Daring double act proves Schleck's class

It was the second-to-last chance for the pure climbers to make their bid for overall victory. And being as such, everybody knew the prodigious Schleck brothers of Saxo Bank would attack on Wednesday's five-climb, 169.5-kilometre stage to Le Grand-Bornand.

"Bjarne Riis came up with a plan this morning. Fränk had no personal goals and he was there to help me," said Andy Schleck.

"We knew what we wanted with this stage, which was planned before the Tour even began," said Riis. "The plan was quite clear and simple: we were willing to put everything on the line and to explode the peloton."

Almost all who knew this also predicted they would force a move on the penultimate climb of the 8.8-kilometre-long Col de Romme. Together with the closely-linked 7.5-km Col de la Colombière, its summit just 15 fast kilometres from the finish, they created a virtual hors-catégorie climb of its own.

But apart from the maillot jaune of Alberto Contador, who was simply unflappable all day, there was not a thing their rivals could do.

And while its profile closely resembled the seventeenth stage of the 2004 Tour de France that also finished in Le Grand-Bornand, the outcome was completely different.

In 2004, Lance Armstrong - then riding for the US Postal team - won a stage he didn't need to en route to overall victory. Afterwards, he said after 'giving' away chances in the past with those favours rarely coming back to help him, the Texan decided it was now a case of "no more gifts". At the time, five-time Tour champion Bernard Hinault commended Armstrong, telling him it was the "perfect" thing to do.

But Wednesday in the same French alpine village nestled at the foot of the Aravis mountain range, Contador didn't even try to break free of the Schlecks. Despite possessing a sprint-finish not worth writing a word about, that's exactly what the maillot jaune waited for, his faux-lunge twenty metres from the line making it fairly obvious a gentleman's agreement had taken place for the elder Schleck to claim the stage - which Fränk took with open arms.

"It was very special and I want to give special thanks to Andy. I will help him get on the podium in Paris," Fränk Schleck said, who finished on the same time as second-placed Contador and his brother Andy, the stage run at a 34.604 km/h average.

Contador's 'gift' the best thing for him

What's also obvious is that Contador and Armstrong, teammates they may be, are completely different persons. And it just may be - even though he's not saying so - that Contador is supremely confident about taking his second Tour de France, now just four days from Paris. So confident that so long as he wins the major prize, he doesn't need to win - or care about winning - stages, and being non-confrontational, the Spaniard doesn't wish to engage in any potential conflict with Saxo Bank.

"Both the Schleck brothers were very strong, Andy as much as Fränk," said Contador. "I'd spoken about attacking them on the Colombière with Johan Bruyneel - the goal was to gain minutes. I'd also spoken with Andréas Klöden on the climb, and he told me to go for it.

"I thought I could go alone but the brothers managed to come back, so from there on, I decided to stay on their wheels. The Schlecks asked me to collaborate; I said no, because I had teammates behind. I knew the Schleck brothers would attack all the way to the finish, so I focused on staying with them and staying fresh for the time trial."

Astana DS Johan Bruyneel had a different recollection of events: "The attack from Contador, three k' from the top [of the Colombière], that was not really... I had advised not to go. He did not need to go, he did not need to attack."

Regardless, by consequence of the Schleck spectacular in the mountains, previous second and third on the classement générale - Armstrong (Astana) and Bradley Wiggins (Garmin-Slipstream) - were bumped to fourth and sixth and replaced by Andy and Fränk Schleck, 2:26 and 3:25 behind Contador, respectively. And at a minimum, Saxo Bank intends to keep Andy in second.

"It is a bike race: we saw in Paris-Nice that even a big champion like Contador can have a bad day and lose time. It is going to be hard to beat him, he is very strong. But he is human being and we are just waiting for him to make a mistake; if he has a mistake, we will be there," Fränk Schleck said.

