Before taking off for the final stage of this Ardennes weekend, the main favourites are all within the same 12 seconds. Twelve tiny seconds between Voigt, Armstrong, Vinokourov, Millar or Moncoutié. However, all eyes are on one man, expected to be the winner of the event. Already triumphant in the morning’s hill stage, Jens Voigt appears to have all the elements to clinch a second success, after his win back in 1999.
Millar unbeatable ?
Every single favourite however give their best, one after the other, to claim a yellow jersey that Voigt conquered after his demonstration in the morning. David Millar is the first to clock an impressive time. The Scotsman from the Cofidis team, World champion of the speciality, manages a fantastic time of 10’13’’77. A time that many believe could give Millar final victory. And coming as a confirmation of this wild rumour, Casar, Hamilton, Landis, Julich, Petrov and many others, all experts on this kind of solo effort, can only settle for times well slower than that of the Brit. Untouchable? Almost…
Armstrong 3 seconds adrift
And that’s when José Ivan Gutierrez, rider of the Illes Balears formation, comes in. Many experts, including Laurent Jalabert, had predicted a good time from the Spaniard. But predicting a faster time than Millar’s was a whole different story… Despite all this, Gutierrez crosses the finish line in 10’12’’65. Over a second ahead of the World champion. Everyone then believes that he has just clocked the winning time of this third stage. Especially when Lance Armstrong finishes 3” adrift from the “possible winner”. One question mark remains concerning Jens Voigt’s time. Will he be able to keep the 12” lead he had on Gutierrez before the time-trial?
Voigt’s the boss
The answer is quickly given. Jens Voigt appears to go fast, very fast. At the beginning of the home straight, everyone knows that he will win the event. But the German manages an even better performance, clinching the third stage ahead of Gutierrez, Millar and Armstrong.
In the overall standings, Jens Voigt takes top spot ahead of Gutierrez and Armstrong and also claims the point classification’s green jersey. Meanwhile, Zabala (SDV) leaves the Ardennes with the polka dot jersey for the best climber. First Frenchman, Sylvain Chavanel finishes in 10th position.
8,3 kilometres were still to be covered in the 73rd edition of the Criterium International for the 112 remaining riders. 8,3 kilometres, alone, for an individual time-trial. And in this solo effort, the fastest was to be Jens Voigt (CSC), the hero of the three stage event in the Ardennes.
