Key moments

Discovery’s Dominant Day...!

Only 31 seconds separates the first rider in the general classification from the third after 3,423.9km of racing! Levi Leipheimer almost achieved a major coup with his victory in the 55.5km stage from Cognac to Angouleme... he finished just eight seconds behind Cadel Evans in the general classification but he still has more than one reason to celebrate. Not only did Levi win the stage but his team-mate Alberto Contador limited his losses to the runner-up in the stage, Cadel Evans, and will wear the yellow jersey for the final stage.

The 19th stage of the 2007 Tour de France began at 11.20am. Wim Vansevenant (PRL) was the first rider to start the time trial. The contestants departed at two-minute intervals until the final 21, who were separated by three minutes. The conditions for the 55.5km race from Cognac to Angouleme were overcast and mild with temperatures of in the mid-20s. There were three intermediate checks: the first at 17.5km, then at 35.0km and 50.1km.

Hoste’s Rapid Reconnaissance
The fastest of the early wave of riders in the time trial was Leif Hoste. He was instructed by his Predictor-Lotto team to attack the course so he could report on the course for his Australian colleague Cadel Evans. Hoste was fastest at the first check until the arrival of Cancellara who beat his time by 11” but at the 35km mark the Swiss prologue winner was 15” behind the Belgian. At the finish the world champion failed to make up the deficit and finished in 1h05’39”. Schumacher then eclipsed the times of Hoste but faded at the end and finished 29” shy of the Belgian TT champion who averaged 50.8km/h. Mechanical issues halted David Millar’s progress moments after he started the time trial: his rear tire exploded and came off his disc wheel. At the first check he was 1’38” behind Schumacher.

Overtaking Hoste….
Other riders started fast – beating Hoste’s time at the first two checks – but the Belgian held on to his lead at the finish until Hincapie raced into the provisional lead at the 51km mark by 12” and 15” at the end but a lot more was yet to come from the Discovery Channel team. The speed was much higher when the general classification contenders started to race.

Leipheimer Wins; Contador Keeps Yellow & 31 Seconds Separate Top Three
The Australian’s objective was to gain 1’50” on Contador to take the yellow jersey but by the end he got to within 23” of the lead. Leipheimer led at every check to set the fourth-fastest average speed for a long time trial in the Tour de France (53.081km/h). The American won the stage and got to within eight seconds of second place in the general classification in a triumphant day for Discovery Channel. Contador was fifth in the stage, finishing ahead of specialists like his compatriot Jose Ivan Gutierrez, the Spanish time trial champion. Only 31 seconds separate the three men who will stand on the podium in Paris on the final Sunday of the 2007 Tour.

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Cadel Evans – “What’s happened has happened… and I’m content”

He’s steadily climbed up the rankings in his three appearances at the Tour de France and Cadel Evans began the final time trial believing he could win the 2007 race. Alberto Contador refused to concede the title without a fight and, in the end, the Australian who will be the runner-up in a very close contest realized that he may also have lost second place to an inspired Levi Leipheimer. At 30 years old, the sentimental favorite of many cycling aficionados insists he’s still got time to win the yellow jersey.

“I had a really good start to the time trial. In the middle section I had a feeling that Leipheimer was going to be good there and I said to the director, Hendrik Redant, this morning before the stage for him to look out for him. Everyone was talking about how much time I could take on Contador but Levi was closing in on me. I thought, ‘Well, if he can go that fast in the middle, I hope that my strength – over the finishing section where there were some little climbs – would come back. If I slowed down I could have lost second place.
“For me, it was when the Astana team didn’t contribute to the pace of the chase over the Col de Peyresourde that I lost the Tour de France. Or perhaps it happened when Contador and Rasmussen worked together on the climbs… that’s when I lost time too. It could have been on the Aubisque when I lost time on Leipheimer. Maybe it was a combination of many elements but what’s happened has happened and I’m content.
“I was depending on Caisse d’Epargne and Astana to help me chase the escape going into Loudenvielle but they weren’t interested and that’s why we lost 55 seconds to Contador. That’s what spoiled what is otherwise the best Tour I could have done.”

Levi Leipheimer – “My emotion took over…”

For a moment it seemed that Levi Leipheimer was going so fast in the penultimate stage that he could have won the stage as well as taken the yellow jersey. He got to within eight seconds of second place in the general classification and is content with what he achieved. Only 31 seconds separates the rider in first from the man in third overall in one of the closest editions of the Tour’s long history.

“To be able to go so fast on the bike is my lifelong dream especially to do so while winning a stage of the Tour de France. I always dreamed of being able to do this: I wanted to win a mountain stage or a time trial because that’s where my strengths are. I think that, after today, I’ve earned the right to stand on the final podium tomorrow.
“I was already experiencing joy halfway through the stage because I was getting good feedback from Dirk [Demol]. He said that I was going fast. I knew that I had enough time to be conservative in the corners and make sure that I kept enough energy to the end. So I was really able to enjoy it and I think my emotion took over and I went faster and faster.
“The thought of taking the yellow jersey had crossed my mind. If either Cadel or Alberto had an off day it could have happened but to tell the truth, I was really hoping for Alberto. He had a big gap and also had a lot of pressure on his shoulders these last few days. He’s only 24 years old and he defended his lead well; he was amazing.
“Having Lance on the bus with the team before the stage was very motivating. He was nervous – just as anxious as we were – so that helped us raise our game. It gave us a sense that he was really behind us. We were here to do big things and his presence helped.”

Alberto Contador – “I dedicate this victory to my family…”

The final time trial had the potential to spoil Alberto Contador’s Tour. He had a lead of almost two minutes on the rider in second place in the general classification and although Cadel Evans finished second in the stage, he didn’t steal enough time from the Spaniard to take the yellow jersey.

“I dedicate this victory to my family who always support me in my career. They were really important to me during the time that I had problems with my health after my brain surgery. We still have one more day to go but I feel like the champion of the Tour now. This is a way for me to repay all the fans that cheered for me on the side of the road and gave me so much encouragement.
“It was an impressive time trial and I managed to maintain momentum despite pressure that was applied by Cadel Evans and Levi Leipheimer. I had a lead to defend and although I lost a bit of time, but I expected that: Cadel is a good time trial rider and he showed that today.
“Levi was extremely fast and it is the perfect way for my team to end the Tour de France: a victory in the stage and the yellow jersey on my shoulders with just the stage to Paris remaining.”

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