Tour de France Stage 20 - Cérilly Saint-Amand-Montrond ITT

LeTour ^

[green iguana]

The final chance (most likely) for the riders to shake up the GC. A 32 mile Individual Time Trial. Nice and flat:

[green iguana]

I'd love to see them all bunched up after this so that tomorrow matters...

[green iguana]

TdF ping!

41 riders left to start. Eric Zabel leaves next. Best time so far 1:06:09, but the really good guys go last.

[Mr. Blonde]

Isn’t the final stage pretty much only ceremony? I mean even when Lemond came back in the final TT didn’t it just stand on the last day?

[green iguana]

Usually, yes. When Lemond won on the final TT, it was the last day.

But I think if today ends with Sastre, Evans and/or others within a few seconds of each other, we could see a contested last stage. Hasn’t happened in a while.

[green iguana]

Fabian Cancellara, the current World Champion (he gets to wear a jersey with pretty rainbow sleeves...) has set the standard to beat. Now 1:04:12 - a full 1:16 ahead of David Millar.

[SES1066]

I mean even when Lemond came back in the final TT didn’t it just stand on the last day?

When Lemond beat Fignon in the Individual Time Trial, it was on the last day ride into Paris! I haven't seen another end day ITT since so the organizers may now prefer the spectacle of the peleton doing the circles in downtown Paris over just a brief finish of individuals.

[Baynative]

It would seem that the Paris course is made for a break to succeed because of the U-turns that break the ability for a large group to chase, but it never seems to work that way. Maybe because of the energy of the day and the fact that the first 70% of the day is just a pleasure ride through the country.

Even is Sastre has the ride of his life the Champs d’Eleyees belongs to the sprinters. Hincapie and company will be gift wrapping this one for Cavendish.

[Mom MD]

That day has to go down as one of the best in the history of the Tour - Loved it.

But I do think the winners deserve a chance for a victory lap in Paris - so having the last ITT the day before makes sense. I still miss the TTT.

[HangThemHigh]

I think you are right about the final time trial.

Watching the peloton circling the Champs-Elysées in Paris with a sprint finish is way more exciting than watching the end of a time trial. A time trial does add suspense to the finish, but isn’t so fun to watch.

[green iguana]

10 riders left to start...

No change in the current top 5. Cancellara might win this...

[alfa6]

Except that Cavendish withdrew just before the Alps IIRC

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[green iguana]

Vandevelde is on the course! Go Christian!

[Mom MD]

The last ten may have something to say about that

Vandevelde is currently doing 70kmh

[green iguana]

Yeah, I spoke to soon. 70 kpm... he’s going downhill...

[Mom MD]

Kohl just fell off the ramp

? poss podium finish for Vandevelde?

[green iguana]

kpm? kmh, whatever...

[Mr. Blonde]

That is kinda fast. :) Be nice to see an American on the podium. He will have to keep that pace up to do so though.

[Mom MD]

sorry, typing while watching
not working out too well for me
I have to leave to take my daughter to her Sat morning class - will have to watch on DVR

[Mom MD]

Shumacher just took the lead!

[green iguana]

I’ve never seen anyone fall off the ramp before...

Vandevelde would need the ride of his life, and very bad rides by 3 others to have a chance.

[Mom MD]

I have a feeling Vandevelde may just be up to the challenge - it will depend on those ahead of him and whether they brought their A game

[green iguana]

Sastre just left - all on!

[green iguana]

Evans isn’t in the top 5 at the first time check! Kohl is ahead of him.

[green iguana]

Vandevelde is having the best ride so far of those at the top of the GC, but he’s just too far back.

[Mr. Blonde]

Things aren’t looking good for Evans. At least so far as I have been able to read on ESPN.com. Bummer.

[green iguana]

Looks like Sastre is going to pull it off pretty easily. Should be Sastre, Evans, Kohl on the podium tomorrow.

[green iguana]

Interesting. Right now, Cyclingnews has Evans coming in 7th... and 12th...

[ScaniaBoy]

Bummer.....there is something with the Spaniards this year. The soccer European Cup, Nadal, Le Tour.....

[Mom MD]

Good on him

By all accounts he is not a great time trialist. He really wanted this and went out and got it.

[luv2ski]

Once again, the power of the yellow jersey is revealed. Even though Sastre did not defeat Evans today, he finished closer to him than he ever has and well within the 1:34 he needed to stay in yellow. Evans never seemed to be able to find his rhythm today. Vandevelde had a terrific ride but had too much to make up from his fall on the descent a few days ago. It is a shame b/c he rode a super Tour otherwise.
Interesting bits from the post-race interviews: Schumacher lost radio contact during the TT and had no idea where he was time-wise. He said, “Maybe I pushed the wrong button. I don't know.” He said he was cross-eyed at the finish and had to ask what place he had come in.
The director sportif of Gerolsteiner said that Bernard Kohl is in need of a doctor as he rode himself to complete exhaustion.
Do you think Frank Schleck let Sastre catch him to spur him on to ride stronger and stay in yellow? It would be an interesting tactic, if true.
One more thought- the biggest difference IMO between Sastre and Evans is the teams. CSC Saxo Bank has the Yankees of cycling. Every name is recognizable. On the Alpes D’Huez, CSC had 4 guys up in the front whereas Evans was alone. Cadel just didn't have the team support that would have helped in in the attacks and also kept him fresher for this last TT. It was like he was trying to win the TdF alone against Sastre and his entire team.IMO, Evans either has to switch to a stronger team or convince Silence-Lotto to recruit more and better guys.

[SES1066]

I still miss the TTT

Amen brother, the pure beauty of the pace line in the Team Time Trial, all in same uniform moving as one is a sight not to be missed. I think the Tour organizers were turned off by the successive wins of USPostal/DiscoveryChannel with Lance Armstrong. I am hoping that it will be reinstated soon, it is too good to die.

[luv2ski]

There were some very scary moments in the TTTs. Remember when 2-3 US Postal guys (I think Vandevelde was one of them) went down on the painted line in the road (it was raining). UGH! How about when David Zabriskie was in yellow and crashed. IIRC he was riding for CSC then. His team had to leave him behind after a few moments of indecision.

[Baynative]

I posted that and went to play golf forgetting that he left to prep for the Olympics. Too bad I can't edit out my idiot post :-)

[luv2ski]

Speaking of scary moments, how about the time when Lance caught his handle bars on the musette, or when he rode XC when Beloki’s tires caught in the pavement, or when Ullrich slid into the hay bales in the TT or (this year) Augustyn blasted over the edge of the mountain like it was a straight road!

[dfwgator]

If only Sergio Garcia had won the British Open, it pretty much would have been a clean sweep for Spain this summer.