Tour de France 2013: The Teams 12 - BMC

Six of the team that BMC are sending to France helped Cadel Evans to his win in 2011. However, while there are places for the 2009 World Champion and reigning World Champion Philippe Gilbert there is no space for the 2010 World Champion Thor Hushovd. Thor has pulled out of the 2012 Giro and subsequent Tour which would have been his 12th is a row with a viral infection which was affecting his muscles, but has returned to form this season. So the team with so many rainbow rings of the sleeves is one less for this Tour.

Cadel Evans is the most recent of the three past winners to be taking part in this year's Tour now that the defending champion will not be there. It is his 9th consecutive Tour de France. But the only other time he did this on the back of a ride in the Giro in 2010 he finished a disappointing 26th, one of only two times he failed to finish in the top 10. He says himself that he was a surprise call up for BMC's Giro squad, but he ended up on the third step of podium. He has now been on the podium of all three Grand Tours, his 3rd in the 2009 Vuelta, his 2011 Tour win (plus his 2nds in 2007 & 2008). While his third in the Giro is good he ended behind Rigoberto Uran who was meant to have been riding in support of Wiggins and hasn't even made the Sky team for the Tour. Before his third in Giro there were some doubting his ability to still challenge for GCs in Grand Tours and indeed many felt he wasn't even the best GC hope in his own team. But maybe there is fight in the only Aussie to have won a Grand Tour.

The young American from Washington state Tejay van Garderen is still eligible for the Young Rider Classification he picked up last year when finishing 5th. There were many last year who felt that at times the younger rider looked stronger than his team leader and maybe spent too long protecting him in the Pyrénées, if he hadn't might he have finished higher in the overall. This year he has won the Amgen Tour of California and was 4th in Paris-Nice where he lost out on the Young Rider jersey to fellow American Garmin's Andrew Talansky. But he got the better of Talansky and only came behind the duo from Sky Froome and Porte in the Critérium International. It is yet to be seen if Tejay or Cadel will come top of the BMC riders this year. Also if Cadel gets into trouble will Tejay be made to wait and assist or will he get the nod to go for it.

Philippe Gilbert will be wearing the rainbow strips as world champion for all the non-time trial stages of the race. He is a classics specialist having won the Amstel Gold, Giro di Lombardie and Paris-Tours twice. In 2011 he became only the second person to win the three Ardennes classics Amstel Gold, La Flèche Wallonne and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. These three one day races occur within 8 days in April, but they were in the middle of a remarkable run as Gilbert had already won the one day De Brabantse Pijl and went on to win the Tour of Belgium and Ster ZLM Toer, then won the Belgian national road race title before taking the first stage in the Tour de France. It was a season that saw him win four more times after he arrived in Paris giving his the UCI Tour Championship. Last year was inevitably a bit of a come down but there are signs that he is back to his attacking best this season. It will interesting to see if he is allowed to go on the attack in the medium mountains.

American Brent Bookwalter is a time trialist. Sadlyin May he missed out just on both the American Road Race and Time Trial championships, second in both. But earlier this season he did record his first pro win with the first stage of the Tour of Oman. This will be his third Tour, the last being the one won by Cadel Evans in 2011. His best individual result in the Tour was in the 2010 Prologue where he finished 10th around the streets of Rotterdam.

Marcus Burghardt of Germany is a classics specialist but in 2010 he picked up the points classification in the Tour de Suisse and the Mountain's Classification in this year's Tour de Romandie. This is his sixth tour since his debut in 2007, he only missed in 2009, and he has made it around each time. He also picked up a stage win in 2008 when he and Carlos Barredo battled it out on stage 18 into St Etienne during his Columbia days.

France's Amaël Moinard must have had all the French thinking they had another man who might deliver that first Tour home since Hinault when on his debut in 2008 he finished 15th. But since then his best result in the other four Tours has been 45th. A lot of that great result in 2008 was down to him making a long lone breakaway that finally got swamped by a group of 11 but ended up over 14 minutes ahead of the main field on stage 11 to Foix. For that effort he was awarded the most combative prize on the stage.

