Alexander Vinokourov (Astana) has won Stage 13 of the 2010 Tour de France. Vinokourov surged away from the peloton in the last eight km to win the hilly, 196-km ride from Rodez to Revel in 4:26:26. Mark Cavendish (HTC) outsprinted Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) for second at 0:13. Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) remains the maillot jaune.

Mild temperatures and fair skies greeted the riders. After an early crash that involved Lance Armstrong (RadioShack), Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step), Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky), and Pierrick Fedrigo (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) sallied off of the front at five km. Because no one in the break was a GC threat, a chase did not materialize immediately. The trio's advantage grew to 2:30 at 20 km, 4:55 at 24 km, and 6:00 at 40 km.

HTC and Rabobank began to drive the peloton, which reduced the escapees' lead to  4:43 at 67 km. Milram joined Lampre and HTC at the front, and the gap between bunch and break fell to 4:18 at 75 km, 3:27 at 125 km, and 2:00 at 146 km. With 25 km left, the break was 0:25 ahead of the field.

With 10 km left, the catch occurred. HTC led the field onto the day's last climb, the Category 3 Cote de Saint-Ferreol. Alessandro Ballan (BMC) attacked, and Carlos Barredo (Quick Step), Nicolas Roche (Ag2r), and Damiano Cunego (Lampre) pursued.

Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) and Vinokourov countered. The Astana man caught and dropped Ballan. With three km left, he led the peloton by 0:15. Milram took over at the front, but Vinokourov led by 0:18 with two km left.

In the overall, Schleck leads Alberto Contador (Astana) by 0:31 and Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) by 2:45. Stage 14 could be a standing shaker. The 184.5-km Pyrenean ride from Revel to Ax-3 Domaines will take the riders over the Hors Categorie Port de Pailheres before they fight it out on the Category 1 climb to the finish. It is time for the GC contenders to shine. Which of them will prosper? Schleck? Contador? Check in at www.roadcycling.com and find out!