Tour de France - Stage 19 - July 28

Tour website ^ | 7/28/07 | Aeronaut

[Aeronaut]

ITT today!

[Aeronaut]

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[Aeronaut]

“Versus” TV coverage:

Stage 19: Saturday, July 28, 2007 - Cognac to Angouleme

8:00am to 11:30am: LIVE Daily Coverage
12:00pm to 2:00pm: Race Action Replay
2:30pm to 4:30pm: Race Action Replay
5:00pm to 7:00pm: Race Action Replay
8:00pm to 11:00pm: Expanded Primetime Coverage
12:00am to 3:00am: Race Action Replay

[PeteB570]

A few have finishes the ride - and I’m along for the day.

We shall see what we see.

It’s up to each rider now. CE has finished his test run of the course.

[commish]

It’s up to each rider now. CE has finished his test run of the course.

AH yes, the course has been scoured for Syringes, creams, scrotum patches and transfusion kits!!! Let the race begin.

Seriously - hope to see some great efforts today. Obviously I would love to see a Levi miracle, but realistically I will settle for Levi on the podium and a teammate in yellow. Evans is a fast time trailer though and could make it interesting for first.

[Vision]

OMG, did you just see that commercial for the show on E with the women talking about screwing guys? That was surreal. Yuck.

[leilani]

I didn't see it today, Vision, but did see it a couple of days ago during TdF coverage. It's for a show on the E! network called 'Chelsea Lately'.

It's an incredibly vulgar commercial to be running during an event that has a lot of young kids watching. Versus ought to be ashamed of themselves to have accepted it. Do they want to force parents to put their channel on lock? How stupid is that?

[Vision]

It just ran again. I’m shocked it’s on tv. That’s California culture I assume. Not only does something think like that, but they are proud of it? Fall of Rome.

I’ve got my fingers crossed for Levi.

[Vision]

Go Levi!

[green iguana]

Go Go Levi!

I don’t think he can put the time into Evans (and no way into Contador) but I’d love to see him do it! Great first time check.

[Vision]

Levi’s turning it on...

[green iguana]

Great second time check too. How far apart did the last riders take off? Was it 3 minutes? This no TV thing bites.

[green iguana]

Levi’s got 35 sec into Evans at time check #2. Woo Hoo!

[Vision]

I think so. No tv?

[leilani]

Outrageous!

[Vision]

This is amazing. Levi just passed the rider before him...who left 3 minutes ahead...and he’s only 2:49 from winning the tour overall. I bet tomorrow is an actual race.

[ScaniaBoy]

So at 35 k Leipheimer has taken one and a half minute of Contador’s 2 min 50 s lead and 35s of Evans’s 59 s lead. This could get really interesting.....

(Is TV deprived at the moment so I’ll have to follow the race via the net.)

What’s the weather like?

[leilani]

There was a little rain earlier. Looks great now. Levi is scorching the road, so it’s dry as a bone!!!!!!

[ScaniaBoy]

Leipheimer just passed third time check: taken another 22 s of Popovych (4th at TC #2) and 33 s of Karpets (3d at TC #2).

Interestinger and interestinger. :-)

[Vision]

As soon as the bike stops they put a mike in his face. Let the man breath.

[leilani]

Unbelievable - one of fastest TT’s ever in TdF Phil says. Possibly just behind Greg LeMond’s! We’ve got a real race tomorrow into Paris!

[Vision]

Commentator just said he does not think Contador will hold on.

Evans held on.

[Vision]

...held on to the lead.

[leilani]

1:03:35 EVANS.
Holy cow, where did that come from?
Shoot.

[commish]

THat was probably the ride of LEvi’s life. The question now, will they be allowed to race into Paris tomorrow?

[Vision]

Amazing final effort.

[leilani]

How could they stop them from racing?

[Vision]

1:5:25 to hold on

[ScaniaBoy]

51 s - that means he leads Leipheimer by 8” after three weeks racing. It must be a race into Paris tomorrow.

[Vision]

20 seconds, damn.

[leilani]

Contador probably wins yellow with that! A squeaker.

[leilani]

Has the last stage ever been this tight before? Amazing TT!

[commish]

I guess technically they can’t stop them from racing in, I guess I should have been clearer -— Will they race or follow the “tradition” of the final stage being a coronation ride for the leader.

[Vision]

I wonder how they decide if tomorrow’s stage is for honor or a real race?

[green iguana]

The usually race when it’s close. How close is it? I’m not sure if they have bonuses for TTs or not...

[leilani]

But it’s so tight, forget honor. Pas des cadeaux! No gifts, guys!

[Vision]

How close is it? A 23 second gap between first, second, and third place.

[ScaniaBoy]

Contador, Evans + 23 s, Leipheimer +31 s - after three weeks racing!!!!!!

And we haven't had the results of the latest doping test even....

As soon as the bike stops they put a mike in his face. Let the man breath.

BTW, are you sure that was a mike and not a testosterone meter.

:-)

[commish]

waiting for official times but right now it looks to be less than 30 Seconds between the top 3.

[commish]

THis finish may be just what the tour needs. If they are smart tomorrow the other riders will let Contador, Evans and Levi fight it out down the Champs — if these three are clean (and all indications are that they are) then nothing will save the race and cycling better than an all out sprint to the finish tomorrow.

[leilani]

lol!

[ScaniaBoy]

The usually race when it’s close. How close is it? I’m not sure if they have bonuses for TTs or not...

My figures were for the time only. Don't know either if they have bonuses or not....the total times still not up on the web page.

[leilani]

This finish may be just what the tour needs

Oh, I so agree. It's an absolute blessing from above!

[Vision]

after three weeks racing...up mountains and across counties.

[green iguana]

That would be sweet. I know they do have time bonuses tomorrow, tho’ the leTour site is having fits and won’t show the profile so I don’t know how many intermediate sprints etc there are. Could come down to the bonuses rather than the finish!

[Vision]

Closest finish in Tour history!

[Vision]

Levi is not going to challenge tomorrow.

[ScaniaBoy]

Now up on Tour web page: Contador 23 “ in front of Evans, 31 “ in front of Leipheimer.

If they decide to race, the time bonuses along the course could make it really tricky for the stables and the riders. Should Disco for instance hold back their sprinters (who are??) then Evans may sneak in and take the yellow. Or should the teams go hell for leather and try to peel off the others..... very tricky and interesting if they go for it. If on the other hand the stage tomorrow will be a champagne glass in hand ride into Paris, then this Tour will only be remembered for the doping (and non-doping) cases.

[Vision]

Today Levi ranked 4th in history for fastest time trial. Good for him.

[leilani]