Embrun – Prato Nevoso (183 km) Click for route map
The start today was in the Haut-Alpes on the borders of Provence. Embrun on the River Durance is in a beautiful setting with the town, known as the ‘little Nice of the Alps’, perched on a rocky outcrop.
The tour made its way through the stunning scenery of the Upper Durance valley, where we saw the steep sided river gorge and pinnacle outcrops some, in the Queyras area, with stones precariously balanced atop. The
helicopter circled giving great views of Fort Queyras (sometimes called Chateau Queyras) before the riders crossed the Pas d’Agnel (below) into Italy, passing through the Stage 16 start of Cuneo on the valley floor before finishing at the high altitude Italian ski resort of Prato Nevoso.
RESULTS (British riders in italics)
Simon Gerrans (Credit Agricole)
2nd Egoi Martinez – 3rd Danny Pate
YELLOW (individual) – Fränk Schleck (Team CSC Saxo Bank)
2nd Bernhard Kohl – 3rd Cadel_Evans
GREEN (points) - Óscar Freire (Team Columbia)
2nd Thor Hushovd – 3rd Erik Zabel
POLKA DOT (climber) – Bernhard Kohl (Gerolsteiner)
2nd Sebastian Lang – 3rd Egoi Martinez
WHITE (under 25) – Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas)
2nd Roman Kreuziger – 3rd Maxime Monfort
COMBATIVE – Egoi Martinez (Euskatel)
LEADING TEAM – Team CSC Saxo Bank
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