Swiss rider Steve Morabito has already accompanied Evans around this years Giro, in which he finished 34th. This will be his third Tour again he was another of those on the BMC Team that helps Evans secure his title. His best pro result was 4th in the 2010 Tour de Suisse in which he was beaten by Frank Schleck by a mere 23 seconds, Lance Armstrong and Jakob Fuglsang.

Italian Manuel Quinziato was new to the BMC team when he was part of the support for Evans 2011 win. This will be the 8th Tour for the 33 year old. In 2006, his second participation he actually managed to come 4th on two separate stages of the Tour. In 2009 he came 9th in Paris Roubaix. He has mainly been a utility rider through his career, but in 2003 he came close to claiming his National Time Trial championship when he came second.

The final rider is 26 year old Michael Schar from Switzerland. He too was a part of that 2011 Tour win for Evans, when he completed his first Grand Bouclé. But that was his completion of the three Grand Tours since his debut just shy of his 23rd birthday in the 2009 Vuelta a España. He's ridden the Tours of Oman, Qatar, California, Tirreno-Adriatico and Tour de Suisse in preparation for the Tour this year. Hoping to once again lead a BMC rider to victory on the Champs-Élysées.

The big question for BMC is does Cadel Evans have enough in his legs to podium in the Tour after his podium in the Giro. That was a tough race to complete never mind complete in contention plus the last time he doubled up those two Tours he was off the pace in France. But he does have three of what he calls his guardian angels from that 2011 Tour around him once more Quinziato, Burghardt and Schar. There is the ready made back up plan with Tejay, the young American may well be the second American to be Tour de France Champion. It may not be this year with Froome, Contador and Rodriguez to contend with, but once he is installed as the Team Leader he will be hungry for that success. BMC should have at least one rider in the top ten of the GC come Paris, I'm just not sure that they'll have two.

* Now that Lance Armstrong's titles have been wiped from the record books.

Giro d'Italia 2013 Stage 19 The Road to Nowhere

I haven't had time to catch up with stage 17 and 18 fully yet and write them up, I hope to do that later.

However, the news about stage 19 today first of all last night was that the original route

was that both the Passo Gavia and Passo di Stelvio, the first two on the route were going to be impassable because of snow. So a revised route was produced. Although there were still weather reports that the route tomorrow could still have temperatures as low as -14 Celsius.

But even this with the summit now as the high point of the race route was deemed to be unrideable this morning so the Giro racers have an unexpected third rest day.

But there is more, tomorrow's final mountain stage has also be revised.

The second category Passo Costulunga and Passo di San Pellegrino have been removed along with the first category Cortina d'Amprezzo. This could be good news for Mark Cavendish on two counts. Both the intermediate sprints are now potentially achievable for him in the peleton, but also there is every chance that a large group will reach the finish possibly limiting the number of points that Cadel Evans could take at the finish. It sets it up for the Manxman for the flat run into Brescia on Sunday to potentially still be in the red jersey, but even it not, he won't be too far behind Evans and going out on a win on the last stage would certainly seal it for him. After his disappointment of going into pain on Stage 17 trailing in less than 100 seconds down on the Maglia Rosa and only 1'37" behind Giovanni Visconti, but out of the points, it may be a relief.

Giro d'Italia stage 15 (your guess is as good as mine)

Yesterday the Giro returned to the high mountains, but the weather was so bad with snow falling at the finish, freezing fog and heavy rain that there was very little to see on the peaks. TV coverage was next to non-existent so to try and tell you who attacked when and where is a hard task. Altough the reason we didn't see them climb Sestriere was because that ascent was removed for safety reasons.

