The newsflashes

17:50 - The new top 10 Overall

There has been a significant shake up of the general classification even if the French surprise continues... Voeckler still wears the yellow jersey and here is the new top 10 overall: 1. Thomas Voeckler (FRA) EUC 2. Andy Schleck (LUX) LEO at 15" 3. Frank Schleck (LUX) LEO at 1’08" 4. Cadel Evans (AUS) BMC at 1’12" 5. Damiano Cunego (ITA) LAM at 3’46" 6. Ivan Basso (ITA) LIQ at 3’46" 7. Alberto Contador (ESP) SBS at 4’44" 8. Samuel Sanchez (ESP) EUS at 5’20" 9. Tom Danielson (USA) GRM at 7’08" 10. Jean-Christophe Peraud (FRA) ALM at 9’27"

17:46 - The top 15 in stage 18

It promised to be an epic race from Pinerolo to Gap and that’s just what it turned out to be. The top 15 in stage 18 is: 1. Andy Schleck (LUX) LEO - 200.5km in 6h07’56" 2. Fränk Schleck (LUX) LEO at 2’07" 3. Cadel Evans (AUS) BMC at 2’15" 4. Ivan Basso (ITA) LIQ at 2’18" 5. Thomas Voeckler (FRA) EUC at 2’21" 6. Pierre Rolland (FRA) EUC at 2’27" 7. Damiano Cunego (ITA) LAM at 2’33" 8. Rein Taaramae (EST) COF at 3’22" 9. Tom Danielson (USA) GRM at 3’25" 10. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN) GRM at 3’31" 11. Maxim Iglinskiy (KAZ) AST at 3’35" 12. Christian Vande Velde (USA) GRM at 3’38" 13. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP) RSH at 3’44" 14. Jelle Vanendert (BEL) OLO at 3’50" 15. Alberto Contador (ESP) SBS at 3’50"

17:41 - Still waiting on Alberto...!

Alberto has lost 3’50" in the stage and, with that, pretty much all chances of winning the Tour de France again.

17:40 - Voeckler Holds on for another day...!

Voeckler is bend double after finishing 2’18" behind Andy Schleck. The Frenchman will keep the yellow jersey for another day.

17:40 - Frank takes second

The Schleck brothers take first and second in the 18th stage.

17:39 - Evans chasing second?

Evans could yet finish second in the stage... only in the final 250 meters has Voeckler been dropped...

17:38 - Cunego dropped

Cunego has been dropped by the Evans group which now includes just Cadel, Frank, Ivan, Pierre and Thomas...

17:37 - Fighting to the finish...

Bravo Andy! You dared to race today and the rewards are yours. This is the third stage win for the Luxembourger and the first for his Leopard-Trek team.

17:35 - Contador 30" Behind Evans

Evans’ group is now 2’55" behind Schleck and 30" ahead of Contador.

17:34 - Andy inside the final 1km

Schleck is going to win the stage. He may take the yellow jersey. He is inside the final kilometer. The two-time runner-up in the Tour de France is going to win his third stage of this race...

17:33 - Contador cannot follow

Contador is out of the picture now. He has not been able to follow the Evans-led group which is now just:
  Cadel, Basso, Frank, Cunego, Voeckler and Rolland.

17:32 - Basso jumps into the lead

Basso did a quick turn of pace and it’s gotten rid of Contador but the defending champion is fighting back...

17:31 - Riders in the chase group

Evans remains at the front of the chase. Only Voeckler, Rolland, Frank Schleck, Cunego, Basso and Contador have been able to match the pace being set by the Australian. Surely there will be an attack from this group soon as Evans must be at his limit... although he doesn’t seem to know the word "surrender". He is out of the saddle now and pushing his group to 3’05" behind Andy Schleck.

17:29 - 3km to go

Andy Schleck is likely to win his third Tour de France stage. He won at Morzine-Avoriaz and the Col du Tourmalet last year. He is 3’06" ahead of the group that has just caught and passed Roche.

17:27 - Andy voted winner of ’Fighting spirit’ award

Andy Schleck will attend the podium protocol at the top of the stage as he’s been voted the winner of the ’Fighting Spirit’ award. He is looking as though he will win the stage and could even take the yellow jersey as well.

17:26 - Vanendert dropped

Vanendert has been dropped by the Evans group which is 3’15" behind Andy Schleck.

17:25 - 4.5km To go

Evans is the only rider who has led the yellow jersey’s group for the difficult gradient of the Galibier climb. Voeckler is matching the pace of the Australian and riding in second wheel...

17:24 - Contador also with Evans...

Contador is also still with the group that continues to be led by Evans. (He was not included in the previous list... apologies for this significant omission.)

17:23 - Danielson dropped...

The rider in ninth overall, Tom Danielson (GRM) has just been dropped by the Evans-led group.

17:23 - 5km to go

Andy is 3’15" ahead of the chase group and is inside the final 5km of the climb to the top of the Galibier pass...

17:22 - The Evans group...

The riders in the chase group are:
  Evans (BMC)
  Frank Schleck (LEO)
  Zubeldia (RSH)
  Basso and Szmyd (LIQ)
  Cunego (LAM)
  Vanendert (OLO)
  Danielson (GRM)
  Taaramae (COF)
  Voeckler and Rolland (EUC)

17:21 - Evans 3’25" Behind

Evans’ group is 3’25" behind Andy who is 5.5km from the finish.

17:20 - Sanchez dropped

Sanchez has not been able to match the pace set by Evans. The rider in fifth overall has been dropped but the yellow jersey is still able to follow the 2009 world champion.

17:19 - Evans gets no assistance...

Peraud has not been able to follow the lead of Evans. The BMC team leader is determined to win the Tour today. He is setting the pace of the chase and Voeckler is right on his wheel. Thee are just 11 in his group now...

17:18 - Evans closing in on Schleck

Schleck is now just 3’30" ahead of the Evans group but this effort is surely going to cost the Australian dearly if Contador or Basso or Frank Schleck opt to attack...

17:17 - Evans takes all the responsibility...

Evans is the only rider who has been at the front of the yellow jersey’s group on this windy race to the col du Galibier. He waited until he could wait no longer and then decided to throw caution, quite literally, into the wind. He is followed by Rolland, Voeckler, Szmyd, Basso, Vanendert, Riblon, Danielson, Sanchez, Zubeldia, Frank Schleck, Taaramae... and host of other GC riders.

