Ballan moves into Vuelta lead
Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) was close all season in races he was expected to win: third in Paris-Roubaix and second in Monte Paschi Eroica and GP Ouest France-Plouay. With the 63rd Vuelta a España’s tackling its first summit finish, everyone expected the Spanish mountain goats to take over -- and no one expected Ballan. But it was the classics head-banger who delivered the surprise victory through pouring rain and cold and snuck away with the leader’s jersey as an added bonus.
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By Andrew Hood
Photo: AFP
Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) was close all season in races he was expected to win: third in Paris-Roubaix and second in Monte Paschi Eroica and GP Ouest France-Plouay.
With the 63rd Vuelta a España’s tackling its first summit finish, everyone expected the Spanish mountain goats to take over — and no one expected Ballan.
But it was the classics head-banger who delivered the surprise victory through pouring rain and cold and snuck away with the leader’s jersey as an added bonus.
Photo:
“I really can’t believe I won the stage and have taken the jersey,” said Ballan, who leads a grand tour for the first time in his career. “I rode today’s stage thinking about preparation for the world championships. On the second climb, the legs felt agile and I started to ride harder, but I still didn’t believe I would be able to fend off the favorites.”
Starting the seventh stage 13th at 2:30 back, Ballan was part of a five-man breakaway that peeled away from a hesitant peloton in the four-climb, 232.2km march into Andorra.
Ballan hit the base of the final climb with a head start of more than six minutes on the main pack and climbed alone through rain and cold to win for the first time all season.
Photo: Graham Watson
The 28-year-old Italian made up for a season of close calls, winning the stage and taking the leader’s jersey as well as the best climber’s and combined jerseys.
“It wasn’t until the final three kilometers that I really believed it might be possible to win,” Ballan said. “Tomorrow is another hard day, so I cannot imagine I will be able to defend the jersey.”
Overnight leader Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) crossed the line 15th at 3:21 back and slipped to third at 1:21.
Favorites come alive
When Ballan dropped his fellow escapees for good on the second of two assaults up the Cat. 1 La Rabassa climb, the peloton seemed stuck in third gear.
The leaders were in no hurry to expend any unnecessary energy. It was easy to see why: Cold, rain, altitude, the Vuelta’s first of four summit finishes, a day after the first of two rest days and a winning breakaway all added up to a conservative pack.
The favorites finally turned up the heat in the final kilometers, with Alberto Contador (Astana) taking the initiative.
Carlos Sastre (CSC-Saxo Bank), Igor Antón (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Joaquin Rodriguez (Caisse d’Epargne) followed, with Levi Leipheimer (Astana) riding as the perfect teammate to mark the wheels.
Another sharp acceleration allowed Contador to finish third at 2:45 back and gap his chasers by five seconds, while Leipheimer trailed across fifth at 2:50 off the pace and moved into second place overall at 1:00 back.
“It’s not a lot of time, but the legs felt good and I wanted to try in the end,” Contador said. “No one moved until the end and then I tried something. It’s too bad that it was so cold and rainy today and that we couldn’t take something more out of this stage. The team rode great today.”
Photo: Graham Watson
Under-rated climber Ezequiel Mosquera (Xacobeo-Galicia) counter-punched his way to second in the stage at 2:42 back and slotted into eighth overall at 2:59 back.
“We had no idea what was happening in the stage. I didn’t know if I was going to win, if the break was caught, if I was going to take the jersey. We were completely lost in the fog,” Mosquera said. “But I went for it and I feel good. There are still a lot of days and there are some hard stages ahead of us, so we have no idea what’s going to happen in this race.”
Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) suffered what he described as a “terrible bonk” on the final climb, crossing the line 19th at 3:40 back and forfeiting 55 seconds to Contador.
“It was cold, altitude and raining, this is why I am arriving with the bonk,” said Valverde, who dipped behind Contador to fifth at 2:06 back. “I could tell I wasn’t going good. Considering how bad I felt, things didn’t go so bad. Hopefully I will be better tomorrow.”
