Tour de France - the final ITT

[JasonEvans]

It has been a really ugly Tour. You all don't need me to recount how badly doping has clouded this year's race. But, we could still be line for a very dramatic finish today.

Contador is a good time-trialler and wearing the Yellow makes men do amazing things, but there is little question that Cadel Evans is a better ITT racer and so is Levi Leipheimer. Can either of them make up the time to take the jersey away from Contador?

I sorta doubt it. In the last ITT, Evans beat Contador by about a minute. He would have to beat him by almost 2 minutes this time to win the Tour. As fr Leipheimer, Contador actually beat him in the last time-trial and Levi needs to make up nearly 3 minutes. I really don't see that happening.

Still, strange things happen in ITTs. Someone could crash or the pressure of it all cold get to a young rider like Contador. Heck, someone could just bonk. It is close enough to be exciting and I'll take that!!

We've got about :45 minutes left until the top 3 riders take off. I'll be watching!!

--Jason "by the way props to Discovery, who appear certain to win the team honors this year in the Tour" Evans

[JasonEvans]

Holy !%!^@!^

Leipheimer just tore up the first 17.5 KM. Evans and Contador have not gone through yet but Leipheimer is a full 40 seconds faster than anyone else so far at the first time check. That is sick. Is there any way he can keep that up?

-Jason "wow, could be a really exciting finish!!" Evans

[JasonEvans]

Leipheimer is having the best ITT of his career. He just passed Sastre, who left 3 minutes before Levi did. WOW!!!!

Contador seems to be fading. Evans and Leipheimer are gobbling up time on him with every KM. Evans is desperately trying to hold onto time from Leipheimer. It is very possible we could see all 3 men separated by less than 20 or so seconds by the end of the day.

Could we actually see a situation where sprint bonuses on the final day could make a difference in the winner of the Tour?!?!?!

-Jason "wow, hope all you cycling fans are watching!" Evans

[DukieInKansas]

What an amazing ride! I can't beleive just over 30 seconds separates the top 3. Will tradition go out the window tomorrow and we'll see them race for the time bonuses? I may have to skip church in the morning. :rolleyes:

[JasonEvans]

It is over. Levi either faded a little bit down the stretch or Cadel kicked it up a notch. Regardless, Cadel just barely held onto 2nd place ahead of Levi by 8 seconds. Contador, who is not a noted ITT, had a great day for him and held onto his lead. He leads Evans by 23 seconds.

So, we have the top 3 riders separated by 31 total seconds. That is just sick-- the closest top 3 ever.

I don't think you will see Cadel Evans try to grab a sprint bonus to take the Tour tomorrow. 23 seconds is too much and I bet he will be satisfied with 2nd place in the Tour. Leipheimer is oh so close but is just a little too far behind too.

I just wonder what the standings would look like if Rasmussen had never been there. Contador rode alongside Rassmussen on some of those stages where he put time on Evans and Leipheimer. Would he have put as much time on them if he had not had Rasmussen pacing him?

It is also worth noting that Leipheimer played domestique to Contador on some of the mountain stages. Could Levi have won if Discovery had been working for him the final week instead of working for Contador?

-Jason "Disco put 4 riders in the top 7 in the ITT-- quite impressive" Evans

[JasonEvans]

What an amazing ride! I can't beleive just over 30 seconds separates the top 3. Will tradition go out the window tomorrow and we'll see them race for the time bonuses? I may have to skip church in the morning. :rolleyes:

Leipheimer said in his post-race interview that he would not "pull a Vinokourov" and try to move up a podium by going for sprint bonuses. I think Cadel is too far behind Contador to do that as he would have to win a couple sprints to make up more than 20 seconds of time. If it was 5 or even 10 seconds I could see him maybe making it up but 20+ seconds is almost impossible.

-Jason "Vinnie moved from 6th place to 5th in the Tour 2 years ago by going for sprint bonuses on the final day-- he overtook Leipheimer" Evans

[IUGrad03]

I'm still smarting from the Vino announcement so the tour has lost a lot of its luster for me by now. But wow Levi was really awesome today. Since this has been one highly unconventional tour already, I wouldn't surprised to see an interesting finish involving Disco or Predictor-Lotto tomorrow. Sure wish Robbie McEwen was still around however.

[DukieInKansas]

I don't think it will happen, but I would enjoy seeing a Rabobank rider win on the Champs tomorrow. I watched the '03 Prologue standing next to a young Dutch fan who would be pulling for Michael Boogard. I have to admit to wanting to see George Hincapie win tomorrow.

