Stage 20 - Saturday, July 23: Saint-Etienne - Saint-Etienne ITT, 55 km
The showdown! All things being equal (and even with a few inequalitites) the individual time trial...
The showdown! All things being equal (and even with a few inequalitites) the individual time trial should provide a great spectacle at the end of a gruelling three weeks - Armstrong thrives in this race against the clock, and his dominance is well documented. But if we have a situation like 2003, this could be the clincher for the leader going into the stage, or it could provide the challenger with a whisker of hope. Here's hoping the weather stays fine and we get Ullrich out firing and witness Basso's improvement in time trialling, which has also been well-documented. The distance suits Armstrong, but the undulating terrain suits Ullrich's ability to push the big gears and power along. A surprise may be in the works, but chances are it'll come down to these two, regardless of where they are on GC - but it's also likely they'll both be at the pointy end of the field.
Start order
Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*
Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets
After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59
Join now for unlimited access
Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Most Popular
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Pogačar, UAE Team Emirates top UCI rankings, Astana losing fight against relegation
Kopecky, SD Worx-Protime top women's rankings -
Wiebes, Vollering aiming for Tour de France Femmes repeat on home soil
Dutch riders excited for Grand Depart in the Netherlands and first maillot jaune -
The Pogacar Premium? Colnago bucks the market trend and triples turnover in three years
‘Our mission is to be the most desirable bicycle brand in the world’ says CEO Nicola Rosin after turnover reaches €55 million -
Ruth Edwards seals two-year extension with Human Powered Health
US climber named team leader for Vuelta Femenina