 Danilo Di Luca tried to attack from the pink jersey group a few times at the foot of the climb , but Menchov answered each time . When Ivan Basso and Carlos Sastre attacked , Menchov and Di Luca let them go , seeming fixed solely on one another . Sastre 's attack proved to be the crucial one , as he seemed quite fresh for having been climbing for over seven hours , staying clear of the pink jersey and blowing past Popovych to claim the stage win . With the time gained on the road as well as bonus seconds at the line , Sastre moved up to third in the overall classification . Menchov outsprinted Di Luca to the finish line , gaining one second on the road and four bonus seconds to slightly pad his lead over Di Luca . Thomas Lövkvist , who had been in the white jersey as best young rider , was dropped very early on in this stage and finished 24 minutes behind the stage winner . He wound up dropping all the way to fifth in the youth classification , with Quick Step rider Kevin Seeldraeyers , 15th overall , assuming the white jersey . 
