Tour de France 2010: The halfway stage

July 13, 2010, France: Sandy Casar of France has won the mountainous ninth stage of the Tour

de France and Andy Schleck of Luxembourg has captured the overall lead. Schleck took the yellow jersey from Cadel Evans, who wore it for only one day, finishing just behind the stage winner and alongside two-time Tour winner Alberto Contador. (Photo: Stefano Sirotti/Hollandse Hoogte)

The riders of the 2010 Tour de France are at the half way mark. The Alps have passed and the men are being sorted from the boys, but in this year’s Tour it turns out the boys are the men. Many of the challenges from some of the pre-Tour favorites for the Yellow Jersey have already fallen, often literally, short. Lance Armstrong, Cadel Evans and Frank Schleck are bruised and broken. It looks as if this year’s Tour de France will be between Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck, but you never know what will come the riders way while they head up to Paris through the mighty and steep Pyrenees.

(Photo: Papon/Hollandse Hoogte)

(Photo: Papon/Hollandse Hoogte)

(Photo: Mons/Hollandse Hoogte)

(Photo: Mounic Alain/Hollandse Hoogte)

(Photo: Papon/Hollandse Hoogte)

(Photo: Papon/Hollandse Hoogte)

(Photo: Papon/Hollandse Hoogte)

(Photo: Mounic Alain/Hollandse Hoogte)

(Photo: Papon/Hollandse Hoogte)

(Photo: Papon/Hollandse Hoogte)

(Photo: Papon/Hollandse Hoogte)

(Photo: Stefano Sirotti/Hollandse Hoogte)

(Photo: Stefano Sirotti/Hollandse Hoogte)

(Photo: Stefano Sirotti/Hollandse Hoogte)