However, what is known is that Luca Paolini (KAT), Sonny Colbrelli (BAR) and Daniele Pietropolli (LAM) were up the road before the last climb. But at some point on the climb of the Jafferau Franco Pellizotti (AND) went after them being joined by Segio Henao (SKY) and Diego Rosa (AND). However, by the time the mists cleared and we could see what was going on again Mauro Santambrogio (VIN) was at the front of the race followed by Vincenzo Nibali (AST). The Vini Fantini rider took line honours from Nibali, next through the murk was Carlos Betancur (ALM) 9 seconds later, some 26 seconds after the leader was Sammy Sanchez (EUS) 4 seconds ahead of Rigoberto Uran (SKY) who in turn was three seconds of the group that contained Cadel Evans (BMC), Domenico Pozzovivo (ALM) and Robert Kiserlovski (RLT).

Michele Scarponi (LAM) was 1'28" down but Robert Gesink who had also been in the top five at the start of the day was paced over the line by three of his Blanco team mates some 4'16" down. At the start of the day Britian's Robert Miller has abandoned. Further down the race the red jersey of Mark Cavendish was escorted by six of his Omega Pharma - Quickstep team mates over the line 22'31" down inside the cut off point.

So Nibali extended his lead over his rivals:

1. Nibali 57:20:52"
2. Evans +1:26"
3. Uran +2:46"
4. Santambrogio +2:47"
5. Scarponi

Today's stage was meant to pay tribute to the 100th edition of the Tour de France with the iconic finish on the Col du Galibier. But it was announced last night that the weather has mean that will not be happening. The last 4.25km have been removed from the end of the stage fnishing at the monument to Marco Pantani rather than the summit.

There was also talk yesterday that the Col du Mont Cenis, the pass that some consider to be the way that Hannibal traversed and what would have been the entry into France would be circumnavigated, but at the time of writing after work overnight to clear it of snow it is still on the itinerary.

Giro d'Italia Stage 14 Cervere - Bardonnechia

I may have mentioned that yesterday's stage may not have been ideal for the sprinters. I may have said that Cavendish had a challenge if he was to claim his 4th stage of this Giro. But then after the stage the Manx Missile himself said:

"Today was a bit of a bonus but I'm so tired and I don't know how I'm going to get into the mountains. I had to go 350m out after that hard day and I'm on my knees. I didn't want to go for the sprint for today but the call came from the team so I had to go for it. Once again the team did brilliantly and I had to finish it for them."

So there you have it, Cavendish struggled over the hills and won the stage in the red jersey which he reclaimed yesterday. Considering only 87 finished on the same time and 57 of the 187 left finished 16'32" after Cavendish it really was a day that for Cav his Omega Pharma-Quickstep who sat around him to nurse him over the hills did a sterling job.

It was also the day that saw the departure of two Grand Tour Champions, both Tour de France Champion Bradley Wiggins and defending Giro Champion Ryder Hesjedal didn't take the start. Both have been under the weather (probably literally as it has been poor this Giro) and have withdrawn on medical advice. The French national champion who had finished second to Cavendish yesterday had announced that he was quitting last night, probably so he can give his best to the tour whose colours he has been wearing this year.

All those retirements don't affect the GC much as Wiggins had dropped to 13th yesterday and Hesjedal was a lot worse. But it means that for Sky Rigoberto Uran who is in third 2'04" will look for another chance to attack like he did on Tuesday.

Today might be just such a chance, though of course now he is the marked rider in Sky and there is no alternative.

But there isn't very much flat land in the stage. The first climb is a long haul, but only a category 2 up to Sestriere. It is 16.25km climbing a total of 617 metres of altitude. It has a sharp descent but Nabili and Evans will have a harder time shifting Uran off their wheel thah they had with Wiggins. However there will be a selection by the time they get to Sestriere, one thing I can predict is that Cavendish will not even by then be in with a chance of adding to his stage wins.

