Ivan Basso out of the rain

The 10th edition of the Gala Tour de France has nearly been drowned in the floods. The support programm of the morning actualy was totally pertubated with cancelled and low-rated online-skate races. Just before the main event, the sun came out and shined on the happy faces of the children that participated in the races for young riders and were awarded their medals by Ivan Basso personally. But shortly after, the sky darkened again and sent rain and hail down on riders and spectatators. But the show went on: the musicians played their instruments, the clowns laughed and the riders showed excellent races. In the time-trial first where young rider Jürgen Van de Walle prowed that he was one of the biggest Belgian talents for the moment by realizing the same time than René Jörgensen the year before under dry conditions. Jörgensen who seems to appreciate that kind of discipline because he finished second this year in front of a surprising Andy Schleck who honoured his National time-trial title. In the criterium itself, Ivan Basso let nobody doubt about his superiority and with a big acceleration on the penultimate lap, he assured his victory just the way Ekimov has done it before him some years ago. Philippe Gilbert and Frank Schleck took the next places and completed a bright podium, shining just like the sun who appeared again at the award ceremony.

The race lap by lap

km 0 Mr Jean-Paul Rippinger gives the start to 41 riders after the cancellation of Kim Kirchen who has been replaced by Frank Hoj (Gerolsteiner) and Jürgen Van de Walle (Landbouwkrediet). Kim is still suffering from the consequences of his crash at the Eneco-tour and after his abandon at the Clasica San Sebastian, he decided not to start at the Gala Tour de France and at the Tour of Germany in order to take a little bit of rest. If everything goes all-right, he will resume competition at the Grand-prix Ouest-France in Plouay on August 28.

1st lap Unlike the other years where the race normally started slowly in the first laps, the action began immediately in the opening round. A group with some favourites like the CSC riders Frank Schleck, Ivan Basso and Lars Michaelsen, but also with Salvatore Fernandez gets a small gap.

6th lap Regroupement

9th lap New attack: a group with Brandt, Joachim, Detilloux, Hoj and others gets away.

10th lap Benoît Joachim (Discovery Channel) is in the break and he wins the first intermediate sprint in front of Joergensen and Hoj

12th lap Only 4 riders of the group are still left in front: René Joergensen (Barloworld), Christophe Detilloux (Française des Jeux), Christophe Brandt (Davitamon) and Allan Johansson (CSC). But the main peloton isn't far away and Markus Ljungqvist of Liquigas-Bianchi leads the chase

15th lap General regroupement

16th lap Christophe Detilloux insists and takes Claude Degano (LC Tétange) with him, but their attempt is in vain.

20th lap Thierry Marichal (Cofidis) wins the second intermediate sprint in front of the young Cyril Heymans (Team Letzebuerg)

25th lap Another group manages to get a little gap and some of the very active riders of the beginning are once again present: Joachim, Marichal, Michaelsen, Hoj, Degano, but also the Luxemburgish rider Nick Clesen and the Dane from CCI Differdange, Martin Mortensen

30th lap Marichal and Joachim seem to focus now on the intermediate sprints: the Luxemburgish rider wins in front of Michaelsen and the rider from Cofidis.

32nd lap Martin Mortensen tries a solo break. That was a good idea because the rest of the break is caught again.

35th lap Frank Schleck is getting impatient and tries a counter-attack with René Joergensen. They bridge up to Mortensen, but the peloton is attentive and everything comes together again.

40th lap Ivan Basso shows himself. He wins the fourth intermediate sprint with the very active René Joergensen in his wheel. The two riders have a small gap, but Jürgen Van de Walle (Landbouwkrediet) chases them down.

42nd lap Rain is starting again. Just like for the very first time in Steinsel, the sky isn't friendly on this anniversary edition.

46th lap Benoît Joachim attacks again. He knows that this could be the right way to extend his lead in the overall classification of the intermediate sprints. He takes with him Verbrugghe (Quick Step) and Andy Schleck. But Thierry Marichal isn't far back and tries to bridge up to the three.

48th lap The rain has been replaced by hail now. The riders slow down more and more in the turns and don't want to take any risks. Behind the lead group, the peloton is divided in several parts.

49th lap Joachim and Marichal are still duelling in the intermediate sprints. Both of them throw their bikes on the line and Benoît is once more just a little bit faster.

53rd lap Regroupement at the front of the race where we have now 9 riders: Marichal, Joachim, Verbrugghe and Andy Schleck are joined by Basso, Frank Schleck, Philippe Gilbert, Stefan Adamsson and Marcus Ljungqvist. The next chasers are 20 seconds down and they are led by Michaelsen and Arvesen.

57th lap Rik Verbrugghe tries a solo break in his characteristic poursuit style, but Joachim and the CSC take him back to reason.

59th lap The rider from Discovery also wins the last intermediate sprint with a small advantage on Thierry Marichal.

63rd lap Attack from Ivan Basso

64th lap The runner-up of the Grande Boucle has a gap of 50 meters. That could be enough for the victory.

Finish Ivan Basso wins the 10th edition of the Gala Tour de France solo.

Finish Five seconds later, Philippe Gilbert takes second place in a sprint with Frank Schleck. Joachim and Andy Schleck take 4th and 5th postition and complete the brillant performance of the Luxemburgish riders.

Finish After the award ceremony, a new race begins for Frank Schleck: he has to catch the plane that will bring him to the Tour of Germany for tomorrow's first stage.