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Tour de France 2012 stage 19

Live team coverage of stage 19 at the 99th edition of the Tour de France

Good morning and welcome to live coverage from VeloNews.com of the stage 19 time trial at the Tour de France. We're one day from Paris!

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 12:01:54 PM
Today's 53.5km individual time trial spans Bonneval and Chartres to the southwest of Paris.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 12:07:17 PM
The individual test is the final hurdle, er, formality for Bradley Wiggins and his ride into yellow.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 12:08:14 PM
The mostly flat, non-technical course suits the Brit well and he's a favorite to take the stage, which would be his second TT win in yellow at the Tour this year.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 12:09:10 PM
We have 52 riders in the clubhouse as it were and Patrick Gretsch (Argos-Shimano) leads Dave Zabriskie. Here's our top 5 thus far:
1.GRETSCH P. (Argos-Shimano) in 1:06:41
2.ZABRISKIE D. (Garmin-Sharp) at 00:44
3.SPRICK M. 217 (Argos-Shimano) at 00:52
4.PLAZA MOLINA R. (Movistar) at 00:56
5.OSS D. (Liquigas-Cannondale) at 00:59

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 12:16:40 PM
Daniel Lloyd is back for his fifth and final in-depth video preview of this year's Tour with a look at today's TT. We'll see if this bad boy autoplays. If it does, I'll pull it and post the link.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 12:18:32 PM
Today's final time trial is a tale of many different races. Wiggins is of course in need of a solid ride to defend, but should be enjoying himself over the last few kilometers. The fight for the top 10 is on, with just 2:43 separating 7th-11th overall. We'll see guys like our daily video diarist Bernie Eisel just easing their way to a result that gets them to Paris tomorrow.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 12:25:30 PM
Here's a look at the top 10 on GC after Friday's stage:
1. Bradley WIGGINS, Sky, in 83:22:18
2. Christopher FROOME, Sky, at 2:05
3. Vincenzo NIBALI, Liquigas-Cannondale, at 2:41
4. Jurgen VAN DEN BROECK, Lotto-Belisol, at 5:53
5. Tejay VAN GARDEREN, BMC Racing, at 8:30
6. Cadel EVANS, BMC Racing, at 9:57
7. Haimar ZUBELDIA AGIRRE, RadioShack-Nissan, at 10:11
8. Pierre ROLLAND, Europcar, at 10:17
9. Janez BRAJKOVIC, Astana, at 11:00
10. Thibaut PINOT, FDJ-BigMat, at 11:46
11. Nicolas ROCHE, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 12:54
12. Andreas KLÖDEN, RadioShack-Nissan, at 14:05
13. Christopher HORNER, RadioShack-Nissan, at 14:22
14. Chris Anker SÖRENSEN, Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank, at 18:46
15. Denis MENCHOV, Katusha, at 22:54

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 12:25:49 PM
Another interesting battle today is that between best young rider Tejay van Garderen, in 5th overall, and his defending Tour champ teammate Cadel Evans, in 6th. The American has a 1:27 buffer, which on paper would be enough, but of course these guys aren't racing on paper.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 12:27:02 PM
At the top of the standings, the top five shouldn't change much. At 2:05 and with a :36 buffer to Vincenzo Nibali, Chris Froome should defend his second-place slot. The Italian should do the same for third, with more than two minutes on Jurgen Van den Broeck.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 12:28:33 PM
If you you haven't seen yesterday's stage finale, you should. I'd put up a serious argument that this is Cavendish's best grand tour sprint in his career.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 12:33:06 PM
looks like Scarponi is happily going to take the penalty

by Travis Dotson 7/21/2012 12:33:52 PM
Luis León Sánchez has come through the first time check underneath Gretsch's time. The Spanish TT champ is through in 17:27, three seconds better than Gretsch.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 12:34:52 PM
Did they check Cav's bike to see if he had borrowed Cancellara's motor? The best part of the finish was watching the faces of the two guys who thought they were going to be 1 & 2...

by Travis Dotson 7/21/2012 12:38:06 PM
I could, and have, just watch that sprint over and over. It's a stroke of brilliance a week out from the London road race. That effort put everyone else on notice that there is one favorite for gold and he rides for the home team.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 12:38:08 PM
Guess who. instagr.am

by CaleyFretz via twitter 7/21/2012 12:39:09 PM
Just about one thing left to decide at this Tour: the lanterne rouge. 45 seconds separate last place Jimmy Engoulvent and Jan Ghyselinck

by Andymcgra via twitter 7/21/2012 12:40:09 PM
Goood morning everyone. I see Gilbert in the start house. Did he have a K-9 free morning I hope?