The final climb though is where the GC could still be shaken up today. In only 7.25km they climb 646 metres in altitude. There is a severe 14% section near the foot of the climb, but there isn't really much forgiving territory as they head up to the arrivo of today. The last km if nobody has been successful in making a move those far ramps up even more. Uran is going to be going after time, Nibali will probably also want a bigger cushion over Evans. As for the Australian he hasn't really launched an attack on his own yet in the Giro, at some point he may have to, but will it be today.

Outside the top three you can't rule out Robert Gesink or Michele Scarponi who are 8 and 9 seconds further back than Uran. Any of the top five could still win this tour and it all depends on where and when they attack and who, if anyone can match them. With so many tough mountains still to come this race is not over and  today and tomorrow are two tough days back to back. What happens today may well affect somebody in tomorrow's stage.

Giro d'Italia Stage 11 Tarvisio (Cave del Predil) - Vajont (Erto e Casso)

Yesterday the Giro hit the first of its big mountain passes. As I predicted at the end of the first ascent Nibali and his Astana team came to the front after Sky had ridden the tempo up to try and head down in the valley to see see if Bradley Wiggins could keep up. At that point yesterday he could, although one of his super domestiques Sergio Henao was less able to do so. Ryder Hesjedal (GRS) had already been dropped on the climb.

Then we came to the Altopiano and the climb to the line, Sky went on the attack with 8km to go, although it was in the shape of Rigoberto Uran and not his team leader, who seemed to be sitting comfortably in the pack alongside Nibali, Cadel Evans (BMC) and Robert Gesink (BLA). That is until they were within the last 3.5km when first Gesink and then Wiggins lost contact with a very elite group. He then cut a lonely figure as he attempted to time trial his way up the  rest of the slope to limit his losses, for once again that was what he would be facing. The reason that Wiggins had come under pressure was because Carlos Betancur (ALM) had gone off in pursuit of Uran and the others tried to respond to him. While neither effort was successful it did lead to two of the top four falling behind.

As it was Sky's Columbian won the stage, some 20 seconds ahead of Betancur who was a further 11 seconds ahead of the pack that was Nibali, Evans, Mauro Santambrogio (VIN) Rafal Majka (TST) Dominico Possivivo (ALM). Wiggins was a further 37 seconds down although with Nibali picking up time bonuses 49 down on him, which would actually put him one second behind Uran in the GC, with Gesink 8 seconds further back dropping behind both the Sky riders. Hesjedal lost 21 minutes yesterday and is certainly not going to defend his title.

Today is a medium mountain stage in that it only has two category 2 climbs, but once again the race will finish uphill. It may be interesting to see what people have left in the legs for the last climb. It is only 6.4km long but today's stage has the possibility of Sky with their many mountain domestiques being able to ride at tempo for much of the day to put pressure on other teams. They could reach the foot of the last climb with more riders around Uran and Wiggins than the other teams might have around their leaders. Ready to step up the power and the pace on the last climb and possibly try a classic one-two with Wiggins and Uran. They are now the team that can threaten on two barrels and could put lone riders under pressure. It would a different way for Team Sky to ride, but as they aren't dominating they will have to think outside the box. There are no more mountains until the weekend so they may as well make an effort today.

Giro d'Italia Stage 10 Cordenons - Altopiano del Montasio

After Sunday's stage some riders, especially Bradley Wiggins, will be glad that today's stage finishes on the summit of Altopiano del Montasio and doesn't include a descent, just in case it rains again. Indeed the man himself has said he "descended lie a bit of a girl" apologises to all my female readers and to the many female road racers who would have descended better than Bradley, but those are his choice of words. However, the rain on Sunday saw Wiggins with most of his team having to chase back over a minute lost of a wet descent once again. Noticeable in their absence in that pursuit were Uran and Henao who are also in the top 10 overall.

The only member of the top ten who didn't finish in the main group behind Maxim Belkov (KAT) was the man with number 1 on his back, Ryder Hesjedal. He lost over a minute despite his Garmin team mates only a few kms before the climb of the Fiesole, where he became detached riding on the front to control the race for him.