Don't rule out Nibali, Armstrong, Klöden & Wiggo

It's not like Armstrong and Wiggins rode poorly, the Anglophone pair part of a chase group of four that formed on the Col de Romme along with Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) and Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream). In the end, only Nibali and the American managed to finish together, 2:18 behind the lead trio to take fourth and fifth, with a third Astana-ite, Andréas Klöden, nine seconds in arrears. Garmin's GC pairing of Wiggins and Vande Velde would finish 3:07 and 4:09 behind Contador in seventh and ninth, respectively.

Asked if he was happy with his day, Armstrong responded: "Yes and no. I tried to be conservative on the Col de Romme. I did not go with those initial attacks, and then I got kind of stuck behind. Once you are 30 seconds back there is nothing you can do; you got to just sit on.

"I was a little concerned with Bradley Wiggins and the TT, so in the last kilometre over Colombière I decided to jump away," he said, the American all-star 30 seconds behind Fränk Schleck in fourth place on the overall standings. His teammate Klöden is fifth, a further 49 seconds behind the seven-time Tour champion.

Thursday's 40.5-kilometre time trial around Lake Annecy may switch things around a little at the top. However, it's a course that favours riders strong at the end of a three-week race rather than specialists against the clock, and the gaps shouldn't be too significant at the top of the leader board. Far more noteworthy will be Saturday's penultimate leg to Mont Ventoux, the Giant of Provence.

"On Ventoux, people will be more tired. The advantage is that we recover well and if the climb is steeper, it is better for us. We saw that today and Ventoux we will be up there," Andy Schleck said.

"I think Lance and Andréas can catch up with the Schleck brothers [on the overall standings]," said Contador.

"It would be nice to get on the podium," said Armstrong. "I will go as hard as I can [in the Annecy time trial] and go up Ventoux as fast as I can."

Remember Stage 17 of the 2004 and '06 Tours? This ain't so different.

Arguably the hardest stage of the race simply because of the number of high-rating climbs within the relatively short space of 169.5 kilometres, the seventeenth stage began just before half-past midday from the previous day's finish in Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Situated in the foothills of the legendary Cols de l'Iseran, du Peit-Saint-Bernard and du Cormet de Roseland, the mountainous surroundings gave good indication of what lay ahead, the parcours not dissimilar to Stage 17 of the 2004 and 2006 Tours de France, where in the latter, a rampaging Floyd Landis turned Le Tour inside out and upside down - quite literally.

Straight away on the Cormet de Roselend, it was a jumpy peloton, a group of 10 gaining clearance two-thirds of the way on the 18.1-km climb and containing a few expected - and unexpected - suspects; perhaps the strangest being Denis Menchov (Rabobank), who appears to be persona non grata at Le Tour.

Between the lead 10 and the peloton were a trio of chasers, although they didn't quite manage to bridge before the climb topped out at 1,968 metres, polka-dotted Pellizotti once again first over the top. Down to Beaufort (km. 38) a few more came across to the front group, numbering a sizeable 22 before one of those escapees, points leader Thor Hushovd (Cérvelo TestTeam), went on a solo expedition in a search for the two intermediate sprints on offer; the first still some way off at Paz-sur-Arly (km 75.5). The other 21 names were: Menchov, Sandy Casar (Française des Jeux), Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas), Dave Zabriskie (Garmin-Slipstream), Jurgen Van den Broeck (Silence-Lotto), Ruben Perez, Egoi Martinez, Amets Txurruka, Gorka Verdugo (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Rigoberto Uran (Caisse d'Epargne), Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step), Remi Pauriol and Christophe Kern (Cofidis), Geoffroy Lequatre (Agritubel), Maxime Monfort (Columbia-HTC), Marzio Bruseghin (Lampre NGC), Pierre Rolland, Thomas Voeckler (BBox Bouygues Telecom), Jose Luis Arrieta (AG2R La Mondiale), George Hincapie (Columbia-HTC), and Linus Gerdemann (Milram).

All roads lead to Romme

At the base of the 8.8-km Col de Romme, that together with the closely-linked 7.5-km Col de la Colombière creates a hors-catégorie climb of its own, Carlos Sastre (Cérvelo TestTeam) was first to go with Sylvain Calzati (Agritubel).

