Tour de France stage 2: Hushovd gets the win
Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) shot out of a chaotic bunch dash to win stage 2 of the 2008 Tour de France on Sunday. Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) finished safely near the front of the peloton to retain the overall lead. “Yesterday was not a great finish for me,” said Hushovd. “I felt stronger today in the final today. I like Brittany; it's a bit like Norway, always windy and rainy. Maybe I'm not a pure sprinter like Mark Cavendish, but after some hard climbs like today, I usually have some strength left, so maybe that's why I was able to win today."
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Photo: AFP
Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) shot out of a chaotic bunch dash to win stage 2 of the 2008 Tour de France on Sunday. Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) finished safely near the front of the peloton to retain the overall lead.
“Yesterday was not a great finish for me,” said Hushovd. “I felt stronger today in the final today. I like Brittany; it’s a bit like Norway, always windy and rainy. Maybe I’m not a pure sprinter like Mark Cavendish, but after some hard climbs like today, I usually have some strength left, so maybe that’s why I was able to win today.”
The 164.5km stage drove north, rising and falling amid blustery winds and rain, from the granite-and-slate cottages of Auray to the port town of St. Brieuc, home to the Badger, five-time Tour winner Bernard Hinault.
It was another tough day in the saddle, featuring the Cat. 3 Mur de Bretagne (1.5km at 8.7 percent), 92km into the stage, and a tricky run-in to St. Brieuc that looped down to the English Channel coast before climbing up into town for another uphill finish on the Rue Pierre de Coubertin.
Garmin-Chipotle’s Danny Pate threw down the gauntlet early on, taking off just a half-kilometer into the stage, dogged by Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner), Murilo Fischer (Liquigas), Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis), Angel Gomez (Saunier Duval), Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d’Epargne) and Bernhard Eisel (Columbia).
But it wasn’t the right combo, and before long the leaders were down to Fischer, Chavanel and Wegmann. Soon they, too, were pulled back in as Bouygues Telecom drove the chase for Thomas Voeckler, hoping to pad his lead in the mountains competition.
You can’t spell ‘Soler’ without ‘SOL’
Last year’s KoM, Mauricio Soler (Barloworld), was clearly feeling the effects of yesterday’s crash in the chaotic 197.5km first stage. Doctors suspected that he might have broken a bone in his left wrist, but couldn’t reach a definitive diagnosis because of swelling.
“He’s going to give it a go,” said Barloworld team manager Claudio Corti before the stage got under way. “He’ll see how he feels during the race.”
Photo: Graham Watson
Bjorn Schroeder (Milram) was apparently feeling quite well — tied on points with Voeckler, he tried to jump the polka-dot jersey on the first category-4 climb, the Cote de Bieuzy-Lanvaux. But the diminutive Frenchman would not be caught out, and while Chavanel slipped past for the top points, Voeckler took second, with Schroeder fading back.
All the action opened a small window of opportunity for Chavanel (66th overall at 31 seconds) and Voeckler (127th at 2:00), and the two quickly set about enlarging it. With 127km to race the twosome had two minutes over the bunch, led by the Caisse d’Epargne squad of race leader
Alejandro Valverde. Twenty-five kilometers later their margin was a respectable five minutes.
Meanwhile, the weather in Brittany, one of France’s more exposed regions, began to worsen, adding rain to the omnipresent wind as the leaders drove toward the Mur de Bretagne. Behind, Caisse d’Epargne was picking up the pace, nibbling the lead down to just over four minutes with 82km to race.
The leaders had surrendered another half-minute by the feed zone at Saint-Jean, where yesterday’s snacktime mishap repeated itself — this time it was Nicolas Jalabert (Agritubel) going down as CSC’s Frank Schleck muffed his musette grab. The Frenchman was soon back up and riding, however.
Chavanel led Voeckler over the Mur de Bretagne, a narrow lane made even more so by the hordes of spectators. The peloton crested three minutes later, with former French champion Christophe Moreau (Agritubel) popping out of the bunch to take the third-place KoM points.
Next time up it was Voeckler’s turn — he took top points over the cat.-4 Cote de Saint-Mayeux, ensuring that he will wear the polka-dot jersey going into Monday’s stage 3.
