It was another hot, sunny day where the asphalt is sticking to the tires and the salty sweat flows through the brows and into the eyes. Mario Aerts (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Dries Devenyns (QuickStep), Sergio Paolinho (RadioShack)),Vasili Kiryienka (Caisse d'Epargne) and the Frenchmen duo Maxime Bouet (Ag2r) and Pierre Rolland (Bbox) defied the heat and slipped away from the field while Saxo Bank took the front seat of the locomotive of the peloton.

The Frenchmen were on their toes to leap away from the gun as the breakaway of the 179 kilometer long tenth stage from Chambery to Gap were to be decided. But Saxo Bank controlled the pace of the pack with the yellow flag waving in the wind letting a group of six riders slip away on the French national day, The Bastille Day.

With tomorrow's sprinter stage waiting, a generous Saxo Bank line-up and the right combination of riders in the front group meant that the leading riders knew they would be able to keep the distance to the finish line.

With 14 remaining kilometers, Sergio Paolinho (RadioShack)) and Vasili Kiryienka (Caisse d'Epargne) escaped from their overdone companions and in a rare Portuguese/Belarusian teamwork they worked their way to the finish line where Sergio Paolinho (RadioShack)) was only inches faster than his follower.

Andy wisely played a safe stage surrounded by supporting teammates and is still the overall leader of the race before tomorrow's possible sprinter stage.