However, the peloton proved to stay together all the way until the Champs-Élysées, except for brief escapes to nab the final intermediate sprint and two small climbs. Tradition held up; Discovery successfully led Contador onto the famous street before the sprinting began. Freddy Bichot briefly got away on the second circuit. Chris Horner of Cadel Evans' Predictor-Lotto team tried to get away soon after, but the peloton was much less willing to let him leave. When Alejandro Valverde and Axel Merckx counter-attacked Bichot to bring him back into the field, Discovery faded back.