[IUGrad03]

Wow, couldn't agree with you more. Seeing George win tomorrow in Paris would be a great way to end this very odd and disturbing tour. He is the true definition of "great teammate."

[mapei]

George is indeed a good guy, and so is Levi. But George doesn't have the sprint anymore to take one from a big group (he remade himself into an all-rounder to help Lance, and lost the sprint power), and it generally ends in a mass sprint. Neither does Boogerd, who would be my sentimental choice given that he's retiring. Is Hushovd still in the race?

Actually, my sentimental favorite with an actual chance to win would be Zabel. Milram got hosed when they weren't allowed to bring Petacchi, who has now been cleared of whatever the suspicion was.

[Lavabe]

If we survive one week post-TdF without any more positive tests, this year's TdF will be better than last year's (Floyd Landis?).

Ultimately, a lot of this year's cycling was compelling:

1) Contador's five HC attacks on Rasmussen to win a stage.
2) Casar's crash-and-win.
3) The Hunter & Boonen clashes.
4) Levi's ITT.
5) London-Canterbury: McEwen's crash-and-win.
6) The competing team strategies in the Pyrenees. The last HC climb was amazing. The work of Hincapie and Popovich on a couple of those stages was incredible. Ultimately, Levi's assistance to Contador may have cost himself a higher placing.
7) Soler's climbing.
8) Cadel Evans' performance throughout the ITT's and mountains.
9) The emergence of a number of young riders.
10) The final TdF performances of a number of legends. I'll especially miss Merckx & Boogerd.

A 31-second difference among the top three is NOT BAD.



--Jason "by the way props to Discovery, who appear certain to win the team honors this year in the Tour" Evans

Too bad this is the last Discovery Channel TdF for a while:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/feb07/feb10news
If they were to renew their sponsorship, then I'd agree with you Jason ... props to them. Having said that, the announcers earlier discussed the possibility of a Vaughters-run super-clean team next year:
http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/12362.0.html

Guess I'll pull for Slipstream-Chipotle next time, eh?

Cheers,
Lavabe

[mapei]

To Lavabe's list of 10 I would add:

1. Vino coming back from a horrible crash - the guy had goo coming out of his leg! - to win the first TT and then the dramatic stage. (Yeah, he flunked the test and things unraveled from there, but many of the rest of them are doing the same stuff or worse, but just don't get caught.)
2. Cancellara absolutely crushing the prologue and then attacking to win an otherwise routine stage a couple of days later to defend yellow.
3. Rasumussen surviving everything the Discos threw at him to defend yellow and win the stage.
4. Gerdemann coming from nowhere (if you had heard of him previously, take a bow) to win the first Alpine stage.
5. Boogerd's work for the team, every bit as impressive as George's and Popo's. Menchov too.
6. Kloden's racing with a fractured tailbone to stay competitive. He's another one who sacrificed his own chances. Since the team pulled out, we'll never know how he could have finished, but he was way impressive.
7. Mick Rogers's awful crash and abandonment.
8. Chris Horner's quiet but outstanding performance.
9. Jens Voigt, as always. I know someone who wears a t-shirt that says, "What Would Jens Do?"
10. Christophe Moreau, who really looked strong there for a while.

Award for most unsung excellent ride: Sastre
Most puzzling disappointment: Valverde

As you can tell, I root for the Euros! :)

On the whole, though, I'll remember it as a downer. The sport needs an overhaul. Unfortunately, I don't believe the differences between the riders who miss tests or fail them and the ones who don't fail them are clear at all, and right now it's all plagued (for me, anyway) with a sense of arbitrariness and blind luck, coupled with a witch-hunt mentality.

Granted, it's exciting to see someone like Contador emerge as a star and to see a veteran good guy like Levi show well. I love that part. But my degree of confidence that they are really cleaner than Vino and Ras is 60% at most. I don't take any pleasure in seeing one after another of the sport's good guys (no one, but no one, had anything bad to say about Tyler or Basso) and most exciting stars be caught in the web, some tragically (Pantani, VDB), while others get away with it. Ugh.

I have some hope for Vaughters's team (as I did for Stapleton's. Oops.), but I hope it isn't an all-American squad. It's the internationalism that attracted me to the sport in the first place. [I originally began a rant about US arrogance in the world here but thought better of it and deleted it. You're welcome. ;) ]

[DukieInKansas]

I agree that Boogerd and Hincapie are realistic choices. Would definitely enjoy seeing Zabel win - he has always been a favorite. Jens Voight is also an amazingly strong rider. I hated seeing Stuart O'Grady taken off by ambulance.

Does anyelse see any irony in the location of the first sprint bonus today?

