stage 20 - Cérilly Saint-Amand-Montrond 53 km Spoiler
 

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THIS IS A TOUR STAGE THREAD - POSSIBLE SPOILERS TO FOLLOW!

I will say it now if yellow jersey (if it is not Evans) hasn't put more than a minute and a half on Evans he will win the tour here if not before

I believe this is the stage VDV is waiting for. He'll keep chipping away at his gap between Cadel, and then lay it all on the line on this stage.

94 seconds. What do you think?

I think Sastre might end up wishing he had sprinted the last 50 meters on Alpe D'Huez....

+1 I don't get why he'd waste a few seconds to celebrate the stage win...

Evans had 2:33 over Sastre in last year's time trial (55km)

Is Sastre 60 seconds better than last year? Is Evans 60 seconds worse?

In the words of Phil Liggett..."Sometimes when you wear the yellow jersey, you ride with the strength of 10 men." I know I'll be glued to the TV with a bag of cookies and enough lemonade to upset my bathroom routine.

Evans will win the tour here but not the stage. I will go with David Miller.

Sorry Suze, I will be pulling for Sastre but I just don't see it happening.

I'm just hoping VDV can pop a big one and move into the top 5 or better. Just remember the Rasman a few years ago, anything can happen on this final TT day, although getting to see someone throw their bike (or two) in frustration is a little bit of a long shot :)

Yeah I know (sigh)....I always end up pulling for the underdog, the guy who everyone says has no chance. I know I will be crying in my lemonade, and yet there is that slightest possibility...

I am going for Cancellara for the stage win.

You know I think VDV will have a really good ride but to break into the top 5 will take an exceptional ride.

1. Carlos Sastre (ESP), CSC at 79:16min14sec
2. Frank Schleck (LUX), CSC at 1:24
3. Bernhard Kohl (AUT), Gerolsteiner at 1:33
4. Cadel Evans (AUS), Silence-Lotto at 1:34
5. Denis Menchov (RUS), Rabobank at 2:39
6. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Chipotle at 4:41

I'm going to have to send you a box of Kleenex. First Cunego, now Sastre ;)

After the 2005 Tour I was in my LBS and I said to the owner that Evans would win a TDF before he retired.
Now if I had got a bet on with centrebet 4 years ago to that effect I would be a very nervous man at the moment.

That very well may be too much information ;)

But I will be glued to the TV as well. I've been following all this week through the ticker on Velonews, so I'm pretty happy I'll be able to watch this weekend.

Agreed with the exception of Miller. I think that Cancellara may come out to play ...... but at the end of le Tour, it's hard to say.

... Brad

dear christian,

avg speed, 55km/h. come on, duder, haul ass.

cheers
phc

I thought of Cancellara too, I just think he's a little tired from dragging the bunch around. I think Miller's been sand bagging. Time to come out and play Mr Miller!

Whats the weather supposed to look like? A little rain or high wind could make things a little closer.

I'm going with Millar as well. Cancellara has been a beast so far; I just don't see how he can have anything left.

Sastre is going to have to be really aggressive; taking corners very tightly and accelerating hard. Best guess says he loses by 30 seconds, but I think the margin will be less than 15. I'm hoping he's as fresh as we think, and Evans is tired. Hard to say.

-bullseye

Evans on strategy for Saturday
RaceTimes, July 25

Cadel Evans spoke briefly after Friday's stage about his plans for the upcoming time trial, which most believe will decide who wears yellow in Paris. "The plan is pretty much to ride me hardest the first bit, give it me all until I catch Kohl, then let him lead me in".

I'll make the bold prediction that VdV gains the 3:10 he needs versus one of the non-TTists to move into the top 5. I mean, one of those 3 has to blow up Rasmussen style, right?

Time trials are boring to me usually, but this one is gonna be nuts. Too bad VdV had that fall on the Bonnett

Cancellara can be used as a reference for Sastre, besides I bet he will try to win this TT. I dont see him as last year but he will be a top 5 tomorrow for sure. Kholh and Sastre TT the same but probably since this TT is longer Kohl will do better than sastre, im based in the fact that Sastre havent done a single thing this year (im being objective)

Evans should kick ass as VdV, sadly for VdV those 4 minutes is a lot of time. If i was Cadel or Christian I would put 300 grams tubulars tomorrow because a darn Flat can flip the dreams over.

Thanks.

Wheel sucker. :rolleyes: