Big Break. Big Shakeup. SPOILERS!!!

July 18, 2009

SPOILERS BELOW SPOILERS BELOW SPOILERS BELOW

Guess what! I was right. The peloton was obliterated today by a pack of riders – at times as big as 12 – and the GC has been shaken up like it was put in a blender.

Essentially, George Hincapie and a few other riders decided to pull away from the Yellow Jersey and put a hurt on the rest of the field.

The stage – 199KM from Colmar to Besançon – had some climbs, but nothing major, and was considered a day for the sprinters.

It also had a lot of wet windy roads and this weather allowed Hincapie and others to steam ahead.

AND, at about 100KM to go, Hincapie was the leader on the road with a lead of a few seconds over the Yellow Jersey and the Peloton.

Here’s how it all ended and after that are all the standings. Oh, by the way, you remember how I used to only show the GC all the way down to George Hincapie? Well, I’ll give you the top 50 since George is so well placed now.

1. IVANOV Serguei 165 TEAM KATUSHA 4h 37′ 46″
2. ROCHE Nicolas 89 AG2R LA MONDIALE 4h 38′ 02″ + 00′ 16″
3. ROULSTON Hayden 9 CERVELO TEST TEAM 4h 38′ 02″ + 00′ 16″
4. MAASKANT Martijn 55 GARMIN – SLIPSTREAM 4h 38′ 02″ + 00′ 16″
5. MINARD Sébastien 127 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 4h 38′ 02″ + 00′ 16″
6. RIGHI Daniele 136 LAMPRE – N.G.C 4h 38′ 02″ + 00′ 16″
7. LE MEVEL Christophe 106 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 4h 38′ 02″ + 00′ 16″
8. HINCAPIE George 74 TEAM COLUMBIA – HTC 4h 38′ 02″ + 00′ 16″
9. BENNATI Daniele 92 LIQUIGAS 4h 38′ 02″ + 00′ 16″
10. CIOLEK Gerald 182 TEAM MILRAM 4h 38′ 08″ + 00′ 22″
11. TIMMER Albert 198 SKIL-SHIMANO 4h 38′ 12″ + 00′ 26″
12. WILLEMS Frederik 99 LIQUIGAS 4h 41′ 27″ + 03′ 41″
13. HUSHOVD Thor 6 CERVELO TEST TEAM 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
14. RENSHAW Mark 78 TEAM COLUMBIA – HTC 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
15. HUTAROVICH Yauheni 104 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
16. ROJAS Jose Joaquin 117 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
17. DE KORT Koen 193 SKIL-SHIMANO 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
18. BANDIERA Marco 132 LAMPRE – N.G.C 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
19. LANCASTER Brett Daniel 8 CERVELO TEST TEAM 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
20. ROY Jérémy 107 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
21. COYOT Arnaud 114 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
22. VANDENBERGH Styn 169 TEAM KATUSHA 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
23. EISEL Bernhard 72 TEAM COLUMBIA – HTC 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
24. HAUSSLER Heinrich 5 CERVELO TEST TEAM 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
25. TRUSSOV Nicolaï 168 TEAM KATUSHA 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
26. DE JONGH Steven 154 QUICK STEP 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
27. DUQUE Leonardo 124 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
28. MONFORT Maxime 77 TEAM COLUMBIA – HTC 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
29. O’GRADY Stuart 35 TEAM SAXO BANK 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
30. SCHLECK Andy 31 TEAM SAXO BANK 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
31. SCHLECK Frank 36 TEAM SAXO BANK 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
32. VOIGT Jens 39 TEAM SAXO BANK 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
33. FARRAR Tyler 53 GARMIN – SLIPSTREAM 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
34. GRABSCH Bert 73 TEAM COLUMBIA – HTC 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
35. EVANS Cadel 11 SILENCE – LOTTO 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
36. VANDE VELDE Christian 51 GARMIN – SLIPSTREAM 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
37. CONTADOR Alberto 21 ASTANA 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
38. BONNET William 143 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
39. GOUBERT Stephane 85 AG2R LA MONDIALE 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
40. KUSCHYNSKI Aleksandr 94 LIQUIGAS 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
41. DUMOULIN Samuel 123 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
42. MARTIN Tony 76 TEAM COLUMBIA – HTC 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
43. POPOVYCH Yaroslav 27 ASTANA 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
44. KERN Christophe 126 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
45. NOCENTINI Rinaldo 87 AG2R LA MONDIALE 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
46. PAULINHO Sergio 26 ASTANA 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
47. KREUZIGER Roman 93 LIQUIGAS 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
48. KLÖDEN Andréas 23 ASTANA 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
49. ARMSTRONG Lance 22 ASTANA 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″
50. NIERMANN Grischa 47 RABOBANK 4h 43′ 22″ + 05′ 36″

As you can see, George only put 4:38 or so into the pack. Here’s the GC up to 50th spot…

