Baby, it's ON!

The Tour de France is well under way! Yesterday's stage (10) from Pau to Hautacam was really exciting riding and featured two big climbs: Tourmalet and Hautacam, two of the hardest in the Pyrenees. The two American teams Garmin and Columbia are both doing very well in the race. Until he lost the jersey yesterday, Columbia's Kim Kirchen (LUX) had been in the overall lead for 4 days. American Christian Vandevelde of Garmin-Chipoltle retains 3rd overall. The big story of the day, in my opinion was the amazing effort of Jens Voigt (LUX) of team CSC. While not detailed in the CSC website, when it was Jens turn at the front he stepped on the gas and was dropping men off the group like sand bags off a rising hot air balloon, like dust off the tail of a comet. He destroyed the legs of everyone in the lead group, setting up his teammate, Frank Schleck (GER) to take 2nd overall, a single second behind new race leader Cadel Evans (AUS) Today is a rest day so my Tivo get's a well earned respite.

Stage 10 Results
1 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval - Scott - 4.19.27
2 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Saunier Duval - Scott
3 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC - Saxo Bank - 0.28
4 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner - 1.06
5 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale - 2.05
6 Riccardo Riccò (Ita) Saunier Duval - Scott - 2.17
7 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC - Saxo Bank
8 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto
9 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank
10 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30
11 Moises Dueñas Nevado (Spa) Barloworld - 2.27

General classification after stage 10
1 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto - 42.29.09
2 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC - Saxo Bank - 0.01
3 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 - 0.38
4 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner - 0.46
5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank - 0.57
6 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC - Saxo Bank - 1.28
7 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia - 1.56
8 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Saunier Duval - Scott - 2.10
9 Riccardo Riccò (Ita) Saunier Duval - Scott - 2.29
10 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale - 2.32