Tour de France Stage 13: Tours > St Amand-de-Montrond, 173kms

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Andrew Talansky seems to know a quiet 'transitional' stage when it's coming...

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Thibiut Pinot seems to be looking for something as the race leaves town...

Ah...Pinot wants his saddle cleaned and polished - that'll be two Euros please..!

It looks as if Daryl Impey and Chris Froome are also expecting a quietish sort of day...

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An escape has got away without contest, and makes its way across the wheatfields of centrtal France..

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The peloton is travelling faster than is usual so early in the stage...

Gene leads the escape south, but their freedom is far from guaranteed today...

Omega are riding fast into the crosswinds, with Pineau on the front after just 50-kilometres...

Le Tour de France 2013 - Stage Thirteen

Philippe Gilbert has been dropped, as has ace-sprinter, Marcel Kittel...

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Peter Kennaugh shelters Chris Froome at the front as the pace rises and teams sense some damage to be inflicted on Kittel...

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Le Tour de France 2013 - Stage Thirteen

Mark Cavendish intends to be the main beneficiary of Kittel's error - and that's before news comes of a flat tyre for Alejandro Valverde...

Laurens Ten Dam gets the radioed approval from Belkin's management to speed up - get rid of Valverde..!

Belkin swarm to the front now, with Omega following suit...

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Belkin with Leezer, Omega with Chavanel - this is a mighty strong move being played out..!

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Movistar are trying to close the gap with Castroviejo on the front, but 30-seconds becomes one-minute, then three, then it's all over for Valverde..!

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Pierre Rolland is out of the front group with a flat tyre - he'll be gobbled up by Valverde's chase...

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Saxo-Tinkoff have suddenly attacked, five of them - led by Mick Rogers, and both Cavendish and Sagan are in there too..!

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Alberto Contador is in this elite attack, and heading for 3rd-place overall..!

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Mark Cavendish wins stage thirteen at the end of a spectacular day in the Tour..!

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Le Tour de France 2013 - Stage Thirteen

Cavendish shares his delight with teamate Niki Terpstra...

Le Tour de France 2013 - Stage Thirteen

Alejandro Valverde has lost ten mnutes and let's his anger show to the Spanish media at the finish..!

Chris Froome is still smiling, but he's not such a comfortable leader of the Tour this evening...