Category — Le Tour

After Christopher Froome won the ride to the top of Mont Ventoux today you started seeing people talking about drugs.

Both Christopher Froome and Nairo Quintana were born and raised at altitude. Froome was born and grew up above 1600 meters (a mile) in Nairobi, Kenya, and Quintana above 2800 meters in Tunja, Colombia. Their respiratory systems are extremely efficient at altitude, which means they don’t tire like the flat-landers. There is a reason Kenyans keep winning marathons.

If Quintana were not about a foot shorter than Froome, he would have been the first to the top, but he has to work harder.

Givors to Mont Ventoux

Distance: 242.5 kilometers.

This is the longest stage on the Tour, it comes on Bastille Day, and finishes at the top of the 1912 meter Mont Ventoux that is reached by road that would give a snake a backache because of all of the hairpin turns. You start with three category 4 climbs in the first 45 kilometers. Then about 100 kilometers of hills before a category 3. After another 50 kilometers of hills, they expect a sprint to speed you to the final 20.8 kilometer climb at an average of 7.5% to reach the top of the Hors Catégorie Mont Ventoux.

Pierre Rolland, along with every other French rider, would love to win this stage on this day.

Christopher Froome added the stage and the Polka Dots to his bag today taking the climb to the top. It will be worn by Mikel Nieve, because the number two in the category, Nairo Quintana, is back in the White. Froome also extended his overall lead by over a minute.

Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 61h 11′ 43″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 357 points
Mikel Nieve Iturralde ( Esp – EUS – 116 ) [Polka Dot] 83 points [Froome]
Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) 6 [White]

Team: Saxo-Tinkoff ( TST – 091-099 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 )
Combative: Sylvain Chavanel ( Fra – OPQ – 152 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 )
2 Bauke Mollema ( Ned – BEL – 164 ) + 04′ 14″
3 Alberto Contador ( Esp – TST – 091 ) + 04′ 25″
4 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – TST – 094 ) + 04′ 28″
5 Laurens Ten Dam ( Ned – BEL – 167 ) + 04′ 54″
6 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) + 05′ 47″
7 Jakob Fuglsang ( Den – EUC – 063 ) + 06′ 22″
8 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver ( Esp – KAT – 101 ) + 07′ 11″
9 Jean-Christophe Péraud ( Fra – ALM – 081 ) + 07′ 47″
10 Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) + 07′ 58″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule to Lyon

Distance: 191 kilometers.

Two category 4 climbs; the sprint; two category 3 climbs, and then three more category 4 climbs before the finish. This is stage for the General riders, i.e. too tough for sprinters, but not tough enough to give the climbers a big advantage. Froome should be in good shape, but the White Jersey could go back to Quintana.

The peloton decided to relax on this stage, so it was a break away and race among the domestiques, with Matteo Trentin, normally Mark Cavendish’s lead off rider, taking the stage. Julien Simon made an attempt at becoming the first French rider to win a stage, but he was caught at the last minute.

The leaders were saving their energy for tomorrow’s slice of hell.

Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 55h 22′ 58″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 357 points
Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 50 points
Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) 7 [White]

Team: Saxo-Tinkoff ( TST – 091-099 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Matteo Trentin ( Ita – OPQ – 158 )
Combative: Julien Simon ( Fra – SOJ – 218 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 )
2 Bauke Mollema ( Ned – BEL – 164 ) + 02′ 28″
3 Alberto Contador ( Esp – TST – 091 ) + 02′ 45″
4 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – TST – 094 ) + 02′ 48″
5 Laurens Ten Dam ( Ned – BEL – 167 ) + 03′ 01″
6 Jakob Fuglsang ( Den – EUC – 063 ) + 04′ 39″
7 Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) + 04′ 44″
8 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) + 05′ 18″
9 Jean-Christophe Péraud ( Fra – ALM – 081 ) + 05′ 39″
10 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver ( Esp – KAT – 101 ) + 05′ 48″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Tours to Saint-Amand-Montrond

Distance: 173 kilometers.

