13:03 - Prize Category Summary: Polka-Dot Jersey
Anthony Charteau (BTL) has an unbeatable lead in the mountains classification with the 143 points he’s collected during the first 17 stages. Second is compatriot Christophe Moreau (GCE) who has 128 points. Today is effectively a day off for Charteau who will wear the polka-dot jersey for the eighth day in the 2010 Tour;l there are no climbs and all he has to do is make it to Paris and he’ll stand on the podium as the King of the Mountains of the 97th Tour.
13:09 - Prize Category Summary: White Jersey
With his 2nd stage victory, Andy Schleck put time into every rider except for his main rival Alberto Contador. The Luxembourger is going to win the white jersey for a record-equaling third time – all he has to do, really, is make it to Paris without any incident and he will be the youth classification winner. He is 6’33” ahead of Robert Gesink (RAB) and 10’04” ahead of Kreuziger (LIQ). Julien El Fares (COF) is the only other young rider less than an hour behind Schleck in the overall rankings.
13:07 - “Sunny and Cloudy”
The weather report from Sebastien Piquet of Radio Tour for the start is a confusing one. “It’s sunny and cloudy,” he just told LeTour.fr. Pushed for further explanation, he explained that there is no rain in Salies-de-Bearn and above are blue skies with patches of high cloud. We all okay with that appraisal? Right. So let’s move on and wait for the names from Mr Piquet of the seven escapees...