Photo: Graham Watson
Moreau on the march
Behind, meanwhile, Moreau (70th overall at 0:39) and teammate David Le Lay were trying to bridge to the leaders. The pair quickly took a gap over the bunch as the rain bucketed down once more, and the leaders’ margin began to shrink, with an assist from a mechanical that forced Voeckler to switch bikes with some 60km to race.
In short order the Agritubel chase had closed to within a minute of the leaders, who sat up to wait for the cavalry, while the peloton cycled along more than three minutes in arrears. This ruffled a few feathers among the Française des Jeux mob, whose Philippe Gilbert sat second overall at one second behind Valverde, and the squad contributed a few riders to the pursuit.
With 56km to race it was an all-French foursome in the lead, with Française des Jeux and Caisse d’Epargne flogging the chase along the roller-coaster road. The gap began shrinking, then pegged at about two and a half minutes, with the leaders clearly enjoying the advantage of driving a smaller group along the winding route.
Twenty kilometers further along and the gap was down to 1:45, with Française des Jeux doing the heavy lifting at the front of the chase. With 30km to race, the leaders had conceded another 25 seconds and it looked like the time for their closeup had come and gone.
Photo: Graham Watson
Moreau was driving it up front as the bandaged, suffering Soler imploded, shooting backward and out of the GC picture, just as Rubens Bertogliati (Saunier Duval-Scott) stacked it in an oily corner, briefly disrupting the pursuit. The two unfortunates hooked up at the rear and formed a non-laughing group.
Quick Step, meanwhile, came forward to lend a hand for Gert Steegmans, standing in for the troubled Tom Boonen; coincidentally, Steegmans won stage 2 in last year’s Tour. With Quick Step at the helm the leaders’ advantage evaporated to less than a minute with 17km to go.
Ten kilometers from the line the gap was down to 41 seconds as Crédit Agricole moved forward for Thor Hushovd (15th at 0:07). CSC’s Fabian Cancellara (16th at 0:07), a renowned final-kilometer escapee, was sneaking forward, too.
Once more into the breach
With 6km to go the leaders had but 30 seconds over the ravening bunch. Three kilometers later Moreau was taking a monster turn at the front, with Chavanel the caboose to his locomotive. And then Chavanel attacked over the final climb, dogged by Voeckler.
Chavanel snatched up a quick 10-second gap and still had half of it with less than 2km to race. But it wasn’t enough — he was swept up by the chase, and then Cancellara shot away in the final kilometer, racing away as yet another crash disrupted the pursuit.
Cancellara looked to have another successful escape in the bag, but couldn’t hold it. And as the sprinters rocketed forward, banging bars and bumping shoulders with 400 meters to go, Hushovd gave it the gas, rocketing past the big Swiss time machine to snatch the win ahead of Columbia teammates Kim Kirchen and Gerald Ciolek.
Photo: Graham Watson
“I knew that I could win when I saw the profile of today’s stage,” Hushovd said. “With the breakaway, it was going really fast because of the tailwind, so it’s always hard to control. But on the finish, we knew it would be hard for them to stay away because of the hard climbs in the end.”
When Cancellara attacked, Hushovd said, he remained patient. “I said to Mark (Renshaw) with 700m, ‘I’m on your wheel, don’t panic.’ I sat on and with 400m, he set up my sprint just perfect. It was great teamwork by the team.”
Renshaw, who had tried in vain to pull Hushovd to the finish line on his wheel on Saturday, said he was “still a bit shocked” at his teammate’s victory, his sixth Tour triumph.
“Near the end I got caught with a bit of a wave and for a bit I thought Thor had crashed,” he said. “Then I heard him behind me and he went with about 400 meters to go, pulling out of the outside of Valverde. On an uphill finish like that nobody’s going to beat a sprinter like Thor.”
As for the race leader, he was happy at the prospect of spending another day in yellow.
“It was a very hard, fast stage with the escape. The rain and wind and made it even more nervous,” said Valverde. “I’m happy to stay in yellow at the end of the day because it was not easy out there today. Today was more of a day for the sprinters, but I had to be careful to keep in good position if I wanted to keep the yellow jersey.
“It was incredible to be in the yellow jersey today, riding through all the villages with people calling out my name. It was so emotional for me and my team. It gave me a lot of satisfaction.”
