Phil Wrochna is managing editor of firstoffthebike.com and a commentator for SEN 1116. He will write daily for BPL throughout the Tour de France.

The Tour de France was spending it's second to last day in the Alps and was supposed to be a more routine day. But normality doesn't apply to this race and the climb of the mighty Madeline was anything but routine. On the slopes of this magical mountain fears were confirmed and dreams were shattered.

The last few kilometres of the Madeleine proved to be the undoing of the yellow jersey. A crack in Cadel Evans elbow after a fall in stage eight was diagnosed during the rest day. The team kept quiet and let the cards fall on stage nine. What transpired was painful to watch. As Schleck and Contador took flight Evans laboured to hang on to the wheels of his rivals. The result was devastating for Evans as he lost a huge amount of time effectively ending his Tour.

Post race Cadel was distraught, apologising to his team mates and the owners of the team.

"I'm not at my normal level, but when you're in yellow at the Tour de France, you've got to be there," he said.

"The team was just fantastic but I'm the one who had the crash two days ago. I'm the one that is wearing the jersey and I'm the one that is vulnerable. I'm not my normal self if I get dropped by a group like that. Normally today was a chance for the stage win and it wouldn't have an effect on the GC. Now I'm pretty sure it's all over for this year."

"For the guys who have supported me and been so good, the team and Andy Rihs, the owner of the team and everyone who has believed in this project, I'm just so sorry to let them all down."

Who's Hot

Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador - These two are the best climbers in the Tour and made everyone look like club cyclists on the Madeleine's steep slopes. They are going to battle all the way to Paris with Contador knowing Schleck needs more time to reach the time trial with.

Jens Voight - At the top of the Madeleine the brilliant German pulled himself inside out to keep his man Andy Schleck out in front and adding time on his rivals. His face was a picture of pain as he pulled his leader up the last part of the climb. When Voight pulled over just before the summit he almost fell off his bike with fatigue, a remarkable team mate.

Sandy Casar - Another French victory at the Tour was completed by Casar. To win a stage at the Tour is always a good thing but to win in the Alps as a Frenchman is a great thing.

Who's Not

Brad Wiggins - Britain's great hope. His Tour started off as a disaster and has just gotten worse. Wiggins blew 30 seconds in the prologue and has been losing minutes in the mountains. He needs to salvage something from this Tour and the time trial might be his only redemption.

Cadel Evans - What can you say about Cadel? Hs graphic implosion whilst wearing the yellow jersey was sport in it's rawest form. There was no one to help him as he battled the slopes and the crack in his bone.

Levi Leipheimer - Was supposed to take the reigns as team leader after Lance Armstrong's horror day. He rode a good race but still lost himself over 2:07 on the climb.

Roman Kreuziger /Carlos Sastre /Michael Rogers - All of these favorites are going to have to realign their Tour plans as they too were victims of the accelerations on the mountains.

And you could also throw the names Armstrong and Basso into this group. These two were once the scourge of the peloton and on this stage were left behind.

Results Stage Nine

1   Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux   5:38:10

2 Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne

3 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini

4 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne 0:00:02

5 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom

6 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana

7 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank

8 Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:00:52

9 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 0:02:07

10 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack

General Classification (Yellow Jersey) after Stage Nine

1   Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank   43:35:41

2 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 0:00:41

3 Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:02:45

4 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0:02:58

5 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 0:03:31

6 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack 0:03:59

7 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0:04:22

8 Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0:04:41

9 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 0:05:08

10 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:05:09

11 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas-Doimo 0:05:11

12 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions 0:05:42

13 Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana 0:06:31

14 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia 0:07:04

15 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervelo Test Team 0:07:13

16 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team 0:07:18

17 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 0:07:44

18 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:07:47

19 Thomas Löfkvist (Swe) Sky Professional Cycling Team 0:08:03

20 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack 0:09:05

Points Classification (Green Jersey)

1   Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team   124   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   Anthony Charteau (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom   85   pts

2 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quick Step 85

3 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne 62

4 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 56

5 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 50

The road ahead...

The riders head to Gap and there are still a few obstacles in their way. A category 1 climb leads to a Category 2 with the Col du Noyer at 1664m the high point of the day.