Stage 12

Cugnaux – Luz-Ardiden

Distance: 211.0 kilometers.

From the BBC Day-by-day Guide:

A steady 130km or so of gentle uphill road leads to the first-ever climbing of the category-one La Hourquette d’Ancizan before the 17km ride up the legendary Col du Tourmalet takes the riders over 2,000m for the first time this year. But the day does not finish there. There is still the 13km slog up to the mountain-top finish at Luz-Ardiden.

The last two climbs are Hors Catégorie, explained in a note below the fold. The Tour is in the Pyrenees and the Polka Dot Jersey is ascendant, but it is Bastille Day, so French riders will really want to win this stage.

The French had to settle for holding the Yellow and gaining the White, as Sanchez showed his ability as a climber.

Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – EUC – 181 ) [Yellow] 51h 54′ 44″
Mark Cavendish ( GBr – THR – 171 ) [Green] 260 points
Samuel Sanchez ( Esp – EUS – 021 ) [Polka Dot] 40 points
Arnold Jeannesson ( Fra – FDJ – 134 ) 13 [White]

Team: Leopard-Trek ( 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Samuel Sanchez ( Esp – EUS – 021 )
Combative: Geraint Thomas ( GBr – SKY – 117 ) [Red numbers]

They’ve gone 2,127.5 kilometers [1,322.0 miles] at an average speed of 41.0 kph [25.5 mph] ↓.

OVERALL STANDINGS:

1 Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – EUC – 181 ) [Yellow]
2 Frank Schleck ( Lux – LEO – 018 )
3 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 141 )
4 Andy Schleck ( Lux – LEO – 011 )
5 Ivan Basso ( Ita – LIQ – 091 )
6 Damiano Cunego ( Ita – LAM – 161 )
7 Alberto Contador ( Esp – SBS – 001 )
8 Samuel Sanchez ( Esp – EUS – 021 ) [Polka Dot] [Stage Winner]
9 Tom Danielson ( USA – GRM – 052 )
10 Nicolas Roche ( Irl – ALM – 101 )
11 Kevin De Weert ( Bel – QST – 124 )
12 Philippe Gilbert ( Bel – OLO – 032 )
13 Arnold Jeannesson ( Fra – FDJ – 134 ) [White]
14 Peter Velits ( Svk – THR – 179 )
15 Haimar Zubeldia ( Esp – RSH – 079 )
16 Rein Taaramae ( Est – COF – 151 )
17 Levi Leipheimer ( USA – RSH – 075 )
18 Rigoberto Uran ( Col – SKY – 118 )
19 Jean-Christophe Peraud ( Fra – ALM – 108 )
20 Sandy Casar ( Fra – FDJ – 131 )

25 Geraint Thomas ( GBr – SKY – 117 ) [Red numbers]
39 Robert Gesink ( Ned – RAB – 041 )
59 Thor Hushovd ( Nor – GRM – 051 )
60 David Millar ( GBr – GRM – 056 )
85 Johnny Hoogerland ( Ned – VCD – 204 )
118 Mark Cavendish ( GBr – THR – 171 ) [Green]

Out of the race:

Denis Galimzyanov ( Rus – KAT – 193 )
Romain Feillu ( Fra – VCD – 201 )

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.

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