THE RACE LIVE

The top order of the general classification received a big shake up after today’s time trial. The biggest loss was sustained by Mickael Rasmussen who dropped from third to seventh. The new top 10 is:
1. Lance Armstrong (USA) DSC – 3,463.5km in 82h34’05”
2. Ivan Basso (Italy) CSC – at 4’40”
3. Jan Ullrich (Germany) TMO – at 6’21”
4. Francisco Mancebo (Spain) IBA – at 9’59”
5. Levi Leipheimer (USA) GST – at 11’25”
6. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakstahn) TMO – at 11’27”
7. Mickael Rasmussen (Denmark) RAB – at 11’33”
8. Cadel Evans (Australia) DVL – at 11’55”
9. Floyd Landis (USA) PHO – at 12’44”
10. Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spain) PHO – at 12’44”

With his 76th place in today’s stage, Mickael Rasmussen (RAB) has dropped from third in the general classification to seventh - 11’33" behind Armstrong.

The top five in the 20th stage of the 2005 Tour de France is:
1. Lance Armstrong (USA) DSC 55.5km in 1h11’46"
2. Jan Ullrich (Germany) TMO - at 23"
3. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakstahn) TMO - at 1’17"
4. Bobby Julich (USA) CSC - at 1’33"
5. Ivan Basso (Italy) CSC - at 1’54"
6. Floyd Landis (USA) PHO - at 2’02"
7. Cadel Evans (Australia) DVL - at 2’06"
8. George Hincapie (USA) DSC - at 2’25"
9. Francisco Mancebo (Spain) IBA - at 2’51"
10. Vladimir Karpets (Russia) IBA - at 3’05"

Rasmussen has finished the 20th stage in 76th place 7’47" behind Armstrong.

The 20th stage of the 2005 Tour de France has been won by Lance Armstrong. His final time was one hour 11 minutes and 46 seconds.
The yellow jersey was 23" ahead of Jan Ullrich and 1’17" ahead of Alexandre Vinokourov!

Lance Armstrong has won the 20th stage. It’s his first solo stage victory this year.

Basso has finished the stage with a deficit of 1’31" to Ullrich. Only Armstrong and Rasmussen are yet to finish the stage.

Ivan Basso had lost 1’50" to Armstrong at the 49.7km mark. The Italian is now in the final kilometer of the stage.

At the 49.7km mark, Rasmussen has lost 7’18" to Armstrong.

With just Rasmussen yet to reach the fourth time check, the top five is:
1. ARMSTRONG (USA, DSC) 49.7km in 1h05’52"
2. ULLRICH (GER, TMO) at 35"
3. VINOKOUROV (KAZ, TMO) at 01’21"
4. JULICH (USA, CSC) at 01’38"
5. BASSO (ITA, CSC) at 01’50"

At the the fourth time check Armstrong has posted a time that’s 35" better than Ullrich!

At the fourth time check, Basso is 1’15" behind Ullrich.

With Ullrich now in the lead, the top five in the stage is:
1. ULLRICH (GER, TMO) 55.5km in 1h12’09"090
2. VINOKOUROV (KAZ, TMO) at 53"
3. JULICH (USA, CSC) at 01’10"
4. LANDIS (USA, PHO) at 01’39"
5. EVANS (AUS, DVL) at 01’43

Ullrich has finished the 20th stage with an average speed of 45.74km/h. He leads Vinokourov by 53"...

Mancebo has finished with the sixth best time of the stage so far. He is 1’34" behind Vinokourov.

Leipheimer has finished the stage with a deficit of 1’57" to Vinokourov. Levi has the 10th best time of the day.

With all riders now past the 3rd time check (at the 40.2km mark) the top five is:
1. ARMSTRONG (USA, DSC) 40.2km in 56’23"
2. ULLRICH (GER, TMO) at 32"
3. VINOKOUROV (KAZ, TMO) at 01’ 10"
4. BASSO (ITA, CSC) at 01’ 18"
5. JULICH (USA, CSC) at 01’ 28"

At the third time check, Armstrong has a lead of 32" over Ullrich.
Rasmussen passed the 40.2km mark with a deficit of 6’26" to the yellow jersey!

Cadel Evans began the stage with a lead of 22" over Vinokourov in the general classification. The Australian has finished the stage 49" behind the Kazakh. The new top five at the finish is:
1. VINOKOUROV (KAZ, TMO) 1h13’02"560
2. JULICH (USA, CSC) at 17"
3. LANDIS (USA, PHO) at 46"
4. EVANS (AUS, DVL) at 49"
5. HINCAPIE (USA, DSC) at 01’ 09"

At the top of the Col de la Gachet, Basso is 46" behind Ullrich. The Italian is third at the third time check.