—European correspondent Andrew Hood and Agence France Presse contributed to this report.
Photo: Graham Watson
Stage 2 Results
1. Thor Hushovd (NOR), Credit Agricole 164.5 km in 3hr 45min 13sec
2. Kim Kirchen (LUX), Columbia at s.t
3. Gerald Ciolek (GER), Columbia at 0:00
4. Robert Hunter (RSA), Barloworld 0:00
5. Erik Zabel (GER), Milram 0:00
6. Yury Trofimov (RUS), Bouygues Telecom 0:00
7. Oscar Freire (ESP), Rabobank 0:00
8. Jimmy Casper (FRA), Agritubel 0:00
9. Martin Elmiger (SUI), Ag2r Prevoyance 0:00
10. Leonardo Duque (COL), Cofidis 0:00
Overall, after stage 2
1. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne 8:21:20
2. Kim Kirchen (LUX), Columbia at 0:01
3. Oscar Freire (ESP), Rabobank at 0:01
4. Juan Jose Cobo (ESP), Saunier Duval 0:01
5. Cadel Evans (AUS), Silence-Lotto 0:01
6. Jerome Pineau (FRA), Bouygues Telecom 0:01
7. David Millar (GBR), Garmin-Chipotle 0:01
8. Riccardo Ricco (ITA), Saunier Duval 0:01
9. Frank Schleck (LUX), CSC 0:01
10. Filippo Pozzato (ITA), Liquigas 0:01
Photo Gallery
Results
Stage 2 Results
1. Thor Hushovd (NOR), Credit Agricole 164.5 km in 3hr 45min 13sec
2. Kim Kirchen (LUX), Columbia at s.t
3. Gerald Ciolek (GER), Columbia at 0:00
4. Robert Hunter (RSA), Barloworld 0:00
5. Erik Zabel (GER), Milram 0:00
6. Yury Trofimov (RUS), Bouygues Telecom 0:00
7. Oscar Freire (ESP), Rabobank 0:00
8. Jimmy Casper (FRA), Agritubel 0:00
9. Martin Elmiger (SUI), Ag2r Prevoyance 0:00
10. Leonardo Duque (COL), Cofidis 0:00
11. Vladimir Efimkin (RUS), Ag2r Prevoyance 0:00
12. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne 0:00
13. Juan Jose Cobo (ESP), Saunier Duval 0:00
14. Martijn Maaskant (NED), Garmin-Chipotle 0:00
15. Mikel Astarloza (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00
16. Samuel Sanchez (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00
17. Robbie McEwen (AUS), Silence-Lotto 0:00
18. Tadej Valjavec (SLO), Ag2r Prevoyance 0:00
19. Andy Schleck (LUX), CSC 0:00
20. Dmitriy Fofonov (KAZ), Credit Agricole 0:00
21. Cadel Evans (AUS), Silence-Lotto 0:00
22. John-Lee Augustyn (RSA), Barloworld 0:00
23. George Hincapie (USA), Columbia 0:00
24. Christian Knees (GER), Milram 0:00
25. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA), Liquigas 0:00
26. David Millar (GBR), Garmin-Chipotle 0:00
27. Mark Cavendish (IDM), Columbia 0:00
28. Alexandre Botcharov (RUS), Credit Agricole 0:00
29. Denis Menchov (RUS), Rabobank 0:00
30. Jerome Pineau (FRA), Bouygues Telecom 0:00
31. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Chipotle 0:00
32. Carlos Barredo (ESP), Quick Step 0:00
33. Markus Fothen (GER), Gerolsteiner 0:00
34. Riccardo Ricco (ITA), Saunier Duval 0:00
35. Baden Cooke (AUS), Barloworld 0:00
36. Manuel Quinziato (ITA), Liquigas 0:00
37. Marco Velo (ITA), Milram 0:00
38. Manuel Beltran (ESP), Liquigas 0:00
39. Frank Schleck (LUX), CSC 0:00
40. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne 0:00
41. Yaroslav Popovych (UKR), Silence-Lotto 0:00
42. Inaki Isasi (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00
43. Stefan Schumacher (GER), Gerolsteiner 0:00
44. Carlos Sastre (ESP), CSC 0:00
45. Roman Kreuziger (CZE), Liquigas 0:00