[Lavabe]

I agree that Boogerd and Hincapie are realistic choices. Would definitely enjoy seeing Zabel win - he has always been a favorite. Jens Voight is also an amazingly strong rider. I hated seeing Stuart O'Grady taken off by ambulance.

Does anyelse see any irony in the location of the first sprint bonus today?

Nice to see George Hincapie take honors on the first circuit. Classy!

Also glad to see the Slipstream team get Christian Vandevelde. Millar is on the team as well.
Cheers,
Lavabe

[JasonEvans]

Bennati took the stage. Hushovd, Zabel, Hunter, and then Green winner Boonen came next.

Contador, Evans, and Leipheimer crossed right next to each other.

-Jason "question-- was Levi riding for Contador all along? I thought Levi was the leader coming into the Tour. When did the team switch?" Evans

[Lavabe]

-Jason "question-- was Levi riding for Contador all along? I thought Levi was the leader coming into the Tour. When did the team switch?" Evans

Levi's original plan was to challenge in the Pyrenees & final ITT. Beginning in Stage 9 (Alps ... Briançon), it became apparent that Levi would have to help Contador. Contador emerged as the team's (and soon, the field's) best chance at catching Rasmussen. Contador took over in the first ITT (Stage 13), beating Levi by about 20 seconds. At Stage 14, Contador attacked Rasmussen 5 times on the HC Plateau de Beille to win over Rasmussen. No one could keep up with those two. It wasn't until the last Rasmussen-Pyrenees climb (Col d'Aubisque...Stage16), that Levi was able to attack Rasmussen, albeit unsuccessfully. In sum, Contador had shown tremendous and unexpected control across disciplines for such a young rider.

All that being said, Levi almost pulled it out with the second ITT.

At some point in the future, I'd love to see team time trial back in the TdF.

Cheers,
Lavabe

[mapei]

Lavabe's understanding re Levi and Contador is the same as mine. Contador was just too good to hold back.

p.s. One more nice thing I will take from this Tour: the scenery was the best I can remember. I have put Albi, site of the first TT, on my must-visit list.

[MulletMan]

Lavabe's understanding re Levi and Contador is the same as mine. Contador was just too good to hold back.

p.s. One more nice thing I will take from this Tour: the scenery was the best I can remember. I have put Albi, site of the first TT, on my must-visit list.

While I agree with you guys about Contador ending up the leader for Disco, his stage win on the Abisque would have been even more of a decapitation of Rassmusen if he hadn't been riding that stage for Levi. The reason he attacked 5 times was because he would accelerate, and then wait for Levi. You could see it at the end of the stage... he had legs left for much more than he did. I don't think Levi really settled into the "supperdomestique" role until the very end of the Pyrenees. Even on that last day, Levi wanted to be the one to put time into Rassmusen. Watch the stage... he does not a lick of work for Contador. Contador is in front of Levi the whole time. Minus Levi's one "attack". The guy who really deserves the kudos IMO is Popovych. He was essentially hand-picked by Lance as the Disco successor, and he buried himself for another young kid this time.

Word on the street is that Disco will be sposored by HP/Oracle next year. "Team Oracle" would be sweet.

[Lavabe]

While I agree with you guys about Contador ending up the leader for Disco, his stage win on the Abisque would have been even more of a decapitation of Rassmusen if he hadn't been riding that stage for Levi. The reason he attacked 5 times was because he would accelerate, and then wait for Levi. You could see it at the end of the stage... he had legs left for much more than he did. I don't think Levi really settled into the "supperdomestique" role until the very end of the Pyrenees. Even on that last day, Levi wanted to be the one to put time into Rassmusen. Watch the stage... he does not a lick of work for Contador. Contador is in front of Levi the whole time. Minus Levi's one "attack". The guy who really deserves the kudos IMO is Popovych. He was essentially hand-picked by Lance as the Disco successor, and he buried himself for another young kid this time.

Word on the street is that Disco will be sposored by HP/Oracle next year. "Team Oracle" would be sweet.

Team Oracle would be nice. We'll see what happens with all the changes.

To be fair, Contador lost to Rasmussen and Leipheimer on Col d'Aubisque, Stage 16. Contador attacked, but it wasn't like the repeated attacks Contador made on Rasmussen at Plateau-de-Beille (Stage 14) & Col de Peyresourde (Stage 15). Here's a summary of Aubisque:
http://www.letour.fr/2007/TDF/LIVE/us/1600/journal_etape.html

Thinking about it more, Col de Peyresourde was perhaps the more awesome fight between Contador & Rasmussen, not Plateau-de-Beille. I don't know. Maybe I just love how Hincapie rode that day. Mapei? Any thoughts?