Yesterday was a rest day but today sees the race enter the high mountains for the first time. Today we see two first category climbs one after the other as the climax of 167 km of racing. So today is another day you can expect to see a further GC shake up as first the Passo Cason di Lanza rises to 1555m the highest point of the day before the final climb to 1519m.

Vincenzo Nibali may try once again to distance himself from some of this rivals on the descent of Passo Cason di Lanza but when they all get to the bottom there is still 21.7km of climbing to be done to the finish.

The first climb isn't a continuous climb and actually has a section of  descending part of the way up to give a little rest bite to the riders, that is if the start of the slopes to get them there have been survived. Some will have been shedded on the very steep first slopes. However, after just over 6km of the km there is 2km of relief. Before another 6km of ascent which as one point reaches 16%, but it is pretty much rough going all the way to the top, before the descent into the valley below.

In is that descent that Nibali along with Cadel Evans (BMC) and others will probably want to test Bradley Wiggins. Descending has been the English riders achilles heel thus far on this tour, so with 28km  of pretty steep descending through hairpins to negotiate they will be putting the hammer down no doubt, wet or dry, to see just what the Sky leader can do.

If Bradley can drop well with the rest of them hopefully all of the GC contenders will reach the bottom of the Altopiano. It is not as full-on a climb as Passo Cason as far as gradient goes but it is a long drag, almost 22km of climbing. But with a number of steeper sections followed by less steep sections it is open to a climbers attack. Just above Sella Nevea with about 3km to go is the steepest part of today's route, reaching up to 20% gradient. If one of the GC is feeling strong at that point they may well try and attack to see what is in the legs of his rivals. If someone can get away there they are only likely to stay away until the end, providing they haven't gone too far into the red in the effort.

At the line I don't expect to see much more than a maximum of twenty riders in a group (even if a little elongated). This climb isn't a total killer, but someone could turn it into one with an attack at the right point. So it may be considerably less than that.

Giro d'Italia Stage 9 San Sepolcro - Firenze

Yesterday the individual time trial stage was hillier than most and had a monster of a climb to the finish. This may well have been why it was those who are climbers didn't suffer so much and some of the time trial specialists didn't make as big an impression as they may have hoped on a 58.4km stage.

Dowsett during yesterday's stage

That being said there was a British winner, but not the one many were talking about, even though he was wearing the national champion's jersey Alex Dowsett was so far down the GC that he had completed the course before the TV coverage kicked in.but as rider after rider came after him his time was looking more and more secure.

His compatriot Bradley Wiggins was starting 23 from the end and therefore instead of the usual 3 minute intervals he was only 1 minute down on the person in front, so he was capturing people on a regular basis during his run. He even disgarded his new Pinarello Bolide bike for his trusted Graal, on which he won Olympic gold. He was well down at the first intermediate time, but at the end he was only 10 seconds down on Dowsett. However, behind him some of the GC contenders had gone through the split faster than Wiggins, but worryingly Vincenzo Nibali who is not a traditional time trialist.

But as each of the main challengers reached the line time was being clawed back by Wiggins. Franco Pellizotti (AND) who had 30 seconds advantage lost over 4 minutes. Michele Scarponi (LAM) with 35 seconds, lost 43 to still be in touch if behind. Samuel Sanchez (EUS) a further 5 seconds ahead was 3 minutes 7 seconds slower than Wiggins.

Robert Gesink of Blanco had been 1'19" ahead of Wiggins, he lost all but one second of that, to take the virtual Maglia Rosa on the line off Wiggins, with just 8 more men to finish. But next up was Cadel Evans (BMC) who had been ahead of Wiggins at the intermediate and is a decent time trialist and climber. He crossed the line only 29 seconds down on Wiggins on the day but enough to remain 47 seconds in front of the man who succeeded him as Tour de France Champion. Ryder Hesjedal (GRS) was third from the end but he lost 2'13" on Wiggins. Vincenzo Nibali (AST) was next up and rode and very impressive time, for him, losing only 11 seconds to Wiggins, but enough to climb into the Maglia Rosa as Movistar's Beñat Intxausti who was the surprise leader after the carnage on stage 7 was just over 4 minutes slower than his team mate Dowsett who was winning his first Grand Tour stage.