Although it has the category 4 Côte de Crotz the course will still favor sprinters, with the possibility of another pile up at the finish. The Alps are coming up.

Mark Cavendish made up for yesterday and won the stage and the Red Numbers. He is now tied for third place for the all-time number of stages won with André Leducq at 25 stages.

While the Jerseys didn’t change backs, it was a terrible stage for Alejandro Valverde and the Movistar team caused by a flat tire. Valverde went from second to 16th losing around 8 minutes on a day when Chris Froome lost a minute of his overall lead.

In addition to losing a minute from his lead, Froome also lost the help of Edvald Boasson Hagen who didn’t start as result of injuries received in yesterday’s crash at the finish.

Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 51h 00′ 30″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 357 points
Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 50 points
Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) 7 [White]

Team: Saxo-Tinkoff ( TST – 091-099 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Mark Cavendish ( GB – OPQ – 151 )
Combative: Mark Cavendish ( GB – OPQ – 151 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 )
2 Bauke Mollema ( Ned – BEL – 164 ) + 02′ 28″
3 Alberto Contador ( Esp – TST – 091 ) + 02′ 45″
4 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – TST – 094 ) + 02′ 48″
5 Laurens Ten Dam ( Ned – BEL – 167 ) + 03′ 01″
6 Jakob Fuglsang ( Den – EUC – 063 ) + 04′ 39″
7 Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) + 04′ 44″
8 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) + 05′ 18″
9 Jean-Christophe Péraud ( Fra – ALM – 081 ) + 05′ 39″
10 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver ( Esp – KAT – 101 ) + 05′ 48″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Fougères to Tours

Distance: 218 kilometers.

This is a stage for the sprinters. The first 217 kilometers will just be positioning for the race at the end.

Marcel Kittel got half a wheel in front of Mark Cavendish to take his third stage win in this year’s Tour. The stage also provided yet another ‘demolition derby’ at the finish, something that has been common this year. The crash occurred just behind Chris Froome, so he stays in Yellow with a 2+ minute lead over his principal rivals.

Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 47h 19′ 13″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 307 points
Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 49 points
Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) 7 [White]

Team: Movistar ( MOV – 121-129 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Marcel Kittel ( Ger – ARG – 197 )
Combative: Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni ( Esp – VCD – 204 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 )
2 Alejandro Valverde ( Esp – MOV – 121 ) + 03′ 25″
3 Bauke Mollema ( Ned – BEL – 164 ) + 03′ 37″
4 Alberto Contador ( Esp – TST – 091 ) + 03′ 54″
5 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – TST – 094 ) + 03′ 57″
6 Laurens Ten Dam ( Ned – BEL – 167 ) + 04′ 10″
7 Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) + 04′ 44″
8 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) + 05′ 18″
9 Rui Alberto Costa ( Por – MOV – 124 ) + 05′ 37″
10 Jean-Christophe Péraud ( Fra – ALM – 081 ) + 05′ 39″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Avranches to Mont-Saint-Michel

Distance: 33 kilometers.

The first of the two individual time trials, this 33 kilometer run over the rolling landscape of Normandy can get rather interesting if the wind is blowing when the riders are on the causeway out to the island for the finish.

Tony Martin took the stage, Michal Kwiatkowsski is back in the White Jersey, and Christopher Froome extended his lead by two minutes.

Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 42h 29′ 24″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 269 points
Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 49 points
Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) 7 [White]

Team: Movistar ( MOV – 121-129 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Tony Martin ( Ger – OPQ – 154 )
[Red Numbers are not awarded for time trials.]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 )
2 Alejandro Valverde ( Esp – MOV – 121 ) + 03′ 25″
3 Bauke Mollema ( Ned – BEL – 164 ) + 03′ 37″
4 Alberto Contador ( Esp – TST – 091 ) + 03′ 54″
5 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – TST – 094 ) + 03′ 57″
6 Laurens Ten Dam ( Ned – BEL – 167 ) + 04′ 10″
7 Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) + 04′ 44″
8 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) + 05′ 18″
9 Rui Alberto Costa ( Por – MOV – 124 ) + 05′ 37″
10 Jean-Christophe Péraud ( Fra – ALM – 081 ) + 05′ 39″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Saint-Gildas-des-Bois to Saint-Malo

Distance: 197 kilometers.

