The last stage in the mountains, anyone still with yellow jersey aspirations will have to make a move here.

The race underway, many riders tried to get into the break, knowing their was a good chance of success. Aeroflot were really active, Gruzdev and Efimkin both trying to escape.

115 Kilometres to go and the break hits the 10 kilometre 8.6% col de Monte. Nokia Ekspla and heading the peloton and close down some attacks, there are seven riders out front, they will not get more than 2:20 of an advantage on the climb.

The seven riders in the break are: Brandle(RBL), Gruzdev(AFL), Edmondson(SCD), Magallanes(TCL), Zingle(SSL), Tamouridis(BSE) and Pauwels(PDA), they ride well together but never pull out a big advantage.

Over the col des Ares, Koren(BSE) attacks, he sees no one wants to go with him so withdraws back to the peloton.

With 70 kilometres to go the break have 3:30.

With 47 kilometres to go the break reaches the sprint point at Mauleon Borousse, no one who contests the point gets any points. With the break at 5'10 and one kilometre before the start of the 14 kilometre 7.2% average Port du Bales........

Di Gregorio(QMS) attacks....GOOD MOVE...... as the Nokia Ekspla lead peloton aren't really concerned with the break..when......

ElisSonde falls. The key domestique for Nokia Ekspla falls...but that doesn't.....

stop Nokia Ekspla from riding on the front, the break grows out to 6 minutes and Nokia Ekspla start to up the pace.

At the front there are only four riders left, at the summit of the climb, only Tamouridis, Gruzdev and Pauwels are left, Di Gregorio is '40 back.

The break hits the Peyressourde climb. Pauwels immediately attacks his breakaway companians, he heads on alone with'5:30 back to the peloton. He even increases the gap to Di Gregorio to over 1 minute.....Di Gregorio will not get back on terms.....

The peloton hit the penultimate climb. Gadret(TNA) and Navarro(SSL) attack, then there is a massive attack from Verdugo(BSE)...

But Elissonde successfully keeps on brining back the riders who attack...

All this attacking is seeing Pauwels big advantage evaporate with over 1 kilometre to go to the top he has less than 3 minutes advantage...

Back in the bunch. ATAPUMA attacks, BRAMBILLA follows him. Elissonde won't be able to bring these 2 back....

Yellow jersey Spilak will take up the chase. He will ride up to Brambilla. At the top only Pauwels is out ahead with 45 seconds advantage....

Onto the final really steep climb. Pauwels gets caught. BRAMBILLA ATTACKS AGAIN......but Spilak can just sit in the saddle and follow.....riders are coming up from behind......

The riders were Nieve and Verdugo. Nieve immediately comes too the front and attacks well into the final kilometre...Brambilla goes with him....Spilak is dropped.....

but only loses 11 seconds. NIEVE WINS. VICTORY NO.2 FOR PETRO CHINA. Spilak just holds off Verdugo for third place.

Brambilla certainly gave it his all but wasn't able to distance Spilak big time. Five riders abandon including Chavanel and Bulgarelli.

Baring a disaster it looks like the yellow jersey is wrapped up, although Brambilla could try something on stage 19. Meyer was the big loser today, losing more than three minutes to Dombrowski.

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Dombrowski leads Meyer by 3'04.

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Quilmes leads PetroChina by 10'11.

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Stage 19 underway starting at Blagnac. The rain and strong winds didn't detour riders from attacking. Di Luca(STM) for the first time in the race attacked and looked very strong. Forty kilometres into the race and a 10 man break is established.

The riders in the break: Beppu(BSE), Di Luca(STM), Wu(PCA), Veikkanen(KLO), Othman(PDA),R Perez(PVE), Denifl and Brandle(RBL), Macias(TCL) and Finetto(SSL).

The break work well together. With 115 kilometres to go sprinters teams, Standard Chartered, Kulalu and Iran Khodro start really taking up the chase with the break at 9 minutes.

With 96 kilometres to go the sprint point at Cahors is uncontested.

With 70 kilometres to go the break has 5:50 over the peloton, Macias then Othman are dropped on the rolling terrain, with Perez and Di Luca pushing on...

With 37 kilometres to go the break have 3:00 over the peloton, when the break stops for refreshments. Denifl takes advantage of this and rides off the front of the break....one man has had enough........DI LUCA.....

DI LUCA. He comes to front and the break explodes, riders drop off in ones. He looks like a man possessed. Only Denifl can stay with him over the top of a climb with 32 kilometres to go......

But then Di Luca drops him on the flat afterwards. With 30 kilometres to go he has 2:58 over the rampant peloton...with 25 kilometres to go he has 2 minutes over the peloton...

With 20 kilometres to go Di Luca is riding seemingly stronger, he now has 1:40 over the peloton. It is mostly downhill all the way with a few sharp steep climbs..

Strong riders such as Van Niekerk, Del Nero and Mizbani are giving their all to bring him back...but with 9.7 kilometres to go Di Luca has 1:05 over the peloton..

With 5 kilometres to go Di Luca still has close to 1 minute of an advantage when yellow jersey Spilak attacks.....

It was a great effort but he falls well short. Di Luca holds on for the win. STAGE WIN FOR SLOVAK TELECOM..

Bole(ALS) was easily best of the rest and he finishes second, Phinney(IKO) increases his lead to an unreachable total in the points competition finishing third..... Classifications remain mainly unchanged.

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