Perfect day for a break to succeed: the coming stages get increasingly difficult; you have a break up the road that doesn't threaten yellow; and you have a large enough number of guys up the road as to take most of the points. Could you (Columbia, AG2R) fight it? Sure... or you could sit back and enjoy the ride, and save it for another day. Latter course usually wins in a three week race. As for the break, Nicki Sorensen and Sylvain Calzati tried a suicide attack at about 20km, followed by Sorensen launching away as the other five were about to catch at 5km. Dude just hammered it home from there. Results:
- Nicki Sorensen, Saxo Bank
- Laurent Lefevre, Bbox, at 0.49
- Markus Fothen, Milram, s.t.
- Franco Pellizotti, Liquigas, s.t.
- Egoi Martinez, Euskaltel, s.t.
No change to the GC, as far as I know: Nocentini; Contador at 6", Lance at 8".