THE RACE LIVE
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The peloton was led home by Bennati and Zabel 7’25" behind Mercado.

The top five in the 10th stage of the 2006 Tour is:
1. Juan Miguel Mercado (ESP - AGR) 190.5km in 4h49’10" (39.527km/h)
2. Cyril Dessel (FRA - A2R) at same time
3. Inigo Landaluze (ESP - EUS) at 56"
4. Crisitan Moreni (ITA - COF) at 2’24"
5. Christophe Rinero (FRA - SDV) at 2’25"

Dessel will visit the podium twice today despite finishing a close second in the 10th stage. The AG2R rider is the new leader of both the general and climbing classifications.

This is the second time that Spaniard Juan Miguel Mercado has won a stage of the Tour de France. His first victory was in Lons-le-Saunier at the end of the 2003 Tour when he also won after being involved in a long escape.

Mercado started the sprint for stage honours 300m from the line. He held off Dessel by a matter of centimeters and gave the only wildcard team something to celebrate in the 2006 Tour de France!

Mercado and Dessel are side by side with 500m to go... the sprint will start soon.

Dessel will have the yellow and polka-dot jerseys after stage 10 but he wants the victory as well. He is leading Mercado to the 1km to go banner and is hugging the left side of the road while keeping a close watch on his Spanish rival.

The two stage leaders are less than 2km from the finish. Dessel is being forced to set the tempo while Mercado prepares to sprint for stage honours...

There are still remnants of the early escape well clear of the peloton. Rinero and Moreni are 2’35" behind the stage leaders with 5km to go.

The yellow jersey’s peloton is now 10km from the finish 9’15" behind Dessel and Mercado.

The leading pair are just 5km from the finish of stage 10. They are still 9’35" ahead of the peloton that is led by riders from the T-Mobile team. Honchar has come to the front of the peloton and is currently setting the pace of the chase. It’s the first time the yellow jersey has been at the head of the peloton today.

The rider in third place at the moment is Landaluze (EUS). He is 1’00" behind the leading pair but was as close as six seconds to Mercado and Dessel not long after the summit of the Col de Marie Blanque.

Juan Miguel Mercado has been nominated as the most aggressive rider in stage 10.

Unless something strange happens in the final 10km, Dessel is destined to lead both the general and climbing classifications. The last time one rider achieved this was in 2003 when Richard Virenque achieved a triple coup in Morzine: a stage win, as well as first in the two classifications.

Landaluze is now 55" behind Mercado and Dessel.

Dessel and Mercado are just 10km away from the finish in Pau. Dessel is destined to take the overall lead in the Tour de France. He began the day in 28th place, 3’50" behind Honchar (who is currently 9’35" behind).
Mercado was 66th after nine stages, 6’32" behind Honchar.

The yellow jersey is destined to move from Honchar’s shoulders to Dessel’s after the 10th stage. The peloton is well out of contention on the road to Pau... currently 9’35" behind the leading duo - Mercado and Dessel.

With 15km to go in the stage, Dessel and Mercado lead Landaluze by 40".

Juan Miguel Mercado shares the lead of stage 10 with Cyril Dessel. The Spaniard was 28 four days ago and is a former stage winner of the Tour de France (while a member of the Quickstep team in 2003).
He didn’t ride the Tour last year but enjoyed success in July when he won a stage and the overall title at the Tour of Austria.

The yellow jersey is destined to change at the end of stage 10. The peloton is currently 9’35" behind the stage leaders.

Dessel (A2R) and Mercado (AGR) are 20km from the finish of stage 10. They lead Landaluze (EUS) by 25".

The rider who has the most to gain in today’s stage is Cyril Dessel. The AG2R rider is the new leader of the climbing classification and is still the virtual leader of the general classification. He is currently 1’40" ahead of the rider in fourth place in the stage, Rinero.
Dessel has two professional victories before today: a stage and the overall title of this year’s Tour Mediterannean.
His first season in the pro ranks was in 2000 as a member of the American Jelly Belly squad before later joining Jean Delatour later the same year. He moved to Phonak in 2003 and 2004 and was then recruited by AG2R at the start of 2005.

Landaluze is about to catch the two stage leaders; there are 25km to go in the stage and the Euskaltel rider has been able to see Dessel and Mercado for some time now... but he just can’t close the gap to the two riders who attacked on the Col de Marie Blanque.

Moreni is in fifth place, 1’25" behind Dessel and Mercado.

Dessel and Mercado lead Landaluse by 8" with 27km to go. Rinero is in fourth place 1’10" behind the stage leaders.