46. Maxime Monfort (BEL), Cofidis 0:00
47. Beno”t Vaugrenard (FRA), Francaise des Jeux 0:00
48. Stuart O’Grady (AUS), CSC 0:00
49. Jens Voigt (GER), CSC 0:00
50. Sebastian Lang (GER), Gerolsteiner 0:00
51. Stijn Devolder (BEL), Quick Step 0:00
52. Bram Tankink (NED), Rabobank 0:00
53. Paolo Longo (ITA), Barloworld 0:00
54. Cyril Dessel (FRA), Ag2r Prevoyance 0:00
55. Filippo Pozzato (ITA), Liquigas 0:00
56. Oscar Pereiro (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne 0:00
57. Mark Renshaw (AUS), Credit Agricole 0:00
58. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00
59. Robert Fšrster (GER), Gerolsteiner 0:00
60. Christophe Moreau (FRA), Agritubel 0:00
61. Laurens ten Dam (NED), Rabobank 0:00
62. Marzio Bruseghin (ITA), Lampre 0:00
63. Dario Cioni (ITA), Silence-Lotto 0:00
64. Frederik Willems (BEL), Liquigas 0:00
65. Fabian Cancellara (SUI), CSC 0:00
66. Juan Jose Oroz (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00
67. Nicki Sorensen (DEN), CSC 0:00
68. Ivan Gutierrez (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne 0:00
69. Fabian Wegmann (GER), Gerolsteiner 0:00
70. Stephane Goubert (FRA), Ag2r Prevoyance 0:00
71. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN), Garmin-Chipotle 0:00
72. Geoffroy Lequatre (FRA), Agritubel 0:00
73. Trent Lowe (AUS), Garmin-Chipotle 0:00
74. Eduardo Gonzalo (ESP), Agritubel 0:00
75. Christophe Le Mevel (FRA), Credit Agricole 0:00
76. Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP), Rabobank 0:00
77. Moises Duenas (ESP), Barloworld 0:00
78. Jesus Del Nero (ESP), Saunier Duval 0:00
79. Amets Txurruka (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00
80. Gorka Verdugo (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00
81. Simon Gerrans (AUS), Credit Agricole 0:00
82. Remy Di Gregorio (FRA), Francaise des Jeux 0:00
83. Angel Litu Gomez (ESP), Saunier Duval 0:00
84. Jose Luis Arrieta (ESP), Ag2r Prevoyance 0:00
85. Florent Brard (FRA), Cofidis 0:00
86. Christophe Brandt (BEL), Silence-Lotto 0:00
87. Volodymir Gustov (UKR), CSC 0:00
88. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA), Cofidis 0:00
89. Josep Jufre (ESP), Saunier Duval 0:00
90. Murilo Fischer (BRA), Liquigas 0:00
91. Ruben Perez (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00
92. David Le Lay (FRA), Agritubel 0:00
93. Koos Moerenhout (NED), Rabobank 0:00
94. Peter Velits (SVK), Milram 0:00
95. Will Frischkorn (USA), Garmin-Chipotle 0:00
96. Sebastian Langeveld (NED), Rabobank 0:00
97. Sebastien Chavanel (FRA), Francaise des Jeux 0:00
98. Ama‘l Moinard (FRA), Cofidis 0:00
99. Steven De Jongh (NED), Quick Step 0:00
100. David Moncoutie (FRA), Cofidis 0:00
101. Sandy Casar (FRA), Francaise des Jeux 0:00
102. Mario Aerts (BEL), Silence-Lotto 0:00
103. Freddy Bichot (FRA), Agritubel 0:00
104. Romain Feillu (FRA), Agritubel 0:00
105. Nicolas Vogondy (FRA), Agritubel 0:00
106. Martin Muller (GER), Milram 0:00
107. Nicolas Jalabert (FRA), Agritubel 0:00
108. Aurelien Passeron (FRA), Saunier Duval 0:00
109. Thomas Voeckler (FRA), Bouygues Telecom 0:00
110. Lilian Jegou (FRA), Francaise des Jeux 0:00
111. Philippe Gilbert (BEL), Francaise des Jeux 0:00