That break was short-lived, however, becoming the precursor to a far more dangerous move when Andy Schleck fired off for the second day running, his second big dig five kilometres from the Romme's 1,297-metre summit shedding all bar Contador and Klöden, his brother Fränk later rejoining the lead group. Behind was an equally select quartet containing Armstrong, Wiggins, Vande Velde and Nibali who trailed by 1:11 at the crest, 29 kilometres from Le Grand-Bornand.

The two quartets hit the base of the Colombière 1:20 apart, Fränk Schleck pacing the Contador group and Vande Velde the Armstrong bunch, with a chase group of 13 3:28 in arrears. Apart from Vande Velde being dropped, nothing much happened till 16.7 kilometres from the finish when Contador took a flyer and dropped his companions. Though a short while later, he sat up and allowed the brothers Schleck to join him but not Klöden, who went over the 1,618-metre climb 25 seconds down on the new lead trio, with Fränk in first place.

"When Alberto attacks it is better to take your time at first," said Andy Schleck. "We came back step-by-step to him, but he showed that he had great legs today. We showed strength in front, it was not an easy stage, but we just had to focus on myself, because without being arrogant I think I am the best climber out there."

It was then Armstrong who turned the screws and left behind Wiggins and Nibali, cresting the Colombière 2:06 behind the Schlecks and Contador. The American seemed intent on catching Klöden on the high-speed descent but was in fact caught by demonic descender Nibali, who together, managed to nip at the German's heels just few kilometres from home.

A pat on Fränk Schleck's bum by Contador may be construed as a job well done. But it was not just that: it was a sign he was conceding the stage victory, a half-hearted effort by the maillot jaune granting Fränk his second Tour stage after his 2006 triumph atop L'Alpe d'Huez. Nibali led Armstrong over the line 2:18 later, with Klöden a further nine seconds back. Wiggins, Christophe Moreau (Agritubel), Vande Velde and Rémi Pauriol (Cofidis) would complete Wednesday's first 10 places.