17:14 - Andy on his own now...

Andy is the leader of the stage. He dropped Iglinskiy with 8km to go and his advantage over the Evans group is 3’45".

17:13 - 8km to go

Iglinskiy and Schleck are inside the final 8km of the 18th stage. Andy is now starting to dance on the pedals and it’s enough to get rid of Maxim.

17:12 - Uran dropped

Uran has been dropped by the Evans-led peloton. The effort by the rider in second overall has reduced the gap to the stage leaders from 4’25" to 3’55" in the distance of about 1km.

17:10 - Evans chasing Andy Hard

Evans is now in the wind and really upping the pace ahead of Rolland and Voeckler. This group was 4’25" behind Andy Schleck when the Australian decided that it was time to chase: either spent time in the wind or lose out to Andy Schleck who began his attack halfway up the col d’Izoard.

17:08 - New bike for Sanchez

With Sanchez dropping back to get a new bike, Evans has attacked the yellow jersey group.

17:08 - Roche dropped

Roche has lost contact with Schleck and Iglinskiy inside the final 10km of the stage.

17:05 - Evans won’t chase...

Evans has been forced on to the front of the chase group and he really does NOT want to be there. No one else will come around him though and it’s all playing into the hands of Andy Schleck who is still 4’10" ahead of the yellow jersey’s group... led, with regret, by Evans.

17:03 - Cadel leading the chase group

Evans is now at the front of the chase group and looking closely at who is going to start to attack. It’s a strange tactic as he seems more interested in watching for an attack - which has come from Szmyd (LIQ) - than in chasing down the Andy Schleck trio.

17:00 - Contador moves to the front

Contador is at the front of the chase group and now that yellow jersey group is going to thin out rapidly. They are still 4’05" behind Schleck’s trio who are about 13km from the finish of the 18th stage.

16:58 - riders dropping from chase group

Verdugo (EUS) and Moinard (BMC) are the latest to be dropped by the group that’s now 4’05" behind Andy Schleck’s trio.

16:56 - Silin dropped by lead group

There are now just three in the lead of the stage. Silin has been dropped which leave Andy Schleck, Nico Roche and Maxim Iglinskiy in the lead with 15km to go.

16:55 - The yellow jersey’s group

The riders in the chase group are:
  Contador, Navarro, Chris Anker Sorensen (SBS)
  Frank Schleck (LEO)
  Sanchez, Izagirre and Verdugo (EUS)
  Vanendert (OLO)
  Danielson, Hesjedal and Vande Velde (GRM)
  Zubeldia (RSH)
  Arroyo and Erviti (MOV)
  Basso and Szmyd (LIQ)
  Dupont, Peraud and Riblon (ALM)
  Thomas, Uran and Zandio (SKY)
  De Weert (QST)
  Jeannesson and Meersman (FDJ)
  Evans, Moinard and Morabito (BMC)
  Taaramae (COF)
  Cunego and Loosli (LAM)
  Voeckler and Rolland (EUC)
  Karpets and Gusev (KAT)
  Ruijgh (VCD)
  Coppel (SAU)

16:51 - Monfort is finished...

There are now five in the lead of the stage Monfort (LEO) has given his all to deliver Andy Schleck to the base of the climb with the best possible gains. As Maxime pull out of the lead group, Frank Schleck has dropped behind the peloton to collect a few drinks from the team car.

16:49 - The calm before the storm...

Saxo Bank, Euskaltel and BMC are leading the yellow jersey’s peloton and now keeping the Schleck group in check. The runner-up from 2010 and 2009 is now 3’50" ahead of the peloton... this is the maximum gain for Schleck so far since his attack midway up the Izoard climb. The bunch is inside the final 20km.

16:46 - The advantage grows...

Andy Schleck is now swapping off only with Monfort. The others in the lead are opting to follow the Leopards who are officially on the final ascent although the road doesn’t really start to rise until about 18km from the finish. They are inside the final 20km and have a lead of 3’45" on the yellow jersey.

16:43 - Escapees gain time...

The six in the lead are increasing their advantage. Chris Anker Sorensen (SBS) is nodding his head - as he does when he’s pushing his limits - and he’s ahead of two BMC riders at the front of the pack that includes the yellow jersey. The latest check has the six in the lead by 3’28".

16:40 - Peloton 3’18" Behind

With 25km to go, Andy Schleck’s group is 3’18" ahead of the yellow jersey group.

16:38 - Leopards leading...

Only Monfort, Andy Schleck and Devenyns are setting the pace at the front of the stage. The other three are following wheels on this windy day in the Hautes Alpes.

16:36 - Leading six increase advantage...

The six in the lead have increased their advantage. WIth a little over 25km to go, the Schleck group is 3’07" ahead of the Voeckler group.

16:33 - Average speed so far... 34.1km

After five hours of racing in stage 18, the average speed is 34.1km/h.

16:31 - Six in the lead

The six stage leaders with 28km to go are:
  Andy Schleck (LEO)
  Maxime Monfort (LEO)
  Maxim Iglinskiy (AST)
  Roche (ALM)
  Silin (KAT)
  Devenyns (QST) They are 2’55" ahead of the yellow jersey.

16:29 - Iglinskiy Waiting...

Iglinskiy is about to be joined by Andy Schleck’s quintet... and then it’s all uphill to the finish... they have 30km to go in the stage. Their advantage over the yellow jersey’s group is 3’00".

16:28 - Iglinskiy leads by 15"

Iglinskiy - who hasn’t won a race since the Strade Bianche last March - is still in the lead of the 18th stage. But has advantage is shrinking quickly. The latest check has the Kazakh 15" ahead...

16:26 - Andy is the virtual leader

Andy Schleck has the support of Devenyns, Silin, Monfort and Roche in the lead of the stage. For the first time, someone other than the Leopard riders is setting the pace... it’s the Belgian from Quickstep (Devenyns). This group is 3’00" ahead of the yellow jersey group meaning that Andy Schleck is the virtual leader of the 2011 Tour.

