July 14, 2004 – Quick Step’s Richard Virenque achieved every French cyclist’s dream: to win a stage on Bastille day. Virenque broke away early with Lotto’s Axel Merckx, only to drop him on the finishing climbs. Virenque also picked up all the climber’s points today, which should put him in polka dots by tomorrow.

Stage 10:

1. Richard Virenque (Fra) Quick Step-Davitamon 6.00.24 (39.46 km/h)
2. Andreas Klöden (Ger) T-Mobile Team 5.19
3. Erik Zabel (Ger) T-Mobile Team
4. Francisco Mancebo P̩rez (Spa) Illes Balears РBanesto
5. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère
6. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal p/b Berry Floor
7. Georg Totschnig (Aut) Gerolsteiner
8. Kim Kirchen (Lux) Fassa Bortolo
9. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Domina Vacanze
10. Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi

Overall:
1. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère 42.42.14
2. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Cofidis – Le Crédit Par Téléphone 3.00
3. Sandy Casar (Fra) Fdjeux.com 4.13
4. Richard Virenque (Fra) Quick Step-Davitamon 6.52
5. Jakob Piil (Den) Team CSC 7.31
6. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal p/b Berry Floor 9.35
7. Erik Zabel (Ger) T-Mobile Team 9.58
8. Jose Azevedo (Por) US Postal p/b Berry Floor 10.04
9. José Enrique Gutierrez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 10.09
10. Francisco Mancebo P̩rez (Spa) Illes Balears РBanesto 10.18