Tour de France - report stage 11

A group 13 had moved away before the climb of the first category Col de Portel and just before this ascent Amaël Moinard (Cofidis) attacked. He was able to ride alone until he was caught just four kilometres from the finish. At one point he had over 15 minutes over the main group featuring race leader Cadel Evans (Silence Lotto).

Kurt-Asle Arvesen sprints to victory - Pic fotoreporter sirotti

Barloworld under pressure, have your say in the Forum - Pic fotoreporter sirotti

Behind Moinard, his earlier breakaway companions, including a number of classics specialists, such as Filippo Pozzat (Liquigas) and Alessandro Ballan (Lampre), had kept him pegged at a few minutes until they moved ever closer to him in the finale of the stage.

In a surprising move, Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne) reprised his 2006 Tour winning move by attacking from the yellow jersey group. He went over the Col de Portel in no man's land and never really made inroads into the Ballan group ahead. His adventure came to nothing and he was soon back in the pack.

Finally the chase group caught the very spirited Moinard and almost immediately Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Team CSC Saxo Bank) attacked and his small advantage was bridged first by Ballan then Martin Elmiger (Ag2r) and Koos Moerenhout (Rabobank) in turn.

Moerenhout wasn't able to hold Arveson, Elmiger and Ballan's wheels as they sprinted for the win. Ballan lost a little ground as Arvesen held off Elmiger.

Alexandre Botcharov (Credit Agricole) headed the rest of the escapees and his team mate Thor Hushovd led in the main race.

1 Kurt-Asle Arvesen 12 Team CSC Saxo Bank 3h 58' 13"
2 Martin Elmiger 105 Ag2r-La Mondiale 3h 58' 13" @ 00' 00"
3 Alessandro Ballan 72 Lampre 3h 58' 13" @ 00' 00"
4 Koos Moerenhout 135 Rabobank 3h 58' 15" @ 00' 02"
5 Alexandre Botcharov 83 Credit Agricole 3h 58' 24" @ 00' 11"
6 Pierrick Fedrigo 141 Bouygues Telecom 3h 58' 27" @ 00' 14"
7 Filippo Pozzato 61 Liquigas 3h 58' 27" @ 00' 14"
8 Benoît Vaugrenard 169 Francaise Des Jeux 3h 58' 27" @ 00' 14"
9 Fabian Wegmann 119 Gerolsteiner 3h 58' 27" @ 00' 14"
10 Marco Velo 159 Team Milram 3h 58' 27" @ 00' 14"
11 Dmitriy Fofonov 85 Credit Agricole 3h 58' 27" @ 00' 14"
12 Amaël Moinard 187 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone 3h 58' 42" @ 00' 29"
13 Thor Hushovd 81 Credit Agricole 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
14 Erik Zabel 151 Team Milram 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
15 Leonardo Duque 186 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
16 Oscar Freire 133 Rabobank 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
17 Kim Kirchen 41 Team Columbia 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
18 Xavier Florencio 143 Bouygues Telecom 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
19 Christian Vandevelde 191 Garmin Chipotle 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
20 Juan Antonio Flecha 132 Rabobank 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
27 Cadel Evans 1 Silence - Lotto 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
28 Frank Schleck 17 Team CSC Saxo Bank 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
29 Denis Menchov 131 Rabobank 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
30 Andy Schleck 16 Team CSC Saxo Bank 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
35 Carlos Sastre 11 Team Csc Saxo Bank 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
37 David Millar 198 Garmin Chipotle 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
41 Christian Knees 153 Team Milram 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
47 Damiano Cunego 71 Lampre 4h 13' 04" @ 4' 51"
130 Mark Cavendish 43 Team Columbia 4h 20' 27" @ 22' 14"

