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After a hard-earned rest day on Tuesday, last night saw the peloton enter the Jura Mountains for stage ten, the first of the high mountain stages at this year’s Tour de France.
The 194.5km journey from Macon to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine featured three categorised climbs, most notably the hors category Col du Grand Colombier – the middle climb on the stage – a 17.4km ascent with an average gradient of 7.1%.
The bookend climbs were the category two Cote de Corlier and the category three Col de Richemond.
It was important for Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) to continue riding positively, following what proved to be a difficult stage nine time-trial for the Australian.
The stage’s long descents suited Evans – a former mountain bike rider – and fourth-placed Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale), who both excel when the roads angle downwards.
But it was breakaway survivor Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) who was victorious in front of an adoring home crowd.
The effervescent Voeckler, holder of the yellow jersey for 10 days during last year’s Tour, now leads in the King of the Mountains classification having been first to the summit of the final two climbs.
On a stage when Evans seemed likely to attack first, it was Nibali who made the move on the Grand Colombier descent. The Shark was aided by a “yo-yo” move from teammate Peter Sagan, who initiated the early morning breakaway, but his advantage did not last.
Australian workhorse Richie Porte (Sky Pro Cycling) helped reel in Nibali on the final climb of the day, while keeping Sky team leader Bradley Wiggins in prime position.
Evans’ supposed pilot fish in the mountains, white jersey holder Tejay van Garderen, was again a non-factor, languishing at the back end of the peloton on the day’s major climb.
Quite some time in the making, the main breakaway on the stage was at first a 25-man group including Australians on Orica-GreenEDGE Matt Goss and Simon Gerrans.
Among those who joined Goss and Gerrans were Voeckler, green jersey holder Sagan, Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank), Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) and Jens Voigt (RadioShack-Nissan).
The pace set by Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) and the other climbers in the break on the Col du Grand Colombier formed an exclusive lead group from which Sanchez attacked.
A downhill specialist, Sanchez would have to have felt confident in his ability to consolidate a lead on the technical descent.
Only Scarponi, Voeckler and Dries Devenyns (Omega Pharma-Quick-Step) remained to chase the Spaniard. They succeeded, establishing a four-man leading group with a winning advantage over the main field.
But wait. Here comes Jens!
Make that a five-man leading group.
Having dropped away on Grand Colombier, the 40-year-old veteran somehow made his way back to the leading group of four on the Richemond descent.
It was the perfect example of Voigt putting his favourite catchphrase into action: “Shut up legs!” You would have heard no complaints had the father of six won the stage.
The only mover and shaker in the top 10 overall was Jurgen Van Den Broek (Omega Pharma-Quick-Step). The 29-year-old made three short-lived attempts to get off the front on Grand Colombier, keen to claw back lost time.
He tried again near the top of the Col de Richemond and it finally stuck. By stage end, the Belgian had pulled back 32 seconds.
Earlier, Sagan and Goss – first and second in the points classification respectively – were the two primary combatants at the intermediate sprint point in Béon.
Sagan jumped early, but Goss reigned in the Slovakian to take maximum points ahead of Belarus road champion Yauheni Hutarovich (FDJ-Big Mat).
In doing so, the Tasmanian pulled back five points on Sagan, who still leads by 27 in the fight for green.
Tomorrow’s stage from Albertville to La Toussuire includes the second of three summit finishes at this year’s Tour.
The final climb to the finish is an 18km category one drag that should sort the contenders from the pretenders.
Cadel Evans must make a move.
Tour de France Stage 10 Results
Rider, Team, Points
1. VOECKLER Thomas, EUROPCAR, 04h 46′ 26″
2. SCARPONI Michele, LAMPRE-ISD, 04h 46′ 29″ + 00′ 03″
3. VOIGT Jens, RADIOSHACK-NISSAN, 04h 46′ 33″ + 00′ 07″
4. SANCHEZ Luis Leon, RABOBANK, 04h 46′ 49″ + 00′ 23″
5. DEVENYNS Dries, OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK-STEP, 04h 46′ 56″ + 00′ 30″
6. CASAR Sandy, FDJ-BIG MAT, 04h 49′ 10″ + 02′ 44″
7. MARTINEZ Egoi, EUSKALTEL-EUSKADI, 04h 49′ 10″ + 02′ 44″
8. ROLLAND Pierre, EUROPCAR, 04h 49′ 10″ + 02′ 44″
9. VAN DEN BROEK Jurgen, OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK-STEP, 04h 49′ 10″ + 02′ 44″
10. FOFONOV Dmitriy, ASTANA, 04h 49′ 18″ + 02′ 52″
Tour de France Points Classification
Rider, Team, Points
1. SAGAN Peter, LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE, 232
2. GOSS Matthew Harley, ORICA-GREENEDGE, 205
3. GREIPEL Andre, LOTTO-BELISOL, 172
4. CAVENDISH Mark, SKY PRO CYCLING, 129
5. PETACCHI Alessandro, LAMPRE-ISD, 109
Tour de France KOM Classification
Rider, Team, Points
1. VOECKLER Thomas, EUROPCAR, 28
2. KESSIAKOFF Fredrik, ASTANA, 21
3. SCARPONI Michele, LAMPRE-ISD, 21
Tour de France Overall Standings
Rider, Team, Time, Gaps
1. WIGGINS Bradley, SKY PROCYCLING, 43h 59’ 02″
2. EVANS Cadel, BMC RACING, 44h 00’ 55″ + 01′ 53″
3. FROOME Christopher, SKY PRO CYCLING, 44h 01’ 09″ + 02′ 07″
4. NIBALI Vincenzo, LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE, 44h 01’ 25″ + 02′ 23″
5. MENCHOV Denis, KATUSHA, 44h 02’ 04″ + 03′ 02″
6. ZUBELDIA Haimar, RADIOSHACK-NISSAN, 44h 02’ 21″ + 03′ 19″
7. MONFORT Maxime, RADIOSHACK-NISSAN, 44h 03’ 25″ + 04′ 23″
8. VAN DEN BROEK Jurgen, OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK-STEP, 44h 03’ 50″ + 04′ 48″
9. ROCHE Nicolas, AG2R LA MONDIALE, 44h 04’ 31″ + 05′ 29″
10. VAN GADREREN Tejay, BMC RACING, 44h 04’ 33″ + 05′ 31″
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