1. NOCENTINI Rinaldo 87 AG2R LA MONDIALE 58h 13′ 52″
2. HINCAPIE George 74 TEAM COLUMBIA – HTC 58h 13′ 57″ + 00′ 05″
3. CONTADOR Alberto 21 ASTANA 58h 13′ 58″ + 00′ 06″
4. ARMSTRONG Lance 22 ASTANA 58h 14′ 00″ + 00′ 08″
5. LE MEVEL Christophe 106 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 58h 14′ 35″ + 00′ 43″
6. WIGGINS Bradley 58 GARMIN – SLIPSTREAM 58h 14′ 38″ + 00′ 46″
7. KLÖDEN Andréas 23 ASTANA 58h 14′ 46″ + 00′ 54″
8. MARTIN Tony 76 TEAM COLUMBIA – HTC 58h 14′ 52″ + 01′ 00″
9. VANDE VELDE Christian 51 GARMIN – SLIPSTREAM 58h 15′ 16″ + 01′ 24″
10. SCHLECK Andy 31 TEAM SAXO BANK 58h 15′ 41″ + 01′ 49″
11. NIBALI Vincenzo 95 LIQUIGAS 58h 15′ 46″ + 01′ 54″
12. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 118 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 58h 16′ 08″ + 02′ 16″
13. MONFORT Maxime 77 TEAM COLUMBIA – HTC 58h 16′ 13″ + 02′ 21″
14. SCHLECK Frank 36 TEAM SAXO BANK 58h 16′ 17″ + 02′ 25″
15. KREUZIGER Roman 93 LIQUIGAS 58h 16′ 32″ + 02′ 40″
16. EFIMKIN Vladimir 81 AG2R LA MONDIALE 58h 16′ 37″ + 02′ 45″
17. SASTRE Carlos 1 CERVELO TEST TEAM 58h 16′ 44″ + 02′ 52″
18. ASTARLOZA Mikel 61 EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI 58h 16′ 54″ + 03′ 02″
19. EVANS Cadel 11 SILENCE – LOTTO 58h 16′ 59″ + 03′ 07″
20. KIRCHEN Kim 75 TEAM COLUMBIA – HTC 58h 17′ 08″ + 03′ 16″
21. KARPETS Vladimir 161 TEAM KATUSHA 58h 17′ 41″ + 03′ 49″
22. FEILLU Brice 174 AGRITUBEL 58h 17′ 48″ + 03′ 56″
23. CASAR Sandy 101 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 58h 17′ 50″ + 03′ 58″
24. ZUBELDIA Haimar 29 ASTANA 58h 18′ 06″ + 04′ 14″
25. POPOVYCH Yaroslav 27 ASTANA 58h 18′ 12″ + 04′ 20″
26. GERDEMANN Linus 181 TEAM MILRAM 58h 18′ 12″ + 04′ 20″
27. SORENSEN Nicki 38 TEAM SAXO BANK 58h 18′ 30″ + 04′ 38″
28. BOTCHAROV Alexandre 162 TEAM KATUSHA 58h 18′ 52″ + 05′ 00″
29. MENCHOV Denis 41 RABOBANK 58h 18′ 54″ + 05′ 02″
30. VELITS Peter 187 TEAM MILRAM 58h 19′ 20″ + 05′ 28″
31. GOUBERT Stephane 85 AG2R LA MONDIALE 58h 20′ 46″ + 06′ 54″
32. LARSSON Gustav 34 TEAM SAXO BANK 58h 20′ 51″ + 06′ 59″
33. MONCOUTIE David 121 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 58h 21′ 34″ + 07′ 42″
34. SORENSEN Chris 37 TEAM SAXO BANK 58h 21′ 58″ + 08′ 06″
35. KNEES Christian 185 TEAM MILRAM 58h 22′ 13″ + 08′ 21″
36. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 17 SILENCE – LOTTO 58h 23′ 29″ + 09′ 37″
37. ROLLAND Pierre 148 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 58h 23′ 51″ + 09′ 59″
38. MARTINEZ Egoi 64 EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI 58h 25′ 01″ + 11′ 09″
39. ROCHE Nicolas 89 AG2R LA MONDIALE 58h 25′ 17″ + 11′ 25″
40. CHAVANEL Sylvain 151 QUICK STEP 58h 25′ 40″ + 11′ 48″
41. PAULINHO Sergio 26 ASTANA 58h 26′ 11″ + 12′ 19″
42. PELLIZOTTI Franco 91 LIQUIGAS 58h 26′ 13″ + 12′ 21″
43. GOMEZ MARCHANTE Jose Angel 3 CERVELO TEST TEAM 58h 26′ 24″ + 12′ 32″
44. ROY Jérémy 107 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 58h 28′ 04″ + 14′ 12″
45. GUSTOV Volodymir 4 CERVELO TEST TEAM 58h 28′ 42″ + 14′ 50″
46. TXURRUKA Amets 68 EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI 58h 31′ 33″ + 17′ 41″
47. TROFIMOV Yury 149 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 58h 32′ 47″ + 18′ 55″
48. GARATE Juan Manuel 45 RABOBANK 58h 34′ 26″ + 20′ 34″
49. DUPONT Hubert 84 AG2R LA MONDIALE 58h 34′ 47″ + 20′ 55″
50. VOIGT Jens 39 TEAM SAXO BANK 58h 36′ 54″ + 23′ 02″