Vuelta a Espana - Collado Villalba-Collado Villalba (TTI)
Live Comments
16:14 - So the big story from today is that Samuel Sanchez has won the stage and leapfrogged Cadel Evans to claim third place on the podium. Carlos Sastre has preserved his second place, while only a minor miracle will prevent Menchov from being crowned Vuelta winner tomorrow in Madrid.
16:13 - Menchov enters the finish area! He won't make Sanchez's time, but he powers down the finishing straight to take second place, 12 seconds down!
16:12 - Carlos Sastre powers across the line 41 seconds down on Sanchez. That sees him secure second place.
16:10 - Light rain is starting to fall now. It's unlikely Menchov will take any risks now.
16:09 - Cadel Evans has lost his podium spot!! Samuel Sanchez has done it! Evans is devastated, he simply didn't have enough in the tank at the end of a long, hard season.
16:08 - Menchov is two seconds behind Sanchez at the second split after 15 kilometres.
16:06 - Meanwhile, Carlos Sastre is 35 seconds behind Sanchez at the second split.
16:05 - Evans is really digging in now!! He's struggling to defend his podium spot!! The sweat is pouring off his face.
16:04 - Evans has lost 13 seconds to Sanchez over the first 16 kilometres! Sanchez is looking good for third place overall!
16:03 - Sanchez quickest at second split! Evans is in danger now!
16:02 - Vladimir Karpets has sped up considerably over the second half of the course! He comes through in 22'37", the fifth fastest time so far!
16:00 - Menchov is third fastest through the first split in 7'37". Excellent time from the Russian!! He is looking good for a stage win.
15:57 - Carlos Sastre is holding off Evans well! He goes through the first checkpoint in 7'52" 21st fastest, but only two seconds down on the Australian.
15:55 - Cadel Evans goes through the first checkpoint in 7'50", 17th fastest, while Samuel Sanchez was 12-fastest at that point.
15:51 - Gold jersey Denis Menchov is looking calm and composed at the start. He rolls away, and now all the favourites are out on the road!
15:49 - Massive suport for Carlos Sastre as he gets his time-trial underway. He's one of the more popular members of the peloton, and a real favourite in Spain.
15:47 - Cadel Evans powers off the start ramp now, pushing a big gear.
15:46 - Samuel Sanchez is underway now! Can he force his way onto the podium?
15:45 - Karpets is through the first checkpoint 12th fastest! Disappointing for the big Russian. We expected better than that.
15:44 - Sylvain Chavanel crosses the finish line 5th fastest, 24 seconds behind Stef Clement.
15:41 - Carlos Barredo goes through third fastest at the first split after 7 kilometres. Magnus Backstedt absolutely flew round the first section of the course, setting by far and away the quickest split at that point, though then slowed.
15:36 - The veteran Manuel Beltran launches himself off the start ramp, followed by big Vladimir Karpets. Perhaps the big Russian can take a stage win here?
15:34 - Quickstep's Carlos Barredo launches himself off the start ramp, while Liquigas' Roman Kreuziger crosses the line in 25th place.
15:20 - Clement sprints down the home straight and sets the fastest time of the day! 22'25" for the 24-year-old.
15:18 - The Dutch time-trial champion, Stef Clement, has just breezed past Franco Pellizotti - that's the third rider he has passed!! He is eyeing a top five place in the stage.
15:16 - 6th place for Christian Vande Velde, 23 seconds off the pace.
15:14 - Here's how they stand at the moment:
1st: Santos Gonzalez - 22'29"; 2nd: Jason McCartney at 7 seconds; 3rd: Adam Hansen at 16 seconds; 4th: Magnus Backstedt at 22 seconds; 5th: Alessandro Vanotti at 26 seconds.
15:08 - Christian Vande Valde has just surged pas his one-minute man, Jose Angel Gomez Marchante.
15:05 - Santos Gonzalez of the Karpin Galicia has now bettered Backstedt's time. He betters the Swede by 22 seconds, setting a new benchmark of 22'29".
14:45 - Credit Agricole's Mark Renshaw was the first man out on the course, and the lead is currently held by the big Swede Magnus Backstedt - he blazed round in an impressive 22'51".
14:40 - The more interesting fight is likely to come for the other podium spots. Second place rider Carlos Sastre, one of Spain's premier mountain goats, and a man who despises time-trials, has a 47-second lead over Cadel Evans. The Australian must fancy his chances of claiming second spot. Nine seconds further back is Samuel Sanchez. He is also no time-trial specialist, though could be an outside bet for third-place should Sastre have a stinker.
14:35 - It would take an upset of monumental proportions for anybody to overhaul Denis Menchov's 3'02" lead in the overall standings, especially given his strength in this discipline.
14:35 - This is a pancake flat course starting and finishing in Collado Villalba, ideal for the big powerful men in the field.
14:30 - Welcome to eurosport.yahoo.com's live text commentary of stage 20 of the Vuelta, a 25-kilometre individual time-trial that is likely to decide the outcome of the race.