Steady rain and cold made the Vuelta’s first of four summit finishes a miserable day at the office as the race entered its second week of racing.
With the breakaway building up a gap of more than 10 minutes at the first of two climbs up the Rabassa, the main pack seemed reluctant to break the cease-fire.
It wasn’t until the second and final hump that things started to liven up in the main pack.
Photo: Graham Watson
With Ballan soloing toward victory, riders started to go away in flaring attacks, including Amets Txurruka (Euskaltel-Euskadi), David Arroyo (Caisse d’Epargne) and Paolo Bettini (Quick Step), but the favorites were watching each other until the final kilometers.
Sastre didn’t seem to be enjoying himself, yet dug deep as he always does and only lost five seconds to Contador. The 2008 Tour de France champ settled into sixth at 2:27 back.
Early breakaway
Some 45 riders from five teams – CSC, Ag2r, Caisse d’Epargne, Silence-Lotto and Gerolsteiner – got dragged out of bed early as the UCI “vampires” swooped down for pre-stage blood screenings. None was deemed “inapt.”
Carlos Barredo (Quick Step) was forced out after breaking a scaphoid bone in his right arm during a crash in Wednesday’s time trial. He left the Vuelta with his arm cast in plaster and will be sidelined for two weeks, an injury that also torpedoes his hopes of racing the world championships.
Just like about every day on the Vuelta, it didn’t take long for the attacks to come and the day’s main break to be set.
The flag barely dropped before Ballan went on the march. Marking his wheel were Xavier Zandio (Caisse d’Epargne), Iñigo Landaluze (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Gianni Meersman (FDJeux) and Marc De Maar (Rabobank).
“I just wanted to get in a good, hard day and luckily I made it into the right breakway,” Ballan said. “I never thought about winning the stage. I thought with such hard mountains and the favorites ready to attack that we didn’t stand a chance.”
At the base of the day’s first obstacle – the Cat. 2 Puerto de Montlobar at 64km – the gap grew to eight minutes and things started to look a little different. Cofidis put a few men on the front, but no one was really willing to bury themselves for the chase through steady rainfall and plummeting temperatures that dipped into the low 50s.
With less than 45km to go, the leading quartet hit the base of the first run up the Rabassa nursing a 10-minute lead.
Zandio got dropped early and Landaluze dangled 18 seconds off the back while the three leaders hit the top 6:26 ahead of the dwindling peloton.
Landaluze rejoined and attacked, but it was Ballan who surged away on the final rise up Rabassa to pull off the great escape.
Photo:
Sunday’s stage
The 63rd Vuelta continues with the 151km, eighth stage from Andorra to Pla de Beret high in the Spanish Pyrénées.
The route hits the Cat. 1 Coll de Cantó at 41km and a second-category climb at 68km as the course pushes west across the valleys. The course pushes north and climbs the Cat. 1 Puerto de la Bonaigua (19.7km at 5.6 percent) at 132.7km. It’s a fast descent to the base of the Cat. 1 climb up the Alto Pla de Beret (6.2km at 6.4 percent).
The finish line flattens out in the final 2km and typically comes down to a small bunch sprint — if there’s still a small bunch left, that is.
Pla de Beret has been featured three times in the Vuelta. Jon Unzaga, Alex Zulle and Joaquím Rodríguez were winners in 1992, 1995 and 2003, respectively.
It will be interesting to see what kind of impact Saturday’s long stage of 232km and more than six hours of cold and rain will have on the peloton.
63rd Vuelta a España
? Stage 7: Barbastro to Andorra (Naturlandia-La Rabassa), 223.2km
? Winner: Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) won out of a five-man breakaway for the first time this season
? Leader: Ballan takes a 1:00 lead over Levi Leipheimer (Astana), overnight leader Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) fell to third at 1:21 back
? Points: Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) retained the lead with Ballan slotting into second
? KoM: Ballan takes the jersey away from Jesús Rosendo Prado (Andalucía-CajaSur), who wore since the second stage.