The leader of the youth classification has rejoined the yellow jersey’s peloton on the descent of the Col de Marie Blanque.

Dessel (A2R) and Mercado (AGR) still lead the stage; just 10" behind is Landaluze (EUS).

Rasmussen has been caught by the T-Mobile led peloton...

Cyril Dessel is still the virtual leader of the Tour de France. He has a chance to wear the yellow jersey in stage 11, but we know for sure that he is the new leader of the climbing classification. The AG2R rider led over every summit of today’s stage. His points tally in the race for the polka-dot jersey is 54 from today alone...

The eighth rider over the summit of the 3rd climb is Rasmussen (RAB). He was 8’43" behind Dessel and has claimed 10 points for his attack in the final kilometer of the Col de Marie Blanque.

Rasmussen is chasing eighth place points (10) at the top of the Col de Marie Blanque. He has a lead of about 100m on the yellow jersey’s peloton which has just dropped Cunego (LAM).

Rasmussen has attacked the yellow jersey’s peloton. No one is chasing after last year’s King of the Mountains winner.

Fothen, the rider in the white jersey, has just been dropped from Honchar’s group.

The riders at the front of the main pack are: Kessler, Popovych, Rasmussen, Moreau, Cunego, Sinkewitz... Honchar has just rejoined this group.

Landaluze is closing in on the two stage leaders on the descent. The Euskaltel rider is 13" behind Mercado and Dessel.

At the top of the 3rd climb, the order was:
1. Dessel 30pts (double normal points allocation, because the final ascent is ranked category-one)
2. Mercado
3. Landaluze - at 25"
4. Rinero - at 1’05"
5. Moreni - at 1’05"
6. Isasi - at 2’25"
7. Vasseur - at 2’25"

The two stage leaders are over the top of the Col de Marie Blanque.
The first place points were won by Dessel who earned 30pts...

There are about 35 riders in the main pack that’s still being led by riders from the T-Mobile team. The latest riders to be dropped by this group, however, include the yellow jersey and Rubiera (DSC).

Sprick has been caught by the peloton that has just dropped Honchar...

The situation near the top of the col de Marie Blanque has Dessel and Mercado in the lead. Then comes:
25" - to Landaluze
35" - to Moreni & Rinero
1’50" - Vasseur & Isasi...

Mercado and Dessel are still in the lead of stage 10. They are 1,000m from the top of the col de Marie Blanque and are riding side-by-side.

Two riders from the Phonak team have come to the front of the yellow jersey’s group... it looks like Pena and Landis.

One of the workers for the T-Mobile team, Eddy Mazzoleni has been dropped by the yellow jersey’’s group.

In the car with Hinault is Tony Estanguet, a dual Olympic kayak gold medallist.
“I know these roads because this is where I’m from,” said Estanguet. “But I don’t ever ride a bike around here. I wanted to see what it was like to see the Tour but I’ve never been in Pau when the race is nearby. It’s really impressive; the physical effort of the riders is amazing.”

Bernard Hinault spoke with LeTour.fr recently to give his thoughts on the stage. “We are just behind the peloton and I haven’t seen any of the favourites do much work today," said Hinault.
"If it continues like this, I think we’ll see the escape group arrive in Pau to contest the stage win. I imagine that it will be a group of three or four at the top of the Marie Blanque climb followed by a regrouping on the descent."

Mercado and Dessel continue to lead the stage with 5km to climb. Behind them are:
Landaluze - at 15"
Moreni, Vasseur and Rinero - at 25"
Isasi - at 30"...

T-Mobile riders continue to set the pace of the peloton on the early part of the Col de Marie Blanque. Serhiy Honchar has dropped to the back of this group that boasts the main favourites for the 2006 Tour...

Mercado has attacked the lead group. He has been chased down by Dessel on the Col de Marie Blanque.

There are now three Saunier Duval-Prodir riders at the back of the peloton to help their team captain Simoni rejoin the bunch after his puncture.

Simoni has punctured near the beginning of the Col de Marie Blanque. He has received support from a Saunier Duval-Prodire team-mate and is chasing the peloton that is 10’20" behind Landaluze, Isasi, Moreni, Vasseur, Dessel, Mercado and Rinero.

Landaluze is leading Isasi, Moreni, Vasseur, Dessel, Mercado and Rinero on the early slopes of the Col de Marie Blanque... The steepest kilometer of this 9.3km long ascent is near the end; the ninth kilometer had a gradient of 11.0 per cent.

Voigt, Quinziato and Posthuma have been caught by the peloton at the 137km mark.

