49'13" for wiggo.

Wiggins slower than Millar? Millar was cruising up the hills yesterday i suppose.

That's a pretty spectacular blow up by Wiggo. Not good news with Ventoux still to come…

Commentators saying a lot of 'he's pulled something special out of the bag in those last k's'

Sorry guys but I'm becoming increasingly sceptical – Contador beats Wiggo by 30 secs – REALLY??!!

Mmmmmmm! Thinks

He'd have to be pretty stupid to put in a performance like that if he was doping, id expect him to slow up towards the end.

Lance 3rd!!!!!

Whats the protocol on dope testing this year?

Are the results not being let out untill the end or are they all miraculoulsly clean this year?

Swiftacular – Member

He'd have to be pretty stupid to put in a performance like that if he was doping, id expect him to slow up towards the end.

You should Greg Le Mond's piece in Le Monde and then see what you think – pretty damming if correct

Lance 15th?

Edit
On the stage, 3rd overall

I seem to remember reading somewhere that there was general agreement not to let the results out during the race for fear fo it all descending into farce again. No doubt it'll be a bit like F1 where the race finishes then the correct order is announced a week later followed by several subsequent re-orderings…

16:30 – Jonathan Vaughters has just tweeted that Wiggins cramped horribly with 5km to go

From Eurosport

Apparently Wiggo cramped up over the last 5km

contador doesn't look comfortable on that bike, keeps shifting himself up the saddle

What i meant was, if he was clever, he'd slow up, (if he wasn't clean).

That article is pretty blatant in its accusations. If true, may explain a few things.

Wiggo will go 4th behind Contador, Andy, Lance I think…

You should Greg Le Mond's piece in Le Monde and then see what you think – pretty damming if correct

Lemond annoys me, he seems to think *everyone* is/was doping except himself. A lot of the time he sounds like a stuck record.

Although yes, you're right, it would explain a lot about Contador's performance at the moment – he'd put >30" into Cancellara, the world TT champion at one point although it seems to be about 4" at the finish

cont5ador is amazing

MAN wiggo vs Armstrong is gonna be AWESOME on saturday 😀

11 seconds in it

I think we all kind of knew that would be the result 3 weeks ago. First and second tied up, but should be good on Saturday between Wiggins, Armstrong, Kloden and F Schleck.

What i meant was, if he was clever, he'd slow up, (if he wasn't clean).

Why? He's still going to get tested no matter how slow he is.

True.

indeed

Intrigue….timing's are out, apparently.

Johnny Vaughters asking the questions…

Wiggo's time may be wrong…

why wait till ventoux, there is a second cat tomorrow within spitting distance of the finish, with the times so close.

16:45 – The new top five in the general classification: 1. Alberto Contador; 2. Andy Schleck at 4:11; 3. Lance Armstrong at 5:25; 4. Bradley Wiggins at 5:36; 5. Andreas Kloden at 5:38

Going to be a great stage on Saturday fighting for the podium (or maybe even tomorrow!)

that split that LA made early on may prove pretty important!

Kona Mashup anyone

Last couple of days have really livened up an otherwise dull tour…

timing's are out, apparently

They're all going to have to do it again! 😉

This in from Eurosport

'Contador dodges bothersome doping questions

Thu 23 Jul, 06:57 PM

ANNECY, France (AFP) – Tour de France race leader Alberto Contador on Thursday refused to respond to queries relating to his stunning climbing performance in the 15th stage.

Spain's 2007 champion took another step towards overall victory here when he won the 18th stage time trial to take a virtually unassailable lead of 4min 11sec over Luxembourg's Andy Schleck.

Coming less than a week after his impressive victory on the summit of Verbier in Switzerland, it has cemented Contador's reputation as the best stage racer in the world.

But asked to react to doubts expressed by former Tour de France winner Greg Lemond, present at the race Thursday, on his performances Contador refused to answer.

"I won't answer this question," Contador said through his translator when asked to explain his impressive climbing performance to Verbier.

Last Sunday Contador attacked a small group of favourites containing teammate Lance Armstrong 5.6km from the summit of the 8.8km climb to the summit finish of Verbier to win the stage and take command of the yellow jersey.

Moments later the determined reporter repeated his question.

"Otra pregunta (next question)," said the 26-year-old Contador.

When asked to reveal his V02 max, his maximum capacity to transport and use oxygen while racing, the Spaniard was evasive.

"Otra pregunta (next question)," said Contador again.

So far on the Tour, and despite increased efforts to weed out the cheats, there have been no positive doping cases.

Contador won his first Tour in 2007 and, after his Astana team were not invited to the 2008 edition, he won the Tour of Italy and Tour of Spain that year.'

looks like wiggins got hit by the wind and lost time that way.

If contador is clean fine, but if he isn't i can see it coming out in a few weeks. I find it odd how the riders are so close, except Contador.

I can understand why he doesn't want to talk though. But probably better to be straight if he is clean. But he is spanish and Operacion Puerto was hushed up, so…

Yayyyyyyy! Let's get the rumours started. I'd rather wait for some evidence.
A compatriot of Lance Armstrong questions the ability of Contador just when the Tour is about to finish!!!

I admire Contador's dignity and professionalism in not answering.
In my experience, Contador is a very genuine guy.

I haven't seen the TV interview btw.

Yayyyyyyy! Let's get the rumours started. I'd rather wait for some evidence.

Last year the doping results would have been out by now – so far its Di Luca who's out from results back in May/June

Reading Lemond in Le Monde….

Selon les dernières données publiées par l'ancien entraîneur de Festina

"According to the latest facts from the trainer who used to work for Festina"….Of course, Festina were totally clean and trustworthy, weren't they? Oh, wait a Virenque…

A compatriot of Lance Armstrong questions the ability of Contador just when the Tour is about to finish!!!

Lemond and Armstrong are not even on speaking terms. Lemond has openly accused Armstrong of doping.

stevomcd – Member

A compatriot of Lance Armstrong questions the ability of Contador just when the Tour is about to finish!!!

Lemond and Armstrong are not even on speaking terms. Lemond has openly accused Armstrong of doping.

Spoilsport, can't I start my own rumours…. 😀

stevomcd – Member

A compatriot of Lance Armstrong questions the ability of Contador just when the Tour is about to finish!!!

Lemond and Armstrong are not even on speaking terms. Lemond has openly accused Armstrong of doping.

viz the Lemond Cycles v Trek Bicycle Corporation situation.

viz the Lemond Cycles v Trek Bicycle Corporation situation.

Are VIZ going to sponsor a team – who would ride for them I wonder?

look at it this way, before the turn and the headwind, Contador had managed to put 1min into Cancellara. Cancellara is ranked as one of the best time trialists in the world.

Next look at the speed with which he climbed to Verbier.

And finally it takes a druggy to spot one, who better to ask about the potential benefits than someone who made it there job to find out and used their riders as guinea pigs.

I hope that Contador is a freak of nature and the figures are natural, but as is so often the case if someone is that far ahead of the competition questions will be raised.

if someone is that far ahead of the competition questions will be raised.

were questions asked of Usain Bolt? They could have been, I don't know, but he was spectacularly ahead in 10 a second race.

I hope it's a clean tour, I'm really enjoying it.