? Combined: Ballan leads ahead of Leipheimer
? Team: Astana stayed atop the team GC
? Peloton: Carlos Barredo (Quick Step), Nicolay Trusov (Tinkoff) didn’t start, Stef Clement (Bouygues Telecom) and Volodymyr Diudia (Milram) abandoned, 162 riders remain
Photo Gallery
Results
Stage 7 | Overall | Points | K.O.M.
Results, Stage 7
1. Alessandro Ballan, (ITA) Lampre in 6:15:51
2. Ezequiel Mosquera, (ESP) at 2:42
3. Alberto Contador, (ESP) Astana at 2:45
4. Joaquín RodrÍguez Oliver, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 2:50
5. Levi Leipheimer, (USA) Astana at 2:50
6. Igor Anton, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 2:50
7. Carlos Sastre, (ESP) CSC at 2:50
8. Daniel Moreno FernÁndez, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 3:03
9. Marzio Bruseghin, (ITA) Lampre at 3:11
10. Davide Rebellin, (ITA) Gerolsteiner at 3:11
11. Robert Gesink, (NED) Rabobank at 3:11
12. Jurgen Van Goolen, (BEL) CSC at 3:15
13. Oliver Zaugg, (SUI) Gerolsteiner at 3:15
14. Mauricio Ardila, (COL) Rabobank at 3:21
15. Sylvain Chavanel, (FRA) Cofidis at 3:21
16. Javier Moreno BazÁn, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 3:39
17. Iñigo Cuesta, (ESP) CSC at 3:39
18. Alberto Losada, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 3:40
19. Alejandro Valverde, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 3:40
20. Dominique Cornu, (BEL) Silence-Lotto at 3:46
21. Egoi MartÍnez, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 3:48
22. Gustavo CÉsar Veloso, (ESP) at 3:58
23. Andreas KlÖden, (GER) Astana at 4:13
24. Marc De Maar, (NED) Rabobank at 4:18
25. David Arroyo, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 4:20
26. Damiano Cunego, (ITA) Lampre at 4:20
27. Matti Breschel, (DEN) CSC at 5:33
28. Martin Velits, (SVK) Milram at 6:37
29. Ivan Rovny, (RUS) Tinkoff at 7:33
30. Manuel Garate, Juan (ESP) Quick Step at 7:40
31. Marco Marzano, (ITA) Lampre at 7:41
32. Matthew Lloyd, (AUS) Silence-Lotto at 7:41
33. J.antoni Carrasco RamÍrez, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 7:41
34. Dmitry Kozontchuk, (RUS) Rabobank at 7:44
35. Luis Pasamontes, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 7:44
36. Nicolas Roche, (IRL) Credit Agricole at 7:44
37. Luis Rubiera, José (ESP) Astana at 8:29
38. John Gadret, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale at 9:02
39. David GarcÍa Dapena, (ESP) at 9:25
40. Amets Txurruka, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 9:37
41. Vasili Kiryienka, (BLR) Tinkoff at 9:40
42. Roy Sentjens, (BEL) Silence-Lotto at 9:57
43. Gianni Meersman, (BEL) Francaise des Jeux at 9:59
44. Sandy Casar, (FRA) Francaise des Jeux at 9:59
45. Carlos CastaÑo, (ESP) at 9:59
46. Iñigo Landaluze, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 9:59
47. Paolo Bettini, (ITA) Quick Step at 10:30
48. Paolo Tiralongo, (ITA) Lampre at 10:45
49. Rinaldo Nocentini, (ITA) Ag2r La Mondiale at 10:45
50. Xavier Florencio, (ESP) Bouygues Telecom at 10:46
51. David Moncoutie, (FRA) Cofidis at 10:46
52. Sergio Paulinho, (POR) Astana at 11:25
53. Iban Mayoz, (ESP) at 11:52
