It is a couple hours after stage 18 and here are the final results of the general classification.

General Classification After Stage 18

1 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 86.04.16
2 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor - Lotto 1.50
3 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 2.49

And the rest are 6 or more minutes behind first place...

Let's say Levi can get over a minute in the TT. Would Contador be able to give his first place so Americans could win the TDF again this year? Assuming that Contador could come safely behind Levi on stage 20. Could it be possible? Is there any other way Levi could win the TDF?

No way is Contador going to intentionally give it to Levi.
Levi's best chance is that Contador and Evans are both busted for doping.

Barring another scandal or a complete failure in the TT, no.

No way is Contador going to intentionally give it to Levi.
Levi's best chance is that Contador and Evans are both busted for doping.

Actually, if Contador is busted, Levi is out too.

What if Levi asked Contador nicely?

Actually, if Contador is busted, Levi is out too.

Depends on how long it takes, methinks. Floyd didn't get busted for the ~17th stage until after the end of the tour.

Depends on how long it takes, methinks. Floyd didn't get busted for the ~17th stage until after the end of the tour.

They didn't sign those pledge forms last year.

Depends on how long it takes, methinks. Floyd didn't get busted for the ~17th stage until after the end of the tour.

That would be a real crazy situation for sure. I don't know how they would handle it.

Contodor would have to fall four times during the time Trial; Evans would have to fall twice, and then maybe Levi could have a chance. :D I am Levi fan; but he road way to conservatively and has no chance of winning the tour. I think Levi has accepted podium finish in his mind. Great tour for Levi; but it is over for him.:(

What if Levi asked Contador nicely?
This is from the current issue:

'81 Reasons The Yellow Jersey Still Matters' by Bruce Hildenbrand of Bicycling Magazine—#81. "In 1985, Bernard Hinault won his fifth overall yellow jersey largely thanks to the aid of his American teammate, Greg LeMond. LeMond was probably strong enough to win that year, but gave up his shot in return for a promise that Hinault would repay the favor next year. But in the first stage of the Pyrenees in 1986, Hinault launched a surprise attack and gained five minutes over LeMond. Popular opinion said the Tour was over, and Hinault was on track for jersey number six. But the inscrutable Hinault attacked again the next day in the Pyrenees and blew up. LeMond closed, won the stage and erased Hinault's lead, then secured the jersey for good in the Alps."

So give a percent guys!

.00001%

You guys aren't any fun. You need to lie to me. Give me something I can blindly believe in.

You guys aren't any fun. You need to lie to me. Give me something I can blindly believe in.
Santa Claus

there is a chance, but a slim one. i agree that there's no way contador is going to "hand" levi anything in the TT, i would say for levi to win he would have to do very well (which he totally can) but contador and evans would have to do fairly poorly.

Levi can count on either a podium or an act-of-god (like a late thunderstorm and subsequent crashes of the final 2 starters). But I still think Contador will pull a positive test before its all over.

Levi can count on either a podium or an act-of-god (like a late thunderstorm and subsequent crashes of the final 2 starters). But I still think Contador will pull a positive test before its all over.

Based on what? The rumor? That has Soler all over it.

Based on what? The rumor? That has Soler all over it.

History. Contador is connected. Actually I can't believe Soler could afford doping but maybe something wacky will turn up, coca leaves?

Levi needs just one minute to finish second in the Tour. So, he can be aggressive, ride all out, risk a crash that would drop him to fourth or fifth...or play it safe and just "protect" his third slot on the podium.

I WISH Levi would go with the "all out" option, but, somehow, he is coming across as a "play it safe" sort of fella.

Contador and Cadel would have to blowup or fall off their bikes a few times. Besides, they looked at the 3 riders and their TT styles and Levi needs a different brand of bike to keep his knees closer for max aero. And how many seconds would/could Levi make up if all was equal? If Cadel has a bad day maybe 2nd, but I don't see Levi moving up on the podium. Levi needed to make a move earlier in the race, like maybe followed MR when he went on a breakaway or doing something special on the mountain stage before the day off. If he did that, the time differences wouldn't be so great and he would have a better chance at the last TT. There's always the possibility if the times are close, somebody will try to make up time during the parade stage through Paris. Although there's an agreement about not racing, it has been tried before. In any case, Levi had a great TdF and finally made it to the podium...that's assuming a decent TT performance to defend his position.

Even all out I don't think he can beat Evans. Evan runs a pretty mean time trial.

Richard

Levi needs just one minute to finish second in the Tour. So, he can be aggressive, ride all out, risk a crash that would drop him to fourth or fifth...or play it safe and just "protect" his third slot on the podium.

I WISH Levi would go with the "all out" option, but, somehow, he is coming across as a "play it safe" sort of fella.

You guys aren't any fun. You need to lie to me. Give me something I can blindly believe in.


Umm ... Dick Cheney ?