After the gruelling slopes of the Col du Galibier on Tuesday, stage 10 promises 229.5 km of largely flat racing

Michael Rasmussen starts in the yellow jersey but isn't part of an early breakaway of six, lead by Anthony Charteau

The peloton keeps in touch with the lead group and eventually catches up at around the 57km mark

Marcus Burghardt, who survived a collision with a dog on Tuesday, tries a solo breakaway but is quickly hauled back

But Jens Voigt leads another break of 11 riders and this time the group puts some distance between the chasing pack

Voigt is the highest placed in the lead group, which includes Staf Scheirlinckx and Cedric Vasseur, but not Rasmussen

Rasmussen stays tucked in with his Rabobank team-mates at the head of the peloton, some 10 minutes behind the leaders

German broadcasters ARD and ZDF drop their live coverage as news of Patrick Sinkewitz's drug test results emerge

Meanwhile, the leaders manage to stay well clear of the peloton and start to launch further breaks off the front

A five-man group of Voigt, Cedric Vasseur, Michael Albasini, Patrice Halgand and Sandy Casar end up battling for the finish

But Vasseur inches across the line first in Marseille, following some canny manoeuvring for position on the home straight

Vasseur announces his imminent retirement - Rasmussen finishes 10 minutes behind but retains his overall lead