For images of stage 17 click here

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Full Results
1Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank4:53:54
2Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) AstanaRow 1 - Cell 2
3Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo BankRow 2 - Cell 2
4Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas0:02:18
5Lance Armstrong (USA) AstanaRow 4 - Cell 2
6Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana0:02:27
7Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream0:03:07
8Christophe Moreau (Fra) Agritubel0:04:09
9Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - SlipstreamRow 8 - Cell 2
10Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne0:06:10
11Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française des JeuxRow 10 - Cell 2
12Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team Columbia - HTC0:06:12
13Roman Kreuziger (Cze) LiquigasRow 12 - Cell 2
14Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 13 - Cell 2
15Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Team KatushaRow 14 - Cell 2
16Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Silence - LottoRow 15 - Cell 2
17Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des JeuxRow 16 - Cell 2
18Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 17 - Cell 2
19Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:06:15
20José Luis Arrieta Lujambio (Spa) AG2R La Mondiale0:06:19
21Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step0:07:01
22Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne0:07:47
23Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Silence - LottoRow 22 - Cell 2
24Sylvain Calzati (Fra) AgritubelRow 23 - Cell 2
25Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Cervelo Test TeamRow 24 - Cell 2
26Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - SlipstreamRow 25 - Cell 2
27Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Team KatushaRow 26 - Cell 2
28David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne0:07:50
29Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Team Katusha0:08:30
30David Loosli (Swi) Lampre - NGC0:08:54
31Christian Knees (Ger) Team MilramRow 30 - Cell 2
32Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick StepRow 31 - Cell 2
33Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 32 - Cell 2
34Pierre Rolland (Fra) BBOX Bouygues TelecomRow 33 - Cell 2
35Rigoberto Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne0:08:58
36Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Team Katusha0:11:00
37Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 36 - Cell 2
38Christophe Kern (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne0:11:20
39Brice Feillu (Fra) Agritubel0:11:50
40Grischa Niermann (Ger) RabobankRow 39 - Cell 2
41Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeRow 40 - Cell 2
42Joost Posthuma (Ned) RabobankRow 41 - Cell 2
43Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 42 - Cell 2
44George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia - HTCRow 43 - Cell 2
45Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre - NGCRow 44 - Cell 2
46Stijn Devolder (Bel) Quick StepRow 45 - Cell 2
47Luis Pasamontes Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne0:13:30
48Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 47 - Cell 2
49Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Quick Step0:15:33
50Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank0:17:33
51Thomas Voeckler (Fra) BBOX Bouygues TelecomRow 50 - Cell 2
52Chris Anker Sørensen (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 51 - Cell 2
53Laurent Lefevre (Fra) BBOX Bouygues TelecomRow 52 - Cell 2
54Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Française des JeuxRow 53 - Cell 2
55Haimar Zubeldia Aguirre (Spa) AstanaRow 54 - Cell 2
56Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team MilramRow 55 - Cell 2
57Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) AstanaRow 56 - Cell 2
58David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - SlipstreamRow 57 - Cell 2
59Franco Pellizotti (Ita) LiquigasRow 58 - Cell 2
60Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana0:21:31
61Iñigo Cuesta Lopez De Castro (Spa) Cervelo Test TeamRow 60 - Cell 2
62Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) RabobankRow 61 - Cell 2
63Denis Menchov (Rus) RabobankRow 62 - Cell 2
64Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi0:25:38
65Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Team Katusha0:29:43
66Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre - NGCRow 65 - Cell 2
67Thierry Huppond (Fra) Skil-ShimanoRow 66 - Cell 2
68Koen de Kort (Ned) Skil-ShimanoRow 67 - Cell 2
69Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'EpargneRow 68 - Cell 2
70Stef Clement (Ned) RabobankRow 69 - Cell 2
71Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française des JeuxRow 70 - Cell 2
72Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Lampre - NGCRow 71 - Cell 2
73Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre - NGCRow 72 - Cell 2
74Maxime Bouet (Fra) AgritubelRow 73 - Cell 2
75Alan Perez Lezaun (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 74 - Cell 2
76Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 75 - Cell 2
77Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Skil-ShimanoRow 76 - Cell 2
78Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo Test TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
79Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test TeamRow 78 - Cell 2
80Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Cervelo Test TeamRow 79 - Cell 2
81Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - LottoRow 80 - Cell 2
82Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test TeamRow 81 - Cell 2
83Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Silence - LottoRow 82 - Cell 2
84José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Spa) Caisse d'EpargneRow 83 - Cell 2
85Juan Manuel Garate Cepa (Spa) RabobankRow 84 - Cell 2
86Nikolai Troussov (Rus) Team KatushaRow 85 - Cell 2
87Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'EpargneRow 86 - Cell 2
