Stage 10: Wednesday, July 14 – Chambery to Gap (179km)

Bastille Day – always an invitation for any French rider to join a breakaway and look for the stage win. The main contenders won’t feel any need to get involved, and will simply ride with the rest of the pack, keeping an eye on their rivals.

Today’s break contained 6 riders, two of whom were Frenchmen – Pierre Rolland (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) and Maxime Bouet (AG2R). As there were no major contenders amongst them, the group was allowed to take an unassailable 12-minute lead over the main field, who seemed to be having a day off.

Starting 15km from home, the dicing amongst the group started. Mario Aerts (Quick Step) launched a move to shake down the group. The acceleration dropped both the Frenchmen off the back. Then, an immediate counter-move retaliation by Sergio Paolino (Radio Shack) made a decisive gap. Vassil Kiryenka (Caisse d’Epargne) bridged the gap to Paolino, leaving this two-map group 45s ahead of the remainder of the break.

Paulino was able to hold off Kiryenka during the sprint, for the stage win. Another 5 stragglers rolled in, with the peloton finishing a massive 14′19 back.

A smart move by Irishman Nicholas Roche (AG2R) to ride off the front of the pack during the run-in to Gap gave him a 1′21 time gain over the main field, bringing him up to 13th place overall.

No changes at the top of the overall competition. Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) leads, with Alberto Contador (Astana) 41s behind. Samuel Sanchez is third at 2′45, Denis Menchov (Rabobank) 4th at 2′58, Jurgen van der Broeck (Omega-Pharma-Lotto) at 3′51, and Levi Leipheimer at 3′59.

Cadel Evans soldiered on despite his fractured left elbow, finishing in the peloton.

Some tussles in the green jersey points competition, with Alessandro Petacchi depriving Thor Hushovd of some points during one of today’s intermediate sprints, and by edging the Norwegian out by one place in the sprint for minor positions at the finish line. Petacchi usually climbs off and retires somewhere in the mountains, but this year perhaps intends to finish the race.

Anthony Charteau (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) returns the King of the Mountains jersey to Jerome Pineau (Quick Step) after some scrapping for points over the stage’s climbs.

Leader board after this stage:

Overall GC
Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank)

Points
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo)

King of the Mountains
Jerome Pineau (Quick Step)

Young Rider
Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank)

Tomorrow’s stage is 184.5km from Sisteron to Bourg-les-Valence. A third-category climb one third of the way in, but it’s all gently downhill into the finish after that. A day for an optimistic break, which will be reeled in gradually by the main field, culminating in a bunch sprint. Will Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) be able to bag a third stage win?