The Tour rests again.

Today the riders are entitled to their second day of rest before tackling the Alps, which should bring up the real candidates for the podium.

The first two weeks of the 2011 edition of Tour de France ended yesterday with a 15th stage which meant the finish of the Pyrenees. Finish with a little relief, was the second last chance for the sprinters to show their talent. Their very last chance to be next Sunday on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

Voeckler still in yellow:

I must admit, the sprinters were not disappointed. The favorite of the stage, Mark Cavendish, Once again lives up to its green jersey by winning his fourth stage already on the Tour de France and his 19th stage victory of his career. For Thomas Voeckler that was the end of the sixth day in yellow and a well deserved rest day. By cons, it does not believe in his chances to finish the Tour in yellow:

" I know that the French expect a winner of the Tour since Bernard Hinault (1985), a French on the podium since Richard Virenque (1997), Voeckler said. I will not lie I could say:''I have a chance to win.'' This would make the pub. But I have 0% chance of winning the Tour de France. The last week will be decisive. The organizers have mapped the route for the Tour is decided in the last week."

HTC dominates race:

While the sprinters will be shown again in Montpellier, adventurers have once again gave everything and tried everything. The peloton gave the impression of already being a rest day, but five runners were not the same thing. Terpstra, Delage, Delaplace, Ignatjev and Dumoulin were escaped. A 22 km from the finish Ignatjev Terpstra and went while their breakaway companions were being joined by the peloton a few km later. Unfortunately for them, the team HTC Cavendish has never really left alone. Ignatjev left the breakaway and Terpstra, who was awarded the prize for fighting spirit, was resumed at 3 km to go small.
As expected, Mark Cavendish proved again that he is the king of the sprint in the Tour de France and is almost finished on the Tour in green. Voeckler remains in yellow while Jelle Vanendert, Solo winner Saturday, keep the polka dot jersey. Finally, the white jersey remains on the shoulders of the Colombian Rigoberto Uran.