Just one day in the yellow, BMC rider Cadel Evans’ hold of the yellow jersey is torn away on the tough Col de la Madeleine climb. After the 204,5 km stage from Morzine-Avoriaz to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, Andy Schleck (Team Saxobank) is the new race leader, 41secs ahead of Alberto Contador (Team Astana) while French rider Sandy Casar of Team FDJ takes the stage victory.
Evans was was struggling up the final climb and lost touch with the other yellow jersey challengers. He entered the finish line with an 8 minute deficit and moves to 18th position in the GC and only has a remote chance of competing for a podium finish for the 2010 Tour de France. “Obviously I wasn’t at the same level as I was in the Morzine-Avoriaz stage. I had a big crash six or seven kilometers into that stage and I’m experiencing the consequences in the 48 hours since then”.
Michael Rogers of HTC Columbia is the highest ranked Australian rider in the GC and is in 14th place.
Stage 10 from Chambéry to Gap is another challenging stage. After 65km the riders face a Category 1 climb and then ascents and descents until the finish. While the 10 kilomtres are downhill and level, it is another stage that will split the peloton and can shake up the GC.
