Sanchez takes Maillot a Pois as first of the Tours jerseys are decided

Following the epic battle on the Alpe d'Huez that had been anticipated since the grand unveiling of the 2011 Tour route last October, Samuel Sanchez was the first to secure a victory in the Tour jerseys to clock up enough points to take the King of the Mountains Jersey.

With the Time Trial of Grenoble still to come the battle for the Maillot Jaune will literally come right down to the line tomorrow. With everything still to play for it will be up to Andy to keep it and Evans to take it as they race against the clock around the mountain route that circumnavigates Grenoble. Ultimately it will be a case not of who can Time Trial the best but who wants the jersey the most.

But with the stage winner on the podium and Gilbert the only sprinter in sight, everyone waited with baited breath to see when Cavendish would come over the line. The official cut off being calculated to 25 minutes and 9 seconds after Rolland crossed the line, Cavendish had to wait for the decision of race commissionaires having crossed the line with the gruppetto around 20 seconds outside of the cut.

Finally stepping out onto the podium to receive the Maillot Vert Cav fans worldwide breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn't been eliminated from the Tour for coming in outside the cut. Being docked points for the late arrival once again, he is now on 280 points. Rojas, finishing within the same group lies 15 points behind on 265 points. If lady luck continues to be on his side he will secure the Jersey with a stage win in Paris on Sunday; his third in a row.

Meanwhile the Young Riders Jersey went to stage winner Rolland who finished 1 minute 33 seconds ahead of Taaramae who took it yesterday from Uran of Team Sky.