112. Felix Cardenas (COL), Barloworld 0:00
113. Matteo Carrara (ITA), Quick Step 0:00
114. Joost Posthuma (NED), Rabobank 0:00
115. Brett Lancaster (AUS), Milram 0:00
116. Egoi Martinez (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00
117. Damiano Cunego (ITA), Lampre 0:00
118. Marcus Burghardt (GER), Columbia 0:00
119. Ralf Grabsch (GER), Milram 0:00
120. Adam Hansen (AUS), Columbia 0:00
121. Matteo Tosatto (ITA), Quick Step 0:00
122. Sebastien Rosseler (BEL), Quick Step at 1:25
123. Gert Steegmans (BEL), Quick Step at 1:40
124. Alessandro Ballan (ITA), Lampre 1:40
125. Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR), Columbia at 1:40
126. Ronny Scholz (GER), Gerolsteiner at 1:59
127. Sven Krauss (GER), Gerolsteiner 1:59
128. Bernhard Kohl (AUT), Gerolsteiner 1:59
129. Matteo Bono (ITA), Lampre at 2:10
130. Daniele Righi (ITA), Lampre 2:10
131. Sylvester Szmyd (POL), Lampre 2:10
132. Johann Tschopp (SUI), Bouygues Telecom 2:10
133. Massimiliano Mori (ITA), Lampre 2:10
134. Magnus Backstedt (SWE), Garmin-Chipotle 2:10
135. Leif Hoste (BEL), Silence-Lotto at 2:16
136. Stef Clement (NED), Bouygues Telecom at 2:30
137. Jurgen Van de Walle (BEL), Quick Step 2:30
138. Leonardo Piepoli (ITA), Saunier Duval 2:30
139. David De la Fuente (ESP), Saunier Duval 2:30
140. Hubert Dupont (FRA), Ag2r Prevoyance 2:30
141. Remi Pauriol (FRA), Credit Agricole 2:30
142. Niki Terpstra (NED), Milram 2:30
143. Francesco Chicchi (ITA), Liquigas 2:30
144. Chris Froome (GBR), Barloworld 2:30
145. Mauro Facci (ITA), Quick Step 2:30
146. Aliaksandr Kuschynski (BLR), Liquigas 2:30
147. Marco Marzano (ITA), Lampre 2:30
148. Kurt Asle Arvesen (NOR), CSC 2:30
149. Mathieu Sprick (FRA), Bouygues Telecom 2:30
150. Christophe Riblon (FRA), Ag2r Prevoyance 2:30
151. Stephane Auge (FRA), Cofidis 2:30
152. Johan Van Summeren (BEL), Silence-Lotto 2:30
153. Samuel Dumoulin (FRA), Cofidis 2:30
154. Yoann Le Boulanger (FRA), Francaise des Jeux 2:30
155. Jeremy Roy (FRA), Francaise des Jeux 2:30
156. Giampaolo Cheula (ITA), Barloworld 2:30
157. Laurent Lefevre (FRA), Bouygues Telecom 2:30
158. Pierrick Fedrigo (FRA), Bouygues Telecom 2:30
159. Danny Pate (USA), Garmin-Chipotle 2:30
160. Xavier Florencio (ESP), Bouygues Telecom 2:30
161. Vicente Garcia Acosta (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne 2:30
162. Nicolas Portal (FRA), Caisse d’Epargne 2:30
163. John Gadret (FRA), Ag2r Prevoyance 2:30
164. Bernhard Eisel (AUT), Columbia2:30
165. Thomas Lšvkvist (SWE), Columbia at 0:00
166. Arnaud Gerard (FRA), Francaise des Jeux at 3:22
167. Jimmy Engoulvent (FRA), Credit Agricole at 3:25
168. Christophe Riblon (FRA), Ag2r Prevoyance at 5:53
169. Arnaud Coyot (FRA), Caisse d’Epargne at 5:53
170. Chris Froome (GBR), Barloworld at 6:34
171. Giampaolo Cheula (ITA), Barloworld 6:34
172. David Lopez (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne at 6:52
173. David Arroyo (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne 6:52
174. Magnus Backstedt (SWE), at 7:06
175. Aliaksandr Kuschynski (BLR), Liquigas at 7:26
176. Stephane Auge (FRA), Cofidis 7:26
177. Rubens Bertogliati (SUI), Saunier Duval at 8:07
178. Wim Vansevenant (BEL), Silence-Lotto at 9:01
