Contador vs. Evans, The Final Showdown

Alberto Contador of Discovery Channel and Cadel Evans of Predictor Lotto will battle it out for the honor of wearing the Tour de France yellow jersey in the penultimate stage of the Tour, the individual time trial from Cognac to Angoulême. Covering 55.5km (34.46 miles), the individual time trial will be one of the most exciting time trials since Lemond beat Fignon in 1989 or when Lance beat Ullrich in 2003.

Presently, Contador has a 1:50 minute advantage over evans. Evans was savvy enough to pick up three seconds at the finish in today's race, when a small gap occured in the peloton. That three seconds could prove vital in Contador's battle to keep the maillot jaune.

Cycling Commentary looked back at the last two times Contador and Evans went head to head in an individual time trial. In the Tour of Romandie this past April, Evans beat Contador by 51 seconds over a 20.4km course. At that rate, Evans could expect to take a total of 2:18 out of Contador, and he would win the Tour by 28 seconds!

However, the recent Tour de France individual time trial in Albi is probably more instructive. Over 54Kkm, Evans beat Contator by a total of 1:04. At that rate, Contador could expect retain his yellow jersy and win the Tour de France by 44 to 45 seconds. Contador will have the added benefit of wearing the maillot jaune, which always seems to give it's wearer the more power than he would otherwise have.

In any event, the final time trial is sure to be a nail biter!