The Tour de France gets it's reputation from a number of key things. The first week shows off the speed of the riders as they duke it out on the flatlands. This year saw the likes of Alessandro Petacchi and Mark Cavendish reign as they took out stage after stage. The mountains of the Tour would sort them out.

But the main thing the Tour has a reputation for are the steep mountains of the Alps and Pyrenees. The high mountains give the Tour its identity. And that's largely because the riders' heroics on the slopes are often captured so dramatically by the cameras. The men who will win the Tour de France will lay the foundations for that win in 2010 in the Alps, starting now.

The course of the Tour de France changes each year. Those that came to the Alps this season to take a look at the stage said it was not a stage to worry the big favorites. But the mountains are different when the pressure of the Tour de France is on and the first casualty of this year's Alpine mountain was the yellow jersey. Fabian Cancellara was not expected to feature heavily in the climbing and to see him carrying water bottles on the early slopes of the climbs indicated his position on the team.

The day was hilly and the splintered group saw Sylvain Chavanel take back the jersey he lost on that infamous cobbled stage three stage.

Who's Hot ...

Team Bbox Bouygues Telecom - they did an epic turn on the front of the peloton to bring back a break that had managed to get over eight minutes up on the field. A result of missing out on the break they flexed their muscle and put the whole bunch under the pump.

Jerome Pineau - The leader of the mountains classification went out on the attack to gain more points for the polka dot jersey. He rode very 'un Frenchlike' as he went out raced hard and off the front. He rode well but his explosion at the end of the climb was as spectacular.

Team Astana - On the first mountain stage the team of Alberto Contador showed some ominous menace.

Team Quickstep - The yellow jersey and the polka dot jersey. Tom who?

Sylvain Chavanel - Lost the yellow jersey on stage 3 on the cobbles where he had 3 punctures and 3 bike changes. He is back in yellow and back in the good graces of the French papers as he won a beautiful stage with a solo breakaway - and an appointment with the top step of the podium.

Who's Not ...

The sprinters - This may be a bit harsh as the men of speed are not known for their climbing ability. They were quietly dispatched as the roads turned skyward. They will live to fight another day as there are flat transition stages for them to have another go.

Fabian Cancellara - It was good while it lasted. Back goes the yellow bike, yellow helmet and most importantly the yellow jersey.

The road ahead ...

Is steep! This is going to be a huge day on the Tour de France. The big GC riders in the Tour are going to have to stop shadow boxing and get to work as the road to Morzine is brutal and steep.

Results of Stage 7

1 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step 4:22:52

2 Rafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Footon-Servetto 0:00:57

3 Juan Manuel Gárate Cepa (Spa) Rabobank 0:01:27

4 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 0:01:40

5 Mathieu Perget (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne

6 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Omega Pharma-Lotto

7 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 0:01:47

8 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions

9 Ruben Plaza Molina (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne

10 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Footon-Servetto

General Classification (Yellow Jersey)

1 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step 33:01:23

2 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:01:25

3 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions 0:01:32

4 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 0:01:55

5 Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana 0:02:17

6 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 0:02:26

7 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 0:02:28

8 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale

9 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - Transitions 0:02:33

10 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0:02:35

Points Classification

1 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team 118 pts

2 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 114

3 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Katusha 105

4 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 92

5 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC - Columbia 85

Mountains Classification (Polka Dot Jersey)

1 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quick Step 44 pts

2 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step 36

3 Mathieu Perget (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne 28

4 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 21

5 Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 20