A big mountain stage! With the highest ever attitude finish in the history of Tour de France! I want to a part of that! I will be in the breakaway together with Eros and help Vincenzo and Ivan. That's our plan for today!

Leopard didn't want more than 4 riders in breakaway, so Eros gave up and I was "alone" in the break with 3 other riders.

But first try to win the intermediate sprint; yes, I did! 20 points scored!

The other riders was:


And we had over 10 minutes, before we started to climb Col Agnel. Like the other sprinters, Daniel Oss and Kristijan Koren had been dropped from the peloton, BEFORE the real climb had started. It can be a long day for them!

During Col Agnel, I heard that Vincenzo Nibali attacked. He wants to take all the lost time back! Is he doing a Pantani or is he crazy?



He knows what he is doing, because when he was 1,4 km from the top, he was amazingly 7 minutes ahead of the peloton - and 1 minute(?!?!) behind me.

Meanwhile former polka-dot jersey winner Anthony Charteau attacked for get maximum points. He is not yet give up the hope of getting a polka-dot jersey second year in row.



Wait, I can see him! Had he just take 8 minutes on us during a 10 kilometer climb!!!! OK, anyway he overtook us with a sensational speed, and during the downhill...he was absolutely gone!!

But suddenly I saw him...he had crashed!!



30 seconds later, he overtook me during a harpin turn with the expression in his face: "Come, join me!"

During the descent, he was gone and next time I heard the time gap: it was 3 minutes! He is leading the Tour de France with 2 minutes!



I was reached by the peloton and I was actually surprised. Nibali was 9 minutes ahead of the peloton.



Last kilometer for Nibali. He will get the yellow jersey after an amazing performance today! That is unbelievable!



Pantani-style! As Vincenzo says! He had used a clever strategy to win the stage!





















Wow, what a stage from Vincenzo! Now I know why his nickname is The Shark! Now there is two stages left. What can I do?

-Peto

The stage started with Eros, who attacked. I followed. Two other riders attacked. So the breakaway was containing 4 riders, who was Bauke Mollema (Rabobank), Kevin Seeldrayers (QuickStep), Eros Cappecchi (Liquigas-Cannondale) and me - Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale). Pretty young group indeed, we all are under 25 years old.

Vincenzo looked forward to defend his yellow jersey, whom he surprised with an attack long out to win stage 18 - 8 minutes ahead of Frank Schleck.

When we reached the first climb of the day - Col du Telegraphe - we had 4 minutes. It was fifth day in a row, where I was in break. And with over 200 points difference between me and Pozzato in second place in the points classification, I looked to win this. I will come on the podium in Paris!

Actually today was not the most important day for me. I will be in the breakaway for reason like if Vincenzo cracks or something like that in the last climb. Else he is in very good condition for winning the overall!



During the second climb of the day, Col du Galibier, we was only 3 riders in the breakaway. Why? Eros crashed into a spectator and was now 1 minute after us. He can possibly catch us I the descent.



My first goal is (of course) the intermediate sprint. Something who surprise me, is that I am 4th in the mountain standings. It must be the results of the breakaways.



Nothing big happened on the descent. The last kilometer to the Alpe d'Huez I drove away from them, for winning the intermediate sprint.



Maybe I got a chance to win the stage to Alpe d'Huez. The peloton is 3 minutes behind me and...



Seeldraeyers know that I am good to sprint. And he will not risk a prestigious stage victory to Alpe d'Huez. But he will get caught by Mollema. I will just try to wheelsuck them, because they are better to climb than me.

He tries once again. Mollema doesn't follow him. Good, for if them both attacks, I have almost zero chances for winning today. But the peloton is rapidly closing in us: 2 minutes now with 7,7 km to go.

Caught once again, he is relaying now, Kevin. Good for me then. I had not relay since the descent. Seeldraeyers tries once again on the steep slopes: 13 %. I understand why for the peloton is now 1:30 behind us. And that is with 6 km to go.



One thing I had noticed, is that there is not so many people as there earlier had been. I can remember in 2004, where there was a time trial on Alpe d' Huez. There was so many people, that the riders almost couldn't manage to go on.

With 4,4 km to go, the time gap is 1 minute to the peleton. We won't make it to the end. With 3 km to go, we can see the very reduced peloton. And Contador is coming to our group! But it was just a warning for all the others riders was just behind! So I sat me up and I will be relaxing to the finish line.



Ivan Basso won the stage in front of Cadel Evans and Contador. I came in as number...? Really, there was so many riders, who overtook me, so I will found out tonight!

Vincenzo is still leading when we are heading into the time trial!

Nr.	Country	Rider	Team	Time
1.		Ivan BASSO	Liquigas-Cannondale	3h15'18"
2.		Cadel EVANS	BMC Racing Team	+6"
3.		Joaqium RODRIGUEZ	Katusha Team	+6"
4.		Frank SCHLECK	Leopard-Trek	+6"
5.		Andy SCHLECK	Leopard-Trek	+6"

It is my turn, now! And of we are. I hope that I can do a good performance:

1st time check: 8th (+0:16 after Fabian Cancellara)

2nd time check: 30th (+1:00 after Levi Leipheimer)



3rd time check: 61st (+3:14 after Levi Leipheimer)

Well, it was pretty good performance from my side. I hope that I can be in top 100. I was passed by Levi Leipheimer, who beat Fabian Cancellara's time. I can't remember any time, Spartacus was beaten by an other rider in Tour de France.

But our most important thing is that Vincenzo still has the yellow jersey tonight!





Nothing big happened for him, until we on TV, saw Evans getting troubles with his bike. And Vincenzo passed him. It looked like Cadel had lost the Tour de France without any battles.



But suddenly he passed Vincenzo...and he was gone! I was very disappointed for that of he could lose the Tour de France.



Good he didn't , he has 1:21 to Cadel Evans. That is very good! For we have won the Tour de France and now we owns three jerseys: yellow, green and polka-dot!

Poor Frank loses his third place and Alberto Contactor will become 3rd in the general classification.



























Great day for the team. We had just won the Tour de France! But the Tour is not over yet. There is still the last day in Paris! I am so excited to come on the podium!

-Peter Sagan

Today I will relax, drink champagne and come in top 10 in the sprint! That is my plan for today!

Some riders punctured during the relaxing ride, some of them was: Tom Boonen, Robert Gesink and Fillipo Pozzato (twice). However some riders had crashes like Fabian Cancellara.

When we reached Paris, it was with our team first. Kristijan Koren and Daniel Oss was the first riders to come into Champs-Elysees.



Then a breakaway was formed of these riders;



Now they was caught with only one lap remaining!



Team Sky leads for Edvald Boasson Hagen, and I am on their wheel. 500 meters. Start to sprint? No 400 meters. Now? No. 300 meters? Yes! Go, go! Damn I was passed. But go, oh, the others had passed me. Nevermind for I had just won the green jersey!





































What a day. It had been a great Tour for me. 5 stage victories, a green jersey and I should now go up to the podium in Paris! Amazing! It had been a great Tour, and I hope that you had enjoyed my Tour as myself!

See you to next year! Maybe with more bigger news?

-Peto