T
Roll of honor : Result after stage 8
121 EVANS Cadel BMC RACING TEAM 37h 57' 09"
95 HUSHOVD Thor CERVELO TEST TEAM 118 pts
135 PINEAU Jérôme QUICK STEP 44 pts
11 SCHLECK Andy TEAM SAXO BANK 37h 57' 29"
Result after stage 9
11 SCHLECK Andy TEAM SAXO BANK 43h 35' 41"
95 HUSHOVD Thor CERVELO TEST TEAM 124 pts
153 CHARTEAU Anthony BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 85 pts
11 SCHLECK Andy TEAM SAXO BANK 43h 35' 41"
195 GESINK Robert RABOBANK 43h 40' 03"
Medium mountains - A sporting perspective : Memories of Beloki
On this stage, Le Tour will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of France annexing Savoy. The Côte de Laffrey climb, on leaving Vizille, is very difficult. The Col du Noyer pass is also very complicated. Yet, this does not mean it is typical high-altitude racing. The descent is very winding: let’s not forget how badly Joseba Beloki fell in 2003, when he wanted to avoid Vinokourov gaining too much time on him. To avoid the Spaniard, Lance Armstrong was obliged to take a short-cut through a field.
Chambéry -- where they start today
• Once a stage town
• Population: 60,000
• Prefecture of Savoie (73)
[Image]Chambéry often provides accommodation for the Tour caravan, but up until now had only hosted the start of a stage in 1996 that finished in Les Arcs. Luc Leblanc won there after a day in which Stéphane Heulot lost the yellow jersey to Evgueni Berzin.
The town already boasts a cycling tradition as the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré was organised here 20 times. In 1989, Greg LeMond won the World Championship here, thus confirming his comeback success attained on the Tour three months earlier.
Between the lake and mountains, Chambery boasts a slight air of Italy as well as a unique and delicious charm. Its slate roofs, coloured façades and historical heritage combine and contrast with those of its buildings in more of a modern architectural style. On the road to Italy and the great Alpine valleys, this city so dear to Jean-Jacques Rousseau is one of the most dynamic in the Rhône-Alpes region and part of an agglomeration with a population of 125,000. It is a reference in the solar energy sector, as well as for its urban planning and booming associative and cultural scene. The Eureka Gallery and its Espace Montagne exhibition on the mountains help visitors to better understand and appreciate the Alps, especially the protected areas and surrounding mountain ranges. At the edges of the Chartreuse and Bauges regional nature parks, the city also plays host to the headquarters of the Vanoise National Park. Furthermore, 2010 is an outstanding year for Chambery. The former capital of the House of Savoy is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its annexation by France, which will be marked by a wide-ranging programme of celebratory, cultural and sporting events.
Click on Link:
