Europcar's Pierre Rolland won the nineteenth stage of the Tour France.
Today's stage which was the last day in the mountains and a massive day for all the jersey wearers including Mark Cavendish (pictured below) in the Green Jersey, who finished out side the time limit on yesterday's stage but as he was in an autobus of eighty eight riders, he was allowed to stay in the race but docked twenty Green Jersey points.
This was a 109.5km stage from Modane Valfrejus, known as the gateway between Savoie and Italy, with the finish on the legendary Tour De France mountain of Alpe-D'Huez, which was lasted used in 2008 when Carlos Sastre won.
The British support was out in force today and they saw fourteen riders make the first attack. Stage winner Andre Greipel was in the break along with one of the heroes of this tour Jonny Hoogerland, who has gained much support from cycling fans across the world for his determination after being sent crashing into a barbed wire fence and having 33 stitches in the lower half of his body.
Alberto Contador may have had problems yesterday but he was back today and he shot off in persuit of the escapees. Andy Schleck, Cadel Evans and Thomas Voeckler went after him but Frank Schleck and Ivan Basso were unable to join in.
Contador wiped the 2 mins forty seconds lead of the escapees and when the Spaniard attacked for a second time, it was disaster for Cadel Evans who lost time due to problems with his bike.
Voecklet was struggling with 84.5kms to go as Contador followed by Andy Schleck (pictured below) was now riding at the front of the race.
The Col du Telegraphe came with 83kms to go and Contador (pictured below) was first over that. Thomas Voeckler was 27 seconds down and started to drop back towards the peleton.
The race moved onto the Hors Category Col du Galibier for the second time. On the approaches to the 2556m mountain, Samuel Sancez broke away and Cadel Evans who had worked his way back into the second group, followed him in trying to get back to Contador and Schleck who continued to dance on their pedals. At the tunnel which heralded the summit of the climb,. Andy Schleck took the twenty points and 23 minutes later, the last man on the road Vacansoleil's Bjorn Leukemans came over it.
The descent on the D1091 started with Contador, Schleck, Riblon and Rui Costa on the front whilst the riders in the autobus who had not been able to keep up with the peleton were some twelve minutes back.
The Lac de Chambon looked gorgeous but the riders took no notice, still having 30kms to go. Cadel Evans was now within 23 seconds of the leaders whilst Voeckler's time in yellow was over as he was a minute and 48 seconds back.
The race moved into the Isere Department and there was ten kilometres to ride before the day's intermediate sprint at Bourg D'Oisans and then the 13.8km climb up Alpe D'Huez to the finish on the avenue du Rif Niel at the end of a six metre wide two hundred metre long finishing straight.
Garmin's Ryder Hesjesdal took the intermediate sprint ahead of Europcar's Pierre Rolland and they were forty seconds ahread of the Contador/Schleck and now Evans group.
They were off out of of their saddles as they started on the climb up Alpe D'Huez, which was now populated by crowds in the region of 400,000.
The riders went past flags of many nations including St George, Welsh Dragons, and Irish tricolour flags and onto the D2111 at La Garde towards Huez.
Sanchez and Rolland were out in front as they passed Dutch corner and made their way almost single file due to the crowds.
Alberto Contador got to the front two but as he joined them, Rolland shot off. Cadel Evans made a big attack with Andy Schleck in tow.
Rolland went through the tunnel and had 1.5kms to go with an eleven second lead. He looked round as he took the final bend and did not see any riders and he was first over the line in a time of 3hr 13 mins and 25 seconds to win in superb style not only the stage but the young riders white jersey.
Sanchez was second with Contador in third, Peter Velits and Cadel Evans fifth.
Thomas Voeckler came in 3 mins and twenty seconds down and lost his yellow jersey to Andy Schleck who leads his brother Frank by 53 seconds with Cadel Evans 57 seconds back.
The cut off time for elimination was 25 minutes and nine seconds and a big group including Mark Cavendish, Thor Hushovd and JJ Rojas came in some ten seconds after that time.
Tomorrow's 20th stage is an individual 42.5km time trial around Grenoble.
Pictures copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM and ©Pool/Tim De Waele