**16:42 ** 3rd best time for the moment for Oscar Pereiro: 1’01’15.
**16:39 ** A sub-one hour time is still on the cards! Levi Leipheimer has just set the best time at the second check. Keep this up and he’ll beat Botero’s time at the finish… A six second improvement would put him under the hour.
**16:39 **Anthony Charteau, Fred Finot and Sam Dumoulin are well off the pace at the fist time check… The latter will find it hard to keep a hold of his leaders jersey tonight.
**16:35 ** Santiago Botero (Phonak) zooms into the lead by miles, smashing Vinokorov’s effort to smithereens. And the Columbian comes oh-so close to recording a sub one hour time! The new landmark is 1’00’06.
**16:33 ** Vinokourov sets the best time at the finish for the time being with 1’01’06!
**16:43 ** LANCE ARMSTRONG CAN ONLY MANAGE THE SECOND BEST TIME FOR THE MOMENT! His ride of 1’00’32 is strong, but nevertheless 26 seconds slower than main-man Santiago Botero, and there’s still Leipheimer to come!
**16:49 ** Finot and Dumoulin are over four minutes off the top when they pass the second time check. The jersey is definitely coming off Dumoulin’s shoulder tonight, and probably donning those of Leipheimer!
How far was the stage?
Not sure… I’ll ask my cousin. I have a meeting in a few minutes so I might miss Lance’s or Levi’s finish. I’ll update when I’m out.
**16:51 ** NO!! LEIPHEIMER CANNOT OUST BOTERO FROM THE TOP!!! He finishes second, and Armstrong third. Santiago Botero will be today’s winner and new leader of the Dauphiné Libéré!!
This looks very similar to last year’s performance in the Mt Ventoux time trial where Lance was “humiliated” by Basso a month before the TDF.
Either Lance is once more on track and not yet peaking or he is peaked and not good enough any more to be the best.
Everyone can make their own choice on this one. For me, I choose to believe that once again LA is on track to be at his best when the Tour starts.
This year, I think, the object of most interest will be how good is the Blue Train that LA is bringing with him? More than once, the Blue Train has made the real difference for Lance. This year, the Blue Train may be even more important to control the race and protect Lance if he is to win a seventh TDF.
No way…George will fall substantially behind Lance tomorrow on Ventoux. Botero can climb too, so it should be an interesting shuffle tomorrow in the overall.
3rd best time for the moment for Oscar Pereiro: 1’01’15.
LANCE ARMSTRONG CAN ONLY MANAGE THE SECOND BEST TIME FOR THE MOMENT! His ride of 1’00’32 is strong, but nevertheless 26 seconds slower than main-man Santiago Botero, and there’s still Leipheimer to come!