Just behind the five T-Mobile riders at the head of the peloton are three Discovery riders: Jose Azevedo, Yaroslav Popovych and Egoi Martinez...

The yellow jersey’s peloton is being led by five T-Mobile riders - Eddy Mazzoleni, Michael Rogers, Patrick Sinkewitz, Guiseppe Guerini and Matthias Kessler. Rogers is not contributing to the pace-setting duties and their colleague in yellow cannot be seen near the front of this groupo. Honchar and Kloden are still present in this group that includes all the big favourites for the Tour.

The seven stage leaders - Landaluze, Isasi, Moreni, Vasseur, Dessel, Mercado and Rinero - are now 50km from the end of the 10th stage.

Three riders who were in the escape group of 13 riders who began the Col de Soudet together are now 7’25" behind the leading seven. The trio is Jens Voigt, Manuel Quinziato and Joost Posthuma.
The peloton is at 10’50".

The peloton is still led by riders from the T-Mobile team. This group includes most of the favourites for the overall title - including a reinvigorated Iban Mayo. They are 10’43" behind the seven stage leaders.

If the leaders can maintain their current advantage, the yellow jersey will go to Cyril Dessel at the end of the stage. He began the day in 28th place, 3’50" behind Honchar.
The yellow jersey’s group is now over 10 minutes behind Dessel’s group of seven...

Vasseur and Moreni have caught up with Mercado, Isasi, Landaluze, Rinero and Dessel. These seven have about 57km to go in the stage.

LeTour.fr spoke to the director of the Agritubel team, Denis Leproux, to find out what his thoughts on the stage are. “The plan was for our climbers to get in the escape," said Leproux.
"It’s great that it’s happened that way with Mercado working his way into the lead group.
"He’s been really good all day and has tried to win the Col de Soudet but, alas, he was attacked by Dessel. That’s life… but now I hope that his group can stay together until the Col de Marie Blanque; it’s a group that’s big enough to maintain an advantage over the chasers. We’ll see if he has the legs to attack on the final major climb of the stage.”

The five stage leaders have about 61km to race. They are currently in the town of Issor at the 129.5km mark.
The peloton is in the feedzone (at 123.5km) with a deficit of 10’50" behind Landaluze, Mercado, Rinero, Isasi and Dessel.

Vasseur and Moreni are now 24" behind Landaluze, Mercado, Rinero, Isasi and Dessel. The peloton is at 10’50".

Landaluze, Mercado, Rinero, Isasi and Dessel are 8’00" ahead of Voigt, Posthuma and Quinziato at the 123.5km mark.

There is 46.5km between the top of the Col de Soudet and the Col de Marie Blanque. The third climb of today’s stage is a category-one ascent that rises for 9.3km at an average gradient of 7.6 per cent.

Dessels attack didn’t go far. He is now back with the four others who are 10’30" ahead of the peloton.

Dessel has attacked the lead group. He has an advantage of about 100m.

At the 123.5km mark, Sprick is 4’00" behind the five stage leaders.

The peloton continues to be led by riders from the T-Mobile team. This group is 10’30" behind Landaluze, Mercado, Rinero, Isasi and Dessel.

Landaluze, Mercado, Rinero, Isasi and Dessel are 1’00" ahead of Moreni and Vasseur at the feedzone.

The five stage leaders are in the feedzone at the 123.5km mark.

The leaders covered 31.2km in the third hour. The average speed for the first three hours is 39.6km/h.

Isasi has caught up with Mercado, Dessel, Landaluze and Rinero at the front of the stage.

One of the riders in the lead group has a problem with his front derailleur. Cyril Dessel has had his bike serviced on the descent... and has rejoined his three escape companions.

The four stage leaders are 75km away from the finish. They are about 9’30" ahead of the peloton which is descending from the clouds.

There are now four riders in front of the stage. Christophe Rinero has caught up with Inigo Landaluze, Cyril Dessel and Juan Miguel Mercado.

On the descent of the Col de Soudet, Landaluze has caught up with Mercado and Dessel...

There are about 40 riders in the yellow jersey’s group. Same riders we can confirm to be in this pack are: Kessler, Sinkewitz, Rogers, Guerini, Evans, Landis, Savoldelli, Martinez... they are 9’50" behind Dessel at the top of the Col de Soudet.

Michael Rogers is the rider at the head of the peloton. He leads four T-Mobile colleagues in a group that includes the yellow jersey - albeit that Honchar is now at the back of this peloton.

The last of the points at the top of the Col de Soudet were won by: Bennati (LAM) and Da Cruz (FDJ) who were 5’15" behind the stage leaders.

