Col de Mosses, Tour de France 2009, stage 15

We are now two thirds the way through the 2009 Tour de France. A total of 15 stages have been raced, with six left to go before the race finishes in Paris on Sunday, July 26.

Just three riders have so far worn the coveted yellow jersey, awarded to the rider who has completed the race in the least amount of time.

Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) won the opening time trial in Monaco on Saturday, July 4, and successfully defended the race lead to wear the jersey for six days. He was then usurped by Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r) after stage seven, the first Italian rider to wear the yellow jersey since Alberto Elli in 2000.

Nocentini went on to head the race for eight stages before Alberto Contador (Astana) snatched the lead after stage 15 on Sunday.

If Contador defends his race lead all the way to Paris, only three riders will have worn the yellow jersey in this year's race. Seven riders wore it in 2008, and four wore it in 2007 - when Contador last won the race.

The rider with the most stage wins is Mark Cavendish (Columbia-HTC) with four. The Manxman is the only rider to have won more than one stage in the 2009 Tour so far.

Unsurprisingly, Cavendish's Columbia-HTC team also heads the table for the most amount of wins per team although it's Astana that leads the team competition for collectively completing the race in the least amount of time.

Great Britain is the nation with the most amount of stage wins at four, all from Mark Cavendish. France is second with three stage wins from three different riders.

For a complete guide to each stage, take a look at our 2009 Tour de France hub page>>

Overall classification top ten after stage 15

1. Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana in 63-17-56hrs

2. Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana at 1-37

3. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Garmin-Slipstream at 1-46

4. Andreas Kloden (Ger) Astana at 2-17

5. Andy Schleck (Lux) Saxo Bank at 2-26

6. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Ag2r at 2-30

7. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas at 2-51

8. Tony Martin (Ger) Columbia-HTC at 3-07

9. Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Francaise des Jeux at 3-09

10. Frank Schleck (Lux) Saxo Bank at 3-25

Current classification leaders after stage 15

Yellow jersey (overall): Alberto Contador

Green jersey (points): Thor Hushovd

White jersey (young rider): Andy Schleck

Polka-dot jersey (mountains): Franco Pellizotti

Team: Astana

Stage winners

Stage/winner

1 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Saxo Bank

2 Mark Cavendish (GB) Columbia-HTC

3 Mark Cavendish (GB) Columbia-HTC

4 Astana (Team time trial)

5 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom

6 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo

7 Brice Feillu (Fra) Agritubel

8 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne

9 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom

10 Mark Cavendish (GB) Columbia-HTC

11 Mark Cavendish (GB) Columbia-HTC

12 Nicki Sorensen (Den) Saxo Bank

13 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo

14 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Katusha

15 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana

In the yellow jersey

The race leader after each stage

1 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Saxo Bank

2 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Saxo Bank

3 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Saxo Bank

4 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Saxo Bank

5 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Saxo Bank

6 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Saxo Bank

7 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Ag2r

8 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Ag2r

9 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Ag2r

10 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Ag2r

11 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Ag2r

12 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Ag2r

13 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Ag2r

14 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Ag2r

15 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana

Wins by team

Columbia-HTC, 4

Astana, 2

Bbox Bouygues Telecom, 2

Cervelo, 2

Saxo Bank, 2

Agritubel, 1

Caisse d'Epargne, 1

Katusha, 1

Wins by nation (excluding TTT)

Great Britain, 4

France, 3

Spain, 2

Denmark, 1

Germany, 1

Norway, 1

Russia, 1

Switzerland, 1

Remaining stages

Swipe to scroll horizontally
16Tuesday 21 JulyMartignyBourg-Saint-Maurice159kmPreview>
17Wednesday 22 JulyBourg-Saint-MauriceLe Grand-Bornand169.5kmPreview>>
18Thursday 23 JulyAnnecyAnnecy40.5kmPreview>>
19Friday 24 JulyBourgoin-JallieuAubenas178kmPreview>>
20Saturday 25 JulyMontélimarMont Ventoux167kmPreview>>
21Sunday 26 JulyMontereau-Fault-YonneParis Champs-Élysées164kmPreview>

TOUR DE FRANCE 2009 LINKS

Tour de France 2009 - the hub: Index to reports, photos, previews and more.

STAGE REPORTS

Stage 15: Contador wins in Verbier as Tour explodes into life

Stage 14: Ivanov wins as Nocentini clings onto yellow

Stage 13: Haussler braves rain for victory in Colmar

Stage 12: Sorensen wins in Vittel as Cavendish goes for green

Stage 11: Cavendish takes fourth win to equal Hoban's record

Stage 10: Cavendish spoils Bastille Day party to take third stage win

Stage nine: Third French win as contenders content with ceasefire

stage eight: Sanchez wins from break as Tour favourites cancel each other out

Stage seven: Feillu wins at Arcalis, Nocentini takes yellow, Contador leap-frogs Lance

Stage six: Millar's brave bid denied on Barcelona hill as Hushovd triumphs

Stage five: Voeckler survives chase to win his first Tour stage

Stage four: Astana on top but Armstrong misses yellow by hundredths of a second

Live Tour de France stage four TTT coverage

Stage three: Cavendish wins second stage as Armstrong distances Contador

Stage two: Cavendish takes first sprint

Stage one: Cancellara wins opening time trial

LATEST TOUR NEWS

Tour de France 2009 News Index>>

Wiggins climbs to third in Tour overall

Armstrong concedes he can't win the 2009 Tour

Tom Boonen quits the Tour de France

Stage 15 analysis: Is the Tour now over?

Columbia criticise Garmin for chasing Hincapie

Cavendish reveals he is going for green

Tour comment: The suspense is killing us

Analysis: Why Cavendish is one of the modern greats

Radio ban over-turned for Friday's Tour stage

Arvesen out of Tour with fractured collarbone

Tour analysis: Why the go slow did cycling no favours on Bastille Day

Cavendish's odd stage 10 finish celebration explained

No radios today, but experiment could be a one-off

Tour audio: Mark Cavendish after stage 10

Contador brushes aside talk of Armstrong conflict

Cavendish odds-on favourite for Bastille Day victory

The Tour de France Comment: Monday, July 13

How the favourites are doing (first rest day)

Wiggins stays with leaders at Tour

Armstrong: 'If Contador wins, I'll be second'

Wiggins 'on cloud nine' at Tour de France

Armstrong says Contador attack wasn't in the planCavendish survives the first Tour mountain stage with ease

Wiggins, the Tour de France overall contender, has arrived

EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS

Garmin-Slipstream's HQ before the Tour

David Zabriskie's time trial bike

Mark Cavendish on the Tour's team time trial

David Brailsford interview

Mark Cavendish on the Tour

Jonathan Vaughters on Bradley Wiggins' chances

TOUR DE FRANCE 2009 PHOTOS

Stage 15 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 14 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 13 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 12 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 11 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 10 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage nine photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage eight photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage seven photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage six photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage five photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage four TTT photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage three photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage two photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage one photo gallery by Andy Jones

Stage one photo gallery by Graham Watson

Team presentation by Andy Jones

Team presentation by Graham Watson

TOUR GUIDE

Tour de France 2009 - the hub

Tour de France 2009: Who's riding

Tour de France 2009: Team guide

About the Tour de France

FEATURES

Tour de France 2009: Who will win?

Tour de France 2009 on TV: Eurosport and ITV4 schedules

Big names missing from 2009 Tour de France

Tour de France anti-doping measures explained

Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Cavendish

Cycling Weekly's rider profiles

TWITTER

Follow the Tour on Cycling Weekly's Twitter feed

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Nigel Wynn
Former Associate Editor

Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.