2010 Tour de France, Prologue to Stage 10#Stage 7

The seventh stage of the Tour de France 2010 on July 10, led over 165.5 km from Tournus by Station des Rousses. On this mid-mountain stage, there were three intermediate sprints and six mountain stages, three of the second category, two of the third category and a 4th category. After the abandonment of Juan José Oroz 187 of the 198 registered participants were at the start.

Race course

The real start was given at 13:07 clock. Immediately put Christian Knees the first attack. To him a five-member leadership group with Jérôme Pineau, Samuel Dumoulin, Rubén Pérez and Danilo Hondo was born. Dimitri Champion and Rinaldo Nocentini of ag2r La Mondiale hinterherzuspringen tried, but were not allowed to draw in from out of Bbox Bouygues Telecom box.

The projection of outliers rose now and later swayed by eight minutes, while Danilo Hondo drove first on the first two sprints. The first climb of the day won Jérôme Pineau, who wanted to defend at this stage his mountain jersey. The field ran down this hill with a gap of 8:42 minutes, then the residue level decreased. Pineau also won the second mountain stage, to its rise Anthony Roux came to case, but was able to continue immediately. Pineau has also secured the third as well as the fourth mountain stage, which was on the Côte du barrage de Vouglans, the first mountain in the 2nd category, discharged. From the still about four minutes past field Charteau Anthony was able to secure the last mountain points to be awarded. In the descent the field tore briefly in two parts. The last sprint of the day was again won by Danilo Hondo.

On the climb to the Col de la Croix de la Serra many drivers out of the box fell back and formed the Gruppetto. In front in the field, meanwhile, attacked Thomas Voeckler, followed by Cyril Gautier and Mathieu Perget. Also, Matthew Lloyd, Damiano Cunego and Rafael Valls went forward.

In the top group Dumoulin and Pérez had to be demolished, and later Knees. From the field is now the overall leader Fabian Cancellara had to fall back, in its vicinity are also Tony Martin was after she briefly again found connection. At the front, formed a third group of Sylvain Chavanel, Daniel Moreno and Juan Manuel Garate, other drivers attacked. Pineau, who was still accompanied by Hondo, won the penultimate mountain stage, thus securing the mountain jersey. Chavanel overtook meanwhile all pursuers and reached the third place in the mountains classification. From the field, the young Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen now fell back.

Pineau attacked after leaving now also his last companion, a short time later he was already reached and overtaken by Chavanel. Voeckler caught up with Cunego and both also overtook Pineau, followed by Garate and Valls. From the field, Andreas Klöden and Geraint Thomas now fell back.

Chavanel held now alone at the top, followed by the group of Cunego, from this but shortly thereafter fell back. Valls was able to free himself from the group and was now the first runner-up to Chavanel. Behind him, the rest of the group was to Voeckler. Pinau fell under the back behind the field. There was a brief attack of Christophe Le Mével which Cunego overtook both but were again swallowed by the field. Chavanel won, meanwhile, the last mountain stage and secured shortly after the stage win. He brought back also the yellow jersey, which he had lost on the 3rd stage. Andy Schleck, who crossed the finish line in the Favorites group, took over the white jersey.

Sprints

• Second intermediate sprint in Saint -Amour ( 44.5 km ) ( 253 m)

• Third intermediate sprint in Molinges ( 118 km ) ( 367 m)

• Target station in des Rousses ( 165.5 km ) ( 1168 m)

Climbs

• Côte de l' Aubépin, Category 3 ( 51.5 km; 541 m; 4.9 km à 5,0% )

• Côte des Granges, Category 4 ( 69 kilometers; 581 m; 5.9 km à 3,5 %)

• Côte d' Arinthod, Category 3 ( 84.5 km; 730 m; 8.5 km à 4,7 %)

• Côte du barrage Vouglan, Category 2 ( 104 km, 710 m, 6.6 km à 5,6 %)

• Col de la Croix de la Serra, Category 2 ( 134.5 km; 1049m; 15.7 km à 4,3 %)

• Côte de Lamoura, Category 2 ( 161.5 km; 1049m; 14.0 km à 5,0% )

Tasks

• 078 - Stijn Vandenbergh ( Katusha ): Time limit exceeded
• 184 - Juan José Oroz ( Euskaltel -Euskadi ): Not competing in the National stage