Voigt's ride of the century, but for nothing

I watched with laboured interest at first, but at the end of Stage 10 of the Tour de France last night, found my love for cycling's biggest race rekindled somewhat.

The dope Manuel Beltran didn't destroy the beauty of the sport too much. It was still a rush, it was still very much a nailbiting affair even before the moment the group that mattered - one that contained Cadel Evans, Ricardo Ricco, Leonardo Piepoli, Franck Schleck, Juan Jose Cobo Acebo, Carlos Sastre, Denis Menchov, Christian Vande Velde and a surprising Moises Duenas of Barloworld - began their attack after ditching solo breakaway leader Remy di Gregorio, who was in search of a Bastille Day win for France.

The Pyrenean stage had featured the Col de Tourmalet, which turned out to be where a troubled Alejandro Valverde was dropped, even with Caisse d'Epargne teammate Oscar Perreiro in his aid. I was devastated to see Lampre's Damiano Cunego also struggling, having been reduced to marking Valverde as the group that mattered danced on more than four minutes ahead in the final five kilometres.

That was due to some huge damage done by CSC's Jens Voigt up the Tourmalet and Fabien Cancellara on the flats leading to the final climb to Hautacam. Sensing Valverde, Perreiro, even Euskaltel's Samuel Sanchez really, really troubled after being dropped off the back, Voigt rode like a man posessed up that Tourmalet with leader Sastre right on tow, albeit with at least four other main contenders.

As it turned out, Luxembourger Franck Schleck of CSC was in front, about two minutes and 17 seconds ahead of the big guys, when he crossed the finish line behind the one-two finishers for Saunier Suval - Piepoli and Cobo. It could have been another interesting day for little Luxembourg had the maillot jaune changed hands from one of their riders to another. Previous maillot jaune Kim Kirchen of Columbia was hammered. He finished down in 15th, more than four minutes behind Piepoli and is down 1:56s from Evans in the GC.

Here's the story from now. It is Evans' Tour de France after he took the maillot jaune for the first time in his career last night. And it up to one of either Vande Velde, Sastre, Menchov or maybe Ricco to deny him that. The rest of the big names like Valverde, Cunego, Nibali... They were blown away last night. It is gonna be a first ever Australian win, I think.