Tour de France, 2007: Stage 19 Preview: The Final Race Of Truth (How Ironic!)
http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/69/1/Tour-de--France-2007-Stage-19-Preview--The-Final-Race-Of-Truth-How-Ironic/Page1.html
By James Raia
Published on 07/27/2007
With the scandal and ugliness currently defused, the business of competition is back in focus at the Tour de France. As such, this year's race winner will likely be determined in Saturday's 19th stage individual time trial.
The field will pedal 55 kilometers (34.17 miles) from Cognac to Angouleme individually and in reverse order of their position in the overall standings.
And in about five hours after the first rider begins, the winner will be known and likely the final top-10 classification will have been determined in preparation for Sunday's largely ceremonial final-day ride into Paris.
With the scandal and ugliness currently defused, the business of competition is back in focus at the Tour de France. As such, this year's race winner will likely be determined in Saturday's 19th stage individual time trial.The field will pedal 55 kilometers (34.17 miles) from Cognac to Angouleme individually and in reverse order of their position in the overall standings.
And in about five hours after the first rider begins, the winner will be known and likely the final top-10 classification will have been determined in preparation for Sunday's largely ceremonial final-day ride into Paris.
With the scandal and ugliness currently defused, the business of competition is back in focus at the Tour de France. As such, this year's race winner will likely be determined in Saturday's 19th stage individual time trial.
The field will pedal 55 kilometers (34.17 miles) from Cognac to Angouleme individually and in reverse order of their position in the overall standings.
And in about five hours after the first rider begins, the winner will be known and likely the final top-10 classification will have been determined in preparation for Sunday's largely ceremonial final-day ride into Paris.
Individual time trials are often called "Races of Truth." There's no team strategy, no drafting. It's just individual racing against the clock.
The event's unofficial name, however, has taken on additional significance this year.
Just who's is and isn't telling the truth in this year's Tour de France?
As for the competitive component of the final time trial, in all likelihood only three riders can win or lost the 94th race edition — race leader Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel) of Spain, Cadel Evans (Predictor-Lotto) of Australia and Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel) of Santa Rosa, California.
Here are the current top-10 overall standings:
1. Alberto Contador, Spain, Discovery Channel, 86 hours, 4 minutes, 16 seconds.
2. Cadel Evans, Australia, Predictor-Lotto, 1 minute, 50 seconds behind.
3. Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa, Calif., Discovery Channel, 2:49 behind.
4. Carlos Sastre, Spain, CSC, 6:02 behind.
5. Haimar Zubeldia, Spain, Euskaltel-Euskadi, 6:29 behind.
6. Alejandro Valverde, Spain, Caisse d'Epargne, 10.18 behind.
7. Kim Kirchen, Luxembourg, T-Mobile, 11.36 behind.
8. Yaroslav Popovych, Ukraine, Discovery Channel, 12.47 behind.
9. Mauricio Soler, Colombia, Barloworld, 13.31 behind.
10. Mikel Astarloza, Spain, Euskaltel-Euskadi, 13:42 behind.
Only Contador, Evans and Leipheimer have overal victory chances, based on individual time trial history, with Leipheimer's chance of gaining nearly three minutes less than probable.
Here are the top-10 results from the only other time trial stage in this year's Tour, the 13th stage, hilly 54-kilometer individual time trial in Albi.
1. Alexandre Vinokourov, Kazakhstan, Astana, 1 hours, 6 minutes, 34 seconds
2. Cadel Evans, Australia, Predictor-Lotto, 1 minute, 14 seconds behind.
3. Andréas Kloden, Germany, Astana, 1:39 behind.
4. Andrey Kashechkin, Kazakhstan, Astana, 1:44 behind.
5. Bradley Wiggins, Great Britain, Cofidis, 2:14 behind.
6. Yaroslav Popovych, Ukraine, Discovery Channel, 2:16 behind.
7. Alberto Contador, Spain, Discovery Channel, 2:18 behind.
8. Sylvain Chavanel, France, Cofidis, 2:38 behind.
9. Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa, Calif., Discovery Channel, 2:39 behind.
10. Mikel Astarloza, Spain, Euskaltel-Euskadi, 2:42 behind.
Five of the top-10 riders, including the time trial winner, Alexandre Vinokourov, are no longer in the race. But Evans finished 1:14 ahead of Contador and 1:25 ahead of Leipheimer.
The 13th stage time trial featured a hilly, more technical course. The 19th stage time will be held on rolling country roads surrounded by vineyards and on a more straightforward, tactically challenging route.
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The field will pedal 55 kilometers (34.17 miles) from Cognac to Angouleme individually and in reverse order of their position in the overall standings.And in about five hours after the first rider begins, the winner will be known and likely the final top-10 classification will have been determined in preparation for Sunday's largely ceremonial final-day ride into Paris.
Individual time trials are often called "Races of Truth." There's no team strategy, no drafting. It's just individual racing against the clock.
The event's unofficial name, however, has taken on additional significance this year.
Just who's is and isn't telling the truth in this year's Tour de France?
As for the competitive component of the final time trial, in all likelihood only three riders can win or lost the 94th race edition — race leader Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel) of Spain, Cadel Evans (Predictor-Lotto) of Australia and Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel) of Santa Rosa, California.
Here are the current top-10 overall standings:
1. Alberto Contador, Spain, Discovery Channel, 86 hours, 4 minutes, 16 seconds.
2. Cadel Evans, Australia, Predictor-Lotto, 1 minute, 50 seconds behind.
3. Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa, Calif., Discovery Channel, 2:49 behind.
4. Carlos Sastre, Spain, CSC, 6:02 behind.
5. Haimar Zubeldia, Spain, Euskaltel-Euskadi, 6:29 behind.
6. Alejandro Valverde, Spain, Caisse d'Epargne, 10.18 behind.
7. Kim Kirchen, Luxembourg, T-Mobile, 11.36 behind.
8. Yaroslav Popovych, Ukraine, Discovery Channel, 12.47 behind.
9. Mauricio Soler, Colombia, Barloworld, 13.31 behind.
10. Mikel Astarloza, Spain, Euskaltel-Euskadi, 13:42 behind.
Only Contador, Evans and Leipheimer have overal victory chances, based on individual time trial history, with Leipheimer's chance of gaining nearly three minutes less than probable.
Here are the top-10 results from the only other time trial stage in this year's Tour, the 13th stage, hilly 54-kilometer individual time trial in Albi.
1. Alexandre Vinokourov, Kazakhstan, Astana, 1 hours, 6 minutes, 34 seconds
2. Cadel Evans, Australia, Predictor-Lotto, 1 minute, 14 seconds behind.
3. Andréas Kloden, Germany, Astana, 1:39 behind.
4. Andrey Kashechkin, Kazakhstan, Astana, 1:44 behind.
5. Bradley Wiggins, Great Britain, Cofidis, 2:14 behind.
6. Yaroslav Popovych, Ukraine, Discovery Channel, 2:16 behind.
7. Alberto Contador, Spain, Discovery Channel, 2:18 behind.
8. Sylvain Chavanel, France, Cofidis, 2:38 behind.
9. Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa, Calif., Discovery Channel, 2:39 behind.
10. Mikel Astarloza, Spain, Euskaltel-Euskadi, 2:42 behind.
Five of the top-10 riders, including the time trial winner, Alexandre Vinokourov, are no longer in the race. But Evans finished 1:14 ahead of Contador and 1:25 ahead of Leipheimer.
The 13th stage time trial featured a hilly, more technical course. The 19th stage time will be held on rolling country roads surrounded by vineyards and on a more straightforward, tactically challenging route.