Eighth place at the summit went to Sprick (BTL), 3’3’5" behind Dessel.

At the top of the Col de Soudet, the points were won by:
1. Dessel (A2R) 20pts
2. Mercado (AGR) 18pts - at 5"
3. Landaluze (EUS) 16pts - at 30"
4. Rinero (SDV) 14pts - at 50"
5. Isasi (EUS) 12pts - at 1’15"
6. Vasseur (QSI) 10pts - at 2’20"
7. Moreni (COF) 8ppts - at 2’20"...

Dessel has added 20 points to his tally in the climbing classification by leading Mercado over the summit.

Dessel has dropped Mercado now. The AG2R rider has a lead of about 50 meters near the summit of the first ’hors category’ climb of the 2006 Tour.

Mercado has attacked at the front of the stage. Dessel has chased him down in the clouds at the top of the Col de Soudet where crowds are spilling onto the road.

The pace of the peloton is still being set by riders from the T-Mobile team. As the bunch ascends into the clouds, the yellow jersey has slipped to the back of this group... which is about 9’00" behind Mercado and Dessel on the Col de Soudet.

In 1974, the Tour de France visited Pau a day after the only stage finish on the Col du Tourmalet. The winner of these two stages was Jean-Pierre Danguillaume. LeTour.fr contacted the Frenchman to ask him about those days 32 years ago. "I had two perfect days," said Danguillaume. "I won at the top of the Tourmalet. That year the stage to Pau also included the Col d’Aspin, which is where I attacked and then we ascended the Tourmalet for a second time in the same year.
"I rode 100km on my own and kept my advantage all the way to the finish. At that time, there was a big battle between Merckx and Poulidor for the yellow jersey, Poulidor was second in Pau - about a minute behind me."

The peloton is 5km from the summit while the two stage leaders - Dessel and Mercado - only have 2.5km to climb.

Cyril Dessel was the best placed on general classification of the riders who attacked the peloton early today. He currently leads the yellow jersey’s group by about 9’00". That means that Dessel is the virtual leader of the 2006 race.

Dessel and Mercado lead the stage... then comes:
Landaluze & Rinero at 20"
Vasseur & Isasi at 50"
Sprick at 1’15"
...Peloton at 8’55".

The peloton continues to be led by the T-Mobile team which is 9’03" behind Mercado and Dessel. The riders in the yellow jersey’s group include: Five or six T-Mobile team-mates, Landis, Leipheimer, Hincapie, Moreau, Evans, Sastre, Zubeldia... and most of the overall favourites with the exception of Mayo who is being pushed by team-mates at the back of the peloton.

Mercado and Dessel lead Rinero by 20" at the front of the stage. They are 5km from the top of the Col de Soudet.

Casper, Casar and Boonen are three more names to add to the grupetto that’s forming at the rear of the stage...

Mayo was considered a rider capable of making an impression in today’s stage. He has been dropped by the peloton early on the first major pass of the 2006 Tour. Not even his team-mate Etxebarria sees the point in waiting for him...

Mercado is determined to make an impression today. The Agritubel rider has attacked the lead group and dropped Landaluze and Rinero.

There are a number of riders dropping off the back of the peloton. The riders involved include: Cretskens (QSI), Dumoulin (A2R), Mayo (EUS), Extebarria (EUS)...

The points for a ’Hors category’ climb are: 20 for 1st, 18 for 2nd, 16 for 3rd, 14 for 4th, 12 for 5th, 10 for 6th, 8 for 7th, 7 for 8th, 6 for 9th and 5 for 10th.

Dessel, Rinero, Landaluze and Mercado are the riders who are now in the lead of the stage.

Hushovd has lost touch with the peloton that continues to be led by the T-Mobile team.

With 9km to climb, the stage is led by: Dessel, Vasseur, Landaluze, Moreni, Rinero and Mercado 5" ahead of Isasi, Sprick
20" ahead of Bennati
35" ahead of Voigt, Da Cruz
50" ahead of Posthuma
1’15" ahead of Quinziato

Rasmussen has just arrived near the head of the peloton which continues to be led by Kessler.

The T-Mobile team is setting the pace of the peloton’s chase but tucked in behind the magenta - plus one yellow - jerseys are the green and yellow colours of the Phonak squad.

Sprick dropped from the lead group for a while but he’s now back with the eight others who are at the front of the stage. The riders who have been dropped on the Col de Soudet are: Voigt, Quinziato, Posthuma and Da Cruz.

