Promise Fulfilled: Piepoli's Stage Win & Evans Into Yellow

The Progress Report _ The 156km 10th stage of the 2008 Tour de France, from Pau to Hautacam, began at 1.06pm. There were 170 riders at the sign on. The day featured four climbs: the first two were category-three – the cote de Benejacq (at 38.5km) and at Loucrup (at 67km) – and the first two ‘Hors Categorie’ ascent of the 95th Tour – the Col du Tourmalet (at 106km) and the final rise to Hautacam. There were two intermediate sprints: the first in Lamarque-Pontacq (at 44km), the second in Pouzac (at 74.5km). _ _ 24 Establish Escape _ Attacks began the moment the flag dropped to signal the start of racing but it wasn’t until the 10km mark any real advantage was gained. When the peloton eased off the pace momentarily 24 men found themselves in the selection, they were: Popovych (SIL), Cancellara (CSC), Gutierrez (GCE), Burghardt (THR), Augustyn and Cheula (BAR), Pozzato (LIQ), Le Mevel (C.A), Tosatto (QST), Dupont (ALM), Fothen, Lang and Wegmann (GST), Feillu and Vogondy (AGR), Freire (RAB), Fedrigo (BTL), Chavanel, Di Gregorio and Roy (FDJ), Bertogliati and De La Fuente (SDV) and Duque (COF). At the 21km, the peloton was at 1’40”. Milram drove the chase for 10km before Garmin-Chipotle took over at the head of the peloton. At the first climb, the bunch was 1’15” behind. Freire claimed six points at the first sprint and put himself in the lead of the race for the green jersey. The average speed for the first hour was 44.4km/h. Freire, Roy, Di Gregorio, Fothen, Cancellara, Dupont and Duque insisted with the move but the others were caught at the 63km mark. _ Hushovd led the peloton over the second climb 35” behind the seven escapees. He then attempted to bridge the gap before the 2nd intermediate sprint. He didn’t insist. Just before the sprint, the peloton eased up and by the 80km mark, the peloton was 5’00” behind the seven. _ _ Col du Tourmalet _ At the base of the Tourmalet, Cancellara’s septet led a counter-attack by Bichot (AGR) by 1’00” and the peloton by 9’40”. Di Gregorio attacked with 15km to climb. Behind him Cancellara led four others – Fothen, Roy, Dupont, Duque and Fothen most of the way up the climb and the CSC team led the yellow jersey’s peloton all the way to the final section when Ricco attacked to claim 8th place at the top. Valverde, Pereiro and Cunego were dropped 2.5km before the summit. There were 14 riders in the yellow jersey’s peloton, they were: Voigt, Sastre, Menchov, Cobo, Evans, Efimkin, Kohl, Schleck, Schleck, Ricco, Piepoli, Kirchen, Vande Velde and Duenas Nevado. At the top the deficit of Kirchen’s group was 6’00”. _ _ Hautacam Climb _ At the base of the final climb Di Gregorio led by 40”. The chase group was composed of 24 riders - Evans, Sastre, Cancellara, Schleck, Schleck, Voigt, Kirchen, Duenas Nevado, Nibali, Fothen, Kohl, Menchov, Freire, Ricco, Cobo and Piepoli (SDV) and Vande Velde (TSL), Astarloza, Dupont, Efimkin and Goubert, Roy and Duque. The CSC team dominated the chase and ruined Di Gregorio’s chances. Once the capture happened Saunier Duval took control with Cobo attacking and splitting the lead group. Eventually it became a battle between stage hopefuls Piepoli and Cobo who were joined by Frank Schleck at the front of the stage the GC hopefuls Evans, Menchov, Vande Velde and Sastre who rode together most of the way up the final climb. Kirchen was dropped early on the climb and would finish the stage in 15th, 4’19” behind. Evans set the tempo of the GC group most of the way, swapping turns with Menchov but they couldn’t get near the Saunier Duval duo who claimed the win for Piepoli while Cobo celebrated second place and the team’s third victory this year. _ Evans would finish 2’17” behind the stage winner and take the overall lead with an advantage of just one second on a valiant Schleck who claimed third in the stage.