Tour de France stage 10: Pau>Hautacam with Vande Velde

Location:
Pyrénées, France

Overview:
Team Garmin-Chipotle riders are recording the stages of the 2008 Tour de France with their Garmin Edge 705s for all you data hungry fans out there. Each day, we will feature one rider and his data.

Stage 10 is a short but intense 156 km day in the mountains with two hors category climbs. After a rolling and slightly uphill start that includes two category 3 climbs, the race hits the base of the 17.7 km, hors category Col du Tourmalet climb with its average grades of 7.5%. After the fast descent off the Tourmalet through the village of Ayros-Arbouix, the riders must finish on high as the peloton climbs the 14.2 km, hors category Hautacam climb, with its average grades of 7.2%.

On this decisive mountain stage, Christian Vande Velde hangs with the true leaders of the 2008 Tour over the Tourmalet and up Hautacam to finish 10th. Leaving Kim Kirchen and Valverde behind on the mountain, Christian finished with the new yellow jersey, Australian Cadel Evans. In fact, Christian attacked the group in the last kilometer of the climb, pulling them through to the finish where Cadel Evans just managed to take the yellow. Christian’s amazing efforts in the mountains allowed him to hold onto third overall, just 38″ behind Evans.

Difficulty: Difficult

Distance: 106.25 miles

Total Elevation Gain: 12,140 ft.

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