Boom! I guess Armstrong couldn't bear to be without the yellow jersey for more than a day. Armstrong and Team Discovery put down the hammer on all of his contenders in a single stage. I thought that Armstrong was just going to try and contain today and save the big effort for the Pyrenees, but boy was I wrong. Discovery set an amazing pace through the valley towards Courchevel, announcing that Armstrong had loftier goals for the stage. They picked up the pace on the final climb and many major riders were dropped even before the slopes really started kicking in. With Popovych as his last paceman, Armstrong had Popo accelerate and launched his final attack. Ullrich and Vino were quickly dropped, along with Landis, Botero, or just about everyone else that might have a claim to the overall. Basso was the only contender able to follow, but even he was eventually dropped by the fast pace.
Armstrong whittled the group down to Rasmussen, Valverde, and Mancebo, and it was Valverde who was too good for Armstrong to drop. Armstrong attacked in the final 500m and Valverde jumped onto his wheel and then around to take the stage win. Given that Valverde is a rookie, it's easy to see that he may have a big future ahead.
Popo gets a lot of credit for today. Earlier in the stage he was still brushing off the dirt from a run in with an embankment, yet he was the one who put in the final kick that sent Armstrong's opponents off the back. Mancebo also gets a lot of credit for his teammate Valverde's victory -- two teammates in a breakaway of four is a big advantage, especially with Armstrong doing so much work to try and keep up the pace. Mancebo's pulls at the end helped put Valverde across the line first.
A sampliing of some of today's damage:
Basso: 1:02
Ullrich: 2:14
Kloden: 2:14
Landis: 2:14
Vinokourov: 5:18
Heras: ~10:00
- Stage 10 Photo Gallery (Graham Watson)
- Stage 10 Summary (VeloNews)
- Stage 10 Results (CyclingNews)
- Stage 10 Live Report (Daily Peloton)
- Stage 10 Jambon Report (Daily Peloton)
Maps and stage log in the extended.
Courmet de Roselend: N45 41.479 E6 41.444 (unofficial)
Albertville to Bourg-Saint-Maurice:
Courchevel finish:
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As my mind wakes up, I'll go ahead and try to make a pick. So many good climbers to choose from. I think that Armstrong is going to try his best to save his energy today and contain the GC attacks. Basso has announced he is going to attack today, but I don't see Armstrong letting him get away, though I could see Sastre or Julich moving into yellow instead. We might also see Valverde or Horner try to make a mark today -- a win by Horner would continue the great US performance at this year's tour. The last Spanish rider I'll mention in Heras, who can fly up mountains and seems like he might have something in the tank. So, my pick: Horner.
Another pick for the day is who will end up in yellow. I think that will be Christophe Moreau, who was in stage 9's break with Voigt. Moreau just has to keep the stage winner in sight and stay with Armstrong in order to pick up the jersey.
The field is cracking apart. There's are two breakaways, but haven't been able to tell who's in which yet, though Valverde has been mentioned.
They're passing the beautiful lake by Courmet de Roselend.
Voigt is in trouble, though no one expects him to keep the jersey today.
Discovery is leading the pace with Noval, CheChu, Beltran, and Hincapie.
Brochard is the first over the end of the climb.
Pereiro is jumping off the front of the peloton. Perhaps for climbing points, perhaps for more. Jorg Jaksche joins him. They're now over the end of the climb.
Brochard is zooming ahead to Courchevel.
Disco is in a big group leading the descent for the peloton.
Pereiro is 5'12" back in the overall, so he may be making a bold moving for yellow, though it's going to take a huge lead to do so.
Popo punctured and crashed into a bank, but looks fine. Ullrich fell off the back for some reason. They're now saying Popo collided with the team car.
Brochard has been joined by Sanchez of Liberty Seguros (Heras' and Beloki's team).
A muddy Popovych is waving happily at the camera and giving a thumbs up.
It's still a bit confusing to figure out who's where on today's stage. The ticker was reporting a breakaway and three chase groups, but it's now down to two chase groups. Brochard and Sanchez are in the lead. Pereiro and Jaksche are one of those chase groups. Just ahead of them is a chase group with no big names in it.
It looks like the Brochard/Sanchez group will get joined by the chase behind them. And they have been. A very big breakaway now with the various chase groups consolidated. They have a lead of 4:35 over the peloton, but Disco is picking up the pace at the front, most likely to keep Pereiro out of yellow. They've already reeled it back to 4:00. 3:34.
With Disco doing that much work, gotta wonder what Armstrong has in mind. A lot of work just to keep Pereiro contained.
Now Disco is just flying up the lower slopes of the Courchevel climb. Vino is on Armstrong's tail.
Brochard's ride seems to be done, Pereiro and Jaksche are shooting ahead. Jaksche has dropped Pereiro.
CheChu is now setting the pace again. Disco has thinned the peloton out. I think I see Moreau sitting in there.
Rabobank is losing their leader Menchov off the back. Hopefully Rasmussen will keep up the effort for the team which had such good success in the past two stages.
Heras is dropping off the back. So much for that Spanish rider doing damage today. His teammate Beloki is also off the back.
Discovery is doing a great job eliminating riders. They're 1:47 back.
Now CSC is heading Sastre off the front like a carrot, but this does not look like an attack that's going anywhere. Both Sastre and Brochard are being reassimilated.
Uh-oh, Moreau goes off the back, as does Karpets. So much for that pick.
Julich, and Botero are being dropped! Team Disco's on fire! This is just amazing to see the four Disco riders (Azevedo, Hincapie, Popo, Armstrong) up front and all these major riders flying to the wayside.
Sastre has moved from the front to the back.
Vino has moved to the back!
Hincapie and Azevedo are done for the day. Amazing job. Popo is now Armstrong's lone pacemaker.
Basso, Valverde, Rasmussen, Ullrich, and Kloden are sticking in the Armstrong group.
Pereiro and Vino are completely dropped.
Popo is accelerating! The pace that dropped all the big riders and they're going even faster!
Popo is done and now it's Armstrong, with only Valverde, Rasmussen, Evans, Mancebo, and Basso following. Ullrich is falling back. Landis is dropped. Kloden is dropped.
Jaksche has been caught. Armstrong is leading the charge up.
Leipheimer is part of the Armstrong group.
Ullrich is a face of pain. Armstrong is stone-faced.
They're now a group of five: Basso, Mancebo, Valverde, Armstrong, and Rasmussen. Armstrong has moved to the back of the group to stretch his back.
Armstrong is back and the front and accelerating but this group is holding.
Basso is being dropped!
Armstrong sits up and examines his group, and it's back to ticking away. Armstrong, Rasmussen, Valverdo, and Mancebo (barely holding on). 65 seconds on Ullrich.
Armstrong is trying to get the others to work. It's Valverde leading the charge now. Now it's Mancebo. Maybe Mancebo will try and setup Valverde for the win. Rasmussen is just hiding in the group, saving his energy.
4km to go and Armstrong is picking up the pace.
There's Rasmussen leading the charge now.
Lots of idiots running along the road cutting off lines.
Armstrong is zipping up. Maybe he needs to make sure the Discovery logo is prepped for a stage win?
2km to go.
who's gonna go? who's gonna go?
1km banner at the end of the tunnel and they're going through
Rasmussen goes! It's being matched by everyone. It's Ras, Val, Arm, Mancebo in a line. Armstrong is standing and watching. Armstrong goes!
Valverde is following
Valverde is on Armstrong's wheel
Armstrong is ticking away but Valverde is in position to win.
Valverde comes around
Valverde wins!