Popovych was a star ... NO QUESTION.

So how many super-domestiques can one have on a team? Hincapie? Pop goes Popovych?

I don't know, but "superdomestique" doesn't really describe what Leipheimer did in terms of his energy to help Contador. Leipheimer is a good racer, who had to defer his initial projected leader role to that of a subordinate role. From the interviews after the Tour, it seemed like the decision was made by higher-ups in the DiscoveryChannel team.

Cheers,
Lavabe

[hughgs]

While I agree with you guys about Contador ending up the leader for Disco, his stage win on the Abisque would have been even more of a decapitation of Rassmusen if he hadn't been riding that stage for Levi. The reason he attacked 5 times was because he would accelerate, and then wait for Levi. You could see it at the end of the stage... he had legs left for much more than he did. I don't think Levi really settled into the "supperdomestique" role until the very end of the Pyrenees. Even on that last day, Levi wanted to be the one to put time into Rassmusen. Watch the stage... he does not a lick of work for Contador. Contador is in front of Levi the whole time. Minus Levi's one "attack".

It's common practice to put a rider behind your GC contender while in the peloton. It does two things. First, it protects his back wheel from being taken out. Second, it allows a very fast bike change in case of a puncture and the peloton is racing. If you wait until the team car or the neutral service vehicle that ends up being a lot more work. And, riders are forbidden from riding the course backwards.

[MulletMan]

It's common practice to put a rider behind your GC contender while in the peloton. It does two things. First, it protects his back wheel from being taken out. Second, it allows a very fast bike change in case of a puncture and the peloton is racing. If you wait until the team car or the neutral service vehicle that ends up being a lot more work. And, riders are forbidden from riding the course backwards.

George, I get what you're saying, and of course, I respect your breadth of knowledge about cycling, but I have to say that I don't feel like Levi was really ever riding in a supporting role. Or at least that he was really giving himself over to Contador winning.

And sorry, when I wrote Col d'Abisque, I meant to write Plateau de Beille... stupid french names!

[hughgs]

George, I get what you're saying, and of course, I respect your breadth of knowledge about cycling, but I have to say that I don't feel like Levi was really ever riding in a supporting role. Or at least that he was really giving himself over to Contador winning.

And sorry, when I wrote Col d'Abisque, I meant to write Plateau de Beille... stupid french names!

I wasn't commenting on whether Levi was riding in a support mode or not, I was simply noting that the fact that he rode behind Contador is not evidence that he wasn't supporting him. I wasn't able to watch the last week of the race so I really can't say what was going on.

That being said, I did manage to catch Lance in the VS booth on the last day and he spoke highly of the way the Levi rode for the team. Maybe Lance was blowing smoke up our skirts but he seemed happy with Levi.

[MulletMan]

I wasn't commenting on whether Levi was riding in a support mode or not, I was simply noting that the fact that he rode behind Contador is not evidence that he wasn't supporting him. I wasn't able to watch the last week of the race so I really can't say what was going on.

That being said, I did manage to catch Lance in the VS booth on the last day and he spoke highly of the way the Levi rode for the team. Maybe Lance was blowing smoke up our skirts but he seemed happy with Levi.

You are correct. Lance did speak glowingly of Levi.

By the way, there is a good column up on ESPN Page 2 right now which points out that if American sports (NFL, MLB, NBA) were testing players as rigorously as the TdF, cycling might not be seen as such a dirty sport.

linky (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hill/070731&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos1)

Ahhh... every once in a while someone writes something on the internet that I've actually voiced to others as my own opinion. It validates me... sad, no?

[Lavabe]

And sorry, when I wrote Col d'Abisque, I meant to write Plateau de Beille... stupid french names!
...
By the way, there is a good column up on ESPN Page 2 right now which points out that if American sports (NFL, MLB, NBA) were testing players as rigorously as the TdF, cycling might not be seen as such a dirty sport.

linky (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hill/070731&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos1)



Now now ... I get confused with the names too, but it's not too tough.:) Turning it around a little, my French friends can't understand why we have so many Peachtree Streets/Avenues/Roads here in Atlanta. Couldn't we think of another road name? ;)

Thanks for the column link. TdF gets slammed for the doping issues without consideration of the sorry state of American sports. Olympic track & field usually receives even more scrutiny than TdF.

What's becoming more troubling with this year's TdF is the rift between the TdF and UCI. The Sunday commentator discussions included the dreadful prospect of nations, not professional teams, competing in the TdF next year.

Cheers,
Lavabe