The Tour moves to Brittany and hills rather than mountains. The 1 km 4.2% category 4 climb up the Côte de Dinan at the three-quarter point shouldn’t provide many problems, even for the sprinters. The stage is rolling hills with the sprint at the two-thirds point.

The winds didn’t kick up at the end, and so they replayed Stage 1 with Marcel Kittel taking the stage while Jérome Cousin took the Red Numbers. None of the Jerseys changed backs, and the rankings of the top 15 riders didn’t change.

On to Normandy and the first individual time trial.

Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 41h 52′ 43″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 269 points
Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 49 points
Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) 7 [White]

Team: Movistar ( MOV – 121-129 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Marcel Kittel ( Ger – ARG – 197 )
Combative: Jérome Cousin ( Fra – EUC – 053 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 )
2 Alejandro Valverde ( Esp – MOV – 121 ) + 01′ 25″
3 Bauke Mollema ( Ned – BEL – 164 ) + 01′ 44″
4 Laurens Ten Dam ( Ned – BEL – 167 ) + 01′ 50″
5 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – TST – 094 ) + 01′ 51″
6 Alberto Contador ( Esp – TST – 091 ) + 01′ 51″
7 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) + 02′ 02″
8 Daniel Martin ( Irl – GRS – 175 ) + 02′ 28″
9 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver ( Esp – KAT – 101 ) + 02′ 31″
10 Rui Alberto Costa ( Por – MOV – 124 ) + 02′ 45″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Saint-Girons to Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Distance: 168.5 kilometers.

More of the Pyrenees with a category 2 followed by four category 1s: Col de Portet d’Aspet (1069 meters, 5.4 km at 6.9%,category 2); Col de Menté (1349 meters, 7 km at 7.7%, category 1); the sprint in an actually mostly flat area of the stage; Col de Peyresourde (1569 meters, 13.2 km at 7%, category 1); Col de Val Louron-Azet (1580 meters,7.4 km at 8.3%, category 1); La Hourquette d’Ancizan (1564 meters, 9.9 km at 7.5%, category 1); and 30 km downhill to the finish which makes it less than a certainty that a climber will take the stage.

It was all about team support today. Froome is still in Yellow, but he was stripped of support on the first climb as he was under attack by other teams all day. His principal problem was Nairo Quintana who was working on behalf of Alejandro Valverde and the Movistar team. He was careful to pick the important challenges and emerged still in first, while Valverde moved into second and Quintana moved up to seventh. Richie Porte’s legs just weren’t there today, and he is back at 31.

Tomorrow is a rest day, and people need it.

Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 36h 59′ 18″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 234 points
Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 49 points
Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) 7 [White]

Team: Movistar ( MOV – 121-129 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Daniel Martin ( Irl – GRS – 175 )
Combative: Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 082 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 )
2 Alejandro Valverde ( Esp – MOV – 121 ) + 01′ 25″
3 Bauke Mollema ( Ned – BEL – 164 ) + 01′ 44″
4 Laurens Ten Dam ( Ned – BEL – 167 ) + 01′ 50″
5 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – TST – 094 ) + 01′ 51″
6 Alberto Contador ( Esp – TST – 091 ) + 01′ 51″
7 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) + 02′ 02″
8 Daniel Martin ( Irl – GRS – 175 ) + 02′ 28″
9 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver ( Esp – KAT – 101 ) + 02′ 31″
10 Rui Alberto Costa ( Por – MOV – 124 ) + 02′ 45″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Castres to Ax-3-Domaines

Distance: 195 kilometers.

Welcome to the Pyrenees. I hope you have comfortable shoes, because you will the standing on them for most of the last 50 km of this stage.

