All I will say is that the I-T-T (Individual Time Trials) during stage 19 may very well end with us knowing who will win the 2010 Tour de France.
If Andy wants to win his first Tour de France, he will have to ride like a man possessed tomorrow during the 52 km or 32 mile sprint and come in 8 seconds or better than Alberto. Don't get me wrong, I am not ready to bet on Contador over Schleck yet because Alberto also must ride like a mad-man and maintain the eight second gap which he currently holds over Schleck or he must add to it. He cannot afford to lose any time under 8 seconds.
Sure the last stage of the Tour is usually non-combative when the real victor of the Tour is known, but if the time gap decreases between these two, I am not so sure that Andy Schleck and his Team SaxoBank will not challenge and attack Alberto Contador and his Team Astana. It is not a gentleman's ruse to do so in the last stage a.k.a. "le grand finale" of the Tour, but it has been known to occur whenever there existed such a close race. Maybe Schleck and company have that incident during Monday's stage 15 in the back of their minds and revenge may just be playing a sweet tone in their ears that day or maybe they will merely abide by Tour etiquette and its unwritten rules and allow Alberto his third consecutive Tour championship. I know Alberto and Team Astana will be ready on Sunday for anything because anything is really quite possible.
If Andy wants to win his first Tour de France, he will have to ride like a man possessed tomorrow during the 52 km or 32 mile sprint and come in 8 seconds or better than Alberto. Don't get me wrong, I am not ready to bet on Contador over Schleck yet because Alberto also must ride like a mad-man and maintain the eight second gap which he currently holds over Schleck or he must add to it. He cannot afford to lose any time under 8 seconds.
Sure the last stage of the Tour is usually non-combative when the real victor of the Tour is known, but if the time gap decreases between these two, I am not so sure that Andy Schleck and his Team SaxoBank will not challenge and attack Alberto Contador and his Team Astana. It is not a gentleman's ruse to do so in the last stage a.k.a. "le grand finale" of the Tour, but it has been known to occur whenever there existed such a close race. Maybe Schleck and company have that incident during Monday's stage 15 in the back of their minds and revenge may just be playing a sweet tone in their ears that day or maybe they will merely abide by Tour etiquette and its unwritten rules and allow Alberto his third consecutive Tour championship. I know Alberto and Team Astana will be ready on Sunday for anything because anything is really quite possible.
Stage 20 is Longjumeau to Champs-Élysées in Paris and is 102.5 km or 64 miles.
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