Stage 911 …Errr 9

Issoire – Saint-Flour

Distance: 208.0 kilometers.

An E-Ticket roller coaster for those in pursuit of the Polka Dots. In the first half there are rolling hills then a Category 3, more rolling hills and then the meal break. After lunch it gets vertical – two Catergory 2s, then two Category 3s, another Category 2, a sprint, and finishes with two Catagory 4s. Tomorrow is a rest day, so there should be a lot of attacks.

One of the attacks was car, according to Cycling News:

A race that has been packed with drama so far continued in the same vein. An early crash that resulted in Euskaltel-Euskadi’s Amets Txurruka and Vacansoleil-DCM’s Wout Poels quitting the race was merely the prelude. As the bunch descended the second climb of the day, the Pas de Peyrol, a number of riders went down, both on the road and into the ditch and woods on the right-hand side of it.

The most seriously affected were Omega Pharma-Lotto GC leader Jurgen Van den Broeck and teammate Fredrik Willems, Astana leader Alexandre Vinokourov, and Garmin-Cervelo’s Dave Zabriskie. All were forced to abandon with broken bones.

With 36km to the finish, the lead break was reduced from five riders to three when a French TV car that was overtaking on the grass swerved to avoid a tree and side-swiped Juan Antonio Flecha, sending the Sky rider somersaulting into Johnny Hoogerland, who flew off the road to the right and into a wire fence. Fortunately, both riders were able to continue, Hoogerland receiving some compensation at the finish in the shape of the King of the Mountains jersey.

Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – EUC – 181 ) [Yellow] 38h 35′ 11″
Philippe Gilbert ( Bel – OLO – 032 ) [Green] 217 points
Johnny Hoogerland ( Ned – VCD – 204 ) [Polka Dot] 22 points
Robert Gesink ( Ned – RAB – 041 ) 15 [White]

Team: Eurocar ( 181-189 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Luis-Leon Sanchez ( Esp – RAB – 047 )
Combative: Johnny Hoogerland ( Ned – VCD – 204 ) [Red numbers] [Extra credit for car assault]

They’ve gone 1,591.0 kilometers [988.6 miles] at an average speed of 41.3 kph [25.6 mph] ↓.

OVERALL STANDINGS:

Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – EUC – 181 ) [Yellow]
2 Luis-Leon Sanchez ( Esp – RAB – 047 ) [Stage Winner]
3 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 141 )
4 Frank Schleck ( Lux – LEO – 018 )
5 Andy Schleck ( Lux – LEO – 011 )
6 Tony Martin ( Ger – THR – 175 )
7 Peter Velits ( Svk – THR – 179 )
8 Andréas Klöden ( Ger – RSH – 074 )
9 Philippe Gilbert ( Bel – OLO – 032 ) [Green]
10 Jakob Fuglsang ( Den – LEO – 013 )
11 Ivan Basso ( Ita – LIQ – 091 )
12 Damiano Cunego ( Ita – LAM – 161 )
13 Nicolas Roche ( Irl – ALM – 101 )
14 Kevin De Weert ( Bel – QST – 124 )
15 Robert Gesink ( Ned – RAB – 041 ) [White]
16 Alberto Contador ( Esp – SBS – 001 )
17 Tom Danielson ( USA – GRM – 052 )
18 Rein Taaramae ( Est – COF – 151 )
19 Christian Vande Velde ( USA – GRM – 058 )
20 Samuel Sanchez ( Esp – EUS – 021 )

24 Thor Hushovd ( Nor – GRM – 051 )
28 David Millar ( GBr – GRM – 056 )
32 Geraint Thomas ( GBr – SKY – 117 )
80 Johnny Hoogerland ( Ned – VCD – 204 ) [Polka Dot] [Red numbers]
131 Mark Cavendish ( GBr – THR – 171 )

Out of the race:

Amets Txurruka ( Esp – EUS – 026 )
Jurgen Van Den Broeck ( Bel – OLO – 031 )
Frederik Willems ( Bel – OLO – 039 )
Juan Manuel Garate ( Esp – RAB – 044 )
David Zabriskie ( USA – GRM – 059 )
Alexandre Vinokourov ( Kaz – AST – 061 )
Pavel Brutt ( Rus – KAT – 192 )
Wouter Poels ( Ned – VCD – 207 )

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