It starts with the category 4 Côte de Saint-Ferréol about 25 km into the race and then it is rolling hills for 150 km and the sprint. That was the easy part, now things get serious. The last quarter of the stage involves climbing the Hors Catégorie Col de Pailhères [15.3 km at an average 8% grade, 2001 meters (6565 feet)] and then 1800 meters downhill before you climb the category 1 Ax 3 Domaines [7.8 km at an average 8.3% grade, 1375 meters (4511 feet)] and the finish line.

Today was the Froome/Quintana show. Christopher Froome took the Stage, the Yellow, and the Polka Dot, while Nairo Quintana took the White, Red Numbers, and helped his team take the Yellow Numbers.

The Col de Pailhères was the highest point on this year’s Tour at 2001 meters, Quintana was born in Tunja, Colombia which is 800 meters higher, so he doesn’t have a problem with altitude, or riding up mountains. He is in fourth for the Polka Dot 6 points behind Froome, which is one good climb.

At the end Christopher Froome just went for it, and brought Richie Porte with him on the climb up Ax 3 Domaines as everyone else faded. Quintana helped his captain, Alejandro Valverde, but Froome quite simply still had energy left while most of the field had left theirs on the climb up the Col.

Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 32h 15′ 55″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 234 points
Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 31 points
Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) 9 [White]

Team: Movistar ( MOV – 121-129 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 )
Combative: Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 )
2 Richie Porte ( Aus – SKY – 006 ) + 00′ 51″
3 Alejandro Valverde ( Esp – MOV – 121 ) + 01′ 25″
4 Bauke Mollema ( Ned – BEL – 164 ) + 01′ 44″
5 Laurens Ten Dam ( Ned – BEL – 167 ) + 01′ 50″
6 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – TST – 094 ) + 01′ 51″
7 Alberto Contador ( Esp – TST – 091 ) + 01′ 51″
8 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas ( Col – MOV – 128 ) + 02′ 02″
9 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver ( Esp – KAT – 101 ) + 02′ 31″
10 Michael Rogers ( Aus – TST – 098 ) + 02′ 40″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Montpellier to Albi

Distance: 205.5 kilometers.

The first quarter of the stage is rolling hills, but then you start climbing. First is the category 3 Col des 13 Vents, which is followed immediately by the toughest climb so far, the category 2 Col de la Croix de Mounis. After about 25 km up at 800 meters, you drop down for the sprint. That is followed by the category 3 climb up the Côte de la Quintaine and then 20 km to the category 4 Côte de Teillet. After that climb there is a 35 km downhill race to the finish in Albi.

Peter Sagan finally won a stage after being second on several of them. His team set the pace and reduced the number of sprinters available to challenge him at the end. The climbs just took it out of many of them who lacked the support that Cannondale provided Sagan.

Blel Kadri also received help from his team to take the Polka Dot Jersey by a single point as the climb up Col de la Croix de Mounis was the real focus of the stage. That’s where Kadri took the Polka Dots and where Sagan was set up for the stage win.

This stage was a prime example of how important teams are to the success of individual riders. The ‘domestiques’ sacrifice their strength and race positions to promote the cause of their team’s principal rider.

Daryl Impey ( RSA – OGE – 185 ) [Yellow] 27h 12′ 29″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 224 points
Blel Kadri ( Fra – ALM – 087 ) [Polka Dot] 12 points
Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) 5 [White]

Team: Orica-GreenEdge ( OGE – 181-189 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 )
Combative: Jan Bakelants ( Bel – RLT – 042 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Daryl Impey ( RSA – OGE – 185 )
2 Edvald Boasson Hagen ( Nor – SKY – 002 ) + 00′ 03″
3 Simon Gerrans ( Aus – OGE – 181 ) + 00′ 05″
4 Michael Albasini ( Sui – OGE – 182 ) + 00′ 05″
5 Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) + 00′ 06″
6 Sylvain Chavanel ( Fra – OPQ – 152 ) + 00′ 06″
7 Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 ) + 00′ 08″
8 Richie Porte ( Aus – SKY – 006 ) + 00′ 08″
9 Nicolas Roche ( Irl – TST – 097 ) + 00′ 14″
10 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – TST – 094 ) + 00′ 14″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Aix-en-Provence to Montpellier

Distance: 176.5 kilometers.

