2010 Tour de France - part I - Photos - The Big Picture

2010 Tour de France - part I

The first half of the 20-stage 2010 Tour de France cycling race is over, with the current overall leader being Andy Schleck of Luxembourg riding for Denmark's Team Saxo Bank. This 97th running of the iconic race started in Rotterdam with 198 riders in 22 teams of nine, and will conclude 3,642 km (2,263 mi) later in Paris on the Champs-Elysees on July 25. Collected here are a handful of images from the race so far - another entry will follow after the final stage has been run. (40 photos total)

The peloton makes its way under a bridge during stage three of the 2010 Tour de France from Wanze to Arenberg Porte du Hainaut on July 6, 2010 in Arenberg Porte du Hainaut, France. (Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Lance Armstrong finishes on July 3, 2010 in the 8.9 km prologue and individual time-trial run around Rotterdam during the 2010 Tour de France. (PASCAL PAVANI/AFP/Getty Images) #

Tour de France riders cross the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam, during the first stage of the cycling race on July 4, 2010. (REUTERS/Toussaint Kluiters/United Photos) #

A cycling fan attends the start of the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Wanze and Arenberg July 6, 2010. (REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel) #

Cuts and scrapes are seen on Luxembourg cyclist Andy Schleck while he pauses at the start of the team presentations for the 97th Tour de France on July 1, 2010 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) #

Wearing the yellow jersey of the overall leader, Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara (center) rides on July 5, 2010 at the start of the 201 km second stage of the 2010 Tour de France between Brussels and Spa. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) #

Lance Armstrong rides in a cloud of dust on a cobblestone section during the third stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday July 6, 2010. (AP Photo/Fred Mons) #

Dirt cakes the face of Radioshack's Lance Armstrong as he cycles on a cobblestone road during the third stage of the Tour de France on July 6, 2010. (REUTERS/Joel Saget) #

The pack rides past sunflowers in the 184.5 km 11th stage of the 2010 Tour de France between Sisteron and Bourg-les-Valence, southeastern France on July 15, 2010. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) #

A rider casts a shadow as he drinks during the fourth stage of the Tour de France on the way to in Reims, northern France on July 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) #

American cyclist Tyler Farrar of Garmin-Transitions waits for medics after a crash along stage 2 of the Tour de France July 5, 2010 in Spa, Belgium. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) #

The pack rides towards Spa, Belgium on the 201 km second stage of the 2010 Tour de France on July 5, 2010. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) #

Garmin rider Christian Vandevelde of the U.S. continues to race after his fall during second stage of the Tour de France on July 5, 2010. (REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel) #

The pack rides past a field of flowers on July 5, 2010 in the 201 km second stage of the 2010 Tour de France. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) #

A cyclist receives assistance from a medic after a crash along stage 2 of the Tour de France July 5, 2010 in Spa, Belgium. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) #

Pinions and wheels of Radioshack bicycles at the hotel hosting the US cycling team of US Lance Armstrong on July 1, 2010 in Ridderkerk, outside Rotterdam. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) #

France's Sylvain Chavanel rides in a breakaway before winning the second stage of the 2010 Tour de France on July 5, 2010 in Spa. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) #

Australia's Cadel Evans rides in the rain on July 5, 2010 in the second stage of the 2010 Tour de France. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) #

The pack rides past fields towards Montargis, France, in the 187.5 km fifth stage of the 2010 Tour de France on July 8, 2010. (LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images) #

Brtitain's Mark Cavendish (center) sprints to the finish line, winning the fifth stage of the 2010 Tour de France ahead of Norway's Edvald Boasson Hagen (right) in Montargis, France on July 8, 2010. (LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images) #

Brtitain's Mark Cavendish cries on the podium after winning the fifth stage of the 2010 Tour de France on July 8, 2010. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) #

Portugal's Rui Costa (left) fights with Spain's Carlos Barredo after sprinting on July 9, 2010 at the end of the 6th stage of the 2010 Tour de France in Gueugnon,France. (Daniel Sannum Lauten/AFP/Getty Images) #

Seven-time winner of the Tour de France, Lance Armstrong, is splashed with water by a fan as he rides in the 8th stage of the 2010 Tour de France between Les Rousses and Morzine Avoriaz ski resort on July 11, 2010. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) #

Sylvain Chavanel of France crosses the finish line to win the seventh stage of the Tour de France in Station des Rousses, France, Saturday July 10, 2010. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours) #

Italy's Paolo Tiralongo carries bananas for his team leader, Spain's Alberto Contador (not pictured) as he rides in the 8th stage of the 2010 Tour de France on July 11, 2010. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) #

A pendant hangs from the neck of Belgium's Francis De Greef on July 13, 2010 prior to the start of the 204.5 km 9th stage of the 2010 Tour de France at the Morzine Avoriaz ski resort. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) #

Fans cheer on Spain's Luis Leon Sanchez as he rides in a breakaway in the 9th stage of the 2010 Tour de France on July 13, 2010. (LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images) #

French cyclist Damien Monier with team Cofidis crosses the finish following the end of stage nine of the Tour de France on July 13, 2010 in Jean De Maurienne, France. Evans lost significant time and the yellow jersey after being unable to keep up with the lead group on the climbs. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) #

Mountains around Morzine-Avoriaz loom in the background as riders wait for the start of the 9th stage of the Tour de France in Morzine-Avoriaz, France on Tuesday, July 13, 2010. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) #

Caisse d'Epargne team rider Christophe Moreau of France cycles during the ninth stage of the Tour de France on July 13, 2010. (REUTERS/Francois Lenoir) #

Australia's Cadel Evans (front) cries in the arms of Italy's Mauro Santambrogio at the end of the 9th stage of the 2010 Tour de France, after losing the yellow jersey of the overall leader on July 13, 2010. (PASCAL PAVANI/AFP/Getty Images) #

The pack rides in the 179 km 10th stage of the 2010 Tour de France between Chambery and Gap, in southeastern France on July 14, 2010. (LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images) #

A pack of riders cycles past German cycling fan Dieter "Didi" Senft, dressed in a red devil costume, during the tenth stage of the Tour de France on July 14, 2010. (REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel) #

2009 Tour de France winner, Spain's Alberto Contador (left) rides in the 10th stage of the 2010 Tour de France on July 14, 2010. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) #

The pack speeds down switchbacks on Noyer pass during the 10th stage of the Tour de France, heading towards Gap, France on July 14, 2010. (AP Photo/Bas Czerwinski) #

Riders make their way out of a tunnel along the 10th Stage of the Tour de France on July 14, 2010 in Gap, France. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) #

The peloton rides past during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Chambery and Gap on July 14, 2010. (REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel) #

Belgian Mario Aerts, who won the combativity prize, kisses Miss France 2010, Malika Menard, on July 14, 2010 at the end of the 10th stage of the 2010 Tour de France. (LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images) #

Wearing the yellow jersey of the overall leader, Luxembourg's Andy Schleck is reflected in the sunglasses of Spain's Alberto Contador as they ride in the 11th stage of the 2010 Tour de France on July 15, 2010. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) #

Spain's Joaquim Rodriguez celebrates on the finish line as he wins ahead of Spain's Alberto Contador the 210.5 km 12th stage of the 2010 Tour de France cycling race run between Bourg-de-Peage and Mende, France, on July 16, 2010. (PASCAL PAVANI/AFP/Getty Images) #