54. Yannick Talabardon, (FRA) Credit Agricole at 12:07
55. José Luis Carrasco GÁmiz, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 12:36
56. Hubert Dupont, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale at 12:36
57. Theo Eltink, (NED) Rabobank at 12:36
58. Evgeni Petrov, (RUS) Tinkoff at 14:15
59. Yaroslav Popovych, (UKR) Silence-Lotto at 16:07
60. Andriy Grivko, (UKR) Milram at 16:07
61. Nikita Eskov, (RUS) Tinkoff at 16:07
62. Alessandro Vanotti, (ITA) Liquigas at 16:07
63. Volodymir Gustov, (UKR) CSC at 16:07
64. Patrice Halgand, (FRA) Credit Agricole at 16:15
65. Mikel Astarloza, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 17:12
66. Rubén PÉrez Moreno, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 17:12
67. Ivan Velasco, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 17:12
68. Sébastien Joly, (FRA) Francaise des Jeux at 17:12
69. Eduard Vorganov, (RUS) at 18:35
70. Benjamín Noval, (ESP) Astana at 18:35
71. David Herrero, (ESP) at 18:35
72. Jesús Rosendo Prado, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 18:35
73. Grischa Niermann, (GER) Rabobank at 18:35
74. Alexandr Kolobnev, (RUS) CSC at 18:35
75. Michael Blaudzun, (DEN) CSC at 18:35
76. Maarten Tjallingii, (NED) Silence-Lotto at 18:35
77. Gustavo DomÍnguez Lemos, (ESP) at 18:35
78. Sébastien Hinault, (FRA) Credit Agricole at 18:35
79. Óscar Freire, (ESP) Rabobank at 18:38
80. Karsten Kroon, (NED) CSC at 18:38
81. Andrea Tonti, (ITA) Quick Step at 18:38
82. Heinrich Haussler, (GER) Gerolsteiner at 18:38
83. Gabriel Rasch, (NOR) Credit Agricole at 18:38
84. Olivier Bonnaire, (FRA) Bouygues Telecom at 18:38
85. Vincent Jerome, (FRA) Bouygues Telecom at 19:22
86. Fco. José Martinez PÉrez, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 19:44
87. Xabier Zandio, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 20:42
88. Luis Arrieta, José (ESP) Ag2r La Mondiale at 22:48
89. Pieter Jacobs, (BEL) Silence-Lotto at 22:56
90. Tom Stamsnijder, (NED) Gerolsteiner at 22:56
91. José Ruiz SÁnchez, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 24:28
92. Manuel Ortega, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 24:48
93. Julien Loubet, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale at 24:49
94. Mathias Frank, (SUI) Gerolsteiner at 29:40
95. Olivier Kaisen, (BEL) Silence-Lotto at 29:55
96. Sebastian Lang, (GER) Gerolsteiner at 29:55
97. Wouter Weylandt, (BEL) Quick Step at 29:55
98. Filippo Pozzato, (ITA) Liquigas at 29:55
99. Matteo Tosatto, (ITA) Quick Step at 29:55
100. Erik Zabel, (GER) Milram at 29:55
101. Stefan Schumacher, (GER) Gerolsteiner at 29:55
102. Manuel Quinziato, (ITA) Liquigas at 29:55
103. Fabio Sabatini, (ITA) Milram at 29:55
104. Serafín MartÍnez Acevedo, (ESP) at 29:55
105. Enrico Franzoi, (ITA) Liquigas at 29:55
106. Alan PÉrez, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 29:55
107. Cyril Lemoine, (FRA) Credit Agricole at 29:55
108. Massimiliano Mori, (ITA) Lampre at 29:55
109. Stephan Schreck, (GER) Gerolsteiner at 29:55
110. Matthieu Ladagnous, (FRA) Francaise des Jeux at 29:55
111. Emanuele Bindi, (ITA) Lampre at 29:55