179. Mauricio Soler (COL), Barloworld at 10:22
OVERALL
1. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne 8:21:20
2. Kim Kirchen (LUX), Columbia at 0:01
3. Oscar Freire (ESP), Rabobank at 0:01
4. Juan Jose Cobo (ESP), Saunier Duval 0:01
5. Cadel Evans (AUS), Silence-Lotto 0:01
6. Jerome Pineau (FRA), Bouygues Telecom 0:01
7. David Millar (GBR), Garmin-Chipotle 0:01
8. Riccardo Ricco (ITA), Saunier Duval 0:01
9. Frank Schleck (LUX), CSC 0:01
10. Filippo Pozzato (ITA), Liquigas 0:01
11. Oscar Pereiro (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne 0:01
12. Philippe Gilbert (BEL), Francaise des Jeux 0:01
13. Matteo Carrara (ITA), Quick Step 0:01
14. Thor Hushovd (NOR), Credit Agricole at 0:07
15. Erik Zabel (GER), Milram 0:07
16. Samuel Sanchez (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:07
17. Andy Schleck (LUX), CSC 0:07
18. Martin Elmiger (SUI), Ag2r Prevoyance 0:07
19. Mikel Astarloza (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:07
20. Yury Trofimov (RUS), Bouygues Telecom 0:07
21. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Chipotle 0:07
22. Tadej Valjavec (SLO), Ag2r Prevoyance 0:07
23. Christian Knees (GER), Milram 0:07
24. George Hincapie (USA), Columbia 0:07
25. Denis Menchov (RUS), Rabobank 0:07
26. Carlos Barredo (ESP), Quick Step 0:07
27. Carlos Sastre (ESP), CSC 0:07
28. Manuel Beltran (ESP), Liquigas 0:07
29. Stefan Schumacher (GER), Gerolsteiner 0:07
30. Alexandre Botcharov (RUS), Credit Agricole 0:07
31. Baden Cooke (AUS), Barloworld 0:07
32. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne 0:07
33. Fabian Cancellara (SUI), CSC 0:07
34. Stijn Devolder (BEL), Quick Step 0:07
35. Maxime Monfort (BEL), Cofidis 0:07
36. Beno”t Vaugrenard (FRA), Francaise des Jeux 0:07
37. Roman Kreuziger (CZE), Liquigas 0:07
38. Marzio Bruseghin (ITA), Lampre 0:07
39. Jens Voigt (GER), CSC 0:07
40. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:07
41. Trent Lowe (AUS), Garmin-Chipotle 0:07
42. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN), Garmin-Chipotle 0:07
43. Damiano Cunego (ITA), Lampre 0:07
44. Egoi Martinez (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:07
45. Thomas Lovkvist (SWE), Columbia 0:07
46. Leonardo Duque (COL), Cofidis at 0:18
47. Vladimir Efimkin (RUS), Ag2r Prevoyance 0:18
48. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA), Liquigas 0:18
49. Yaroslav Popovych (UKR), Silence-Lotto 0:18
50. Sebastian Lang (GER), Gerolsteiner 0:18
51. Ivan Gutierrez (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne 0:18
52. Fabian Wegmann (GER), Gerolsteiner 0:18
53. Gorka Verdugo (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:18
54. Simon Gerrans (AUS), Credit Agricole 0:18
55. Eduardo Gonzalo (ESP), Agritubel 0:18
56. Markus Fothen (GER), Gerolsteiner 0:18
57. Freddy Bichot (FRA), Agritubel 0:18
58. Romain Feillu (FRA), Agritubel 0:18
59. Bram Tankink (NED), Rabobank at 0:26
60. Aurelien Passeron (FRA), Saunier Duval 0:26
61. Laurens ten Dam (NED), Rabobank at 0:31
62. Moises Duenas (ESP), Barloworld 0:31
63. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA), Cofidis 0:31
64. Marco Velo (ITA), Milram at 0:37
