Tour de London

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

175km - A breakaway! Martin Elmiger, Daniele Bennati, Daniele Righi, Markus Fothen, Manuel Quinziato, Matteo Tossato, Jens Voigt and David Millar attack and go 40 seconds clear of the peloton!

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

175km - A counter-attack has come from a group of eleven riders. Nicolas Portal, Chris Horner, Simon Gerrans, Amets Txurruka, Bossoni, Stefan Schumacher, Jerome Pineau, THomas Voeckler, Lilian Jégou, Benoit Vaugrenard, and Carlos Barredo all put their foot down, but are rapidly hauled back in by the peloton.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

171km - Bouygues' Jerome Pineau is desperate to get himself into a breakaway. He attacks again. He's now 55" back from our eight leaders, while the peloton are 1'05" back.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

166km - Here's how the cross the first climb of the day, the category three Côte de Baleix: 1. Matteo Tosatto (Quickstep) 4 pts; 2 Jens Voigt (CSC) 3 pts; 3 Markus Fothen (Gerolsteiner) 2 pts; 4 Daniele Righi (Lampre) 1 pt. 1'10" is the latest split back to the peloton.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

164km - Jerome Pineau has been reeled back in and the Bouygues Telecom team are at the front of the peloton.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

159km - 2'00" is the latest split. It looks like, despite the efforts of the Bouygues team, we may have our breakaway for the day.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

155km - Our eight leaders are in the Bigorre valley and are approaching the first sprint of the day, at Rabastens-de-Bigorre (Km 44.5).

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

150km - It has been announced that Simon Gerrans, is to leave the Ag2r team to switch to Credit Agricole at the end of the season. Meanwhile, Patrice Halgand, Jimmy Engoulvent, Dmitriy Fofonov and Russia's Alexandre Botcharov have extended their contract with Credit Agricole.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

149km - Results of the intermediate sprint at Rabastens-de-Bigorre: 1 Quinziato, 6pts / 6"; 2. Millar, 4pts / 4"; 3. Elmiger, 2pts / 2"

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

147km - The average speed over the first hour of racing has been high: 47.3 Km/h.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

134km - Here's how they go over the top of the Côte de Villecomtal: 1. Fothen, 3pts; 2. Tosatto, 2pts; 3. Elmiger, 1 pt. The Discovery Channel and Caisse d'Epargne teams are leading the chase in the peloton, and the gap ahs fallen back down to 1'30".

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

129km - Gerolsteiner's Markus Fothen again takes the three points on the Côte de Mielan (Category 4 - Km 59.5), followed by Tossato and Elmiger.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

125km - Britain's David Millar is first across the next climb, the category 4 Côte de Sainte-Dode-Aux-Croix: Millar (3 pts); Righi (2 pts); Bennati (1 pt).

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

122km - The Liquigas, Agritubel and Caisse d'Epargne teams are steadfastly refusing to allow the breakaway to gain any significant time. 1'30" is still the gap.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

118km - Fothen, Millar and co. may have picked up a few points here and there over these little climbs, but they are certainly no danger to the man in the polkadot jersey, Juan Mauricio Soler. The Barloworld rider has 206 points, 78 more than his nearest rival, race leader Alberto Contador.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

110km - A very hot day here in South Western France. The sun is blazing down on the backs of the riders.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

105km - Caisse d'Epargne could be eyeing a stage win here today, their first of the Tour. It would be a huge disappointment for a team of their size and prestige to go through the whole tour making no impact on the podium, the jerseys or even the stages. Maybe that's why they're not allowing the escapees a free rein.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

100km - Denis Menchov has abandoned! He looks thoroughly cheesed off. To be fair, who can blame him? He has ridden himself into the ground over the last few days in support of Michael Rasmussen, only to see the Dane sacked from the team.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

98km - 43.1km/h is the average speed over the second hour of racing.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

88km - Our eight leaders seem to be finally extending their lead. 4'49" is the latest split.