112. Mickael Delage, (FRA) Francaise des Jeux at 29:55
113. Juan Javier Estrada Ruiz, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 29:55
114. Fernando Pedraza, Walter (COL) Tinkoff at 29:55
115. Lloyd Mondory, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale at 29:55
116. Alexandre Pichot, (FRA) Bouygues Telecom at 29:55
117. Antonio Flecha, Juan (ESP) Rabobank at 29:55
118. Philippe Gilbert, (BEL) Francaise des Jeux at 29:55
119. Mikhail Ignatiev, (RUS) Tinkoff at 29:55
120. Anthony Geslin, (FRA) Bouygues Telecom at 29:55
121. Larrea, Koldo Fdez De (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 29:55
122. Arnaud Labbe, (FRA) Bouygues Telecom at 29:55
123. Renaud Dion, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale at 29:55
124. Pedro Horrillo, (ESP) Rabobank at 29:55
125. Tomas Vaitkus, (LTU) Astana at 29:55
126. Leonardo Duque, (COL) Cofidis at 29:55
127. Christian Kux, (GER) Milram at 29:55
128. José Haedo, Juan (ARG) CSC at 29:55
129. Imanol Erviti, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 29:55
130. Valerio Agnoli, (ITA) Liquigas at 29:55
131. Bingen FernÁndez, (ESP) Cofidis at 29:55
132. Sébastien Minard, (FRA) Cofidis at 29:55
133. Matej Jurco, (SVK) Milram at 29:55
134. Davide Vigano, (ITA) Quick Step at 29:55
135. Ivan Santaromita, (ITA) Liquigas at 29:55
136. Gorazd Stangelj, (SLO) Liquigas at 29:55
137. Jelle Vanendert, (BEL) Francaise des Jeux at 29:55
138. Dimitri Champion, (FRA) Bouygues Telecom at 29:55
139. Oscar Gatto, (ITA) Gerolsteiner at 29:55
140. Rémy Di Gregorio, (FRA) Francaise des Jeux at 29:55
141. J. Vicente GarcÍa Acosta, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 29:55
142. Daniele Bennati, (ITA) Liquigas at 29:55
143. Claudio Corioni, (ITA) Liquigas at 29:55
144. Pavel Brutt, (RUS) Tinkoff at 29:55
145. Tom Boonen, (BEL) Quick Step at 29:55
146. J. Antonio LÓpez Gil, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 29:55
147. Sebastian Schwager, (GER) Milram at 29:55
148. Artur Gajek, (GER) Milram at 29:55
149. Kevin De Weert, (BEL) Cofidis at 29:55
150. Nick Nuyens, (BEL) Cofidis at 29:55
151. Francis Mourey, (FRA) Francaise des Jeux at 29:55
152. Bart Dockx, (BEL) Silence-Lotto at 29:55
153. Christophe Kern, (FRA) Credit Agricole at 29:55
154. Stéphane Poulhies, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale at 29:55
155. Greg Van Avermaet, (BEL) Silence-Lotto at 29:55
156. Alexandre Usov, (BLR) Ag2r La Mondiale at 29:55
157. Marc Marino, Jean (FRA) Credit Agricole at 29:55
158. Jeremy Hunt, (GBR) Credit Agricole at 30:07
159. Kevin Van Impe, (BEL) Quick Step at 30:08
160. Dmitriy Muravyev, (KAZ) Astana at 30:08
161. Assan Bazayev, (KAZ) Astana at 30:10
Overall, after Stage 7
1. Alessandro Ballan, (ITA) Lampre in 23:53:26
2. Levi Leipheimer, (USA) Astana at 1:00
3. Sylvain Chavanel, (FRA) Cofidis at 1:21
4. Alberto Contador, (ESP) Astana at 1:34
5. Alejandro Valverde, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 2:06
6. Carlos Sastre, (ESP) CSC at 2:27
7. Jurgen Van Goolen, (BEL) CSC at 2:59
8. Ezequiel Mosquera, (ESP) at 2:59
9. Igor Anton, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 3:17