65. Murilo Fischer (BRA), Liquigas 0:37
66. William Bonnet (FRA), Credit Agricole 0:37
67. John-Lee Augustyn (RSA), Barloworld at 0:39
68. Dmitriy Fofonov (KAZ), Credit Agricole 0:39
69. Cyril Dessel (FRA), Ag2r Prevoyance 0:39
70. Paolo Longo (ITA), Barloworld 0:39
71. Christophe Moreau (FRA), Agritubel 0:39
72. Nicki Sorensen (DEN), CSC 0:39
73. Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP), Rabobank 0:39
74. Amets Txurruka (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:39
75. Gerald Ciolek (GER), Columbia at 0:42
76. Josep Jufre (ESP), Saunier Duval at 0:49
77. Julian Dean (NZL), at Garmin-Chipotle 0:52
78. Robbie McEwen (AUS), Silence-Lotto at 0:57
79. Steven De Jongh (NED), Quick Step 0:57
80. Robert Hunter (RSA), Barloworld at 0:59
81. Martijn Maaskant (NED), at 1:01
82. Stuart O’Grady (AUS), CSC 1:01
83. Florent Brard (FRA), Cofidis 1:01
84. Nicolas Jalabert (FRA), Agritubel 1:01
85. Manuel Quinziato (ITA), Liquigas at 1:12
86. Robert Forster (GER), Gerolsteiner 1:12
87. Geoffroy Lequatre (FRA), Agritubel 1:12
88. Christophe Brandt (BEL), Silence-Lotto 1:12
89. Ruben Perez (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 1:12
90. Sebastian Langeveld (NED), Rabobank 1:12
91. Martin MŸller (GER), Milram 1:12
92. Ralf Grabsch (GER), Milram 1:12
93. Matteo Tosatto (ITA), Quick Step 1:12
94. Jimmy Casper (FRA), Agritubel at 1:37
95. Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR), Columbia at 1:47
96. Mark Renshaw (AUS), Credit Agricole at 1:52
97. Stephane Goubert (FRA), Ag2r Prevoyance 1:52
98. Heinrich Haussler (GER), Gerolsteiner 1:52
99. Alessandro Ballan (ITA), Lampre at 1:58
100. Mark Cavendish (IDM), Columbia at 2:00
101. Inaki Isasi (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 2:00
102. Dario Cioni (ITA), Silence-Lotto 2:00
103. Frederik Willems (BEL), Liquigas 2:00
104. David Le Lay (FRA), Agritubel 2:00
105. Jesus Del Nero (ESP), Saunier Duval 2:00
106. Juan Jose Oroz (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi 2:00
107. Christophe Le Mevel (FRA), Credit Agricole 2:00
108. David Moncoutie (FRA), Cofidis 2:00
109. Volodymir Gustov (UKR), CSC 2:00
110. Sandy Casar (FRA), Francaise des Jeux 2:00
111. Ama‘l Moinard (FRA), Cofidis 2:00
112. Jose Luis Arrieta (ESP), Ag2r Prevoyance 2:00
113. Thomas Voeckler (FRA), Bouygues Telecom 2:00
114. Brett Lancaster (AUS), Milram 2:00
115. Marcus Burghardt (GER), Columbia 2:00
116. Remy Di Gregorio (FRA), Francaise des Jeux 2:00
117. Mario Aerts (BEL), Silence-Lotto 2:00
118. Angel Litu Gomez (ESP), Saunier Duval 2:00
119. Koos Moerenhout (NED), Rabobank 2:00
120. Nicolas Vogondy (FRA), Agritubel 2:00
121. Peter Velits (SVK), Milram 2:00
122. Will Frischkorn (USA), Garmin-Chipotle 2:00
123. Adam Hansen (AUS), Columbia 2:00
124. Sebastien Chavanel (FRA), Francaise des Jeux 2:00
125. Lilian Jegou (FRA), Francaise des Jeux 2:00
126. Joost Posthuma (NED), Rabobank 2:00
127. Bernhard Kohl (AUT), Gerolsteiner at 2:06
128. Felix Cardenas (COL), Barloworld at 2:08
129. Gert Steegmans (BEL), Quick Step at 2:37
130. Sebastien Rosseler (BEL), Quick Step 2:37
131. Mauro Facci (ITA), Quick Step at 2:48
132. Niki Terpstra (NED), Milram at 3:09