16:24 - All top 10 - except for Andy are in the yellow jersey group

With the exception of Andy Schleck who is now 3’00" ahead of the yellow jersey’s group all riders in the top 10 overall are in the Voeckler group with about 33km to go in the stage.

16:23 - About 40 in yellow jersey peloton

There has been a regrouping on the descent and Uran now has the likes of Thomas and Zandio there for support. There are a few other teams with multiple representatives in the yellow jersey’s group which includes about 40 riders.

16:22 - Iglinskiy 3’57" Ahead of yellow jersey

Andy Schleck is 1’00" behind Iglinskiy. The Astana rider is almost at the base of the last descent leading to the Galibier. He is 3’57" ahead of the yellow jersey’s peloton.

16:19 - Schleck leads Voeckler by 2’40"

At the entrance to Briancon, Andy’s quintet is 2’40" ahead of the Voeckler group.

16:19 - Contador returns...

Contador has caught back up with the Voeckler group.

16:18 - Contador chasing Voeckler...

There are no team-mates with Contador as he speeds through the convoy of following cars and tries to rejoin the yellow jersey’s group.

16:17 - Uran returns to yellow jersey group

Uran, who crashed on the descent, has been able to rejoin the Voeckler group.

16:16 - New bike for Contador

Contador has dropped out of the yellow jersey’s group to change bikes.

16:16 - Iglinskiy leads yellow jersey by 3’57"

Iglinskiy’s advantage over the Andy Schleck group is 1’20". The yellow jersey’s peloton is at 3’57".

16:15 - Riders in yellow jersey group

  Contador, Navarro, Cunego, Basso, Taaramae, Arroyo, Izisar, Jeannesson, Evans, Bookwalter, Voeckler, Rolland, Frank Schleck, Danielson, Vande Velde, De Weert, Gesink... These are some of the riders in the yellow jersey’s group. They are 2’40" behind Andy Schleck.

16:12 - 40km to go

Iglinskiy is still in the lead and is now inside the final 40km of the stage. Then comes a group of five:
  Andy Schleck
  Maxime Monfort
  Nicolas Roche
  Egor Silin
  Dries Devenyns

16:11 - Vanendert Waits...

Vanendert had tried to gain some time on the yellow jersey but he has since decided to wait for the race leader.

16:09 - Vanendert goes ahead...

On the descent, Vanendert is 3’45" behind Iglinskiy and the yellow jersey’s group is at 3’55".

16:08 - Five in the chase group...

Iglinskiy leads the Schleck quartet - Andy, Monfort, Silin, Devenyns and Roche - by 1’33".

16:07 - Uran Crashes

The white jersey, Rigoberto Uran (SKY) has crashed out of the yellow jersey’s peloton.

16:06 - Two leopards with Silin and Devenyns

Iglinskiy is still in the lead of the stage. He is ahead of Roche, then comes a quartet including Silin, Devenyns and the two Leopard-Trek riders who are setting the pace of the chase - Monfort and Andy Schleck.

16:02 - Silin Caught by Andy

Silin and Devenyns have been caught by Andy and Maxime...

16:01 - Peloton over the top 4’05"

The difference between Andy Schleck and the yellow jersey is now 2’15". The Luxembourger is almost the virtual leader of the Tour de France. He began the stage in fourth overall, 2’36" behind Voeckler

16:00 - Monfort Waiting for Schleckl

Schleck is about to catch his team-mate Maxime Monfort. These two are descending while Navarro leads the yellow jersey’s group to the top of the Izoard.

15:59 - Results of second climb

1. Iglinskiy (AST) 20pts 2. Roche (ALM) 16pts – 1’15” 3. Monfort (LEO 12pts 4. Devenyns (QST) 8pts 5. Silin (KAT) 4pts 6. Andy Schleck (LEO) 2pts – at 1’50”

15:56 - Andy 2’08" Behind Iglinskiy

Iglinskiy is over the top of the Izoard. He has a lead of 2’08" on Andy Schleck.

15:55 - Andy leads Thomas Voeckler by 1’55"

Schleck’s gains on the yellow jersey are reportedly now 1’55". This has prompted Navarro (SBS) into action. He is just ahead of Evans (BMC) and the rest of the yellow jersey’s group which now includes about 25-riders.

15:53 - Schleck leaves Posthuma...

After a brief collaboration with the Dutchman from Leopard, Andy Schleck is now out of the saddle and trying to increase his gains on the yellow jersey’s peloton.

15:51 - Schleck gains just 30"

The last time check has Andy Schleck just 30" ahead of the BMC-led yellow jersey’s peloton.

15:50 - Posthuma With Andy

Joost Posthuma is now setting the pace for his team-mate Andy Schleck.

15:50 - Iglinskiy leads Schleck by 2’38"

Iglinskiy is still in the lead of the stage. He is 2’38" ahead of Andy Schleck as he nears the top of the second climb.

15:48 - Riders in yellow jersey group

The men in the yellow jersey group include:
  Voeckler, Evans, Bookwalter, Basso, Szmyd, De Weert, Sanchez (EUS), Zubeldia, Frank Schleck, Navarro, Contador, Vanendert, Ruben Perez Moreno, Danielson, Vande Velde... and others but the camera is focused on Andy Schleck who is increasing his advantage.

15:45 - Schleck leads yellow group by 47"

Andy Schleck is now 47" ahead of the Voeckler group that includes about 20 riders.

15:44 - Iglinskiy leads by 35"

Iglinskiy’s advantage on the four chasers - Roche, Devenyns, Silin and Monfort - is 35".

15:43 - About 18 With Voeckler...

The yellow jersey’s peloton has just caught Perez Moreno and this is now composed of about 18 riders including all the men in the top 10 overall (with the exception of Andy Schleck... who is just ahead). Uran has just rejoined the Voeckler group.

15:41 - Contador now starts to dance...

Navarro surged to the front of the yellow jersey’s bunch that didn’t respond to Andy’s attack. Now Contador has slotted into second place in the group that’s 40" behind Andy Schleck.

15:40 - Andy opens a good gap...

There has been no reaction to the move by Andy Schleck. He is now stranded ahead of the peloton without support but he doesn’t seem to mind that he’s able to gain time on Evans and the others in the top 10.

