Le Tour – Stage 12

Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Annonay Davézieux

Distance: 226 kilometers.

This is the longest stage on Le Tour this year and it features two Category 1 climbs in the first half and a Category 3 at the end. Menu: Category 1 – Col du Grand Cucheron (1188 m), Category 1 – Col du Granier (1134 m), intermediate sprint, Category 3 – Côte d’Ardoix.

David Millar took the stage which was marked by almost nothing of interest being done by the leaders after yesterday’s grueling run. People and teams weren’t interested in taking chances with tired muscles.

There are 164 riders left, but that number may dip as riders leave Le Tour to participate in the London Olympics. I would also note that I am using the official site for the General Classification standings, but Cycling News for other things because the official site is so late and haphazard about updating.

Bradley Wiggins ( GB – SKY – 101 ) [Yellow]
Peter Sagan (Svk-LIQ-057) [Green] 254 points
Fredrik Kessiakoff ( Swe – AST – 187 ) [Polka Dot] 66 points
Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 009 ) 7 [White]

Team: RadioShack-Nissan ( 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: David Millar ( GB – GRS – 066 )
Combative: Robert Kiserlovski ( Cro – AST – 188 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Bradley Wiggins ( G B – SKY – 101 )
2 Christopher Froome ( G B – SKY – 105 ) + 02′ 05”
3 Vincenzo Nibali ( Ita – LIQ – 051 ) + 02′ 23”
4 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 001 ) + 03′ 19”
5 Jurgen Van Den Broeck ( Bel – LTB – 111 ) + 04′ 48”
6 Haimar Zubeldia ( Esp – RNT – 019 ) + 06′ 15”
7 Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 009 ) + 06′ 57”
8 Janez Brajkovic ( Slo – AST – 181 ) + 07′ 30”
9 Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 029 ) + 08′ 31”
10 Thibaut Pinot ( Fra – FDJ – 146 ) + 08′ 51”

The Rest of the Top 50:

11 Andréas Klöden ( Ger – RNT – 015 ) + 09′ 29”
12 Frank Schleck ( Lux – RNT – 011 ) + 09′ 45”
13 Nicolas Roche ( Irl – ALM – 079 ) + 10′ 49”
14 Jérôme Coppel ( Fra – SAU – 091 ) + 11′ 27”
15 Christopher Horner ( USA – RNT – 014 ) + 12′ 41”
16 Denis Menchov ( Rus – KAT – 131 ) + 17′ 21”
17 Maxime Monfort ( Bel – RNT – 016 ) + 17′ 41”
18 Egoi Martinez ( Esp – EUS – 035 ) + 18′ 04”
19 Alejandro Valverde ( Esp – MOV – 161 ) + 18′ 55”
20 Rui Alberto Costa ( Por – MOV – 163 ) + 19′ 02”
21 Chris Anker Sorensen ( Den – STB – 178 ) + 20′ 12”
22 Michele Scarponi ( Ita – LAM – 041 ) + 20′ 32”
23 Robert Kiserlovski ( Cro – AST – 188 ) + 20′ 54”
24 Peter Velits ( Svk – OPQ – 199 ) + 27′ 37”
25 Jelle Vanendert ( Bel – LTB – 119 ) + 30′ 41”
26 Ivan Basso ( Ita – LIQ – 052 ) + 31′ 09”
27 Laurens Ten Dam ( Ned – RAB – 157 ) + 31′ 41”
28 Sandy Casar ( Fra – FDJ – 141 ) + 32′ 00”
29 Michael Rogers ( Aus – SKY – 108 ) + 33′ 04”
30 Levi Leipheimer ( USA – OPQ – 191 ) + 33′ 13”
31 Eduard Vorganov ( Rus – KAT – 139 ) + 33′ 59”
32 Rein Taaramae ( Est – COF – 081 ) + 34′ 52”
33 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo ( Esp – MOV – 162 ) + 40′ 36”
34 Rafael Valls Ferri ( Esp – VCD – 128 ) + 42′ 33”
35 Jean-Christophe Peraud ( Fra – ALM – 071 ) + 42′ 42”
36 Alexandre Vinokourov ( Kaz – AST – 189 ) + 45′ 54”
37 Steven Kruijswijk ( Ned – RAB – 152 ) + 49′ 25”
38 Richie Porte ( Aus – SKY – 107 ) + 51′ 22”
39 George Hincapie ( USA – BMC – 005 ) + 52′ 24”
40 Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – EUC – 021 ) + 54′ 09”
41 Dominik Nerz ( Ger – LIQ – 055 ) + 56′ 23”
42 Gianpaolo Caruso ( Ita – KAT – 132 ) + 57′ 35”
43 Fabrice Jeandesboz ( Fra – SAU – 095 ) + 58′ 06”
44 Sylvain Chavanel ( Fra – OPQ – 192 ) + 59′ 11”
45 Marco Marcato ( Ita – VCD – 125 ) + 01h 00′ 49”
46 Michael Schär ( Sui – BMC – 008 ) + 01h 00′ 53”
47 Cyril Gautier ( Fra – EUC – 024 ) + 01h 01′ 10”
48 Yury Trofimov ( Rus – KAT – 138 ) + 01h 01′ 23”
49 Sylvester Szmyd ( Pol – LIQ – 058 ) + 01h 02′ 14”
50 Jens Voigt ( Ger – RNT – 018 ) + 01h 02′ 16”

Out of the race:

DNS Robert Gesink ( Ned – RAB – 151 )
DNF David Moncoutie ( Fra – COF – 088 )
DNF Tom Veelers ( Ned – ARG – 219 )

Note: Wikipedia has a simple article on the Mountain classification used on the Tour. The basic fact is that climbs fall into five types, with the four numbered types decreasing in difficulty as the numbers get larger, and then there is the Hors Catégorie, literally “without category”, which generally makes you look for an elevator or Sherpas.

Go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Le Tour” for all of the posts related to the race on this site.