On the early slopes of the Col de Soudet, Matthias Kessler (TMO) is setting the pace for the peloton which is led by the entire T-Mobile team.

Posthuma, Quinziato, Voigt and Da Cruz have been dropped from the lead group.

The peloton began the ascent of the Col de Soudet 9’25" after the 13 escapees.

The first ’Hors category’ summit of the 2006 race is the Col de Soudet. The average gradient is 7.3 percent, and the steepest section is 11 percent (at the 6th of 14.7km).

Race Radio has reported that Vandevelde has crashed recently but that’s not the case. The CSC rider appears to have copped a pedal in the spokes of his rear wheel on a narrow bridge. He came to a grinding halt but has just received a new wheel and is racing again.

The peloton is at the 84km mark with a deficit of 9’00" on the 13 escapees.

The leaders covered 41.5km in the second hour. The average speed for the first two hours is 44.8km/h.

The 13 escapees have begun the ascent of the Col de Soudet. This is a 1,540m high pass which climbs for 14.7km at an average gradient of 7.3 per cent.

Of the 13 riders in the lead group, three have previously won a stage of the Tour de France. Jens Voigt (CSC) won stage 16 in 2001 in Sarran; Cedric Vasseur (QSI) won stage five to La Chartre in 1997; and Juan Miguel Mercado won stage 18 in 2004 in Lons-le-Saunier.

The riders who are now 8’35" ahead of the peloton are:
Jens Voigt (CSC)
Cyril Dessel (A2R)
Joost Posthuma (RAB)
Daniele Bennati (LAM)
Cedric Vasseur (QSI)
Inaki Isasi (EUS)
Inigo Landaluza (EUS)
Christian Moreni (COF)
Christophe Rinero (SDV)
Carlos Da Cruz (FDJ)
Manuel Quinziato (LIQ)
Matthieu Sprick (BTL)
Juan Miguel Mercado (AGR)

Eddy Mazzoleni, the T-Mobile rider who was third in Pau last year (while with the Lampre team), is currently lead the peloton. The bunch is over eight minutes behind a group of 13 riders.

The Caisse d’Epargne rider who crashed recently was second in the stage to Pau in the 2005 Tour. He was beaten by Oscar Pereiro Sio in a sprint involving four men who finished 2’25" ahead of former escape companions and 3’24" ahead of the peloton.

The peloton is at the 77km mark with a deficit of 8’10" on the 13 escapees.

Xabier Zandio (CEI) has crashed. He has a new bike and is back racing again and doesn’t appears to be in too much pain.

At the 74.5km mark, the peloton was led by five riders from the T-Mobile team. The deficit was 7’30" behind the 13 escapees.

Asked about the Cofidis team’s plans for stage 10, Eric Boyer said that it must be a work in progress and that plans often go astray. “It’s impossible to know if Chavanel, Moncoutie or Parra will attack today," said their manager. "It’s not possible to plan this in advance. We’ll only know if it’s possible when the opportunity presents itself. Racing must be an improvisation.
“I’ve only ever known one rider who was able to say exactly when and where he would attack, Bernard Hinault… I’ve seen him do it during my first Tour. If my memory is correct, we left Bayonne and he told me he’d attack 2km after the start; he did just that… and was marked by Delgado who followed him for the entire day. At the end, Delgado won the stage but Hinault took the yellow jersey."

The peloton is now 7’15" behind the escapees. The lead group has begun to split largely thanks to an attack by Juan Miguel Mercado (AGR).

LeTour.fr contacted the manager of the Cofidis team to ask why it is that David Moncoutie is always at the rear of the peloton. It’s his usual position no matter what type of stage it is. “David is always at the rear of the peloton," said Eric Boyer. "It’s a special approach but it’s the only way he knows how to race.
"He’s afraid of being shunted by other riders and doesn’t like being in the middle of the peloton. It’s a handicap for him because he always suffers a loss of time from the head of the bunch but it’s proof that he has a lot of energy because he’s always able to find the front when it really matters.
“It doesn’t bother me too much because it’s always been his style, even in the mountains."

The points for the sprint in Laguinge at the 74.5km mark were won by:
1. Daniel Bennati (LAM) 6pts
2. Carlos Da Cruz (FDJ) 4pts
3. Jens Voigt (CSC) 2pts

The escapees have passed the site of the 2nd intermediate sprint. First place went to Daniele Bennati...

The peloton is 6’10" behind the 13 escapees at the 68km mark.

The peloton is now down to 168 riders. The latest rider to retire from the 2006 Tour de France Jimmy Engouvent of the Credit Agricole team.