15:39 - Uran dropped by peloton

The rider in 10th overall, Rigoberto Uran (SKY) is the latest to be dropped by the yellow jersey’s peloton just as Andy Schleck has launched his first attack of the stage.

15:38 - Iglinskiy attacks lead group

Iglinskiy has attacked the leaders of the stage and there has been no reaction to the Kazakh’s move.

15:37 - Bouet caught by peloton

Bouet has been caught by the peloton which is now down to about 40 riders. All the men in the top 10 overall are represented in this group.

15:36 - Hoogerland dropped by lead group

There are now seven men in the lead group:
  Monfort (LEO)
  Posthuma (LEO)
  Urtasun Perez (EUS)
  Iglinskiy (AST)
  Roche (ALM)
  Devenyns (QST)
  Silin (KAT)

15:34 - yellow jersey pack thinning out quickly...

There are numerous riders now out of the yellow jersey’s peloton that continues to be led by Voigt. Voeckler still has a number of team-mates with him.

15:33 - Leopards preparing to pounce?

Voigt and O’Grady are at the front of the peloton that is spitting a number of riders out the back on the Izoard climb. Gerdemann and Boasson Hagen are the latest to loose contact with the bunch of the yellow jersey.

15:31 - Average speed for four hours...

The average speed of the escape after four hours of racing in stage 18 is 34.6km/h.

15:31 - Bertagnoli Abandons

There are now 168 riders still in the Tour. Leonardo Bertagnoili (LAM) has just quit the race.

15:27 - Bouet catches Delage...

The rider who recently attacked the peloton, Bouet (ALM) has caught up with one of the riders who had been in the lead of the stage earlier today, Mickael Delage.

15:22 - Six Europcar riders lead peloton

There are now six riders from Europcar, including the yellow jersey, at the front of the peloton that is 4’50" behind the nine stage leaders early on the slopes of the col d’Izoard.

15:20 - Bouet attacks peloton

There has been an attack at the front of the peloton by Maxime Bouet (ALM).

15:19 - Nine in lead now

The riders in the lead of the stage now are:
  Posthuma (LEO)
  Monfort (LEO)
  Urtasun (EUS)
  Iglinskiy (AST)
  Erviti (MOV)
  Roche (ALM)
  Devenyns (QST)
  Silin (KAT)
  Hoogerland (VCD) Those who have lost contact with the leader on the Izoard are: Bookwalter, Irizar and Navardauskas - at 30" Perez Moreno - at 55".

15:15 - Irizar Punctures

The RadioShack rider in the lead needs a new wheel after getting a flat rear tire.

15:15 - Perez out of lead group

Ruben Perez Moreno has been dropped from the leading group of 14 early on the climb of the col d’Izoard.

15:14 - Peloton chases down Gilbert

Gilbert’s move is over and he is now back with the peloton.

15:14 - Gilbert begins Vanendert’s defence...

In the valley leading to the Izoard climb, Gilbert (OLO) is speeding ahead of the peloton with the polka-dot jersey - and his team-mate - Vanendert right on his wheel. There is a group of about 10 riders now breaking free of the peloton.

15:12 - Gilbert attacking peloton with Voeckler...

Gilbert, Vanendert, De Weert and Voeckler are leading a move that has just caught the Leipheimer group of seven.

15:08 - Martin Crashes on descent

Tony Martin (THR) has crashed on the descent but he has gotten back up quickly and is racing again.

15:07 - Sky splitting the peloton

There are three riders from Sky now setting the pace of a group that includes Voeckler. They have caused some splits in the bunch but, on the descent, it should reform soon...

15:04 - The current situation...

The 14 stage leaders which also includes Irizar (RSH) are 1’25" ahead of Delage and Duque.
  3’25" ahead of Burghardt (BMC) and Hondo (LAM).
  3’45" ahead of Delaplace (SAU)
  4’45" ahead of Gesink (RAB), Zeits (AST), Di Gregorio (AST), Leipheimer (RSH), Arroyo (MOV), Jeannesson (FDJ) and Moncoutie (COF).
  5’15" ahead of the peloton.

15:00 - Sky leading peloton

Westra has just been caught by the peloton that’s now being led by Flecha (SKY).

15:00 - Composition of the lead group

The 18th stage is led by:
  Posthuma (LEO)
  Monfort (LEO)
  Perez Moreno (EUS)
  Urtasun (EUS)
  Tjallingii (RAB)
  Navardauskas (GRM)
  Iglinskiy (AST)
  Erviti (MOV)
  Roche (ALM)
  Devenyns (QST)
  Bookwalter (BMC)
  Silin (KAT)
  Hoogerland (VCD) ... they are 1’25" ahead of Delage (FDJ) and Duque (COF).

14:58 - Westra dropped from counter-attack

Westra has dropped out of the Leipheimer group on the descent. Meanwhile, up front, Iglinskiy is about to be caught by a group of about 10 riders which now includes Bookwalter and Erviti who were dropped near the top of the climb.

14:55 - Iglinskiy seems to be waiting...

Iglinskiy is now soft-pedaling and waiting for his former escape companions.

14:52 - Farewell Italy...

The Tour is back in France after it’s excursion into Italy for the stage finish yesterday and stage start today.

14:50 - Seven counter-attacks over Agnel

The seven counter-attackers are 4’55" behind Iglinskiy at the top of the first climb. The chase group is:
  Gesink (RAB)
  Zeits (AST)
  Di Gregorio (AST)
  Leipheimer (RSH)
  Arroyo (MOV)
  Jeannesson (FDJ)
  Moncoutie (COF)
  Westra (VCD) The peloton has reached the top of the 2011 Tour 5’35" behind the stage leader.

14:49 - Iglinskiy Leading on the descent...

The Kazakh at the front of the stage is increasing his advantage with a rapid descent. Iglinskiy took maximum points on the highest climb of the 2011 Tour. He is now ahead of 10 who are remnants of the original 19-man escape.

14:46 - Iglinskiy Leads over Agnel

The Kazakh in the escape group has led over the top of the first climb. The results are: 1. Iglinskiy (AST) 20pts 2. Hoogerland VCD) 16pts - at 10" 3. Devenyns (QST) 12pts 4. Monfort (LEO) 8pts 5. Urtasun (EUS) 4pts 6. Silin (KAT) 2pts

14:42 - Di Gregorio Catches Seven

The seven counter-attackers who are 4’40" behind the escapees at the 105km mark have been caught by Di Gregorio. The peloton is at 5’05".

