Radio Shack Gets It's First Win In Stage 10

Stage 10 of this year's Tour de France saw the first successful breakaway. A group of six riders broke away from the peloton and eventually built up about a 12 minute lead. Since none of the six are a threat to win the Tour this year the peloton decided to just let them go. The riders still in contention decided to make it an easy day and wait for the upcoming rides in the Pyrenees to resume the fight for the overall lead.

One of the riders in the six-man breakaway was Portuguese rider Sergio Paulinho (Radio Shack). At about 14 kilometers from the finish, Paulinho and Vasil Kiryienka, Belarus (Caisse D'Epargne) broke away from the other four and built up a one minute lead, which they maintained all the way to the finish of the race. At the finish line Paulinho (on the right in the picture above) was able to beat Kiryienka by about a foot to give Radio Shack it's first stage win in the Tour. Belgian Dries Devenyns (Quick Step) was able to beat the others in the breakaway to the finish line and claim third place.

All of the top riders finished with the peloton so there was no change in the overall standings. Andy Schleck, Luxenbourg (Saxo Bank) will continue to wear the Yellow Jersey in stage 11. Thor Hushovd, Norway (Cervelo) retains the Green Jersey and Jerome Pineau, France (Quick Step) has taken the Polka Dot Jersey back.

Stage 11 is not a completely flat stage but it should still turn out to be another day for the sprinters in their competition for the Green Jersey. It is a 184.5 kilometer ride from Sisteron to Bourg-Les-Valence. There is a category 3 climb about a third of the way into the stage, but then it's pretty much downhill to the finish after that.

Here are the current standings:

YELLOW JERSEY (Overall Leaders)

1. Andy Schleck, Luxembourg (Saxo Bank)

2. Alberto Contador, Spain (Astana).....0' 41"

3. Samuel Sanchez, Spain (Euskaltel-Euskadi).....2' 45"

4. Denis Menchov, Russia (Rabobank).....2' 58"

5. Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Belgium (Omega-Lotto).....3' 31"

6. Levi Leipheimer, USA (Radio Shack).....3' 59"

7. Robert Gesink, Netherlands (Rabobank).....4' 22"

8. Luis-Leon Sanchez, Spain (Caisse D'Epargne).....4' 41"

9. Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver, Spain (Katusha).....5' 08"

10. Ivan Bosso, Italy (Liquigas-Doimo).....5' 09"

11. Roman Kreuziger, Czech Rep. (Liquigas-Doimo).....5' 11"

25. Christopher Horner, USA (Radio Shack).....11' 06"

31. Lance Armstrong, USA (Radio Shack).....17' 22"

GREEN JERSEY (Sprinters)

1. Thor Hushovd, Norway (Cervelo).....138 pts

2. Alessandro Petacchi, Italy (Lampre-Farnese).....131 pts

3. Robbie McEwen, Australia (Katusha).....116 pts

4. Jose Joaquin Rojas, Spain (Caisse D'Epargne).....98 pts

5. Mark Cavendish, Great Britain (HTC-Columbia).....97 pts

6. Sebastien Turgot, France (Bouygues Telecom).....86 pts

7. Edvald Boasson Hagen, Norway (Sky Pro).....82 pts

8. Geraint Thomas, Great Britain (Sky Pro).....74 pts

9. Gerald Ciolek, Germany (Milram).....71 pts

10. Sylvain Chavanel, France (Quick Step).....69 pts

POLKA DOT JERSEY (Climbers)

1. Jerome Pineau, France (Quick Step).....91 pts

2. Anthony Charteau, France (Bouygues Telecom).....90 pts

3. Christophe Moreau, France (Caisse D'Epargne).....62 pts

4. Mario Aerts, Belgium (Omega Lotto).....58 pts

5. Damiano Cunego, Italy (Lampre-Farnese).....56 pts

6. Andy Schleck, Luxembourg (Saxo Bank).....50 pts

7. Luis-Leon Sanchez, Spain (Caisse D'Epargne).....47 pts

8. Sandy Casar, France (FDJ).....43 pts

9. Samuel Sanchez, Spain (Euskaltel-Euskadi).....40 pts

10. Sylvain Chavanel, France (Quick Step).....36 pts

TEAM STANDINGS

1. Caisse D'Epargne

2. Radio Shack.......0' 31"

3. Astana.......14' 54"

4. Rabobank.......15' 38"

5. AG2R La Mondiale.......16' 52"

6. Omega-Lotto.......19' 37"

7. Liquigas-Doimo.......30' 42"

8. Bouygues Telecom.......36' 55"

9. Sky Pro.......40' 31"

10. Cofidis.......43' 24"

14. BMC Racing.......49' 26"

15. HTC-Columbia.......51' 50"

17. Garmin-Transitions.......1H 29' 22"