The individual time trial is often called the race of truth, it always shows when a rider has good form, but when it comes mid-race before four days of high mountains it might not accurately predict who will stand on the top step of the final podium.
In today’s long 42.4km time trial, stage 4 of of the Dauphin? Lib?r? on a mostly straight course with few turns, world time trial champion Bert Grabsch (Team Columbia) blazed the course with the best time of 51:26. Close on his heals was Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) just seven-seconds back and David Millar took 3rd at 39-seconds off the pace. Team Astana?s Alberto Contador pulled in at 52:18, forty-four seconds behind Grabsch. Evans? strong performance put him back into the lead of the general classification
"The result of the time trial is very good for me," said Contador after the stage. "I am content having completed a good time in a test like this. Clearly I still have to keep spending hours training on this bike, but my preparation for the Tour is perfect," he concluded.
Astana’s Horner back on his bike
After his nasty accident in the Giro d’Italia that took him out of racing, Chris Horner is back on the bike and expects to be part of the Astana team for the Tour de France, supporting Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador.
Website: Astana Cycling Team
Dauphin? Lib?r? Top Ten Results
1 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team Columbia – High Road 51.26 (49.462 km/h)
2 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence – Lotto 0.07
3 David Millar (GBr) Garmin – Slipstream 0.39
4 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team Columbia – High Road 0.40
5 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 0.44
6 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank 1.01
7 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank 1.19
8 S?bastien Rosseler (Bel) Quick Step 1.20
9 Mikel Astarloza Charreau (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 1.23
10 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 1.24
General Classification after Stage 4 of the Dauphin? Lib?r?
1 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence – Lotto 11.16.19
2 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 0.45
3 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team Columbia – High Road 0.48
4 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team Columbia – High Road 1.07
5 David Millar (GBr) Garmin – Slipstream 1.09
6 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank 1.33
7 S?bastien Rosseler (Bel) Quick Step 1.46
8 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 1.54
9 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank 2.01
10 Mikel Astarloza Charreau (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 2.07
