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Tour de France 2012 stage 20

Live team coverage of stage 20 at the 99th edition of the Tour de France

Good morning everybody and welcome to the final day of the 99th edition of Le Tour de France! The peloton is still rolling nice and easy toward Paris.

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 1:13:25 PM
From our friends colleagues at letour.fr: Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank will have a rider on the podium today as Chris Anker Sorensen has been voted the most aggressive rider of the 99th Tour de France. He was on the attack during both stages in the Pyrenees and, on the day to Peyragudes, he sliced his fingers in an accident... but still battled on to finish 24th in the stage.

He is ranked 14th overall and is third in the climbing classification.

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 1:17:06 PM
This is the second year in a row that teammates are sharing the final podium in Paris. Leopard-Trek teammates (and brothers) Andy and Frank Schleck were both on the podium last year.

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 1:23:48 PM
The stage isn't totally flat today. The peloton is on the first of two Category 4 climbs for the day. Voeckler has been allowed to roll over the top first.

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 1:25:58 PM
nice to see NBC mixing in a little bit of the final stage into all the commercials

by meathead 7/22/2012 1:29:33 PM
I would expect (and hope) that they're showing more commercials now, so that when the racing picks up on the Champs, they don't have to break for commercial.

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 1:32:18 PM
I love the traditions and sportsmanship that have been so evident during the tour... Wiggins and team holding the peloton allowing Cadel to return to it after his flat, allowing KOM to roll over the top of the climb first. It's been so much fun to watch and you're coverage will be first on my list to follow along when TdF comes around next year. Thanks for all the great info.

by GraceRunz 7/22/2012 1:34:50 PM
Well deserved for Chris Anker. We've run analyses of his power throughout the Tour and should have his final-week numbers early this week from TrainingPeaks.

by Brian Holcombe via mobile 7/22/2012 1:35:26 PM
Not to mention he nearly lost a couple fingers and needs a skin-graft tomorrow.

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 1:36:24 PM
Bonjour from Paris! We can see the tip of the Eiffel Tower from the press room today, and will be heading out to the Champs-Élysées shortly.

by CaleyFretz 7/22/2012 1:37:15 PM
Luis Leon Sanchez looks happy. He's had a great Tour after suffering through injuries in week one.

by Brian Holcombe via mobile 7/22/2012 1:38:07 PM
Unfortunate polka-dot placement in Voeckler's crotchal region today.

by CaleyFretz 7/22/2012 1:39:21 PM
Bernhard Eisel: A new addition to this core of riders, Bernie slotted straight in. His experience, class & sense of humour has been perfect

by Team Sky via twitter 7/22/2012 1:39:47 PM
TJVG looking good in the field. He's riding a special white BMC today, which he wasn't allowed to touch until this stage. It's been ready for days.

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 1:41:54 PM
Last 75k of this year's #tdf12 coming up

by Lotto_Belisol via twitter 7/22/2012 1:44:08 PM
Chris Anker Sorensen ended up with the most combative prize this year. He's certainly deserving — multiple days in the break, and he finished that final Pyrenean stage with bits of his hand missing. Hard as nails, that man.

by CaleyFretz 7/22/2012 1:49:21 PM
I grabbed a shot of his bars after the stage. For the sake of anyone out there who doesn't do well with blood, I won't post it up here. But here's a link: Sorensen's bloody bars

by CaleyFretz via Velonewspetitor 7/22/2012 1:53:27 PM
Aaand it posted it anyway. Apologies.

by CaleyFretz 7/22/2012 1:53:59 PM
good little tribute on George...I still have a bad taste in my mouth about him not getting that one day in the maillot jaune a few years ago because of the out-of-control rivalry between Garmin and HTC.....such a petty thing to keep one of the greatest cyclists in the TdF from getting a single yellow jersey

by meathead 7/22/2012 1:54:52 PM
53K down and 67K to GO! They aren't in much of a hurry though.