14:40 - Leopards leading escape & Peloton

Posthuma (LEO) is at the front of the lead group and O’Grady (LEO) is at the front of the peloton that’s 5’25" behind as the escapees get to the 1km to climb sign.

14:39 - Di Gregorio Goes again

Remy Di Gregorio (AST) has attacked the peloton for a second time on the first climb. He’s now in pursuit of Gesink’s group of seven.

14:38 - The seven counter-attackers

The counter-attacking group that’s just ahead of the peloton with the yellow jersey is now composed of seven riders:
  Gesink (RAB)
  Zeits (AST)
  Leipheimer (RSH)
  Arroyo (MOV)
  Jeannesson (FDJ)
  Moncoutie (COF)
  Westra (VCD) They are 25" ahead of the peloton.

14:36 - Erviti, Irizar and Bookwalter Dropped

Three more have dropped out of the lead group. The latest victims of the steep gradient of the col Agnel are Erviti (MOV), Irizar (RSH) and Bookwalter (BMC).

14:34 - Gesink leads another move...

There is another group now speeding ahead of the peloton. It includes Gesink (RAB) and Moncoutie (COF).

14:34 - Three counter-attackers...

Leipheimer and Riblon have been joined in the counter-attack by Westra (VCD). The rest appear to have surrendered and are returning to the peloton with the yellow jersey.

14:31 - Average Speed For Third Hour

The average speed for the third hour of stage 18 is 34.5km/h.

14:30 - Zeits and Koren dropped from counter-attack

Two of the seven counter-attackers are now drifting back to the peloton. Koren and Zeits (who started the move) are the riders to be dropped by the Gilbert group of five.

14:29 - O’Grady leading peloton

The peloton is 25" behind the seven counter-attackers. The Leopard-Trek team is taking responsibility for the chase and currently it’s O’Grady at the front of the bunch that’s 6’10" behind the 17 stage leaders.

14:28 - Hondo and Delaplace dropped

Of the 19 in the lead, two have been unable to maintain the pace. Delaplace (SAU) and Hondo (LAM) are now drifting behind the 17 other escapees.

14:26 - Seven lead peloton by 20"

The seven counter-attackers are 6’25" behind the escapees and the peloton is at 6’45".

14:25 - Seven counter-attackers

There are now seven men attacking the peloton. They are:
  Riblon (ALM)
  Leipheimer (RSH)
  Barredo (RAB)
  Koren (LIQ)
  Zeits (AST)
  Di Gregorio (AST)
  Gilbert (OLO)

14:24 - Posthuma Leads escape

With 5km to climb, Posthuma (LEO) is at the front of the escape.

14:23 - Hivert dropped...

Hivert and Bertagnoli are two riders who have recently been dropped by the peloton.

14:23 - Zeits, Not grivko

The Astana attacking rider is Andrey Zeits, not Grivko. But now there are a number of others now jumping ahead of the peloton.

14:22 - Grivko Attacks

Andriy Grivko (AST) has attacked the peloton and he is being followed by Philippe Gilbert (OLO). They began their move at the 99km mark.

14:21 - Comments From Pierre Rolland...

"I feel good but the bike is not an exact science, I hope it will be like the other stages," said the super-domestique of the Europcar team, Pierre Rolland earlier today. "We will do our utmost to keep the yellow jersey. "I will stay in the wheel of Thomas Voeckler," said the rider who is in 14th place overall, 10’03" behind his team leader.

14:16 - 100km to go

The leaders are inside the final 100km of the stage. They have ridden half of the 18th stage... Of the 200.5km stage, over 80km are uphill.

14:14 - Contador has had 14 days in the yellow jersey...

One of the favorites for today’s stage is the triple champion of the Tour de France. The Spaniard first led the Tour in stage 18 of the 2007 Tour - but he did not wear the yellow jersey that day as he inherited the lead from Michael Rasmussen who had been sent home by his Rabobank team - and he’s since collected a total of 14 yellow jerseys. The rider who currently leads the Tour has been in the yellow jersey for 19 days during his career. In the last 20 years, only Indurain, Armstrong and Cancellara have led the Tour for longer than Thomas Voeckler.

14:11 - Liquigas Arrive at the front...

The peloton has been led by Europcar but there are now a two riders from Liquigas arriving near the front of the bunch that is 7’45" behind the 19 escapees.

14:10 - Hoogerland setting the pace

The escape is currently being led by Hoogerland as they reach the steep section of the first climb.

14:09 - The escapees, their teams & nations...

The 19 in the lead represent 16 teams. They are ahead by 7’50" on the early slopes of the Agnel climb. The riders in the move that started just before the intermediate sprint are:
  Maxime Monfort (BEL) LEO; Joost Posthuma (NED) LEO; Ruben Perez Moreno (ESP) EUS, Pablo Urtasun (ESP) EUS, Maarten Tjallingii (NED) RAB, Ramunas Navardauskas (LTU) GRM, Maxim Iglinskiy (KAZ) AST, Markel Izazar (ESP) RSH, Imanol Erviti (ESP) MOV, Nicolas Roche (IRL) ALM, Dries Devenyns (BEL) QST, Mickael Delage (FRA) FDJ, Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC, Marcus Burghardt (GER) BMC, Leonardo Duque (COL) COF, Danilo Hondo (GER) LAM, Egor Silin (RUS) KAT, Johnny Hoogerland (NED) VCD, Anthony Delaplace (FRA) SAU.

13:58 - Climbing at 35km/h...

The pace of the peloton is around 35km/h at the moment. The early kilometers of the Agnel ascent aren’t so steep but the final section has a gradient of over 10 per cent...

13:57 - Border crossing at 117km

The Tour will return to France at the 117km mark of the 200.5km stage.

13:55 - Is Rabobank planning something?

