As Promised: White Turns To Yellow

The Progress Report
The ninth stage of the 2010 Tour de France, 204.5km from Morzine-Avoriaz to St-Jean-de-Maurienne, began at 11.36am. There were 181 riders at the start with Gerrans (SKY), Karpets (KAT), Felline (FOT and Kluge (MRM) were the non-starters. This was the first stage of the 97th Tour that featured only two intermediate sprints; they were in Cluses (25.5km) and La Bathie (135.5km). On the menu were five climbs, including the first ‘Hors Category’ col this year. Points for the polka-dot jersey were won at the côte de Châtillon (cat-4 at 18.5km), col de la Colombière (cat-1 at 46km), col des Aravis (cat-2 at 71km), col des Saisies (cat-1 at 97km) and col de la Madeleine (‘Hors Category’ at 172.5km).

11 Form Escape Early
Chavanel attacked immediately but never got any gain on the peloton which was controlled by the BMC team. Gautier (BTL) broke free at the 5km mark and was joined by 10 others – Voigt (SAX), Hushovd (CTT), Casar (FDJ), Nocentini (ALM), Pineau (QST), Frohlinger (MRM), Charteau (BTL) and three Caisse d’Epargne riders – LL Sanchez, Moreau and Gutierrez. They were pursued by Hunter (GRM), Popovych (RSH) and, briefly, Kern (COF). Eibegger (FOT) quit before the first sprint. In Cluses (25km) the escapees were 40” ahead of the counter-attackers and 2’00” ahead of the peloton. On the Colombière climb, Vinokourov (AST) instigated a counter-attack, he was briefly joined on the attack by Brajkovic and Horner (RSH) and Chavanel (QST). The BMC team led the peloton all the way up the second climb.
Hushovd crashed around the 40km mark. Gadret, Taaramae and Seeldrayers were also aggressive on the second climb. The average speed for the first hour was 40.4km/h.
At the top, Cunego and Taaramae were 42” behind the nine leaders, Frohlinger was at 1’00”, Hushovd, Gadret and Seeldrayers at 2’45” and the peloton at 3’35”.

Sanchez Becomes Virtual Leader…
There was a general regrouping on the descent of the col de la Colombiere. At the 63km mark, the peloton was 4’10” behind 12 stage leaders: Voigt, Casar, Pineau, Frohlinger, Charteau, Gautier, Sanchez, Gutierrez, Moreau, Taaramae and Cunego. At the base of the col des Saissies the peloton was 5’20” behind the escape group. Sanchez became the virtual leader of the Tour at this point (starting the day ranked 20th, 5’03” behind Evans). There was no attack from either the lead group of peloton on the cols des Aravis and Saissies. At the 123km mark, the escapees were ahead by 6’15”.

Col de la Madeleine
At the base of the final climb, the peloton was 6’15” behind the escapees. Pineau was dropped from the lead group with 55km to go. With 53km to go, Vinokourov attacked the peloton that had been led by N. Sorensen (SAX) for several kilometers. The yellow jersey was left with one team-mate (Santambrogio) in his peloton. After Vino’s attack, the Italian took up the pace-setting but, we would soon learn, it was all to no avail… Evans wasn’t able to respond when the real attacking began.

Crisis For Cadel
Evans has led the Giro d’Italia twice – the first time in 2002, again this May – both times for just one day. He led the Vuelta a España for one day last year and his reigned as Tour leader lasted just as long in 2010… At the 160km mark, the work from the likes of Fuglsang (SAX) and Navarro (AST) revealed signs of weakness from the yellow jersey. When he lost contact with an elite group it prompted Navarro to surge ahead, he was followed by Contador and Schleck and, once Cadel’s collapse was confirmed the two who finished first and second last year shot ahead to maximize their gains.

Casar Wins & Schleck Turns White Into Yellow
Charteau, Cunego, LL. Sanchez and Casar led over the Madeleine and, with the 40 points for first, Charteau took the lead in the climbing classification. Moreau was next at the summit (at 1’45”) then came Contador and Schleck at 2’20”. The four stage leaders never attacked each other in the final 35km. But they lost time to a rapid charge from Contador and Schleck who pulled back 10” per kilometer in the final 5km. They had Moreau as a passenger but caught the four stage leaders with 600m to go. Casar never faltered from his ambitions and led the sprint out and was able to hold off Sanchez and Cunego to take his third stage win in the Tour de France.
Contador and Schleck finished 6th and 7th in the stage and the Luxembourger took the yellow jersey for the first time. The Best Young rider is the leader of the Tour. Evans finished 42nd and lost 8’09” to the new race leader.