The GC now after the first major shake up looks like this:

1 Nibali 29:46:57
2. Evans +29
3. Gesink +1:15
4. Wiggins +1:16
5. Scarponi +1:24
6. Hesjedal +2:04
7. Sergio Henao (SKY) +2:11
8. Santambrogio (VIN) +2:43
9. Niemiec (LAM) +2:44
10. Uran (SKY) + 2:49

Today's stage is the first in which the riders will not see the sea at any point of their route. It also contains the first first category climb of the tour the Vallombrosa, coming about the middle of the stage immediately at the ascent and descent of the category 2 Passa Dello Consuma. There remains a category 3 and 4 climb on the run into Firenze, but this is the harderst medium mountain stage so far this Giro.

After the shake up yesterday today may be too early for some to try and make time back, tomorrow is a rest day with the first high mountains coming on Tuesday. So expect control of the race not to let anyone who may have slipped a few minutes back to make up too much time, but not too much attacking, especially as there are still 54km from the summit of Vallombrosa to the end of the stage. It is just possible that another break away might prove successful today as the big guys are waiting and planning for Tuesday.

Giro d'Italia Stage 8 Gabicce Mare - Saltara

Today's stage is the individual time trial over 56.4km. Before yesterday it was probably the stage that Olympic Time Trial Champion Sir Bradley Wiggins thought he would be able to do enough to overcome the 17 seconds he lost to his GC contenders the other day into Matera due to the time splits, in the wet. As I said that was before yesterday.

Yesterday I did mention the weather forecast said there might be rain, and rain there was. Coming down the last descent. Adam Hansen and Aussie on the Lotto-Belisol team became the first member of a long break away to stay away and win a stage in this years race. Although that was not for lack of trying from behind. Vincenzo Nibali (AST) tried to make the most of his famous descending ability in the wet, but he overcooked it into a corner and came down. By the time he had recovered his bike he was in a group with more of the GC contenders. But nervously at the back of the group was Wiggins. At one point on the coverage it looked like a Sky rider, suspiciously like Wiggins was back in the cars after someone else was reported to have gone down. The later there was a Wiggins crash captured on camera. He didn't get back into his riding quickly and the gap went up. But his team mate Rigoberto Uran and Sergio Henao canme back to pace him to the finish. But in the end he lost 1'23" to Nibali, Cadel Evans (BMC), Michele Scarponi (LAM) and Ryder Hesjedal (GRM).

Today is a long individual time trial, one that normally would suit Wiggins. But what has the effect of the last few days and especially yesterday had on him.

Yesterday Dave Braislford said that he was not injured yet he didn't look his usual easy self even when the road stopped going downhill in the wet. If he isn't in the right frame of mind today he may end up not eating into the time of those other GC contenders anywhere near enough if he is to be a serious challenger in this Giro later on.

If he is he could take a minute at least out of anyone, there is no Tony Martin or Chris Froome here who in recent TTs have been the only people to really stay within that of him over this sort of distance. If that Wiggins that was dominant last summer turns up today he could very well turnaround yesterday and climb into the Maglia Rosa, or at least get very close to it.

Giro d'Italia Stage 4 Policastro Bussentino - Serra San Bruno

Yesterday's two climbs really started to separate the contenders in this year's Giro.

The first of yesterday's climbs, San Mauru Cilento saw a group of six up the road, though with their gap already coming down, only 3'42" ahead of the peleton. But riders including the first Maglia Rosa Mark Cavendish OPQ had been dropped on the ascent, but Cav was only 28 seconds off the pace and not in the Autobus bringing up the rear which was over a minute down, he was to catch the peleton on the descent.