Robert Gesink spent a few days of this year’s Tour in the white jersey as leader of the youth classification. He crashed in stage three but then suffered through the Pyrenees. He is now ranked 44th overall, 49’11" behind Voecker. He was one of the pre-race favorites but the yellow jersey is no longer an option. Could it be that, on this day when the first over the climbs can earn 20 points (on the Agnel), 20 points (on the Izouard) and 40 points (at the finish), the Dutchman is tempted to challenge for the polka-dot jersey? He has no points yet so it would be quite a conquest...

13:51 - Advantage drops to 8’05"

The peloton continues to be led by Europcar riders and they are closing in on the escapees (slightly) with the latest check - at 88km - putting the Roche group of 19 ahead by 8’05".

13:49 - Tactics of BMC, Euskaltel & Leopard-Trek...

It’s common from the teams of title contenders to put riders in the early moves on the day of high mountains. We’ve seen the likes of Voigt, Hincapie, and Popovych - to name a few - do this in recent years. Once the real action heats up and the peloton thins out, these riders sit up and wait for their team leaders... The BMC, Euskatel and Leopard-Trek squads are three with GC contenders - Evans, Sanchez and the Schlecks, respectively - and each of these teams have two in the escape.

13:43 - Europcar Leading Peloton

The peloton is led by the Europcar team of Voeckler. The maximum gain of the breakaway so far today was at the 83km mark, 9’10". The escapees are now 8’50" ahead of the bunch that is also on the Agnel ascent...

13:41 - Second successive day of attacking...

Both Tjallingii and Perez Moreno were in the escape group of stage 17. The Spaniard is wearing a red race number today as he was voted the winner of the ’Fighting Spirit’ award yesterday.

13:39 - Delage returns to lead group

After his incident, Delage (FDJ) has returned to the lead group which is 8’50" ahead of the peloton which is currently at the 85km mark.

13:36 - Delage Crashes

One of the riders in the lead of the stage - Delage (FDJ) - has crashed.

13:35 - The climb begins...

The escapees are 8’55" ahead of the peloton as they begin the ascent of the 23.7km long Col Agnel. Seven of the last eight kilometers of this climb which rises to the border between Italy and France are at over a gradient of over 10 per cent. This is the highest pass of the 2011 Tour de France.

13:31 - Average Speed For Second Hour

The average speed for the second hour of stage 18 is 34.6km/h. The average for the first two hours: 42.6km/h.

13:29 - Bookwalter now needs help...

Bookwalter (BMC) is the second rider from the lead group to call for mechanical assistance in less than a minute.

13:28 - Derailleur issues for Roche

The best placed of the escape group, Nico Roche needs mechanical assistance. He has a problem with his derailleur.

13:27 - Composition Of The Escape Group

The 19 in the lead represent 16 teams. The riders in the move that is 8’15" ahead of the peloton at the 78km mark are:
  Monfort and Posthuma (LEO)
  Perez Moreno and Urtasun (EUS)
  Tjallingii (RAB)
  Navardauskas (GRM)
  Iglinskiy (AST)
  Irizar (EUS)
  Ervitti (MOV)
  Roche (ALM)
  Devenyns (QST)
  Delage (FDF)
  Bookwalter and Burghardt (BMC)
  Duque (COF)
  Hondo (LAM)
  Silin (KAT)
  Hoogerland (VCD)
  Delaplace (SAU)

13:25 - 19 In the lead

At the base of the col Agnel (83km) the counter-attack has caught the lead group of 16. (We’ll name all 19 escapees in the next news flash.)

13:19 - Three closing in on 16

Burghardt, Delage and Silin are now just 53" behind the 16 men at the front of the stage. The Frenchman has already been on the attack for 765km of the 2,982.5km raced in the Tour of 2011 before today, and Delage just can’t seem to resist the urge to chase down the escape.

13:14 - Raining on the Galibier...

The peloton is now at 73km 7’25" behind the escapees who attacked at the 44km mark. The counter-attackers are 1’00" behind Roche’s group of 16. Rain is falling at the site of the finish but it’s only a bit of drizzle (after a few flakes of snow earlier today).

13:07 - Counter-Attack At 1’43"

The three in the counter-attack - Silin (KAT), Burghardt (BMC) and Delage (FDJ) - are now 1’43" behind the 16 stage leaders. The chasing trio began their move only a few kilometers after the intermediate sprint but they haven’t been able to gain any time on the escape that is now 6’15" ahead of the peloton.

13:04 - Contador’s comments after stage 17

“It’s the same descent for everyone, but I didn’t take many risks," said Alberto Contador after stage 17 yesterday. "It was a dangerous descent but I had the situation under control without passing the limits. “It was very difficult to gain time because many riders were behind to chase and it was easy for them but the important thing is to try every day. It seems as though the Schlecks are awaiting me to attack but I just do my kind of race and that’s all.”

13:02 - Reverse direction from Col Agnel in 2008

When the Tour last visited the col Agnel, the first man over the top was Egoi Martinez who was part of a four-man escape that was established in the first 20km of the stage that concluded in Prato Nevoso. The winner of that stage was Simon Gerrans. A victim of a crash on the descent in Italy was the 2006 Tour champion Oscar Pereiro. After his fall, the peloton slowed and finished the downhill riding at a steady pace to ensure the safety of all riders... this allowed Gerrans, Martinez, Danny Pate and their escape companion to increase their advantage. That stage was in the 2008 edition but the Agnel climb will be ridden from the other direction today: ie. climbing in Italy, descending in France.

12:55 - Advantage up to 4’55"

The 16 escapees have increased their advantage on the peloton which is now 4’55" behind Roche’s group. The counter-attack is at 1’50".

12:48 - The escape was launched 2km from the intermediate sprint

The 16 escapees raced into the lead of the stage at the 44km mark. The best on GC is Nicolas Roche (ALM), in 21st after 17 stages, 14’06" behind Voeckler. Roche was on the attack yesterday and he finished the Pinerolo stage in 14th, 4’00" behind the winner (Boasson Hagen).

12:46 - More from Lelangue...

“I don’t know if Cadel has changed from before,” John Lelangue of the BMC team told LeTour.fr this morning, “but I know he’s still like he was last year. Crashes are the plague of the Tour but so far Cadel has escaped them all in this year’s race. “Since last year’s Tour we have had many debriefings and set an agenda to ensure that Cadel arrived at this race with the best possible conditions. We set a series of races like Tirreno-Adriatico, the Tour de Romandie and the Criterium du Dauphiné as well as gatherings in the mountains and many reconnaissance rides. Everything has been done to arrive at the Tour in the best possible shape. For now, nothing has gone wrong but there are still three crucial days ahead.”

