Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) has won the tenth stage of the 2012 Tour de France.
The Frenchman, one of the stars of last year’s Tour, in which he wore the yellow jersey for 10 days, today registered a characteristically dogged victory on a mountainous 194.5km stage from Mâcon to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine.
Voeckler out-dragged second placed Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) and veteran, Jens Voight (RadioShack-Nissan-Trek), for an emotional win that has put him in the polka dot jersey of King of the Mountains leader.
“I’m 33, it’s my tenth Tour and I fully appreciate what’s happening to me today,” said Voeckler.
“I went for the climbing jersey but I always wanted to win this stage. Everybody sat on my back throughout the climbs and descents but when it was the right time to go, I went.
“What an amazing rush it was when I crossed the line. My knees hurt. Everything hurts,” he added, referring to the tendonitis that hampered his first week of racing.”
Voeckler triumphed over the survivors of a 24-strong breakaway which went clear in the opening hour.
They were joined at the denouement by veteran, Vogight who broke clear of the peloton and then attacked the breakaway, prompting a furious chase from Voeckler and his companions, Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank), Dries Devenyns (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and Sandy Casar (FDJ-Big Mat).
Voight said: “It’s good to prove to yourself that your body still functions, that it isn’t luck that you were selected to ride the Tour de France but that you deserved it. And that you are still a good team member and can do the job that the team expects. Yeah, I’m a little proud.”
Bradley Wiggins and his Team Sky colleagues rode a vigilant, controlled race, covering an attack on the descent of the Col du Grand Colombier by Vincenzo Nibali (Liguigas-Cannondale), and closing down Cadel Evans’ attempts to break clear in the final kilometre.
“We were prepared to lose the jersey if need be to [Michele] Scarponi who was the best-placed up there,” said Wiggins.
“This is about being in yellow in Paris and if that means sacrificing the next days and keeping the boys back a bit [then so be it]. Fortunately that came back once we hit the climb and we kept the jersey.
“I was waiting for Nibali to start playing his joker card and he did. Fortunately he went solo and we knew he’d have to have some good legs to stay clear on the next climb and then down into the valley.
“We do have to gamble a little bit here and we can’t just chase everything that moves. We didn’t panic and we got down and rode hard on the next climb and got him back. It all worked out.”
Tomorrow’s 148km Queen stage from Albertville to Les Sybelles will provide a platform for further attacks on Wiggins’ yellow jersey. Click here for a preview video with Team IG-Sigma Sport’s Daniel Lloyd.
Tour de France stage 10 – report
1) Thomas Voeckler (FRA) – Europcar – 4.46.26
2) Michele Scarponi (ITA) – Lampre-ISD +3”
3) Jens Voigt (GER) – RadioShack-Nissan-Trek +7”
4) Luis Leon Sanchez (SPA) – Rabobank Cycling Team +23”
5) Dries Devenyns (BEL) – Omega Pharma-QuickStep +30”
6) Sandy Casar (FRA) – FDJ-Big Mat +2.44
7) Egoi Martinez (SPA) – Euskaltel-Euskadi
8) Pierre Rolland (FRA) – Team Europcar
9) Jurgen Van Den Broeck (BEL) – Lotto Belisol
10) Dmitriy Fofonov (KAZ) – Astana +2.52
General classification
1) Bradley Wiggins (GBR) – Team Sky – 43.59.02
2) Cadel Evans (AUS) – BMC Racing – 1.53
3) Christopher Froome (GBR) – Team Sky +2.07
4) Vincenzo Nibali (I- TA) Liquigas-Cannondale +2.23
5) Denis Menchov (RUS) – Katusha +3.02
6) Haimar Zubeldia (SPA) – RadioShack-Nissan-Trek +3.19
7) Maxime Monfort (BEL) – RadioShack-Nissan-Trek +4.23
8) Jurgen Van Den Broeck (BEL) – Lotto-Belisol +4:48
9) Nicolas Roche (IRL) – AG2R-La Mondiale +5.29
10) Tejay van Garderen (USA) – BMC Racing +5.31