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 1:56:36 PM
Today in 1986, After what some observers have called the most exciting Tour de France ever, Greg LeMond completed the 2,542 mile Tour in 110 hours, 35 minutes, and 19 seconds to become the first American to win the race. www.slayingthebadger.com

by Dave T. 7/22/2012 1:57:15 PM
In case any of you missed it, Matt and I grabbed video with Jonathan Cantwell just before his TT yesterday. He's finishing his first Tour, possibly with a broken tibia. He's very candid about how hard this Tour has been: Cantwell on finishing the Tour in (mostly) one piece.

by CaleyFretz 7/22/2012 1:58:49 PM
I was racing criteriums against Cantwell two years ago at SuperWeek. Crazy seeing him at the Tour.

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 2:03:21 PM
Thank all of you for the Live Coverage. Is was awesome. Will you be doing the same for the Vuelta and/or US Pro Cycling Challenge? I sure hope so - it's a great way for us bike fans in the US to keep in touch

by Rick 7/22/2012 2:18:11 PM
We won't be running live coverage of the Vuelta, but we'll be back with more live coverage soon. Stay tuned for details. If you've enjoyed our coverage this month, email us at webletters@competitorgroup.com. We'll pass your good word onto our friends at Clif Bar, who we'd like to thank for backing our coverage of the Tour again this year.

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 2:18:25 PM
Please let the "Slaying the Badger" folks know how delightful the real-time blog of the 1986 Tour was. on several days in the mountains, it was far more exciting than the 2012 Tour! Clever idea, well executed.

by PJ 7/22/2012 2:19:35 PM
AND HERE WE GO! Big George Hincapie leading the bunch across the Place de la Concorde and onto the Champs.

by Logan VonBokel edited by Brian Holcombe 7/22/2012 2:24:08 PM
Sky (Wiggins) decided that this being George's final and record setting Tour, that he should lead them across the Finish.

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 2:24:57 PM
The last rider to have this honor, that wasn't on the winning team, was Viatcheslav Ekimov on his last Tour.

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 2:25:47 PM
In tears seeing George lead them out. Much respect to my fellow South Carolinian.

by commish24 7/22/2012 2:25:52 PM
Attacks are starting to come now.

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 2:26:37 PM
I forgot George was in Yellow for one day in 2006.

by proyer edited by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 2:27:46 PM
Can you imagine the impact the roar of that crowd has on the peloton psyche? Incredible.

by dave 7/22/2012 2:29:33 PM
Gooood morning Mr. Dave Towle. Welcome to the show!

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 2:31:05 PM
Thanks Logan, thanks for having me!

by dave 7/22/2012 2:31:33 PM
For those of you who have not been to the biggest races (and almost every National Championship) in the last ten years, Dave is the voice of American bike racing.

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 2:31:59 PM
So respectful of the peloton to let those two lead them out like that. Such a classy move by Sky and the peloton.

by meathead 7/22/2012 2:32:06 PM
Your live coverage has been the equal of the great race that we have witnessed. Thank you for the excellent coverage

by c smith 7/22/2012 2:32:11 PM
Dave, what does the rest of the season have in store for you?

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 2:35:23 PM
Dave, I know it's a long ways off, but I hope we'll see you in Louisville for CX Worlds.

by Chris Case edited by Brian Holcombe 7/22/2012 2:36:11 PM
Hondo and Voigt are still up the road, but they're not gaining any ground

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 2:36:52 PM
I'm headed to Reno for the Tour de Nez next week. After that it's the LHM Tour of Utah, USAPCC and Masters Road Nationals in Bend. August is one of my favorite months!

by dave 7/22/2012 2:37:38 PM
I had a great conversation with Jens Voigt after the first time trial in Besancon. Look for excerpts of that, where we talked about all things cycling, in the September issue of Velo. What a character.

by Chris Case 7/22/2012 2:38:11 PM
Hey Dave, Paul and Scott have been taking license this week with "done and dusted". Happy to see the guy who invented that on here now.

by Njwayne 7/22/2012 2:38:12 PM
I was wondering why Jens wasn't co-leading the field across Place de la Concord, but now I see its because he told the field that he would be attacking right away.

by Logan VonBokel 7/22/2012 2:40:23 PM