12:46 - 16 Lead Three By 1’35"

There are three counter-attackers who are 1’35" behind the 16-man lead group. The counter-attack is comprised of Delage (FDJ), Silin (KAT) and Burghardt (BMC).

12:44 - Peloton at 3’25"

The 16 escapees are now 3’25" ahead of the peloton.

12:39 - The 16 Escapees

The riders in the lead of the 18th stage after a little over an hour of racing are:
  Monfort and Posthuma (LEO)
  Perez Moreno and Urtasun Perez (EUS)
  Tjallingii (RAB)
  Navardauskas (GRM)
  Iglinkskiy (AST)
  Izizar (EUS)
  Erviti (MOV)
  Roche (ALM)
  Devenyns (QST)
  Bookwalter (BMC)
  Duque (COF)
  Hondo (LAM)
  Hoogerland (VCD)
  Delaplace (SAU) They are ahead of three counter-attackers: Delage (FDJ), Silin (KAT) and Burghardt (BMC).

12:37 - Average Speed For First Hour

The average speed for the opening hour of the 18th stage is 50.3km/h.

12:35 - Roche Best of the escape

Of the 16 in the lead of stage 18, the best on GC at the start of the day was Nicolas Roche who is 21st overall, 14’06" behind Voeckler.

12:34 - 16 In an escape group

There are 16 men in an escape that’s currently 45" ahead of the peloton.

12:33 - Full Results Of Intermediate Sprint

1. Duque (COF) 20pts 2. Posthuma (LEO) 17pts 3. Delaplace (SAU) 15pts 4. Devenyns (QST) 13pts 5. Tjallingii (RAB) 11pts 6. Bookwalter (BMC) 10pts 7. Izazar (EUS) 9pts 8. Ervetti (MOV) 8pts 9. Hondo (LAM) 7pts 10. Navardauskas (GRM) 6pts 11. Perez Moreno (EUS) 5pts 12. Urtasun Perez (EUS) 4pts 13. Iglinksiy (AST) 3pts 14. Monfort (BMC) 2pts 15. Roche (ALM) 1pts

12:25 - Seven in the lead

With 1km to go to the intermediate sprint there are seven riders in an escape group. We don’t have confirmation of the names as yet.

12:23 - Schleck third in Briançon in 2007 Giro

The 12th stage of the 2007 Giro d’Italia featured the first climb of today’s stage, the col Agnel (or, in Italian, the Colle dell’Agnello) which rises to 2,744m and marks the border between France and Italy. The first rider over the top of this climb in the 2007 Giro was Yoann Le Boulanger but the Frenchman finished seventh on the day that two winners of the Giro finished in first and second - Danilo Di Luca and Gilberto Simoni, respectively. In third place was a young Luxembourger who was making his Grand Tour debut, Mr Andy Schleck. The Agnel is the highest point of the 2011 Tour de France. The top is at the 107km mark of today’s stage.

12:17 - The Survey Today...

The official site of the Tour de France - LeTour.fr - conducts a survey each day of the race. Today’s question is: Of these riders who have led the Tour before who will be in yellow tonight?
  Thomas Voeckler
  Cadel Evans
  Fränk Schleck
  Andy Schleck
  Alberto Contador...

With over 10,000 votes submitted, the consensus is that it will be Cadel Evans who has 42.7 per cent of the votes so far.

12:13 - 10km to go to sprint

Jeremy Roy (FDJ) has shown some signs of aggression but so far no rider has been able to escape the peloton for too long. The speed is high and the bunch is all together as it reaches the 36.5km mark - only 10km to go now until the intermediate sprint.

12:09 - Hey Richie, could it split on the first climb?

Looking at the last five or six kilometers of the col Agnel, it’s super tough. Does Richie Porte think there’ll be a split on the first climb? “Obviously some is going to light it up and I think it’ll be Leopard or someone like that. I’m not sure about how Cadel will approach it but whoever wants to win the race has to be aggressive.” Richie Porte raced with Andy and Fränk Schleck last year, is he surprised by the events of the last few days? “Every other year Andy has got it all right. I think the long climbs like these today are going to suit him a lot better. He’s a class act and he has a great team around him so we can’t rule either of them out yet...”

12:07 - Peloton at the 31km mark...

The HTC and Movistar teams are leading the peloton as it approaches the intermediate sprint. So far 31km have been raced at an extremely fast pace... especially when you consider what is yet to come in this stage.

12:04 - Porte: "The faster... the better"

If Alberto wants to win again, he’s got to make up a lot of time, LeTour.fr suggested to Richie Porte early today, but the team must have done these climbs a lot as part of the preparation. What has been learned from the reconnaissance rides? “Obviously we know these climbs well now and understand that they’re long and hard but it’s always different on race day. There’s a sprint around the 45km mark and it’s going to be another fast start and the faster and harder it is at the start, the better it is for Alberto,” said Porte. “It’s not so nice for people like myself at the time but I think we can expect to see some reasonably big time gaps. “It’s different when you’re racing at altitude too. And we’re up high today so anyone who is suffering is going to lose a lot of time.”

11:59 - 25km raced already...

The start of the stage was at 11.30 and over 25km have already been covered in less than half an hour.

11:57 - Super fast start to stage 18

There SRM live tracker is showing that the peloton is currently speeding along at over 60km/h. "The faster the start," said Richie Porte earlier today, "the better it is for Alberto." The defending champion must be pleased with how the race is going while the Tour is still in Italy.

11:54 - Escape over... 19km raced so far

Marco Marcato (VCD) has been a regular aggressor in the 2011 Tour. He is one of the two riders who had been on the attack in stage 18 but the bunch is all back together at the 19km mark. Gianni Meersman (FDJ) was the other rider in the escape but the runner-up in the Belgian championship has not been able to stay clear of the peloton.

11:50 - Two in the lead at 16km...

There are two men - Meersman (FDJ) and Marcato (VCD) - with a lead of 12" after going on the attack at the 16km mark.

11:47 - Porte - "It’s D-Day isn’t it...?"

