Stage 20

[moosterbounce]

Found this, again on CyclingNews.com website. It does make tonight's final stage sound like it could be a shocker if it rains as expected

Horner would ride for it
By Brecht Decaluwé in Angoulême

Will they ride? Will they concede? Just seconds separate the top three riders heading in to the final stage into Paris, and after the finish of Saturday's time trial there was rampant speculation that we could see the overall contenders battling it out for time bonuses. One person foresaw the situation even before the first rider set out from Cognac: American Chris Horner seemed to be able to predict the results of the time trial. A day before the time trial he warned Cyclingnews that the GC-contenders might have race for it on Sunday in Paris.

"We're going into the last stage to Paris and we might be going full gas on the Champs Elysees," Horner said. "Now I've done that course twice and that course is more dangerous than anything I have ever witnessed in any race in my career I believe."

The forecast for Sunday predicts rain showers all day long, and could continue well until the peloton hits the paved cobbles of the Champs Elyses in Paris. "If we're doing that full gas - Lord help us when it's raining or something - it's going to be unbelievable," Horner feared a spectacle in Paris.

When asked if he felt the GC-contenders would race for it Horner didn't hesitate a moment. "Wouldn't you?" Horner asked, "I've never seen anyone not race for it if it's going to be that close. Thirty seconds is not do-able, twenty maybe is do-able but everything under that is definitely do-able." With a 23 second gap separating first and second overall, and eight back from second to third will the gentleman's agreement hold in to Paris?

[sogood]

Cadel seemed to have conceded yesterday during the post ITT interview. No idea how serious he was. Damn that 23s.

[mikesbytes]

Seems I should stay up tonight. There goes the beauty sleep

[europa]

Seems I should stay up tonight. There goes the beauty sleep

It's alright Mike, you can sleep on the bike on the way in tomorrow.

Richard

[gsxrboy]

I hid in the lounge room of a party I went to last night to watch s19, it was quite the exciting little hour or so. So what is the precedent here, how often has the gentlemans agreement been broken before, a race is a race isn't it?

If you were in the tdf and that close, would you go for make or break?

[mikesbytes]

It would have to be a team decision

[Mulger bill]

If I was good enough to be only 23s adrift of yellow, It'd take a black cat to stop me having a go...

All the finishes I've seen have involved leads of minutes, not seconds. Fair enough to cruise in that case.

Shaun

*hoping the VCR gets a good pic at home.

[Mulger bill]

*really really hoping the VCR got that OK....

Shaun

[X-wing]

It was certainly fun to watch the way the Predictor Lotto guys were messing with the heads of the Disco boys... Disco got to do all the traditional honourable stuff like lead the yellow jersey onto the Champs etc... and then they basically kept looking over their shoulders for the Predictor guys to do something! Every time the Predictor guys would start to bunch, the Disco boys would do the same... I bet the Predictor guys thought it was hilarious!!

I am glad in a way that nothing happened... the tradition of the tour is important, and from what I can gather there has only ever been one instance of the race being decided in Paris. But I guess if the races are going to be this close year after year, then maybe this agreement might go by the way.

But kudos all round for the truly graceful way that this tour finished. Cadel (d'oh, lack of sleep) probably made more friends by following the traditions of the Tour than if he had gone for it (and ended up looking like an upstart who doesn't 'understand' the race).

So, that's it for another year... time to get my body clock back in order, and see what mistakes I made at work over the last 3 weeks!