10. Daniel Moreno FernÁndez, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 3:23
11. Marzio Bruseghin, (ITA) Lampre at 3:51
12. Robert Gesink, (NED) Rabobank at 3:51
13. Dominique Cornu, (BEL) Silence-Lotto at 3:52
14. Davide Rebellin, (ITA) Gerolsteiner at 3:54
15. Joaquín RodrÍguez Oliver, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 5:03
16. Gustavo CÉsar Veloso, (ESP) at 5:04
17. David Arroyo, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 5:24
18. Egoi MartÍnez, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 5:25
19. Iñigo Cuesta, (ESP) CSC at 5:40
20. Alberto Losada, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 6:35
21. Mauricio Ardila, (COL) Rabobank at 6:41
22. Oliver Zaugg, (SUI) Gerolsteiner at 7:11
23. Andreas KlÖden, (GER) Astana at 7:40
24. Damiano Cunego, (ITA) Lampre at 8:24
25. Manuel Garate, Juan (ESP) Quick Step at 9:01
26. Nicolas Roche, (IRL) Credit Agricole at 9:10
27. Javier Moreno BazÁn, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 9:28
28. Luis Pasamontes, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 9:39
29. Dmitry Kozontchuk, (RUS) Rabobank at 10:02
30. Luis Rubiera, José (ESP) Astana at 10:21
31. Vasili Kiryienka, (BLR) Tinkoff at 10:23
32. David GarcÍa Dapena, (ESP) at 10:42
33. Sandy Casar, (FRA) Francaise des Jeux at 11:05
34. Ivan Rovny, (RUS) Tinkoff at 11:35
35. Rinaldo Nocentini, (ITA) Ag2r La Mondiale at 11:46
36. Matthew Lloyd, (AUS) Silence-Lotto at 11:52
37. David Moncoutie, (FRA) Cofidis at 12:48
38. Marco Marzano, (ITA) Lampre at 12:50
39. Paolo Bettini, (ITA) Quick Step at 13:19
40. Xavier Florencio, (ESP) Bouygues Telecom at 13:41
41. John Gadret, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale at 13:53
42. Marc De Maar, (NED) Rabobank at 14:42
43. Evgeni Petrov, (RUS) Tinkoff at 15:08
44. Paolo Tiralongo, (ITA) Lampre at 16:06
45. Carlos CastaÑo, (ESP) at 16:20
46. Hubert Dupont, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale at 16:35
47. Andriy Grivko, (UKR) Milram at 16:44
48. Roy Sentjens, (BEL) Silence-Lotto at 16:54
49. Nikita Eskov, (RUS) Tinkoff at 17:05
50. Yaroslav Popovych, (UKR) Silence-Lotto at 17:11
51. Sergio Paulinho, (POR) Astana at 17:31
52. Iñigo Landaluze, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 17:40
53. Mikel Astarloza, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 18:06
54. J.antonio Carrasco RamÍrez, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 18:24
55. Matti Breschel, (DEN) CSC at 18:27
56. Grischa Niermann, (GER) Rabobank at 19:14
57. Yannick Talabardon, (FRA) Credit Agricole at 19:21
58. Volodymir Gustov, (UKR) CSC at 19:21
59. Alexandr Kolobnev, (RUS) CSC at 19:37
60. Amets Txurruka, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 20:13
61. Maarten Tjallingii, (NED) Silence-Lotto at 20:56
62. Patrice Halgand, (FRA) Credit Agricole at 21:15
63. David Herrero, (ESP) at 21:28
64. Gustavo DomÍnguez Lemos, (ESP) at 21:36
65. Benjamín Noval, (ESP) Astana at 21:42
66. Eduard Vorganov, (RUS) at 22:08
67. Iban Mayoz, (ESP) at 22:20
68. Óscar Freire, (ESP) Rabobank at 22:32
