Top Time Trialists Battle for Glory
Tour de France Stage 19 - Time Trial from Bonneval to Chartes
Top time trialists at the Tour (who's left of them anyway) will have one final chance at glory on Stage 19 from Bonneval to Chartes. The course is long at 53.5km or 33.22 miles and relatively flat. A win agains the clock while require a sustained, hour+ effort at functional threshold power.
With both Fabian Cancellera and Tony Martin out of the Tour and prepping for the London Olympics, Bradley Wiggins and Sky teammate Chris Froome are logical choices for the stage win. The duo finished one and two on the Stage 9 time trial 12 days ago. Given that many a commentator have been suggesting that Froome is the stronger of the two riders - at least in the mountains, Wiggins will want to stamp his authoriry on this time trial to prove that his is the best rider in the Tour and the rightful owner of the Yellow Jersey.
Among the other Tour de France 2012 contenders, Tejay van Garderen (4th on stage 9), Cadel Evans (6th on stage 9), Vincenzo Nibali (8th on stage 9), Denis Menchov (9th on stage 9) and Andreas Klöden (1oth on stage 9), will all want to put in a strong showing. Sylvan Chavanel finished 5th in Bescancon, and he may also surprise on this final race of truth.

Tour de France Stage 19 - Time Trial Results
Need we say more than this?

Stage 19 Time Trial - Top 10 Finishers
1 |
Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling |
1:04:13 |
2 |
Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling |
0:01:16 |
3 |
Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team |
0:01:50 |
4 |
Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-QuickStep |
0:02:02 |
5 |
Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling |
0:02:25 |
6 |
Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Argos - Shimano |
0:02:28 |
7 |
Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team |
0:02:34 |
8 |
Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Movistar Team |
0:02:46 |
9 |
Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne |
0:02:50 |
10 |
Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat |
0:03:05 |
11 |
David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Sharp |
0:03:12 |
General Classification after Stage 19
1 |
Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling |
84:26:31 |
2 |
Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling |
0:03:21 |
3 |
Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale |
0:06:19 |
4 |
Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team |
0:10:15 |
5 |
Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team |
0:11:04 |
6 |
Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) RadioShack-Nissan |
0:15:43 |
7 |
Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team |
0:15:51 |
8 |
Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar |
0:16:31 |
9 |
Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team |
0:16:38 |
10 |
Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat |
0:17:17 |