Two great Basque wins in Alpe d’Huez is celebrated by climbing the legendary mountain twice in one day.
These are the favourites to be the next Basque on top:

A bunch of the lesser known riders in the peloton decide that they need to get away early to make themselves noticed today.
Things are kept very much under control by the Euskaltels while more well-known names such as Irizar, Erviti and Fernández try to get away.

Jorge Azanza put in a massive pull from the start for Euskaltel-Navarre eliminating all attacks.

Zugasti is first over Col de Manse, but the gap is still only around one minute.

Several riders including cobbles-winner Delage are very active after Col de Manse, but Azanza continues to keep things in an iron grip. His teammates have started helping out as well though.

Finally a break establishes largely thanks to some relentless attacking by especially Irizar. The four others are Sanz, Larralde, Zugasti and Bizkarra.


As the climb up Col d’Ornon slowly begins the front quintet has around five minutes to the peloton, where Sicard envigorated by his NC win makes an attack followed by Durán.

The Duo joins the break 2 km from the summit.

Apparently that is not Movistar’s plan so they start working with Euskaltel-Navarre.

As the break begins the first time up Alpe d’Huez the gap is down to 3’43 and they can see the peloton closing in further down the mountain.

It looks like the many early attacks from Irizar is taking it’s toll as the new kids squeeze up the pace with 4 km left to climb. Sanz and Larralde are first to crack though, but soon after Sicard and Durán slip away from the rest as well.

Durán is first over the summit, though it’s not really contested.

In the peloton it’s clear to see who rides WT and who doesn’t…

18-year old Gorka Nieve does well to sit in the middle of the pack at this point after 17 riders have fallen off the back and many more are struggling. He even holds on when the peloton cracks again leaving 27 (incl. some of the former breakers) in the main group.

Sicard leaves the front duo over Col de Sarenne with the peloton 3’26’’ further back.

When the break starts its final time up the mountain they have 3’38 to the peloton, who have now been regrouped counting 48 riders. That gap could quickly disappear when the big guns start shooting.

De las Campos is waiting for no one today and attacks when the climb has barely begun.

Intxausti and López closes him down but Nieve counters leaving Intxausti the only one capable of following the two Navarrans.

The situation with 10 km to the top:

With 6 km to go Sicard can feel the breath of the chasers in his neck and decides to take things into his own legs.

1 km later he has 35 seconds to Durán, who has just been caught by De las Campos, Nieve and Intxausti.

Haimar Zubeldia decides that it’s time to spark things up in the main favourites chasing group and is followed by Ion Izagirre, Antón and López.
The RadioShack rider seems to be close to the strength of his best days and manages to go solo.

4 km to the top and anything can still happen!

The groups gets smaller for each passing km.

Nothing much happens to the front trio and its Intxausti who blasts into the final km in front.

Perhaps he should have waited as he seems to burn out before the line leaving it open for De las Campos and Nieve.

A magnificent 1-2 from Euskaltel-Navarre, while the remaining riders are all to tired to sprint for secondary places.

Nevertheless Gorka Nieve should treasure the memory of him leading Gorka Izagirre and Castroviejo to the top of Alpe d’Huez!

The Sagasti award goes to Markel Irizar for his relentless insisting on establishing the break. No one attacked anywhere near the number of times the RadioShack rider did.