69. Martin Velits, (SVK) Milram at 22:39
70. Vincent Jerome, (FRA) Bouygues Telecom at 22:44
71. Karsten Kroon, (NED) CSC at 23:10
72. Ivan Velasco, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 23:57
73. Sébastien Hinault, (FRA) Credit Agricole at 24:59
74. Andrea Tonti, (ITA) Quick Step at 24:59
75. Xabier Zandio, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 25:09
76. Gabriel Rasch, (NOR) Credit Agricole at 25:27
77. Sébastien Joly, (FRA) Francaise des Jeux at 25:32
78. Theo Eltink, (NED) Rabobank at 25:35
79. José Luis Carrasco GÁmiz, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 26:01
80. Olivier Bonnaire, (FRA) Bouygues Telecom at 26:06
81. Rubén PÉrez Moreno, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 26:24
82. Gianni Meersman, (BEL) Francaise des Jeux at 26:27
83. Alessandro Vanotti, (ITA) Liquigas at 27:21
84. Julien Loubet, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale at 27:59
85. Tom Stamsnijder, (NED) Gerolsteiner at 28:40
86. Heinrich Haussler, (GER) Gerolsteiner at 29:01
87. Daniele Bennati, (ITA) Liquigas at 29:37
88. Luis Arrieta, José (ESP) Ag2r La Mondiale at 29:43
89. Antonio Flecha, Juan (ESP) Rabobank at 29:56
90. Michael Blaudzun, (DEN) CSC at 29:57
91. Erik Zabel, (GER) Milram at 30:30
92. José Ruiz SÁnchez, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 30:31
93. Pieter Jacobs, (BEL) Silence-Lotto at 31:02
94. Manuel Ortega, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 32:02
95. Greg Van Avermaet, (BEL) Silence-Lotto at 32:34
96. Tom Boonen, (BEL) Quick Step at 32:38
97. Filippo Pozzato, (ITA) Liquigas at 33:03
98. Stefan Schumacher, (GER) Gerolsteiner at 33:55
99. Larrea, Koldo Fdez De (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 35:09
100. Philippe Gilbert, (BEL) Francaise des Jeux at 35:48
101. Alan PÉrez, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 35:57
102. Matteo Tosatto, (ITA) Quick Step at 36:47
103. Sébastien Minard, (FRA) Cofidis at 37:40
104. Kevin De Weert, (BEL) Cofidis at 37:46
105. Serafín MartÍnez Acevedo, (ESP) at 38:31
106. Leonardo Duque, (COL) Cofidis at 38:32
107. Anthony Geslin, (FRA) Bouygues Telecom at 39:57
108. Matej Jurco, (SVK) Milram at 40:49
109. Bingen FernÁndez, (ESP) Cofidis at 41:03
110. Nick Nuyens, (BEL) Cofidis at 41:11
111. Renaud Dion, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale at 41:19
112. Imanol Erviti, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 41:37
113. Lloyd Mondory, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale at 42:26
114. Davide Vigano, (ITA) Quick Step at 42:29
115. Fernando Pedraza, Walter (COL) Tinkoff at 42:44
116. Christian Kux, (GER) Milram at 43:12
117. Manuel Quinziato, (ITA) Liquigas at 43:21
118. Sebastian Lang, (GER) Gerolsteiner at 43:41
119. Francis Mourey, (FRA) Francaise des Jeux at 43:59
120. Matthieu Ladagnous, (FRA) Francaise des Jeux at 44:48
121. Claudio Corioni, (ITA) Liquigas at 45:01
122. Jesús Rosendo Prado, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 45:34
123. Rémy Di Gregorio, (FRA) Francaise des Jeux at 46:21
124. Valerio Agnoli, (ITA) Liquigas at 46:23