Stage six starts with the first third being mostly down hill, then the sprint followed by the category 4 Col de la Vayède. The sprinters should be out at the front.

Daryl Impey took the Yellow because his teammate, Simon Gerrans, wasn’t able to chase when the group they were in split at the end and he could maintain the team’s hold on the Jersey rather than surrender it to Sky’s Edvald Boasson Hagen.

The riders were having to deal with crosswinds, and André Greipel did it better than anyone else on the stage, taking the win and the Red Numbers for his efforts. Mark Cavendish had to settle for fourth on the stage when he lost time and a bike to a crash 33 km from the finish.

A crash at the finish of yesterday’s race knocked Jurgen Van Den Broeck [knee] and Maxime Bouet [wrist] out of the race. Given the wind-related crashes today, there will probably be more non-starters tomorrow.

Daryl Impey ( RSA – OGE – 185 ) [Yellow] 22h 18′ 17″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 159 points
Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 10 points
Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) 5 [White]

Team: Orica-GreenEdge ( OGE – 181-189 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: André Greipel ( Ger – LTB – 024 )
Combative: André Greipel ( Ger – LTB – 024 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Daryl Impey ( RSA – OGE – 185 )
2 Edvald Boasson Hagen ( Nor – SKY – 002 ) + 00′ 03″
3 Simon Gerrans ( Aus – OGE – 181 ) + 00′ 05″
4 Michael Albasini ( Sui – OGE – 182 ) + 00′ 05″
5 Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) + 00′ 06″
6 Sylvain Chavanel ( Fra – OPQ – 152 ) + 00′ 06″
7 Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 ) + 00′ 08″
8 Richie Porte ( Aus – SKY – 006 ) + 00′ 08″
9 Nicolas Roche ( Irl – TST – 097 ) + 00′ 14″
10 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – TST – 094 ) + 00′ 14″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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Cagnes-sur-Mer to Marseille

Distance: 228.5 kilometers.

Stage five is a return to the hills. It starts with Côte de Châteauneuf-Grasse, a category 3, then hills until Col de l’Ange, category 4. They inserted a sprint at the midpoint, but it certainly isn’t on the flat. It finishes with a pair of category 4s, Côte de la Roquebrussanne and Côte des Bastides with 10 km to the finish. Not a real mountain stage, but nothing for the true sprinters.

SuperManx, Mark Cavendish, has picked stage win 24, while the Jerseys remain unchanged. With six teammates to provide him with a launch at the end of the race, it was a foregone conclusion. He is one win away from tying for third in the all-time standings with André Leducq.

Simon Gerrans ( Aus – OGE – 181 ) [Yellow] 18h 19′ 15″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 111 points
Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 10 points
Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) 4 [White]

Team: Orica-GreenEdge ( OGE – 181-189 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Mark Cavendish ( GB – OPQ – 151 )
Combative: Thomas De Gendt ( Bel – VCD – 203 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Simon Gerrans ( Aus – OGE – 181 )
2 Daryl Impey ( RSA – OGE – 185 ) + 00′ 00″
3 Michael Albasini ( Sui – OGE – 182 ) + 00′ 00″
4 Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) + 00′ 01″
5 Sylvain Chavanel ( Fra – OPQ – 152 ) + 00′ 01″
6 Edvald Boasson Hagen ( Nor – SKY – 002 ) + 00′ 03″
7 Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 ) + 00′ 03″
8 Richie Porte ( Aus – SKY – 006 ) + 00′ 03″
9 Nicolas Roche ( Irl – TST – 097 ) + 00′ 09″
10 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – TST – 094 ) + 00′ 09″

The Rest of the Top 30:

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Nice

Distance: 25 kilometers.

Stage four is the team time trials. The time awarded is that of the fifth rider on the team to cross the finish line.

