Quick Step rider Cedric Vasseur gave the hosts their first stage win of this year’s Tour de France when he lead a French one-two ahead of compatriot Sandy Casar in the 229,5km tenth stage on Wednesday.
The 36-year-old Vasseur won a sprint finish after five hours 20 minutes and 24 seconds of racing under the sweltering heat ahead of Casar, with Swiss rider Michael Albasini in third.
It was the second stage win for Vasseur and comes ten years after his victory in 1997 at La Chatre when he wore the yellow jersey for five days.
Denmark’s Michael Rasmussen, of the Rabobank team, retained the race lead.
Rasmussen will begin his third day in the yellow jersey on Thursday’s 11th stage with his advantage on most of his rivals intact after the main peloton finally allowed an 11-man breakaway group to finish the race unhindered.
It was the first time a breakaway has succeeded on a non-mountain stage of this year’s race, although that was perhaps symptomatic of the peloton’s fatigue after three tough days in the Alps.
Germany’s Marcus Burghardt was the instigator after the race’s first small climb at 57km, although the big T-Mobile rider, who crashed on Tuesday when a dog ran into his path, again missed out on contending the stage win.
He initially built a small lead on the bunch before being chased down by a 10-man group at the 81km mark.
Together, they raced ahead to build a significant 14-minute lead on the bunch after 127km, but the peloton — upon hearing that news — were shamed into action.
Less than 10km further on their lead had dropped to just over 10 minutes. However the leaders managed to keep that stable until they themselves started getting frisky in the final 30km.
Germany’s Jens Voigt, a former stage winner, attacked on the second last climb but was easily countered. Frenchman Patrice Halgand of Credit Agricole then bolted forward, and was joined by compatriot Sandy Casar of Francaise des Jeux and Liquigas rider Michael Albasini.
Voigt, perhaps driven on by the CSC team’s promise to grab a stage win and dedicate it to fallen Australian teammate Stuart O’Grady, then closed the gap with Frenchman Cedric Vasseur of Quick Step.
Together the five pulled ahead of their former companions to build a 33 second lead with 21km to race, and with the peloton at a massive 11 minutes there was no chance they would be caught by the bunch.
The French had failed to win any stages so far this year. However, Halgand was doing his best to remedy that situation.
He was particularly lively on the day’s final climb 18km from the finish, and his attacks initially left Casar trailing before the Francaise des Jeux rider closed the gap.
With 10km to race down towards Marseille, and three Frenchman in the five-man group, the hosts’ victory drought looked destined to end.
And in the sprint for the line it was Vasseur who ended that drought with Halgand having to settle for fourth ahead of Voigt. — AFP