133. Matteo Bono (ITA), Lampre at 3:11
134. Sven Krauss (GER), Gerolsteiner 3:11
135. Daniele Righi (ITA), Lampre at 3:22
136. Jurgen Van de Walle (BEL), Quick Step at 3:42
137. Remi Pauriol (FRA), Credit Agricole 3:42
138. Danny Pate (USA), Garmin-Chipotle 3:42
139. Ronny Scholz (GER), Gerolsteiner at 3:59
140. Massimiliano Mori (ITA), Lampre at 4:10
141. Johann Tschopp (SUI), Bouygues Telecom 4:10
142. Sylvester Szmyd (POL), Lampre 4:10
143. Leif Hoste (BEL), Silence-Lotto at 4:16
144. Stef Clement (NED), Bouygues Telecom at 4:22
145. John Gadret (FRA), Ag2r Prevoyance 4:22
146. David De la Fuente (ESP), Saunier Duval at 4:30
147. Laurent Lefevre (FRA), Bouygues Telecom 4:30
148. Leonardo Piepoli (ITA), Saunier Duval 4:30
149. Hubert Dupont (FRA), Ag2r Prevoyance 4:30
150. Mathieu Sprick (FRA), Bouygues Telecom 4:30
151. Pierrick Fedrigo (FRA), Bouygues Telecom 4:30
152. Johan Van Summeren (BEL), Silence-Lotto 4:30
153. Bernhard Eisel (AUT), Columbia 4:30
154. Yoann Le Boulanger (FRA), Francaise des Jeux 4:30
155. Marco Marzano (ITA), Lampre 4:30
156. Vicente Garcia Acosta (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne 4:30
157. Kurt Asle Arvesen (NOR), CSC 4:30
158. Samuel Dumoulin (FRA), Cofidis 4:30
159. Jeremy Roy (FRA), Francaise des Jeux 4:30
160. Xavier Florencio (ESP), Bouygues Telecom 4:30
161. Nicolas Portal (FRA), Caisse d’Epargne 4:30
162. Arnaud Gerard (FRA), Francaise des Jeux at 4:34
163. Pieter Weening (NED), Rabobank at 4:36
164. Paolo Tiralongo (ITA), Lampre 4:36
165. Jimmy Engoulvent (FRA), Credit Agricole at 5:17
166. Bjorn Schroeder (GER), Milram at 5:27
167. Francesco Chicchi (ITA), Liquigas at 5:51
168. Christophe Riblon (FRA), Ag2r Prevoyance 5:51
169. Arnaud Coyot (FRA), Caisse d’Epargne at 5:53
170. Chris Froome (GBR), Barloworld at 6:34
171. Giampaolo Cheula (ITA), Barloworld 6:34
172. David Lopez (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne at 6:52
173. David Arroyo (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne 6:52
174. Magnus Backstedt (SWE), at 7:06
175. Aliaksandr Kuschynski (BLR), Liquigas at 7:26
176. Stephane Auge (FRA), Cofidis 7:26
177. Rubens Bertogliati (SUI), Saunier Duval at 8:07
178. Wim Vansevenant (BEL), Silence-Lotto at 9:01
179. Mauricio Soler (COL), Barloworld at 10:22
Points
1. Kim Kirchen (LUX), Columbia, 54pts
2. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne, 49
3. Thor Hushovd (NOR), Credit Agricole, 46
4. Oscar Freire (ESP), Rabobank, 36
5. Philippe Gilbert (BEL), Francaise des Jeux, 32
6. Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (ESP), Saunier Duval, 27
7. Jerome Pineau (FRA), Bouygues Telecom, 26
8. Erik Zabel (GER), Milram 26
9. Gerald Ciolek (GER), Columbia26
10. Robert Hunter (RSA), Barloworld 26
King of Mountains
1. Thomas Voeckler (FRA), Bouygues Telecom, 19pts
2. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA), Cofidis, 11
3. Bjoern Schroeder (GER), Milram, 9
4. David De la Fuente (ESP), Saunier Duval, 4
5. Lilian Jegou (FRA), Francaise des Jeux, 3
6. Christophe Moreau (FRA), Agritubel 3
7. Geoffroy Lequatre (FRA), Agritubel, 1
8. David Le Lay (FRA), Agritubel 1
9. David Arroyo (ESP), Caisse d’Epargne 1