Stage 20 TDF : Saint-Etienne ITT : Spoiler

jitmo

The first stage was 19km's, i believe, but i see your point. I would like to see LA do well, but also interested in the other podium finishes. I think they are forcasting rain. Should be interesting. If it does rain, i think LA will try and keep cool and perhaps lag a bit. We all remember the last ITT with rain.

tcklyde

Forget Armstrong, Basso, Rasmussen, and Ullrich. (I say Rasmussen and Ullrich switch places.)

I think the closest race will be for 5th place. Macebo has a slim 66 second lead on Leipheimer. But Leipheimer has tended to be a bit stronger on TT. Beat Mancebo by 2 and half minutes in last year's 55k ITT and by over a minute in this year's first stage. But Mancebo will definitely be bringing it. Should be tight!

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Harry

peterlip

Don't forget there is only 52 seconds between Evans, Vino & Landis fighting for 7th.

musette

Bruyneel's thoughts today, from CN:

"I expect Lance to do a good time trial today. It's a good course for him...we came to preview it and he did it twice in training and he's looked at it twice in the car. So we know the course and Lance is motivated to win. He's definately motivated for one more Tour stage win before his career is over.
But he will balance that off by staying out of trouble, by riding safely. He has to not go crazy in the corners. On the other hand, Ullrich has to go all out to take back as much time as he can from Rassmussen to get on the podium. I think that Lance and Ullrich are more or less on the same level as time trialists, but the motivation to get on the podium could make the difference (for Ullrich)."

limerickman

Yep, this will be an intriguing battle.

Landis is a good TT'er (at least he was with USPS/DC).
Vino can move too.

Evans : I think he's gotten stronger as the TDF progressed.

All to play for.

musette

It is pathetic how JU seems to relish even being named by LA as the favorite for today's ITT:

"As he often does, Armstrong has picked Ullrich as his favourite for the stage, "I think he's going good and coming up in form. He'll be tough to beat," said the American."We'll know for sure at the first time check but I think he wants to win the stage to show that he's finishing the Tour strong." Ullrich smiles about the kind words, "Lance holds the advantage as he´s starting last. I still feel the pains from the crash but that won´t hinder me. The course should suit me."

And how JU is still citing the crash, as almost a pre-excuse for his upcoming loss to LA of the ITT.

limerickman

we're all aware of your predilection for posting "analysis" that is out of context and biased to your own end.
Both in this website and in the Jan Ullrich fans website previously.

Can you supply a link with your quotes, just so that we can see the full context of same and not your version of what may have been said.

musette

It's a really sad sign of how poorly JU has performed now that he has scratch and stretch just to get onto the bottom rung of the podium! As much as is being made of the "JU to get to podium vs LA to win his first stage", the context is that LA will win the yellow jersey and it is just a question of how. Whereas JU's desperation to even podium represents a huge disappointment for the German public, his team and himself!

limerickman

no luck on the links ?

tcklyde

Does anyone care what musette thinks? It's entirely predictable. Armstrong could crash warming up outside the Disco bus and musette would tell us why it was Ullrich's fault. This is the guy who blamed Saiz and Beloki for Beloki's crash in 2003.

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Harry

JMac930

So as I'm sitting here watching stage 20 I've just learned the top 20 riders are separated by 3 mins. I thought they were taking off in 1 min intervals. GO LANCE!!

tcklyde

Thomas Lövkvist doing decent early times. For his age, he's actually quite well placed on GC. Somewhere in the 60s, I think. Not bad for 21 (or is it 20 or 22?).

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Harry

tcklyde

Can Piepoli hold on to a top 20 after a, umm, last place finish in stage one? Zubeldia is also not a great TTist. How will he do?

One really wishes that Voigt was in this stage!

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Harry

limerickman

Voigt is a good TT'er.

It's a tough course today.