Sylvain Chavanel's Tour diary - Chasing that elusive stage win

You probably saw that I attacked the peloton yesterday with eight kilometres to go, but I couldn't prevent a bunch sprint in the end. I waited for a long time to jump away - I didn't attack early at all, like the day beforehand. But again, I was out there on my own... Sometimes I ask myself whether I attack too fast or why is it that nobody ever follows me? Just joking!

But it's really hard to understand sometimes. You get these phenomenons like Liquigas pulling for Pozzato, even though he finished in like 20th position. Since the start of the race, they've been at it, chasing hard every day even though the guy never does anything! As Cavendish had already exploded on the climb, Columbia chased for Ciolek, but he didn't succeed in the sprint. So it was sort of frustrating darting for the line once more, and losing out again. I've been trying for a stage win three times now, and that is not counting the stage to Super Besse, which really was a mission impossible.