However, up at the front Vini Fantini rider Fabio Taborre set off from the leading pack in a bid for a long solo ride to the finish, as behind the breakaway Sky had come to the front of the peleton to ride at a tempo to bring the race altogether. When Taborre hit the slopes of the Sella di Catona he had opened a gap of 1'11" ahead of the rest of the group he had reached the previous summit with and 2'33" ahead of the peleton.

On that climb first Sky and then Garmin-Sharp started to boss the peleton. The slowing group and then Taborre were absorbed and then spat out the back of the peleton. Then with about 3km to the summit last year's champion Ryder Hesjedal GRS went on an attack after Rigoberto Uran SKY had opened a few bike lengths gap, but he was soon brought back in. But it wasn't to be his last attempt. However, this attack did see Salvatore Puccio in his pink jersey dropped from the confines of his Sky team mates. When they reached the summit there was a group of 33 left.

Then on the descent Hesjedal went again along with Luca Paolini KAT and Valerio Agnoli AST went up the road descending fast but others soon caught them up, when the descent flattened out a little. Then Paolini went solo with 6.5km to go. Behind him the Blanco Team took up the pursuit and Michele Scarponi was in third wheel when into one hairpin, first Scarponi the 2011 champion came off and the two Blanco riders collided with the wall, while the rest of the group came past unscathed.

In the end Paolini crossed the line 16 seconds clear, which with his time bonuses would leave him 17 seconds clear in the Maglia Rosa. Next over the line was a group of 16 lead by Cadel Evans BMC, then Hesjedal but also including Samuel Sanchez EUS, Bradley Wiggins SKY, Robert Gesink BLA and Vincenzo Nibali AST amongst others. Scarponi after his crash was a minute down on Paolini.

Today's stage again has a kick up at the end with first a category 3 climb of Vibo Valentia then the final category 2 climb of Croce Ferrata a mere 7km from the finish. It will be another day that those serious for the GC will be going out to steal seconds of the bonus seconds for a top three finish.

Once again expect to see a small selection at that final summit and don't expect many who may be dropped unless by only a handful of seconds to get back on the final run in, it is almost flat this time and not a twisting and complicated descent.

New Maillot Jeune

The Tour de France reached the Alps at the weekend the stage up there on Sunday say subtle changes in the General Classification in what was turning out to be a very tight race. Monsieur Frank from Luxembourg had a narrow lead over Mister Cadel from Australia. After a rest day on Wednesday nobody really was able to attack when the fight resumed on Tuesday, but yesterday's stage was to finish on top of the famous Alp d'Huez.

It is often said that however wears the Maillot Jeune atop the Alp usually wins in Paris with this being the last mountain stage of 2008 only a time triallist could have changed that scenario after yesterday's stage. Well before the first of the 21 turns up the Alp Senor Carlos a teammate of Monsieur Frank made a break and nobody was able to go with him.

Senor Carlos isn't as good a time triallist as Mister Cadel and had to make up a lot of time if he wanted to go higher on the final podium than he had before. Whenever anybody tried to launch a counter attack after Senor Carlos either Monsieur Frank or Monsieur Andy his brother, and the third CSC rider in the leading group, would be the first to close them down and sit on their wheel. Monsieur Frank was wearing the Maillot Jeune and his brother was in white as the best young rider. Senor Carlos went further and further away before finishing over a kilometer and 2 minutes and 3 seconds over the next man. Mister Cadel was a further 12 seconds back.

It makes for interesting times in the penultimate stage Time Trail as Senor Carlos leads, Monsieur Frank is 1:24 down, Herr Bernard 1:33, Mister Cadel 1:34. Will it be as tight or tighter than Mister Greg beating Monsieur Laurent in the 1989 Tour remains to be seen, this may come down to seconds like it has been for most of this years race.

Update the winner on the Alp this year did go on to win the Tour by 58 seconds over Evans in Paris, keeping up the mythology of the winner always winning the Tour.

As was my style for sport at the time this was written as my alter ego Lionel de Livi