2010 le Tour de France: Lance's last hurrah

Lance Armstrong featured throughout yesterday's classic stage through the Pyrénées. He was out front in the breakaway over all four climbs – Col de Peyresourde, d'Aspin, Tourmalet and the Aubisque. Had he won the bunch sprint into Pau, it would have been a fine way to end his career. But as Lance was well aware his chances of winning a bunch sprint were slim and so it proved. His best hope for a stage victory would have been if he had been able to break away on the last climb of the day and gain sufficient time to see him stay ahead on the remaining 60 km down from the top of the Aubisque into Pau. At nearly 39 Lance no longer has that sort of strength, even though yesterday's ride was impressive. With four stages left it is very hard to see Armstrong getting any further chances of winning one last stage.

After fireworks on the Peyresourde and Aspin that split the field into pieces it all quietened down as the peloton let the new and less dangerous breakaway escape. Really the stage needs to be ridden in the other direction for a real chance of the overall lead being shaken up as the long ride into Pau can easily nullify short time gains made on the final climb. In the other direction the descent from the Peyresourde is straight into Bagnères-de-Luchon, so very little chance of making up time lost.

Impressive ride by Thor Hushovd to stay in the main bunch through the mountains and to pick up enough points in Pau to take the Green Jersey back by four points. However, if he is to hold off Petacchi I think Thor will need to pick up some more intermediate points. Unfortunately Petacchi is now under investigation in Italy for possible doping.

Today is a rest day before the final showdown in the mountains. Let's hope the stage lives up to its billing.