The 13 escapees are now 5’45" ahead of the peloton.

The peloton is currently 4’30" behind the 13 escapees who are now 5km from the 2nd intermediate sprint. The bunch is being led by two riders from the T-Mobile team but they don’t appear to be too interested in chasing down the escape in which Dessel (A2R) is the the best-placed on GC.

Voigt (CSC), Dessel (A2R), Posthuma (RAB), Bennati (LAM), Vasseur (QSI), Isasi and Landaluze (EUS), Moreni (COF), Rinero (SDV), Da Cruz (FDJ), Quinziato (LIQ), Sprick (BTL) and Mercado (AGR) are now 4’30" ahead of the peloton which is at the 64km mark.

There was a little hiccup at the back of the peloton recently with Halgand (C.A) crashing into the back of the Euskatel team car. He didn’t fall to the ground but it was a close call.

The peloton is content to roll along now and allow the escapees to built their advantage. There are currently two riders from the only wildcard team in the 2006 Tour, Agritubel.

The yellow jersey has just pulled over to the right of the road to answer the call of nature. The deficit of the peloton was 2’30" at the 60km mark... expect the next time check to have the 13 leaders with a significantly larger advantage.

At the 59km mark, the peloton is 2’10" behind the 13 escapees.

The 13 stage leaders have an advantage of 2’00" over the peloton at the 56.5km mark.

There are now 13 riders ahead of the peloton. Hushovd and Steegmans have been caught. The group at the front of stage 10 is:
Voigt (CSC), Dessel (A2R), Posthuma (RAB), Bennati (LAM), Vasseur (QSI), Isasi and Landaluze (EUS), Moreni (COF), Rinero (SDV), Da Cruz (FDJ), Quinziato (LIQ), Sprick (BTL) and Mercado (AGR).

The peloton is currently 1’35" behind the 13 escapees. In between the two group are Steegmans and Hushovd (at 1’20" from the leaders).

The stage leaders are at the 54km mark. They have an advantage of 1’34" on the peloton.

1. Cyril Dessel (A2R) 4pts
2. Christophe Rinero (SDV)
3. Matthieu Sprick (BTL) 2pts
4. Mercado (AGR) 1pt
The peloton was at 1’25".

The climb is sapping energy from Hushovd and Steegmans. The two sprinter specialists have been dropped by the lead group.

The peloton is led by the entire T-Mobile team. They are still 1’00" behind Voigt, Dessel, Posthuma, Steegmans, Bennati, Vasseur, Hushovd, Isasi, Landaluze, Moreni, Rinero, Da Cruz, Quinziato, Sprick and Mercado.

The escapees are 1km from the top of the first climb in stage 10.

The peloton is led by all the riders from the T-Mobile team. It is 1’00" behind at the 47km mark. The escapees have begun the ascent of the Col d’Osquich, a 6km climb with an average gradient of 5.3 per cent.

Of the 15 riders in the escape group, Cyril Dessel (A2R) is the best placed on GC. He began the stage in 28th place, 3’50" behind Honchar.

With the peloton at the 47.5km mark, it is 1’00" behind the 15 escapees.

The escapees have covered 46.1km in the first hour of racing.

Voigt (CSC), Dessel (A2R), Posthuma (RAB), Steegmans (DVL), Bennati (LAM), Vasseur (QSI), Hushovd (C.A), Isasi and Landaluze (EUS), Moreni (COF), Rinero (SDV), Da Cruz (FDJ), Quinziato (LIQ), Sprick (BTL) and Mercado (AGR) are the riders who are now working well together in The Escape of stage 10. They are 55" ahead of the peloton.

The peloton is being led by six riders from the T-Mobile team. This group is 50" behind the 15 escapees.

Another rider has joined the lead group. The men involved are: Voigt (CSC), Dessel (A2R), Posthuma (RAB), Steegmans (DVL), Bennati (LAM), Vasseur (QSI), Hushovd (C.A), Isasi and Landaluze (EUS), Moreni (COF), Rinero (SDV), Da Cruz (FDJ), Quinziato (LIQ), Sprick (BTL) and Mercado (AGR).
They have a lead on the peloton of 45" at the 44km mark.

One of the riders in the escape group of 14 is Cedric Vasseur. The Quickstep recruit has recently attacked the stage leaders.

The 14 escapees have an advantage of 18" over the peloton which is being led by the T-Mobile team.

There are 14 riders in the lead of stage 10 after 40.5km of racing...

There is a group of about 11 riders in the lead of the stage. We await confirmation of the riders involved in the move that began to form just after the intermediate sprint at the 37.5km mark.