General Classification (Yellow jersey)
1 Cadel Evans 1 Silence - Lotto 46h 42' 13"
2 Frank Schleck 17 Team CSC Saxo Bank 46h 42' 14" @ 00' 01"
3 Christian Vandevelde 191 Garmin Chipotle 46h 42' 51" @ 00' 38"
4 Bernhard Kohl 115 Gerolsteiner 46h 42' 59" @ 00' 46"
5 Denis Menchov 131 Rabobank 46h 43' 10" @ 00' 57"
6 Carlos Sastre 11 Team CSC Saxo Bank 46h 43' 41" @ 01' 28"
7 Kim Kirchen 41 Team Columbia 46h 44' 09" @ 01' 56"
8 Jose Cobo 173 Saunier Duval - Scott 46h 44' 23" @ 02' 10"
9 Riccardo Ricco 171 Saunier Duval - Scott 46h 44' 42" @ 02' 29"
10 Vladimir Efimkin 104 Ag2r-la Mondiale 46h 44' 45" @ 02' 32"
11 Mikel Astarloza 22 Euskaltel - Euskadi 46h 46' 04" @ 03' 51"
12 Vincenzo Nibali 67 Liquigas 46h 46' 31" @ 04' 18"
13 Samuel Sanchez 27 Euskaltel - Euskadi 46h 46' 39" @ 04' 26"
14 Alejandro Valverde 31 Caisse d'Epargne 46h 46' 54" @ 04' 41"
15 Tadej Valjavec 109 Ag2r-la Mondiale 46h 47' 36" @ 05' 23"
16 Damiano Cunego 71 Lampre 46h 47' 50" @ 05' 37"
17 Oscar Pereiro 37 Caisse d'Epargne 46h 48' 14" @ 06' 01"
18 Alexandre Botcharov 83 Credit Agricole 46h 48' 20" @ 06' 07"
19 Stefan Schumacher 111 Gerolsteiner 46h 48' 24" @ 06' 11"
20 Maxime Monfort 189 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone 46h 49' 00" @ 06' 47"
21 Roman Kreuziger 65 Liquigas 46h 49' 13" @ 07' 00"
22 Andy Schleck 16 Team CSC Saxo Bank 46h 50' 47" @ 08' 34"
29 Stijn Devolder 91 Quick Step 46h 55' 49" @ 13' 36"
32 Christian Knees 153 Team Milram 46h 58' 52" @ 16' 39"
50 David Millar 198 Garmin Chipotle 47h 17' 35" @ 35' 22"
156 Mark Cavendish 43 Team Columbia 48h 34' 17" @ 1h 52' 04"
166 Wim Vansevenant 9 Silence - Lotto 48h 46' 15" @ 2h 04' 02" and last

Sprint (Green jersey)
1 Oscar Freire 133 Rabobank 138 Pts
2 Kim Kirchen 41 Team Columbia 128 Pts
3 Thor Hushovd 81 Credit Agricole 117 Pts
4 Erik Zabel 151 Team Milram 99 Pts
5 Alejandro Valverde 31 Caisse d'Epargne 96 Pts
6 Mark Cavendish 43 Team Columbia 86 Pts
7 Riccardo Ricco 171 Saunier Duval - Scott 85 Pts
8 Robert Hunter 58 Barloworld 82 Pts
9 Leonardo Duque 186 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone 70 Pts
10 Cadel Evans 1 Silence - Lotto 70 Pts

Mountains (Polka Dot jersey)
1 Riccardo Ricco 171 Saunier Duval - Scott 77 Pts
2 David De La Fuente 174 Saunier Duval - Scott 65 Pts
3 Sebastian Lang 117 Gerolsteiner 57 Pts
4 Bernhard Kohl 115 Gerolsteiner 56 Pts
5 Frank Schleck 17 Team CSC Saxo Bank 46 Pts
6 Leonardo Piepoli 179 Saunier Duval - Scott 41 Pts
7 Juan Cobo 173 Saunier Duval - Scott 36 Pts
8 Luis-Leon Sanchez 39 Caisse d'Epargne 31 Pts
9 Cadel Evans 1 Silence - Lotto 30 Pts
10 Vincenzo Nibali 67 Liquigas 30 Pts