Stage 10
There are two sprints, and 3 climbs today. Quite a change from yesterday's stage. Stage 9 is the flattest stage of the tour, with no climbs.
On the map you will see three of the 5 categories of climbs.
HC: Literally means "out of category," Usually this climb is to a mountain summit, and is the hardest of the 5
1-4: One being harder, 1 easiest.
The categories are based on the gradient of the climb.
- Due to the climbs today, there was a group of around 12 riders that got ahead, and had since spread out all over in front of the peloton.
- The peloton dropped many riders today. The dropped riders formed another group behind it. The T-Mobile team took charge and showed now mercy to the riders that couldn't keep up.
- The Peloton continued to drop riders through all three climbs and afterward. The after the third climb, the peloton, of over 150 riders at the beginning of the stage, was down to less than 35.
- Two riders out front of them all are Juan Miguel Mercado and Cyril Dressel, both of the Euskaltel team.
- Both of these riders ended up taking the stage, with Mercado just edging out Dressel. There were many changed on the leaderboard, including a new Yellow Jersey holder, Dressel.
Top Five in the GC:
1) Cyril Dressel
2) Juan Miguel Mercado
3) Serhiy Honchar
4) Cristian Moreni
5) Floyd Landis
Points leader (Sprinters)
Robbie McEwen
Climbing Jersey:
Cyril Dessel
Youth Leader:
Marcus Fothen
Team standings:
1) AG2R Prevoyance
2) T-Mobile
3) Phonak Hearing Systems
...
8) Discovery Channel Team
I can't wait to get home and watch the stage...