The points for the first intermediate sprint, in Larceveau at 37.5km, were won by:
1. Carlos Da Cruz (FDJ) 6pts/6"
2. Beat Zberg (GST) 4pts/4"
3. Manuel Quinziato (LIQ) 2pts/2"

The peloton has caught up with the three leaders 1,000m before the first intermediate sprint which is in Larceveau at the 37.5km mark.

Flecha has been caught by Zberg (GST) and Chavanel (COF). This trio has a lead of about 100m on the peloton at the 36km mark.

Chavanel’s move lasted 10.5km. He is now back in the peloton. The only rider ahead of the bunch is Juan Antonio Flecha (RAB).

Flecha has caught and passed Chavanel at the 34.5km mark.

The group of Martinez et al has been caught by the peloton at the 34km mark.

The peloton is now 5km away from the sprint at the 37.5km mark. Chavanel leads Martinez (DSC), Vandevelde (CSC), Sinkewitz (TMO), Calzati (A2R), Zberg (GST), Flecha (RAB), Horner (DVL), Merckx (PHO), Arroyo (CEI), Halgand (C.A), Lopez Garcia (EUS), Moncoutie (COF), Joly (FDJ), Velo (MRM), O’Grady (CSC) and Carlstrom (LIQ) by 15" and the peloton by 30".

After 30km of racing Chavanel has a lead of 17" over Martinez, Vandevelde, Sinkewitz, Calzati, Zberg, Flecha, Horner, Merckx, Arroyo, Halgand, Lopez Garcia, Moncoutie, Joly, Velo, O’Grady and Carlstrom.
The peloton is at 30".

There is a group 15 riders in pursuit of Chavanel who is 10" ahead. The chase is: Martinez, Vandevelde, Sinkewitz, Calzati, Zberg, Flecha, Horner, Merckx, Arroyo, Halgand, Lopez Garcia, Moncoutie, Joly and Velo. O’Grady and Carlstrom have just joined the counter-attacking group which is 10" ahead of the peloton.

Chavanel has covered 26.5km. He is insisting with his effort and awaits reinforcement after being on the attack since the 10km mark.

The maximum gain of Chavanel’s escape was 25". He began his move at the 10km mark. He currently leads by just 10".

The counter-attacking group of nine have been caught. Chavanel is the only rider ahead of the peloton. His current advantage is just 12".

A group of nine riders is attempting to catch the stage leader. Some of the riders in the chase group are: Philippe Gilbert (FDJ), Albasini (LIQ), Halgand (C.A), Kessler (TMO)...

There is a group of about 15 riders 12" behind Chavanel. The peloton is at 17".

Halgand (C.A), Tankink (QSI) and a rider from Bouygues Telecom are now in between Chavanel and the peloton at the 20km mark.

Aerts (DVL), Zandio (CEI), O’Grady (CSC), Sprick tried to catch up with the stage leader - Chavanel but they have been caught by the peloton which is now 19" behind the Cofidis rider.

Chavanel has a lead of 30" at the 16km mark. The move by Calzati has been reeled in by the peloton which is now being led by a rider from Agritubel.

Sylvain Calzati (A2R) is now in between the peloton and the stage leader, Chavanel (COF).
The Cofidis rider leads the AG2R recruit by 18" and the peloton by 25".

Dumoulin has rejoined the peloton after being dropped early.

Chavanel leads a group of about 20 riders by 10" and the peloton by 15" at the 12.5km mark.

The stage continues to be led by Chavanel. He has a lead of eight seconds over a group of 12 riders.

It’s going to be a long, tough stage for some riders. Samuel Dumoulin is the first to lose contact with the peloton which is really motoring along early in the 10th stage.

Chavanel (COF) has attacked at the 11km mark. He is beiing chased by Rogers (TMO) and Calzati (A2R).

The peloton is now at the 10km mark. There have been numerous early attacks but the peloton has chased everything down during the rapid start to the 10th stage.

There were a number of protesters across the road at the 7km mark. The peloton regrouped momentarily but Verbrugghe (COF) is trying his luck again with another attack.

There are protesters on the road and they have successfully halted the progress of the five escapees.

Wegmann (GST), Etxebarria (EUS), Verbrugghe (COF), Lobato (SDV) and Albasini (LIQ) are now in front of the stage with a lead of 12".

The peloton is not allowing any of the early attacks to succeed. The latest trio have been reeled in but there are a number of riders attempting to break free. Verbrugghe (COF) is now on the attack with four others.

