It doesn’t happen often, but today’s stage saw a long breakaway maintained all the way to the finish. Kjell Carlström (Liquigas), Clément Lhôtellerie (Skil-Shimano) and Bradley McGee (CSC)went off the front just 8km into the race. McGee dropped off on the final climb, but Carlström and Lhôtellerie held on till the end and battled for the stage win in Saint-Etienne.

It was Carlström who took the win, with Lhôtellerie right on his tail. New leader Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) was in a chasing group 43 seconds behind. Former race leader Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) was dropped in the final climb and now sits in 45th place, nearly 16 minutes off of the lead.

Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d’Epargne) is in second place, with Gorka Verdugo (Euskatel-Euskadi) sitting in third. Karsten Kroon (CSC) would be in second place, only 2 seconds off of the lead, but he received a 20 second penalty for drafting a team car.