Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) looks relaxed before the start of stage five.(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) about to depart on a training ride with his team.(Image credit: AFP)
Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) en route to a 17th place finish.(Image credit: Sirotti)
USA's Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) finishes Tour de France stage six in Barcelona.(Image credit: sirott)
Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) and Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas) in Tour de France stage seven.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Garmin-Slipstream teammates Bradley Wiggins (L) and Christian Vande Velde climb to the finish.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Christian Vande Velde (Garmin - Slipstream)(Image credit: Sirotti)
Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) gets a wheel from his teammate Martijn Maaskant after crashing on stage 11. (Image credit: AFP Photo)
Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) fought his way back to the leaders but couldn't hold the pace when the race splintered on Verbier(Image credit: Sirotti)
Christian Vande Velde struggled on the final climb.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) climbs the Col de la Colombière.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Christian Vande Velde paces Garmin-Slipstream teammate Bradley Wiggins up the Col de la Colombière.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) approaches the finish line.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Christian Vande Velde (Garmin - Slipstream) has done well enough this season to make the start line.
His crash in the third stage at the Giro d'Italia should have seen him spend July at home. Instead, a miraculous recovery helped him line up with the Garmin-Slipstream in Monaco.
Unfortunately for the Illinois local, the Tour de France has a way of revealing any blips in preparation. A bad day on the road to Verbier makes it look unlikely that Vande Velde will repeat or improve on his fourth place from last year. Still, after two and a half weeks he's in 10th place.
Click here to view images of Christian Vande Velde's Tour de France
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