There are now three riders in front of the stage. De la Fuente has been caught by Verdugo (EUS) and Vila (LAM).

The peloton has caught up with the 14 early escapees. Right now only one rider is in front of the peloton; David De la Fuente (SDV) has a lead of a couple of hundred meters.

There are now 14 riders in the lead of stage 10. Involved in the early counter-attack is last year’s King of the Mountains Mickael Rasmussen (RAB).

The four escapees are now 12" ahead of the peloton. There is a group of about eight riders in pursuit, including Commesso (LAM) who began the chase.

O’Grady (CSC), Hernandez (EUS), Vansummeren (DVL) and Calcagni (LIQ) have a lead of 15" on the peloton at the 2.5km mark.

There are 169 riders still in the 2006 Tour de France. The overnight retiree is Laurent Brochard of the AG2R team.

The flag has fallen to signal the official start of the 10th stage at 12.29pm. The was an attack immediately by a rider from Euskaltel, Hernandez (EUS). He has been joined Vansummeren (DVL) and O’Grady (CSC) and Calcagni (LIQ).

This year is the first time that special yellow ‘dossards’ (race numbers) are worn by riders from the squad that leads the team classification.
The T-Mobile formation is in charge with four riders in the top five of general classification.
The team rankings is taken by the time of the first three riders of each squad on GC and T-Mobile currently has an advantage of 3’09” over Phonak and 3’56” over Gerolsteiner.

Despite dropping from fifth to ninth place overall because he finished 13 seconds behind yesterday’s stage winner, Marcus Fothen (GST) continues to lead the youth classification after ninth stages. The German who won the under-23 time trial world championships in 2003 has a lead of 58” over the youngest rider in the 2006 Tour, Thomas Lovkvist (FDJ). In third place is Andriy Grivko (MRM) who is 1’55” behind Fothen.

Jerome Pineau has worn the polka-dot jersey since stage three. The Frenchman from Bouygues Telecom knows that things are likely to change in today’s stage which boasts the first ‘Hors Category’ summit of the 93rd Tour de France. The leaders of the climbing classification are: Pineau (BTL) with 28 points, David De la Fuente (SDV) 17pts and Fabian Wegmann (GST) 15pts.
The climbs in stage 10 are: Col d’Osquich (category-3 at 50.0km), Col de Soudet (‘Hors Category’ at 101.5km) and the Col de Marie-Blanque (category-1 at 148.0km).

Robbie McEwen (DVL) is in control of the points classification. The Australian has already won three stages so far this year and was second in yesterday’s stage to Dax. He has a tally of 211 points, 23 more than Tom Boonen (QSI). In third place is the dual stage winner Oscar Freire (RAB) with 181 points.
There are just two intermediate sprints in stage 10; they are in Larceveau (at 37.5km) and Laguinge (at 74.5km).
Points at the finish in Pau are different to the early stages of the 2006 Tour because today is considered a climbing stage. For ‘High Mountain’ stages, the allocation of points is as follows: 20 first 1st, 17 for 2nd, 15 for 3rd… then 13, 12, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 & 1.

The yellow jersey is worn by Serhiy Honchar (TMO) for the fourth successive day. The winner of the time trial for stage seven leads the runner-up in Lorient, Floyd Landis (PHO) by 1’00”. In third place in general classification 1’08” behind Honchar is the triple world time trial champion Michael Rogers (TMO) followed by two more T-Mobile riders – Patrik Sinkewitz (at 1’45”) and Andreas Kloden (at 1’50”).
There was a slight change to the top of the general classification at the end of stage nine. The leader of the best young rider classification, Marcus Fothen (GST) slipped from fifth to ninth overall after finishing in 103rd in Dax and losing 13” to the stage winner.

The peloton has just left the site of the ’Depart Fictif’. There is a 7.5km neutral zone before the flag will fall from the race director’s car to signal the start of racing in stage 10.

The 10th stage will be contested under cloudy skies but the French weather bureau suggests that there’s little chance of rain falling in the Pyrenees today. The temperature at the start in Cambo-les-Bains is 24 degrees Celsius in the air and 26 degrees at road level.

Stage 10 of the 2006 Tour de France is a 190.5km route from Cambo-les-Bains to Pau. It’s the first real test for the climbing specialists. Today boasts the first ’Hors Category’ summit in the 93rd edition of the Tour; the Col de Soudet is a 14.7km long ascent wtih an average gradient of 7.3 per cent. The top of this mountain is at the 101.5km mark. It has the potential to significantly change the top order of the general classification.
The stage is scheduled to begin at 12.15pm. Live coverage will begin shortly.