stage 11.”
  - Rob J2
    
    yep – tonight’s the night for Cadel – C’mon
  - Rob J2
    
    yep – tonight’s the night for Cadel – C’mon
John

can’t see the reason for the attacks? The same reason Merckx did it , its a bike race, the line is there, go for it . Assuming you race (big assumption) this is the mindset of a winner, try it.
Toddykins

Next year Contador will be back. He is (the only one) strong enough to dance away from Sky on the climbs and solid in the TTs, with him in the race, a parcours like this year’s might actually work fine.
- Abdu
  
  Yep, can’t wait… Is Floyd Landis making a comeback too?
- Anonymous
  
  Abdu, I think you’re confusing a confirmed cheat with someone who was by CAS’s own judgement, guilty of consuming a contaminated supplement.
AP

A question. Would BMC let Cadel try a crazy attack tonight and risk blowing up and coming 10th in Paris or would they prefer the safer route and have him fight for 2nd / 3rd
- Pete Knight
  
  Good question AP, and unfortunately the answer is nearly always safety first to protect your placing. Cadel spruiked just that in previous tours. The organisers of all races need to pay big bucks for first then spread the money for most attacking/aggresive and forget about 2nd – 10th etc. It might also stop numb nuts sprinting for 30th in local races. Then again….