125. Alexandre Pichot, (FRA) Bouygues Telecom at 46:25
126. Tomas Vaitkus, (LTU) Astana at 47:00
127. Stephan Schreck, (GER) Gerolsteiner at 47:23
128. Arnaud Labbe, (FRA) Bouygues Telecom at 47:29
129. Olivier Kaisen, (BEL) Silence-Lotto at 48:06
130. Jeremy Hunt, (GBR) Credit Agricole at 48:31
131. Fco. José Martinez PÉrez, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 49:51
132. Mickael Delage, (FRA) Francaise des Jeux at 50:13
133. Dimitri Champion, (FRA) Bouygues Telecom at 50:32
134. Pedro Horrillo, (ESP) Rabobank at 50:36
135. J. Vicente GarcÍa Acosta, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne at 50:41
136. Mathias Frank, (SUI) Gerolsteiner at 50:47
137. Bart Dockx, (BEL) Silence-Lotto at 51:05
138. Alexandre Usov, (BLR) Ag2r La Mondiale at 52:12
139. Jelle Vanendert, (BEL) Francaise des Jeux at 52:41
140. Sebastian Schwager, (GER) Milram at 53:08
141. Fabio Sabatini, (ITA) Milram at 54:25
142. Pavel Brutt, (RUS) Tinkoff at 54:27
143. Enrico Franzoi, (ITA) Liquigas at 54:41
144. Massimiliano Mori, (ITA) Lampre at 54:47
145. Stéphane Poulhies, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale at 55:09
146. Assan Bazayev, (KAZ) Astana at 55:29
147. José Haedo, Juan (ARG) CSC at 56:05
148. Marc Marino, Jean (FRA) Credit Agricole at 56:23
149. Juan Javier Estrada Ruiz, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 56:41
150. Christophe Kern, (FRA) Credit Agricole at 57:05
151. Gorazd Stangelj, (SLO) Liquigas at 57:59
152. Wouter Weylandt, (BEL) Quick Step at 58:15
153. Emanuele Bindi, (ITA) Lampre at 58:46
154. Cyril Lemoine, (FRA) Credit Agricole at 59:19
155. J. Antonio LÓpez Gil, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur at 59:21
156. Kevin Van Impe, (BEL) Quick Step at 59:38
157. Mikhail Ignatiev, (RUS) Tinkoff at 1:00:55
158. Dmitriy Muravyev, (KAZ) Astana at 1:01:19
159. Artur Gajek, (GER) Milram at 1:02:45
160. Oscar Gatto, (ITA) Gerolsteiner at 1:04:09
161. Ivan Santaromita, (ITA) Liquigas at 1:05:09
Points, after stage 7
1. Daniele Bennati, (ITA) Liquigas 63 points
2. Alessandro Ballan, (ITA) Lampre 56 points
3. Alejandro Valverde, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne 54 points
4. Tom Boonen, (BEL) Quick Step 48 points
5. Greg Van Avermaet, (BEL) Silence-Lotto 42 points
6. Levi Leipheimer, (USA) Astana 37 points
7. Erik Zabel, (GER) Milram 37 points
8. Davide Rebellin, (ITA) Gerolsteiner 36 points
9. Sylvain Chavanel, (FRA) Cofidis 35 points
10. Paolo Bettini, (ITA) Quick Step 33 points
King of the Mountains, after stage 7
1. Alessandro Ballan, (ITA) Lampre 51 points
2. Marc De Maar, (NED) Rabobank 27 points
3. Ezequiel Mosquera, (ESP) 25 points
4. Iñigo Landaluze, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi 22 points
5. Alberto Contador, (ESP) Astana 20 points
6. Jesús Rosendo Prado, (ESP) Andalucia-Cajasur 17 points
7. Joaquín RodrÍguez Oliver, (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne 16 points
8. Levi Leipheimer, (USA) Astana 13 points
9. Gianni Meersman, (BEL) Francaise des Jeux 13 points
10. Igor Anton, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi 10 points