With 72 of the riders trailing the leader by a second, expect some major changes in the standings after this stage. Sky does extremely well at team time trials, and RadioShack-Leopard only has a one second lead over the other teams.

Orica-GreenEdge took it and have a three second lead over Sky. This handed the Yellow to Simon Gerrans.

There is no stage winner or Combative awarded for this stage.

Simon Gerrans ( Aus – OGE – 181 ) [Yellow] 12h 47′ 24″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 74 points
Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 10 points
Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) 4 [White]

Team: Orica-GreenEdge ( OGE – 181-189 ) [Yellow numbers]

Team Standings.

1 Orica Greenedge OGE
2 Sky SKY + 00′ 03″
3 Saxo Bank Tinkoff TST + 00′ 09″
4 Garmin-Sharp GRS + 00′ 17″
5 Movistar Team MOV + 00′ 20″
6 Lampre – Merida LAM + 00′ 25″
7 BMC BMC + 00′ 26″
8 RadioShack – Leopard RLT + 00′ 28″
9 Katusha KAT + 00′ 28″
10 Vacansoleil-DCM VCD + 00′ 33″
11 Belkin BEL + 00′ 37″
12 FDJ FDJ + 00′ 42″
13 Astana AST + 00′ 56″
14 AG2R La Mondiale ALM + 01′ 04″
15 Sojasun SOJ + 01′ 10″
16 Europcar EUC + 01′ 13″
17 Cofidis, Solutions Credits COF + 01′ 20″
18 Euskaltel – Euskadi EUS + 01′ 24″
19 Cannondale CAN + 01′ 57″
20 Lotto – Belisol LTB + 13′ 00″
21 Omega Pharma – Quick Step OPQ + 17′ 35″
22 Argos – Shimano ARG + 53′ 30″

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Ajaccio to Calvi

Distance: 145.5 kilometers.

Stage three is for the mountain climbers. You start with a category 4 climb, Col de San Bastiano, then drop back down for the only flat part of the run, which includes a sprint. Having gotten your legs stretched in the sprint it is time for a category 3 climb up Col de San Martino, a descent followed by the category 3 climb up Côte de Porto. Côte de Porto looks insignificant, only 161 meters high, but the road is much steeper than the two climbs that precede it. It is followed by 25 km of hills that don’t quite make it to the category 4 status. Waiting for you after all of the ‘hills’ is the category 2 climb over Col de Marsolino. The good news is after you crawl to the top, you can coast down to the finish line, for the end of your Corsican adventure.

Jan Bakelants hung on to his one second overall lead for another stage until the team time trials in Nice. Peter Sagan took the Green, but didn’t quite have the strength to overtake Simon Gerrans at the finish line. Simon Clarke earned his Red numbers helping to set up his teammate, Gerrans for the stage win, and harvested enough points to be second for the Polka Dot.

Two riders failed to finish as the injuries take their toll. Geraint Thomas is still riding despite a pelvic fracture, probably hair-line, that will get much worse if he has another accident.

Jan Bakelants ( Bel – RLT – 042 ) [Yellow] 12h 21′ 27″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 74 points
Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 10 points
Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) 4 [White]

Team: RadioShack-Leopard ( RLT – 041-049 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Simon Gerrans ( Aus – OGE – 181 )
Combative: Simon Clarke ( Aus – OGE – 183 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Jan Bakelants ( Bel – RLT – 042 )
2 Julien Simon ( Fra – SOJ – 218 ) + 00′ 01″
3 Simon Gerrans ( Aus – OGE – 181 ) + 00′ 01″
4 Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) + 00′ 01″
5 Edvald Boasson Hagen ( Nor – SKY – 002 ) + 00′ 01″
6 Daryl Impey ( RSA – OGE – 185 ) + 00′ 01″
7 David Millar ( GB – GRS – 176 ) + 00′ 01″
8 Sergey Lagutin ( Uzb – VCD – 206 ) + 00′ 01″
9 Cadel Evans ( Aus – BMC – 031 ) + 00′ 01″
10 Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 082 ) + 00′ 01″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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