SPOILER – The Sprint and WINNER

July 16, 2008

Well, this didn’t turn out at all like I had envisioned.

Shortly after Elmiger caught Moinard, Arvesen of team CSC jumped ahead too and then it was just Elmiger and Arvesen at the front battling.

Ballan then jumped ahead and they were joined by a couple more riders within sprint range.

With three of them battling, Arvesen surged ahead and got his first stage win. He is the second Norwegian to win a stage in the 2008 Tour de France.

Coming up are the finishers in the top 12 or so – whoever was in that breakaway.

I’ll just post it here because race radio has just given the official results for that group. The peloton is still 15 minutes away.

By the way, Amael Moinard was voted the most aggressive rider of the 11th stage. Small surprise there.

OK. Here is the finishing group. And the shame of it is that Moinard finished 12th out of the top 12. BUMMER!

1. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (NOR) CSC – 167.5km in 3h58’13″
2. Martin Elmiger (SUI) ALM – at same time
3. Alesssandro Ballan (ITA) LAM – at same time
4. Koos Moerenhout (NED) RAB – at 2″
5. Alexandre Botcharov (RUS) C.A – at 11″
6. Pierrick Fedrigo (FRA) BTL – at 14″
7. Filippo Pozzato (ITA) LIQ – at 14″
8. Benoit Vaugrenard (FRA) FDJ – at 14″
9. Fabian Wegmann (GER) GST – at 14″
10. Marco Velo (ITA) MRM – at 14″
11. Dmitriy Fofonov (KAZ) C.A – at 14″
12. Amael Moinard (FRA) COF – at 29″