Alberto Contador duly won his time trial battle with Andy Schleck but it was much closer than expected as Contador perfomed well below his best between Bordeaux and Pauillac. Initially he gained a few seconds on Schleck and then started to lose them. Around about the halfway mark Schleck was just two seconds behind Contador overall. Then Contador gradually started gaining on Schleck as the effort of riding into the wind started to tell. At the end Contador crossed the line 31 seconds better than Schleck on the day, so with an overall lead of 39 seconds, exactly the time that Schleck lost on the stage to Bagnères-de-Luchon when he slipped his chain.
Fabien Cancellara, who started early before the wind got up was the clear winner of the stage by 17 seconds from Tony Martin, who had also been second to Cancellara in the Prologue in Rotterdam three weeks ago. Contador finished 5.43 behind Fabien and Schleck@6.14. Denis Menchov (11th@3.51) did a good time trial moving himself into third place overall above Samuel Sanchez. Lance Armstrong in his final time trial finished well down – 67th and 7.05 minutes behind Cancellara.
Today's short celebratory stage runs from Longjumeau to Paris Champs-Élysées (102.5km). There will be no racing until they reach the Champs-Elysée when the sprinters will be expected to contest the last points for the Green Jersey, the only contest not yet decided. I expect Alessandro Petacchi (213 points) the current holder to win it, although the most likely winner of the stage on current form must be Mark Cavendish. As well as the points for placings at the end of the stage, there are two intermediate points sprints on the Champs-Elysée. If Mark Cavendish (197 points) could take those he might just snatch the jersey on the final day. I do expect him to overtake Thor Hushovd (202 points).
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