by Logan VonBokel 7/21/2012 12:58:42 PM
One would hope, Logan. One would hope. Good morning.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 12:59:29 PM
Awaiting the finishing time of L. Sanchez, who has the fastest intermediate checkpoint times at the moment. #TDF12

by opqscyclingteam via twitter 7/21/2012 1:03:06 PM
Kessiakoff is down the start ramp. He's wearing Astana teal; not the color he'd hoped for today. What a battle that was with Voeckler on Thursday for polka dots.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 1:04:15 PM
Peter Sagan is on the course in green. Gregor Brown talked to Liquigas brass and the Slovak himself about confirming expectations at this Tour. He's the second youngest to win the maillot vert, assuming he makes it to the line tomorrow.

Here's Brown's story: velonews.competitor.com

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 1:07:03 PM
Tell you what. I'll give a copy of The Athlete's Guide to Recovery from VeloPress to the first person to tell me the youngest green jersey winner in race history and his age. Stay off the wikipedia, we're on the honor system here.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 1:09:03 PM
Sánchez looks good, cooking along in his red skinsuit.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 1:10:10 PM
Here's our top 10 at the moment:
1.GRETSCH P. 215ARG in 1:06:41
2.KIRYIENKA V. 167MOV in 1:06:59 at 00:18
3.ZABRISKIE D. 69GRS in 1:07:25 at 00:44
4.SPRICK M. 217ARG in 1:07:33 at 00:52
5.PLAZA MOLINA R. 168MOV in 1:07:37 at 00:56
6.OSS D. 56LIQ in 1:07:40 at 00:59
7.ROUX A. 147FDJ in 1:07:47 at 01:06
8.GRABSCH B. 195OPQ in 1:07:56 at 01:15
9.KERN C. 27EUC in 1:08:09 at 01:28
10.DEVENYNS D. 194OPQ in 1:08:10 at 01:29

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 1:12:38 PM
Willy Planckaert won the green jersey at age 22 according the article on Sagan on Velonews on line

by Paul 7/21/2012 1:14:02 PM
Bingo. Quite astute there, Paul. Submit a comment with your email address and I'll be in touch for mailing information.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 1:14:05 PM
Jérémy Roy comes through with a great time, supplanting Zabriskie in third.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 1:15:02 PM
Sánchez is approaching the finish, flying through the final corners.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 1:15:33 PM
And Sánchez sets the new mark, 28 seconds quicker than Gretsch. Onto the team hotel for Patrick.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 1:18:20 PM
Good morning all.

by Nick Legan 7/21/2012 1:22:07 PM
Vino is riding the loudest bike on the day.

by Logan VonBokel 7/21/2012 1:22:11 PM
Hi Nick

by Logan VonBokel 7/21/2012 1:22:19 PM
@Logan, it is quite the colorful machine!

by Nick Legan 7/21/2012 1:23:50 PM
Vino is using Corima wheels, custom painted in Astana colors.

by Nick Legan 7/21/2012 1:24:32 PM
Vande Velde finishing now. He won't be in the top ten.

by Nick Legan 7/21/2012 1:26:07 PM
By the end of the day. He finishes 10th fastest.

by Nick Legan 7/21/2012 1:26:31 PM
In the start house area is the polka-dot jersey wearer, Thomas Voeckler. Even his Louis Garneau aero helmet matches.

by Nick Legan 7/21/2012 1:27:58 PM
Voeckler is chatting with the starter as his fans cheer. His Colnago tt machine is polka-dotted. He waves to the crowds and smiles. He may be the most relaxed man in the start house today. He's even forgone shoe covers.

by Nick Legan 7/21/2012 1:30:16 PM
Well he's got polka-dot socks. Wouldn't want to cover those with non-matching shoe covers. Style.

by Logan VonBokel 7/21/2012 1:31:23 PM
Good morning, Nick!

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 1:31:25 PM
Style.

by Brian Holcombe 7/21/2012 1:32:01 PM
Were you off cooking up breakfast Brian?

by Nick Legan 7/21/2012 1:32:02 PM
Went through more than an episode of @dirtysouth podcast in today's Tour de France time-trial. Made it a lot more enjoyable!

by koendekort via twitter 7/21/2012 1:32:06 PM
@Logan, love the accents!

by Nick Legan 7/21/2012 1:32:11 PM