The 229.5 kilometer long 10th stage from Tallard to Marseille had 4 climbs: the cat-4 cote de Chateauneauf
(at 57.0km), the cat-4 cote de Villedieu (at 93.0km), the cat-3 cote de Bastides (201.5km) and the cat-3 col de la Gineste
(at 219.5km). The two intermediate sprints were in Oraison (at 82.5km) and St-Maximin-la-Ste-Baume (at 154.5km).
The
first attacks began as soon as the flag dropped to signal the start. Six riders - Aussie Simon Gerrans (AG2R), Claudio Corioni
(Lampre), Anthony Charteau (Credit Agricole), Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas), Philippe Gilbert (FD Jeux) and Andrey Grivko (Milram) attacked
after 2.5 kilometers. Bouygues Telecom missed the move and six of their riders came to the front with both Jerome Pineau
and Thomas Voeckler trying to bridge the gap but failing. Rabobank moved to the front after 20 kilometers and the advantage
of the escapees grew to 1’20”. Gerolsteiner and Cofidis also upped the tempo. Gerrans was the best-placed
on the general classification but no threat to Rasmussen’s lead (1h04’00” behind). The maximum gain
of the escape was 1’20” after 24 kilometers. It was all over at the 37km mark. Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner) attacked after
40.5 kilometers and led by 10” before being caught after 44 kilometer. There pace settled momentarily and the peloton
rolled along with no attacks for 10 minutes. The average speed for the first hour was 48.3km/h.
Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis),
his brother Sebastien Chavanel (FD Jeux), Frederik Willems (Liquigas), Amets Txurruka (Euskatel), Daniele Bennati (Lampre),
Thomas Voeckler (Bouyges Telecom) and Freddy Bichot (Agritubel) were the next attackers. They were caught before the first
climb and the points were won by the winner of this years edition of Gent-Wevelgem, Marcus Burghardt (T-Mobile) who then pushed
on with a solo escape. After 60 kilometer he led the peloton by 15”. Jens Voigt (CSC), Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank),
Paolo Bossoni (Lampre), Patrice Halgand (Credit Agricole), Staf Scheirlinckx (Cofidis), Michael Albasini and Alexander Kuschynski
(Liquigas), Sandy Casar (FD Jeux), Cedric Vasseur (Quickstep) and Andrey Grivko (Milram) began to chase the lone German after
73 kilometer. They caught him at the 81kilometer mark. Vasseur led Grivko and Bossoni over the line at the first intermediate
sprint; the peloton was 4’20” behind. The average speed for the 2nd hour was 44.5km/h. Voigt was the best-placed
on GC of the escapes (36th, 24’39” behind Rasmussen). Rabobank controlled the peloton and allowed the advantage
to grow to 11’15” at the feedzone. The maximum gain of the escape was 14’00” at the 127.5km mark.
The average for the third hour was 39.8km/h.
The team of the overall leader upped the tempo of the peloton after
130 kilometer and the advantage of the breakaway group dropped to 10’45” at the site of the 2nd
intermediate sprint with 75km to go. The first attack in the lead group came from Voigt on the cote de Bastides 32km from
the finish. He was quickly chased down but Halgand went two kilometres later and split the lead group: only Albasini and Casar
could follow. They had a lead of 8” on Voigt and Vasseur at the summit but the two chasers managed to get back
to the first group. With 20km to go, five led six by 35”. The peloton was 11’15” behind.
Although
there was a lot of attacking at the final climb and again after the descent to Marseille, none of the five riders in
the leading group could drop each other. Halgand was most intent on trying to break the grip of the others before arriving
on the streets of Marseille and he was awarded the Most Aggressive rider title for his efforts but it was Voigt who was forced
to the front of the quintet with 2km remaining. He stayed there ahead of Albasini, Casar and Vasseur. That was the order until
250m from the line when Vasseur launched an attack down the blind side of Voigt, going up the right while the German looked
left. The Quickstep rider was in the lead with 100m to go and held off a late challenge by Casar who finished 7.2cm behind
Vasseur. It was the second Tour victory for the Frenchman - his first in stage five of 1997 race. It also was the third stage
win for his Belgian Quickstep team after Gert Steegmans and Tom Boonen had won stages earlier in this years Tour de France.
Michael
Rasmussen finished 30th in the stage at the same time as the Sebastien Chavanel (who led the peloton hom 10’36" behind
Vasseur). The Rabobank rider will wear the yellow jersey in stage 11.
Stage winner Cedric Vasseur said: "This morning I was on the phone to a friend and he told me, ‘Today
is your day!’ And in all honesty I had the same confidence about this long stage. The victory had to be mine. The ambiance
in the Quickstep-Innergetic team is one that I like and I’m really comfortable with my place in the squad. They say
it’s third time lucky and (after Steegmans and Boonen’s victories in the first week) I’m a firm believer
in that catch cry.
"It was 10 years ago that I achieved something I’ll always cherish by winning a stage and wearing
the yellow jersey. Now, with this victory in Marseille, after all this time I can retire from cycling on the top."
Patrice Halgand attacked several times. The Credit Agricole rider said after the race: "I am disappointed
because only the victory would have satisfied me. I did everything that I could to get the result I wanted and on the climb
of the Bastides it worked quite well for me because I managed to break up the escape group. But the final climb at la Gineste
it wasn’t long or steep enough to make a difference. I tried at the bottom when the ascent is the steepest and then
it was just too flat to allow me to stamp my authority on the others. In the sprint, it’s a lottery. I have won this
kind of sprint – from a small group – before but this time it just wasn’t possible… I ran out of luck."
The man with the yellow jersey had no trouble to defend his lead in the General Classification. Michael Rasmussen
(Rabobank) said: "It was a long, hard day and all the guys are suffering in the heat, that’s quite obvious and 230 kilometers
into a headwind takes its toll on everybody. My Rabobank team defended well today and we’ll have to wait and see how
we go. There is another two days before we have the big test in the time trial on Saturday and then I’ll start thinking
about the Pyrenees.
"There’s been a lot said about the situation regarding leadership between myself and Denis Menchov
and I think it’s quite clear now that I’m the leader in the team now and I’m here to defend the yellow jersey
for as long as possible."
Alexander Vinokourov (Astana) had a hard day: "For
the first two hours, the peloton rode “à bloc” [very fast]. It was very painful for me… and my motivation.
Then I received some cares from the race’s doctor and I felt better. I could follow the peloton and arrive in Marseille
with it. That gives me courage. And especially my motivation is still here!"
