ten seconds for vaugrenard

[totient]

Seven riders in a breakaway which will almost certainly get caught. Among them are a past Giro d'Italia King of the Mountains winner who picked up the first (small) climb to wear the polka-dot jersey tomorrow, and a well-placed young rider named Benoit Vaugrenard, who has picked up some points at the intermediate sprints. He's not a contender for the green points jersey, but the sprints come with a small time bonus and at this point in the race only a few seconds separate the riders. His 10 seconds will boost him from 31st overall to 9th or 10th, right next to Floyd Landis, and put him in the white jersey of best young rider.

The breakaway riders working well together are lovely to watch. The pack doesn't want to catch them too soon lest another breakaway form.

Next we see how much the effort of the Credit Agricole riders in reeling in this breakaway have hurt Hushovd's chances for a stage win against the other sprinters in the pack.

Comments

[palmwiz.livejournal.com]

The break was caught right around the third intermediate sprint; first went to Beneteau, who was in the break... and third (with a 2s bonus) to Hincapie! If Hushovd and Boonen aren't among the top three sprinters, he'll inherit the yellow. Not an expected move for a GC contender.

[cogitationitis.livejournal.com]

Mark is watching the Tour as well. Who's your pick to win? I think Hincapie, Mark thinks Landis, maybe.

[palmwiz.livejournal.com]

Well it was Valverde. Now Hincapie has to be the odds-on favorite.

But last year's places 6 through 9 were all within a minute or so of each other, and they're all still around. I'd bet on Levi Leipheimer to finish on the podium, and he's got at least as good a shot as Landis at winning. Rasmussen might be able to make it, too, if he can repeat last year's performance in the mountains.