07.13 - Tour de France: Stage 9

Thor Hushovd has penetrated the day's hopeful escape - is this a repeat of his Alpine epic last year..?

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Robbie Hunter and Yaroslav Popovych sense the potential and chase, but they never get across...

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Ivan Gutierrez is setting the pace on the Col de La Colombiere, they're about three minutes in front...

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Hushod has won one sprint but then been dropped on this 1st category climb...

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Damiano Cunego is getting across with Taaramae and Frohlinger...

BMC grits its teeth and settles in for a long day of chasing - Alessandro Ballan is the man leading hoere...

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The peloton climbs towards the summit of the beautiful Col de La Colombiere...

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He cannot climb well, but Mark Cavendish is a great descender..!

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Robbie McEwen is descending at a crazy speed to make sure he joins a safe group for the day...

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Tyler Farrar also wants to be sure of getting into McEwen's group for the day...

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Christophe Moreau leads the eleven escapers up the Col des Aravis - they hold a six-minute lead now...

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The Aravis rivals the Colombiere with its tranquility and beauty...

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A multi-coloured Cadel Evans climbs the Col de Saisies with no hint of his form for the day...

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Brent Bookwalter is the man doing the grind for BMC now, but there's no intention of chasing the break down...

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The Col de la Madeleine sees USA and British champions - George Hincapie & Geraint Thomas - slip out of the peloton backwards...

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Alexandre Vinokourov has gone out of the front end of the peloton - surely the Kazakh is anticipating an attack from Alberto Contador..?

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Saxo Bank has taken control of the chase from BMC - Chris Anker Sorensen drives up the pace...

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Levi Leipheimer is near the front, and ahead of Contador and Andy Schleck...

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Ivan Basso and Cadel Evans are wearing masks of pain that hint at trouble to come...

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Four minutes ahead, Luis Leon Sanchez is setting a pace that has split the escapers - only Cunego, Charteau and Casar can stay with him...

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Schleck has attacked and now has just Contador with him...

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Sammy Sanchez is trying hard to keep with the two 'stars...

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Robert Gesink is pacing a tired-looking Menchov...

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Basso is chasing a bit further back, but no-one's helping him...

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Armstrong's in the Basso group and looking relaxed about his new status in this Tour...

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Michael Rogers is the leader of a bigger chase group that contains LeMevel, Sastre and Roche...

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Bradley Wiggins is by himself even further back...

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Evans is in dire straits, he'll lose about ten minutes today..!

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Schleck and Contador near the summit of the Col de la Madeleine, and then its 32-kilometre descent...

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Sandy Casar wins stage nine ahead of Sanchez - but they were almost caught by a group containing Contador and Schleck...

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Andy Schleck becomes the new race-leader - and this leader might last for more than just a day..!

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