When LeTour.fr spoke with Richie Porte at 9.45am today the Saxo Bank-SunGard riders had not yet had their pre-stage meeting but we asked the Tasmanian about the form of his team leader Alberto Contador, what he expected to happen in stage 18 and what his appraisal of his former team-mate Andy Schleck is after 17 days of racing. Here’s what he had to say: “It’s D-Day isn’t it?” said Porte. “I think Alberto is starting to show the sort of form that he won the Giro with. He’s playing catch up again today so it’s really no different to the last couple of days really. “If what he did in the finale of the stages to Gap and Pinerolo doesn’t intimidate the other guys then what will? I think it’s awesome to see someone like him race aggressively but, at the same time, it’s impressive to see how Cadel is going. And we can’t rule out Sanchez. It’s not going to be a push-over today.”

11:46 - 20 riders tried... but failed

There was a volley of attacks with 20 riders trying to escape the peloton but they are all back in the bunch at the 15.5km mark.

11:43 - A New ‘Lanterne Rouge’

Fabio Sabatini (LIQ) is holding down last place in the general classification. His time deficit to the race leader is 2 hours 53 minutes and two seconds. After 2,982.5km of racing that’s the equivalent of 117.19km between first and last overall.

11:41 - Voeckler: 19 Days in yellow Jersey

This is the 19th day in his career that Thomas Voeckler has led the Tour de France (10 in 2004 and nine this year). That means that in the last 20 years only Armstrong, Indurain and Cancellara have worn the yellow jersey for more time than the Frenchman.

11:40 - 9km raced and the peloton is all together

There haven’t been any early attacks in the opening stanza of the 18th stage. The bunch is all together at the 9.5km mark.

11:36 - Intermediate sprint at Verzuolo...

The intermediate sprint for stage 18 is in the Italian town of Verzuolo at the 46.5km mark.

11:35 - Together at the 5km mark

The peloton is still all together early in the 18th stage. So far five kilometers of the 200.5km stage has been raced...

11:34 - John Lelangue (BMC): “We cannot say that the situation is under control...”

LeTour.fr spoke with the manager of the BMC team, John Lelangue, before the start today. “We are confident,” said the Belgian, “because we have done a good Tour so far. But I definitely want the riders to keep their feet on the ground and be careful. We cannot say that the situation is under control, because we know that everything can change... his rivals are there – whether it’s the Schleck brothers, Contador, Sanchez or Voeckler. “I pay very little attention to what is said about how we rode or what our chances of winning are. For example, I know that we were criticized when we set the pace behind the breakaway to Saint-Flour... but if we didn’t do this Voeckler might have had an advantage of more than four minutes...”

11:30 - Racing in stage 18...

The start of the 18th stage was at 11.30am. There are 169 men still in the race as there were no overnight abandons.

11:26 - Almost ready to start...

The peloton is currently riding through the 4.6km neutral zone in Pinerolo. The official start is only minutes away.

11:25 - Prize Jersey Review – Part 04: White

Rigoberto Uran (SKY) still leads the youth classification. The Colombian is ranked 10th overall, 7’36” behind Voeckler and it’s enough to keep him in the white jersey that he’s worn since the stage to Plateau de Beille. Uran is 59” ahead of Rein Taaramae (COF) and 2’27” ahead of Voeckler’s young team-mate Pierre Rolland (EUC).

11:24 - 23 Degrees At the start

The sky is blue in Pinerolo before the start of stage 18 and the temperature is 23 degrees Celsius. The race is about to begin...

11:22 - Prize Jersey Review – Part 03: Polka-Dot

Jelle Vanendert (OLO) admitted yesterday that he had never ridden the passes that are a feature of the 18th stage. “Bizarre, huh?” laughed the Belgian after stage 17. He is the reigning king of the mountains with a tally of 74 points, two more than the winner of the other high mountain stage, Samuel Sanchez (EUS). The polka-dot jersey can be decided today and the race for the yellow jersey is going to influence the result in this classification. There are double points on offer for the Col du Galibier meaning that the allocation for the final climb is: 40pts for first, then 32, 24, 16, 8 and four for the first six at the summit.

11:20 - Prize Jersey Review – Part 02: Green

This is a day when the sprinters will switch to survival mode. With three mountain passes this is not the terrain for the likes of Mark Cavendish (THR) who continues to lead the points classification. This is the Manxman’s seventh day in the green jersey and his tally of points is up to 320, 35 more than the Spaniard who led this category for a few days earlier in the 98th Tour, José Joaquin Rojas (MOV). The winner of stage one is still ranked third with 250 points while the two-time winner of the green jersey Thor Hushovd (GRM) is in fourth with 235 points. Yesterday’s stage winner Edvald Boasson Hagen (SKY) moved up from eighth to fifth thanks to his win in Pinerolo.

11:18 - Prize Jersey Review – Part 01: Yellow

His advantage is dwindling but Thomas Voeckler (EUC) is still wearing the yellow jersey. His collection of Tour de France leader’s jerseys is now larger than those of the 1997 winner Jan Ullrich and even more than the triple champion Alberto Contador. The Frenchman has a 1’18” lead over the two-time runner-up Cadel Evans (BMC) who still has never been ranked worse than third overall in the 2011 Tour de France. In third place is Frank Schleck (at 1’22”) and his younger brother Andy is ranked fourth (at 2’36”). The winner of the first ‘HC’ climb in the 2011 Tour, Samuel Sanchez (EUS) is fifth overall at 2’59”. Last year’s Tour champion Alberto Contador (SBS) is sixth at 3’15”.

11:17 - Welcome To The Live Coverage Of Stage 18

The start of the highly anticipated 18th stage of the 2011 Tour de France is due to get underway at 11.20am. There is a 4.6km neutral zone before the race officially begins. Snow has been falling at the site of the finish on the col du Galibier. This is the highest stage finish in the history of the Tour de France, with the arrival at an altitude of 2,645m. The stage features three climbs - all of which are the highest ranking: the col Agnel (a 23.7km ascent to an altitude of 2,744m with the top at the 107km mark), then the col d’Izouard (at 2,360m, 145.5km) and the finish on the famous Galibier pass. Live coverage of the race will commence shortly.