Vinokourov has set the best time of the day. The new top five is:
1. VINOKOUROV (KAZ, TMO) 55.5km in 1h13’02"560
2. JULICH (USA, CSC) at 17"
3. LANDIS (USA, PHO) at 46"
4. HINCAPIE (USA, DSC) 1at 01’ 09"
5. KARPETS (RUS, IBA) at 01’ 49"

Rasmussen has just been caught by the rider who started six minutes behind him... Armstrong is out of the saddle and is now stamping his authority on the stage.

With Armstrong now racing into the lead of the stage, we can confirm that the top five at the 35km mark is:
1. ARMSTRONG (USA, DSC) 46’38"
2. ULLRICH (GER, TMO) at 19"
3. BASSO (ITA, CSC) at 53"
4. JULICH (USA, CSC) at 01’ 00"
5. VINOKOUROV (KAZ, TMO) at 01’ 00"

After just 35km of today’s 55.5km stage, Rasmussen has lost 5’24" to Armstrong. The rider who began the day in thir dplace overall could slip out of the top 10 in the general classification if he continues at the current rate.

At the 3rd time check, Ullrich has posted a time that’s 38" better than Vinokourov.

Armstrong has posted the best time of the day at the 35km mark. He is 19" ahead of Ullrich. Rasmussen has lost 5’27" after 35km of racing!

Lance Armstrong is now 20km from the finish of the stage. He was 7" behind Basso at the first time check...

The new top five at the 35km mark is:
1. ULLRICH (GER, TMO) 46’57"
2. BASSO (ITA, CSC) @ 34"
3. JULICH (USA, CSC) @ 41"
4. VINOKOUROV (KAZ, TMO) @ 41"
5. LANDIS (USA, PHO) @ 46"

There is now time check for Rasmussen at the 35km mark. The Danish rider has changed his bike numerous times during the stage and he’s missing the sensor which records the time. We haven’t seen anything of him since his second crash of the stage but can report that he’s having a torrid time of it today.

With only six riders yet to reach the 3rd time check, the top five is:
1. (KAZ, TMO) 57’33"
2. JULICH (USA, CSC) @ 18"
3. EVANS (AUS, DVL) @ 24"
4. LANDIS (USA, PHO) @ 51"
5. HINCAPIE (USA, DSC) @ 56"

Evans has the 3rd best time at the 3rd check. He is 24" behind Vinokourov at the 40.2km mark.

Rasmussen is creating THE story of the day. The Danish rider’s position in the top five is under threat. He has just come crashing down into a gutter. It’s his second fall...!

At the 35km mark, Ullrich has a lead of 41" over Julich.

At the third time check, the new top five is:
1. VINOKOUROV (KAZ, TMO) 40.2km in 57’33"
2. JULICH (USA, CSC) @ 18"
3. LANDIS (USA, PHO) @ 51"
4. HINCAPIE (USA, DSC) @ 56"
5. SASTRE (ESP, CSC) @ 01’03"

At the third check, Landis has lost 33" to Julich and is 5" ahead of Hincapie.

Levi is currently rankeed 13th at the 2nd check. He is 1’13" behind the time set by Julich at the 35km mark.

The Rabobank mechanics are going to have a lot to answer for tonight. There are huge problems for the rider who began the stage in third place overall. He’s crashed and then stopped at least three times to get a new bike.
Rasmussen has just been forced to take another bike from the team car...

The new top five for the 2nd check is:
1. JULICH (USA, CSC) 35km in 47’37"
2. VINOKOUROV (KAZ, TMO) @ 00"
3. LANDIS (USA, PHO) @ 05"
4. EVANS (AUS, DVL) @ 15"
5. HINCAPIE (USA, DSC) @ 27"

After 35km Cadel Evans has lost 15" to Julich and Vinokourov who share the lead at the 2nd time check.

The new top five at the 2nd time check is:
1. JULICH (USA, CSC) 35km in 47’37"
2. LANDIS (USA, PHO) @ 05"
3. HINCAPIE (USA, DSC) @ 27"
4. SASTRE (ESP, CSC) @ 46"
5. KARPETS (RUS, IBA) @ 46"

Rasmussen has lost his grip on third place overall. The Danish rider crashed early and is now suffering all sort of mechanical problems.

Rasmussen - who is the only rider to have crashed on the course - has now been forced to stop to repair his bike. He’s stopped three times now. There are Colnagos lying in his wake as he tried to get his gear rolling again!

With all the riders past the 17km mark, the top five is:
1. BASSO (ITA, CSC) 17km in 25’41"
2. ARMSTRONG (USA, DSC) @ 07"
3. ULLRICH (GER, TMO) @ 17"
4. VINOKOUROV (KAZ, TMO) @ 29"
5. EVANS (AUS, DVL) @ 0 40"

Ivan Basso has the best time of the stage at the 17km mark. Armstrong was 7" behind the CSC rider at the first time check.

After just 17km, Rasmussen has lost 2’15" to Basso and 1’58" to Ullrich.

