Greig Leach

Simon Clarke (Orica GreenEdge) used the final climb of the day up the Cote du Grammond, to rid himself of the last member of the break away, Sebastien Langeveld (Garmin Sharp) and press on to the finish alone. With the rain having been replaced by the heat of July, keeping one's fluids topped up is crucial. Included among the motorcycles of the race referees, TV cameras, photographers and medics are the bikes that carry chilled waterbottles for any rider to use. The rain and the heat are great for the Cotes du Rhone wines of this region but the transitional weather has made it tough on a number of the peloton.