Thor Hushovd added another one to Garmin-Cervelo's once-empty Tour Stage Win Shelf today, working with teammate Ryder Hesjedal to put away Sky's Edvald Boasson-Hagen at the line.
The GC favorites group of Samuel Sanchez, Fränk Schleck, Andy Shleck, Alberto Contador, Cadel Evans, and Tommy Voeckler finally got to work on each other, animating the GC competition.
Results
Stage Results
- Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervélo)
- Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky Pro Cycling) st.
- Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervélo) :02
- Tony Martin (HTC-Highroad) :38
- Mikhail Ignatyev (Katusha) :52
General Classification
- Thomas Voeckler (Europcar)
- Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) 1:45
- Fränk Schleck (Leopard Trek) 1:49
- Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek) 3:03
- Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel Euskadi) 3:26
- Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) 3:42
- Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) 3:49
- Damiano Cunego (Lampre-ISD) 4:01
- Tom Danielson (Garmin-Cervélo) 6:04
- Rigoberto Uran (Sky Pro Cycling) 7:55
Hold up, did I just type Tommy Voeckler in proximity to Andy Schleck, Cadel Evans, and Alberto Contador? Yes, yes I did. Whoever would have imagined it? Tommy V's amazing run of keeping up with this group came to an end today, though, as Contador decided to show that he was still in the game, opening an attack on the final climb. This set off a series of counterattacks, and when the dust settled, the big winner in today's mixup was Cadel Evans. Evans showed that he's on fine form, soloing away from the rest of the group (gaining 4" on Samu and Contador, and 21" on F. Schleck, on the stage). The Schleck brothers were the big losers today, with Andy doing his best GC impression of brother Frank's tumbling abilities, losing 48".
Aside from GC, the other jersey action today came with Rein Taaramäe's effort on the final climb to put some time into Rigoberto Urán for the Young Rider's Jersey.
Tomorrow the peloton moves across the border from Gap to Pinerolo in Italy. Here come the Alps.