Stage 12 Review
By: Jamie Naragon
The day before our next big mountain stage seemed, in writing, to be a day set for the sprinters. Nonetheless, as is typical, attacks to create a breakaway. At the 191.5km to go mark, David Millar (Garmin), Daniele Bennati (Liquigas), and Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas) broke off the front to cross the Baon climb. They were then re-captured by the peloton. At the intermediate sprint at 178.5kms, Mark Cavendish (Columbia) outsprinted Thor Hushovd (Cervelo) and Sandy Casar (FDJ) for maximum points. A group of 11 riders then tried to use the decent of the Gye-sur Seine climb to form a successful breakaway, but that move failed, too.
Finally, at 137.5kms, a breakaway of Laurent Lefevre (BBox), Sylvain Calzati (Agritbuel), Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas), Markus Fothen (Milram), Remi Pauriol (Cofidis), and Egoi Martinez (Eustaltel) broke away. Three GC guys, Andy Schleck (Saxo), Cadel Evans (Silence Lotto), and Levi Leipheimer (Astana) tried to counter the move, but the peloton responded. While reeling back in the GC contenders, a chase group of five riders attempted to bridge to the break, but only one of these, Niki Sorensen (Saxo), was able to catch the six in front. This became the breakaway for the rest of the day. This was a typical transition stage where the excitement was really just a challenge on the climbs by Pellizotti, nipping into Martinez’s lead in the mountains classification. The Liquigas rider was the victor over Martinez on all the hills, but the Eustaltel rider maintained his overall lead in the polka dot jersey.
At 19kms to go, Calzati and Sorensen launched an attack to split from the break. They built their lead to 15 seconds, but their former break partners became serious about the catch, so at 5km to go, Calzati was captured. Sorensen, however, slung-shot from Calzati’s slipstream to brave a solo maneuver. This proved to be the winning move, granting Sorensen his first Tour de France victory. The remaining breakaway riders managed to hold off the peloton by over four minutes.
The sprint home by the peloton was led by Cavendish ahead of Hushovd. At the back of the peloton, a bit of drama ensued whereby Levi Leipheimer (Astana) and Cadel Evans (Silence Lotto) were involved with a crash. But, the crash was inside the 3k mark, so neither rider lost time, and the two GC contenders safely crossed the line with teammates.
It wasn’t all good news, however. 3 riders abandoned throughout the stage (though not affiliated with that final crash): Angelo Furlan (Lampre), Jerome Coppel (FdJ), and Romain Feillu (Agritubel).
Stage 10 Results:
1. Nicki Sorensen (Saxo) 4h52’24”
2. Laurent Lefevre (BBox) +0.48
3. Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas) +0.48
4. Markus Fothen (Milram) +0.48
5. Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel) +0.48
GC After Stage 10
1. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2R) 39h 11’ 04”
2. Alberto Contador (Astana) +0.06
3. Lance Armstrong (Astana) +0.08
4. Levi Leipheimer (Astana) +0.39
5. Bradley Wiggins (Garmin) +0.46
6. Andreas Kloden (Astana) +0.54
7. Tony Martin (Columbia) +1.00
8. Christian VandeVelde (Garmin) +1.24
9. Andy Schleck (Saxo) +1.49
10. Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) +1.54
Green Jersey:
1. Mark Cavendish (Columbia)
Polka Dot Jersey:
1. Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel)
White Jersey:
1. Tony Martin (Columbia)