88Gustav Erik Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo BankRow 87 - Cell 2
89Charles Wegelius (GBr) Silence - LottoRow 88 - Cell 2
90Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) AgritubelRow 89 - Cell 2
91Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team MilramRow 90 - Cell 2
92Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 91 - Cell 2
93Peter Velits (Svk) Team MilramRow 92 - Cell 2
94Alexandre Pichot (Fra) BBOX Bouygues TelecomRow 93 - Cell 2
95Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) BBOX Bouygues TelecomRow 94 - Cell 2
96Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quick StepRow 95 - Cell 2
97Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) RabobankRow 96 - Cell 2
98Joan Horrach Rippoll (Spa) Team KatushaRow 97 - Cell 2
99Grégory Rast (Swi) AstanaRow 98 - Cell 2
100Bingen Fernandez Bustinza (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 99 - Cell 2
101Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) AstanaRow 100 - Cell 2
102Mickael Delage (Fra) Silence - LottoRow 101 - Cell 2
103Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - SlipstreamRow 102 - Cell 2
104Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre - NGCRow 103 - Cell 2
105David Millar (GBr) Garmin - SlipstreamRow 104 - Cell 2
106Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence - LottoRow 105 - Cell 2
107Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin - SlipstreamRow 106 - Cell 2
108Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Silence - LottoRow 107 - Cell 2
109Frederik Willems (Bel) LiquigasRow 108 - Cell 2
110Simon Geschke (Ger) Skil-ShimanoRow 109 - Cell 2
111Laurens ten Dam (Ned) RabobankRow 110 - Cell 2
112Danny Pate (USA) Garmin - SlipstreamRow 111 - Cell 2
113Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step0:35:47
114Marco Bandiera (Ita) Lampre - NGCRow 113 - Cell 2
115Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Columbia - HTCRow 114 - Cell 2
116Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia - HTCRow 115 - Cell 2
117Fabio Sabatini (Ita) LiquigasRow 116 - Cell 2
118Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team MilramRow 117 - Cell 2
119Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 118 - Cell 2
120Daniele Bennati (Ita) LiquigasRow 119 - Cell 2
121Aleksandr Kuschynski (Blr) LiquigasRow 120 - Cell 2
122Steven de Jongh (Ned) Quick StepRow 121 - Cell 2
123Sebastian Lang (Ger) Silence - LottoRow 122 - Cell 2
124Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - HTCRow 123 - Cell 2
125Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team Columbia - HTCRow 124 - Cell 2
126Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 125 - Cell 2
127William Bonnet (Fra) BBOX Bouygues TelecomRow 126 - Cell 2
128Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) LiquigasRow 127 - Cell 2
129Yury Trofimov (Rus) BBOX Bouygues TelecomRow 128 - Cell 2
130Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervelo Test TeamRow 129 - Cell 2
131Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team Saxo BankRow 130 - Cell 2
132Brian Vandborg (Den) LiquigasRow 131 - Cell 2
133Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia - HTCRow 132 - Cell 2
134Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - SlipstreamRow 133 - Cell 2
135Marcin Sapa (Pol) Lampre - NGCRow 134 - Cell 2
136David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 135 - Cell 2
137Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team KatushaRow 136 - Cell 2
138Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team Columbia - HTCRow 137 - Cell 2
139Stéphane Auge (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 138 - Cell 2
140Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Française des JeuxRow 139 - Cell 2
141Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 140 - Cell 2
142Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 141 - Cell 2
143Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 142 - Cell 2
144Anthony Geslin (Fra) Française des JeuxRow 143 - Cell 2
145Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Skil-ShimanoRow 144 - Cell 2
146Albert Timmer (Ned) Skil-ShimanoRow 145 - Cell 2
147Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) AgritubelRow 146 - Cell 2
148Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Skil-ShimanoRow 147 - Cell 2
149Saïd Haddou (Fra) BBOX Bouygues TelecomRow 148 - Cell 2
150Arnaud Coyot (Fra) Caisse d'EpargneRow 149 - Cell 2
151Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) BBOX Bouygues TelecomRow 150 - Cell 2
152Benoït Vaugrenard (Fra) Française des JeuxRow 151 - Cell 2
153Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia - HTCRow 152 - Cell 2
154Marcus Fothen (Ger) Team MilramRow 153 - Cell 2
155Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team MilramRow 154 - Cell 2
156Andreas Klier (Ger) Cervelo Test Team0:35:58
157Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank0:35:59
158Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Team MilramRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFKenny Robert van Hummel (Ned) Skil-ShimanoRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFCyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFJosé Angel Gomez Marchante (Spa) Cervelo Test TeamRow 160 - Cell 2
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Points
1Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank20pts
2Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana17Row 1 - Cell 3
3Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank15Row 2 - Cell 3
4Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas13Row 3 - Cell 3
5Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana12Row 4 - Cell 3
6Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana10Row 5 - Cell 3
7Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream9Row 6 - Cell 3
8Christophe Moreau (Fra) Agritubel8Row 7 - Cell 3
9Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Slipstream7Row 8 - Cell 3
10Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne6Row 9 - Cell 3
11Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française des Jeux5Row 10 - Cell 3
12Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team Columbia - HTC4Row 11 - Cell 3
13Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas3Row 12 - Cell 3
14Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale2Row 13 - Cell 3
15Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Team Katusha1Row 14 - Cell 3
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Sprint 1 - Praz-Sur-Arly, km. 75.5
1Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team6pts
2Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step4Row 1 - Cell 3
3Christophe Kern (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne2Row 2 - Cell 3
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Sprint 2 - Cluses, km. 126.0
1Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team6pts
2Christophe Kern (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne4Row 1 - Cell 3
3Thomas Voeckler (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom2Row 2 - Cell 3
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Cormet de Roselend (Cat. 1) km. 18.0
1Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas15pts
2Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux13Row 1 - Cell 3
3Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step11Row 2 - Cell 3
4José Luis Arrieta Lujambio (Spa) AG2R La Mondiale9Row 3 - Cell 3
5Christophe Kern (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne8Row 4 - Cell 3
6Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Silence - Lotto7Row 5 - Cell 3
7David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Slipstream6Row 6 - Cell 3
8Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank5Row 7 - Cell 3
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Col des Saisies (Cat. 1) km. 56.0
1Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team15pts
2Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas13Row 1 - Cell 3
3Christophe Kern (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne11Row 2 - Cell 3
4Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi9Row 3 - Cell 3
5Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi8Row 4 - Cell 3
6Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank7Row 5 - Cell 3
7Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Silence - Lotto6Row 6 - Cell 3
8Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step5Row 7 - Cell 3
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Côte d'Araches (Cat. 2) km. 111.5
1Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team10pts
2Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas9Row 1 - Cell 3
3Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi8Row 2 - Cell 3
4Christophe Kern (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne7Row 3 - Cell 3
5Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Silence - Lotto6Row 4 - Cell 3
6David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Slipstream5Row 5 - Cell 3
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Col de Romme (Cat. 1) km. 140.5
1Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank15pts
2Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank13Row 1 - Cell 3
3Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana11Row 2 - Cell 3
4Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana9Row 3 - Cell 3
5Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas8Row 4 - Cell 3
6Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Slipstream7Row 5 - Cell 3
7Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream6Row 6 - Cell 3
8Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana5Row 7 - Cell 3
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Col de la Colombière (Cat. 1) km. 154.5
1Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank30pts
2Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank26Row 1 - Cell 3
3Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana22Row 2 - Cell 3
4Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana18Row 3 - Cell 3
5Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana16Row 4 - Cell 3
6Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas14Row 5 - Cell 3
7Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream12Row 6 - Cell 3
8Christophe Moreau (Fra) Agritubel10Row 7 - Cell 3
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Young riders
1Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank4:53:54
2Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas0:02:18
3Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas0:06:12
4Pierre Rolland (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom0:08:54
5Rigoberto Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne0:08:58
6Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Team Katusha0:11:00
7Brice Feillu (Fra) Agritubel0:11:50
8Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeRow 7 - Cell 2
9Chris Anker Sørensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank0:17:33
10Thierry Huppond (Fra) Skil-Shimano0:29:43
11Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'EpargneRow 10 - Cell 2
12Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Lampre - NGCRow 11 - Cell 2
13Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre - NGCRow 12 - Cell 2
14Maxime Bouet (Fra) AgritubelRow 13 - Cell 2
15Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo Test TeamRow 14 - Cell 2
16Nikolai Troussov (Rus) Team KatushaRow 15 - Cell 2
17Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team MilramRow 16 - Cell 2
18Peter Velits (Svk) Team MilramRow 17 - Cell 2
19Mickael Delage (Fra) Silence - LottoRow 18 - Cell 2
20Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence - LottoRow 19 - Cell 2
21Simon Geschke (Ger) Skil-ShimanoRow 20 - Cell 2
22Marco Bandiera (Ita) Lampre - NGC0:35:47
23Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia - HTCRow 22 - Cell 2
24Fabio Sabatini (Ita) LiquigasRow 23 - Cell 2
25Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team MilramRow 24 - Cell 2
26Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - HTCRow 25 - Cell 2
27Yury Trofimov (Rus) BBOX Bouygues TelecomRow 26 - Cell 2
28Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - SlipstreamRow 27 - Cell 2
29Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team KatushaRow 28 - Cell 2
30Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Skil-ShimanoRow 29 - Cell 2
31Albert Timmer (Ned) Skil-ShimanoRow 30 - Cell 2
32Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) BBOX Bouygues TelecomRow 31 - Cell 2
33Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team MilramRow 32 - Cell 2
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Most aggressive rider
1Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team
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Teams
1Astana14:46:27
2Garmin - Slipstream0:10:18
3Team Saxo Bank0:12:48
4AG2R La Mondiale0:14:01
5Team Katusha0:17:44
6Agritubel0:19:01
7Cofidis Le Credit En Ligne0:20:32
8Liquigas0:21:18
9Quick Step0:23:00
10Francaise Des Jeux0:25:10
11Caisse d'Epargne0:25:33
12Euskaltel - Euskadi0:25:57
13Silence - Lotto0:38:57
14Bbox Bouygues Telecom0:39:15
15Rabobank0:40:26
16Lampre - N.G.C0:45:42
17Team Columbia - HTC0:49:04
18Team Milram0:51:25
19Cervelo Test Team0:54:16
20Skil-Shimano1:24:24
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General classification after stage 17
1Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana72:27:09
2Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank0:02:26
3Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank0:03:25
4Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana0:03:55
5Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana0:04:44
6Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream0:04:53
7Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas0:05:09
8Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Slipstream0:08:08
9Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française des Jeux0:09:19
10Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi0:10:50
11Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas0:10:52
12Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale0:11:38
13Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Cervelo Test Team0:11:39
14Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux0:11:52
15Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Team Katusha0:12:08
16Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:15:29
17Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Silence - Lotto0:17:23
18Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Team Katusha0:19:20
19Brice Feillu (Fra) Agritubel0:21:50
20Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram0:24:15
21Pierre Rolland (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom0:25:07
22George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia - HTC0:25:38
23Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step0:25:45
24Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale0:28:38
25Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram0:28:49
26Haimar Zubeldia Aguirre (Spa) Astana0:30:59
27Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team Columbia - HTC0:34:06
28Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank0:35:58
29Christophe Moreau (Fra) Agritubel0:36:21
30Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:36:33
31Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana0:36:37
32Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto0:37:06
33Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne0:38:06
34Chris Anker Sørensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank0:39:08
35Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Astana0:39:35
36Peter Velits (Svk) Team Milram0:40:37
37Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia - HTC0:40:52
38Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas0:41:11
39Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi0:43:57
40Luis Pasamontes Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne0:45:47
41Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Team Katusha0:47:03
42Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne0:47:06
43Laurent Lefevre (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom0:48:17
44Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank0:48:35
45Rigoberto Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne0:49:53
46Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne0:50:26
47Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Cervelo Test Team0:51:06
48Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank0:52:52
49Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française des Jeux0:53:07
50Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - HTC0:54:35
51Gustav Erik Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank0:56:47
52Yury Trofimov (Rus) BBOX Bouygues Telecom0:58:19
53Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Silence - Lotto0:59:10
54Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step0:59:44
55Laurens ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank1:02:47
56Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Slipstream1:03:46
57David Loosli (Swi) Lampre - NGC1:05:33
58David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne1:11:15
59Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom1:13:20
60Charles Wegelius (GBr) Silence - Lotto1:14:25
61Sylvain Calzati (Fra) Agritubel1:16:36
62David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Slipstream1:17:20
63Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi1:17:36
64Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi1:18:18
65Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi1:20:21
66Thomas Voeckler (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom1:20:40
67David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne1:21:16
68José Luis Arrieta Lujambio (Spa) AG2R La Mondiale1:23:09
69Juan Manuel Garate Cepa (Spa) Rabobank1:25:38
70Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Agritubel1:25:52
71José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne1:27:09
72Maxime Bouet (Fra) Agritubel1:28:58
73Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Agritubel1:29:02
74Christophe Kern (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne1:29:33
75David Millar (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream1:29:57
76Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne1:31:02
77Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre - NGC1:32:04
78Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi1:32:20
79Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Milram1:33:20
80Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank1:36:29
81Iñigo Cuesta Lopez De Castro (Spa) Cervelo Test Team1:36:54
82Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank1:40:08
83Stijn Devolder (Bel) Quick Step1:41:32
84Joan Horrach Rippoll (Spa) Team Katusha1:42:19
85Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne1:42:37
86Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne1:45:52
87Frederik Willems (Bel) Liquigas1:45:56
88Sebastian Lang (Ger) Silence - Lotto1:49:40
89Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo Test Team1:50:48
90Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence - Lotto1:53:17
91Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Rabobank1:53:47
92Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale1:54:35
93Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre - NGC1:55:25
94Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Quick Step1:56:29
95Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervelo Test Team1:57:45
96Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Française des Jeux1:58:52
97Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quick Step1:59:07
98Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Team Katusha1:59:25
99Thierry Huppond (Fra) Skil-Shimano1:59:42
100Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - Slipstream2:01:24
101Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi2:01:48
102Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Silence - Lotto2:02:53
103Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Team Katusha2:06:50
104Bingen Fernandez Bustinza (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne2:07:40
105Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank2:07:59
106Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre - NGC2:08:08
107Aleksandr Kuschynski (Blr) Liquigas2:13:22
108Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team2:15:37
109Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas2:21:10
110Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank2:25:32
111Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step2:25:40
112Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia - HTC2:25:54
113Nikolai Troussov (Rus) Team Katusha2:26:17
114Marcus Fothen (Ger) Team Milram2:26:29
115Koen de Kort (Ned) Skil-Shimano2:27:28
116Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank2:29:18
117Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas2:30:31
118Mickael Delage (Fra) Silence - Lotto2:30:58
119Arnaud Coyot (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne2:31:06
120Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin - Slipstream2:31:45
121Alexandre Pichot (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom2:32:24
122Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Silence - Lotto2:34:05
123Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre - NGC2:34:14
124Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Lampre - NGC2:34:52
125Simon Geschke (Ger) Skil-Shimano2:35:08
126Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Skil-Shimano2:36:45
127Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Team Milram2:38:01
128Anthony Geslin (Fra) Française des Jeux2:38:11
129Grégory Rast (Swi) Astana2:40:02
130Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team2:42:10
131Alan Perez Lezaun (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi2:42:34
132Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas2:42:53
133Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale2:44:07
134Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) BBOX Bouygues Telecom2:44:31
135Benoït Vaugrenard (Fra) Française des Jeux2:45:23
136Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team Columbia - HTC2:45:32
137Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Milram2:45:46
138Danny Pate (USA) Garmin - Slipstream2:47:05
139Marco Bandiera (Ita) Lampre - NGC2:47:19
140Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team Katusha2:47:43
141Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia - HTC2:51:25
142Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Astana2:53:01
143Marcin Sapa (Pol) Lampre - NGC2:54:04
144Albert Timmer (Ned) Skil-Shimano2:56:05
145Stéphane Auge (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne2:56:06
146Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne2:56:15
147Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas2:57:34
148Saïd Haddou (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom2:57:53
149William Bonnet (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom2:58:46
150Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Skil-Shimano2:59:23
151Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Skil-Shimano3:00:35
152Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team Columbia - HTCRow 151 - Cell 2
153Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Columbia - HTC3:01:02
154Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Slipstream3:02:00
155Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team Milram3:02:40
156Andreas Klier (Ger) Cervelo Test Team3:03:44
157Steven de Jongh (Ned) Quick Step3:13:14
158Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Française des Jeux3:26:01
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Points classification
1Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team230pts
2Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia - HTC200Row 1 - Cell 3
3Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne126Row 2 - Cell 3
4Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Milram122Row 3 - Cell 3
5Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Slipstream110Row 4 - Cell 3
6Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale100Row 5 - Cell 3
7Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank97Row 6 - Cell 3
8Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas96Row 7 - Cell 3
9Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana77