text: The Race: In the day's first kilometers, both Philippe Gilbert and Florian Vachon escaped. Bradley Wiggins tried in vain to join them, eventually giving up. But, the irrepressible Thomas Voeckler gave it a shot and made contact around the day's 74th kilometer. The trio eventually carved out a five-minute lead, but the pack was having none of it. Gilbert was captured with 17 kilometers remaining, Vachon and Voeckler soon thereafter.