Top 10 of Stage 17

I'm still stunned with the withdrawal of Rasmussen (although I did call it back around Stage 8), and I'm just gonna give you the top ten for Stage 17.

Here you go. General Classification coming up.

The top 10 of the stage from Pau to Castelsarrasin is:
1. Daniele Bennati (ITA) LAM - 188.5km in 4h14’04" (44.515km/h)
2. Markus Fothen (GER) GST - at same time
3. Martin Elmiger (SUI) A2R) - at same time
4. Jens Voigt (GER) CSC) - at same time
5. David Millar (GBR) SDV - at 2’41"
6. Matteo Tosatto (ITA) QSI - at 2’43"
7. Manuel Quinziato (ITA) LIQ - at 3’20"
8. Daniele Righi (ITA) LAM - at 3’20"
9. Tom Boonen (BEL) QSI - at 9'37"
10. Sebastien Chavanel (FRA) FDJ - at 9'37"

Time (trial) to start focusing on Top Ten!!

With the time trial ahead, the Tour has now become a race that Rasmussen can only lose. Some great names (and great climbers) are in the top ten right now. All Rasmussen has to do is hang on.

You realize that I hope he stops to sign autographs during tomorrow's stage and lets Levi up into second place. C'est la vie.

Here's the top ten after Stage 12...

1 058 RASMUSSEN, Michael
2 018 VALVERDE, Alejandro 00:02:35.000
3 207 MAYO, Iban ESP 00:02:39.000
4 041 EVANS, Cadel AUS 00:02:41.000
5 112 CONTADOR, Alberto 00:03:08.000
6 031 SASTRE, Carlos ESP 00:03:39.000
7 196 KLÖDEN, Andréas 00:03:50.000
8 111 LEIPHEIMER, Levi 00:03:53.000
9 027 KIRCHEN, Kim 00:05:06.000

Of these guys, I can see any of the top eight spots winning this race. Smart money might go with Cadel Evans or Levi Leipheimer. Cagey money would pick Kloden or Mayo. And it will probably just be Valverde by two minutes in Paris on July 29.

The Top 10 in Stage 11

Here you go...Robbie Hunter took it at the line and here are the rest of the top 10.

2. Fabian Cancellara (SUI) CSC
3. Murilo Fischer (BRA) LIQ
4. Filippo Pozzato (ITA) LIQ
5. Alessandro Ballan (ITA) LAM
6. Paolo Bossoni (ITA) LAM
7. Claudio Corioni (ITA) LAM
8. Philippe Gilbert (BEL) FDJ
9. William Bonnet (FRA) C.A
10. Kim Kirchen (LUX) TMO

By the way, Hunter is the first South African to win a stage of the Tour de France. Top 50 coming up.

Top 10

The results for the ninth stage:
1. Juan Mauricio Soler (COL) BAR 159.5km in 4h14'24" (37.617km/h)
2. Alejandro Valverde (ESP) GCE - at 38"
3. Cadel Evans (AUS) PRL - at 38"
4. Alberto Contador (ESP) DSC - at 40"
5. Iban Mayo (ESP) SDV - at 42"
6. Michael Rasmussen (DEN) RAB - at 42"
7. Levi Leipheimer (USA) DSC - at 42"
8. Kim Kirchen (LUX) TMO - at 46"
9. Andreas Kloden (GER) AST - at 47"
10. Carlos Sastre (ESP) CSC - at 47"

SPOILER - TOP 10 in Stage 8

The top 10 in stage eight are:
1. Michael Rasmussen (DEN) RAB - 165km in 4h49'40" (34.177km/h)
2. Iban Mayo (ESP) SDV - at 2'47"
3. Alejandro Valverde (ESP) GCE - at 3'12"
4. Christophe Moreau (DEN) RAB - at 3'12"
5. Frank Schleck (LUX) CSC - at 3'12"
6. Cadel Evans (AUS) PRL - at 3'12"
7. Andrey Kashechkin (KAZ) AST - at 3'12"
8. Alberto Contador (ESP) DSC - at 3'31"
9. Denis Menchov (RUS) RAB - at 3'35"
10. Carlos Sastre (ESP) CSC - at3'35"

Results of Stage 6

The top 10 finishers for the 6th stage of the 2007 Tour de France are...

1. Tom Boonen
2. Oscar Freire
3. Erik Zabel
4. Sebastian Chavanel
5. Thor Hushovd
6. Daniele Bennati
7. Robert Forster
8. Robert Hunter
9. Romain Feillu
10. Murilo Fischer

Overall standings coming up.

By the way, Wiggins, who jumped off the front at the 2KM mark stayed away until there were just 7KM left in the race. Looking now to see where he finished as he got dropped off the back of the peloton with a mere 5KM to go in the stage.

Results of Stage 5 - SPOILER!!

I may have to reevaluate my choice for the Tour overall champion. Please notice that George Hincapie is again in the top 10 at the finish line. He's hanging tight and doesn't look like he's even suffering at all.

I'll let you know if I swap Levi for George.

Here are the top 10 finishers today...

1. Filippo Pozzato (LIQ) 182.5km in 4h39'01" (39.244km/h)
2. Oscar Freire (RAB)
3. Daniel Bennati (LAM)
4. Kim Kirchen (TMO)
5. Erik Zabel (MRM)
6. George Hincapie (DSC)
7. Cristian Moreni (COF)
8. Stefan Schumacher (GST)
9. Bram Tankink (QSI)
10. Jerome Pineau (BTL)