Many splits occurred on the way up the Col de Peyresourde, with Vinokourov taking a quick 30 second lead over his breakaway mates, holding on to that advantage to be the original stage winner. Michael Rasmussen and Alberto Contador traded attack after attack from the group they had been in, catching most of the early break, finishing in the top ten of the stage, and gaining time over other contenders such as Cadel Evans, Levi Leipheimer, Andreas Klöden, and Carlos Sastre, who were left in the remnants of the group they had left.