Live Comments
16:14 - So the big story from today is that Samuel Sanchez has won the stage and leapfrogged Cadel Evans to claim third place on the podium. Carlos Sastre has preserved his second place, while only a minor miracle will prevent Menchov from being crowned Vuelta winner tomorrow in Madrid.
16:13 - Menchov enters the finish area! He won't make Sanchez's time, but he powers down the finishing straight to take second place, 12 seconds down!
16:12 -
Carlos Sastre powers across the line 41 seconds down on Sanchez. That sees him secure second place.
16:10 -
Light rain is starting to fall now. It's unlikely Menchov will take any risks now.
16:09 - Cadel Evans has lost his podium spot!! Samuel Sanchez has done it! Evans is devastated, he simply didn't have enough in the tank at the end of a long, hard season.
16:08 - Menchov is two seconds behind Sanchez at the second split after 15 kilometres.
16:06 - Meanwhile, Carlos Sastre is 35 seconds behind Sanchez at the second split.
16:05 - Evans is really digging in now!! He's struggling to defend his podium spot!! The sweat is pouring off his face.
16:04 - Evans has lost 13 seconds to Sanchez over the first 16 kilometres! Sanchez is looking good for third place overall!
16:03 -
Sanchez quickest at second split! Evans is in danger now!
16:02 - Vladimir Karpets has sped up considerably over the second half of the course! He comes through in 22'37", the fifth fastest time so far!
16:00 -
Menchov is third fastest through the first split in 7'37". Excellent time from the Russian!! He is looking good for a stage win.
15:57 -
Carlos Sastre is holding off Evans well! He goes through the first checkpoint in 7'52" 21st fastest, but only two seconds down on the Australian.
15:55 -
Cadel Evans goes through the first checkpoint in 7'50", 17th fastest, while Samuel Sanchez was 12-fastest at that point.
15:51 - Gold jersey Denis Menchov is looking calm and composed at the start. He rolls away, and now all the favourites are out on the road!
15:49 - Massive suport for Carlos Sastre as he gets his time-trial underway. He's one of the more popular members of the peloton, and a real favourite in Spain.
15:47 -
Cadel Evans powers off the start ramp now, pushing a big gear.
15:46 - Samuel Sanchez is underway now! Can he force his way onto the podium?
15:45 - Karpets is through the first checkpoint 12th fastest! Disappointing for the big Russian. We expected better than that.
15:44 -
Sylvain Chavanel crosses the finish line 5th fastest, 24 seconds behind Stef Clement.
15:41 - Carlos Barredo goes through third fastest at the first split after 7 kilometres. Magnus Backstedt absolutely flew round the first section of the course, setting by far and away the quickest split at that point, though then slowed.
15:36 - The veteran Manuel Beltran launches himself off the start ramp, followed by big Vladimir Karpets. Perhaps the big Russian can take a stage win here?
15:34 - Quickstep's Carlos Barredo launches himself off the start ramp, while Liquigas' Roman Kreuziger crosses the line in 25th place.
15:20 - Clement sprints down the home straight and sets the fastest time of the day! 22'25" for the 24-year-old.
15:18 -
The Dutch time-trial champion, Stef Clement, has just breezed past Franco Pellizotti - that's the third rider he has passed!! He is eyeing a top five place in the stage.
15:16 - 6th place for Christian Vande Velde, 23 seconds off the pace.
15:14 -
Here's how they stand at the moment:
1st: Santos Gonzalez - 22'29"; 2nd: Jason McCartney at 7 seconds; 3rd: Adam Hansen at 16 seconds; 4th: Magnus Backstedt at 22 seconds; 5th: Alessandro Vanotti at 26 seconds.
15:08 -
Christian Vande Valde has just surged pas his one-minute man, Jose Angel Gomez Marchante.
15:05 - Santos Gonzalez of the Karpin Galicia has now bettered Backstedt's time. He betters the Swede by 22 seconds, setting a new benchmark of 22'29".
14:45 -
Credit Agricole's Mark Renshaw was the first man out on the course, and the lead is currently held by the big Swede Magnus Backstedt - he blazed round in an impressive 22'51".
14:40 - The more interesting fight is likely to come for the other podium spots. Second place rider Carlos Sastre, one of Spain's premier mountain goats, and a man who despises time-trials, has a 47-second lead over Cadel Evans. The Australian must fancy his chances of claiming second spot. Nine seconds further back is Samuel Sanchez. He is also no time-trial specialist, though could be an outside bet for third-place should Sastre have a stinker.
14:35 -
It would take an upset of monumental proportions for anybody to overhaul Denis Menchov's 3'02" lead in the overall standings, especially given his strength in this discipline.
14:35 - This is a pancake flat course starting and finishing in Collado Villalba, ideal for the big powerful men in the field.
14:30 - Welcome to eurosport.yahoo.com's live text commentary of stage 20 of the Vuelta, a 25-kilometre individual time-trial that is likely to decide the outcome of the race.