Ivan Basso has beaten Ullrich’s time at the 17km mark. The new top five (with just Armstrong to reach the first check) is:
1. BASSO (ITA, CSC) 17km in 25’41"
2. ULLRICH (GER, TMO) @ 17"
3. VINOKOUROV (KAZ, TMO) @ 29"
4. EVANS (AUS, DVL) @ 40"
5. JULICH (USA, CSC) @ 41"

The new best time for the stage has been set by Julich who rode the 55.5km course at an average speed of 45.01km/h.

At the 49.7km mark, Hincapie has posted the 2nd best time of the stage. He is 47" behind Julich.

At the 49.7km mark, Julich continues to set the early standard for the time trial favorites. The new top five is:
1. JULICH (USA, CSC) 49.7km in 1h07’29"
2. SASTRE (ESP, CSC) @ 53"
3. KARPETS (RUS, IBA) @ 01’22"
4. LANG (GER, GST) @ 01’43"
5. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) @ 01’49"

1. ULLRICH (GER, TMO) 17km in 25’58"
2. VINOKOUROV (KAZ, TMO) @ 12"
3. EVANS (AUS, DVL) @ 23"
4. JULICH (USA, CSC) @ 24"
5. LANDIS (USA, PHO) @ 29"

At the first time check, Ullrich is 12" ahead of Vinokourov. The German has the best time of the day so far at the 17km mark.

At the first time check, Mancebo has lost 41" to Vinokourov.

Leipheimer has lost 45" to Vinokourov in the first 17km of the 20th stage. The American was 1’59" ahead of the Kazakh rider in the general classification at the start of the stage.

At the end of his time trial, Sastre lost a little bit of time. He was ahead of Karpets at all the intermediate sprint but the CSC rider is now 5" behind the Illes Balears man who has the best time of the day so far...

At the 3rd time check (40.2km), Hincapie is in 2nd place - 38" behind Julich.

With Evans now into second place at the first time check, the top five is:
1. VINOKOUROV (KAZ, TMO) 17km in 26’10"
2. EVANS (AUS, DVL) @ 11"
3. JULICH (USA, CSC) @ 12"
4. LANDIS (USA, PHO) @ 17"
5. HINCAPIE (USA, DSC) @ 31"

Cadel Evans is in 2nd place at the 17km mark. He is just 11" behind Alexandre Vinokourov.

At the 3rd time check, Julich has raced into the lead. The new top five is:
1. JULICH (USA, CSC) 40.2km in 57’50"
2. SASTRE (ESP, CSC) @ 45"
3. KARPETS (RUS, IBA) @ 01’11"
4. LANG (GER, GST) @ 01’31"
5. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) @ 01’33"

Vinokourov has set the best time of the day at the 17km mark. He is 12" ahead of Julich and 17" ahead of Landis and 21" ahead of Hincapie!

At the first time check, Landis is just 5" behind Julich.

The riders in 10th and 11th place overall, Oscar Pereiro Sio (PHO) and Christophe Moreau (CA) are now in the top 5 at the 17km mark.
1. JULICH (USA, CSC) 17km in 26’21"
2. HINCAPIE (USA, DSC) @ 19"
3. SASTRE (ESP, CSC) @ 22"
4. PEREIRO SIO (ESP, PHO) @ 32"
5. MOREAU (FRA, C.A) @ 32"

Hincapie has just posted the 2nd best time of the stage at the 35km mark. He is 27" behind his compatriot Bobby Julich.

At the 2nd time check Julich has a lead of 46" over his CSC team-mate Sastre. The new top five at the 35km mark is:
1. JULICH (USA, CSC) 35km in 47’37"
2. SASTRE (ESP, CSC) at 46"
3. KARPETS (RUS, IBA) at 46"
4. LANG (GER, GST) at 01’03"
5. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) at 01’10"

Lance Armstrong is about to start his bid for his first solo stage win in his final race. The American is going to be followed by John Kerry who is in France to attend the Tour de France.

Rasmussen has some abrasions on his right thigh. His crash was akin to the one that Jan Ullrich had in the final time trial of the centenary Tour. Only today the roads are dry...

Rasmussen has crashed on a roundabout. He is back on his bike and racing again...

The rider who slipped from second overall to third after the final time trial of 2004, Ivan Basso, is about to start today’s stage. He has a lead of 1’00" over Rasmussen in the general classification after 19 stages.

Mickael Rasmussen has a lead of 2’48" over Jan Ullrich. The Danish rider finished 3’14" behind Zabriskie in the 19km time trial for stage one. It’s because of stats like this that Ullrich believes he is capable of racing into a podium position today.

At the first time check, Yaroslav Popovych has posted the fifth best time of the day. The new top five is:
1. JULICH (USA, CSC) 17km in 26’21"
2. HINCAPIE (USA, DSC) at 19"
3. SASTRE (ESP, CSC) at 22"
4. KARPETS (RUS, IBA) at 37"
5. POPOVYCH (UKR, DSC) at 40"

Jan Ullrich has begun his quest for a stage win. The German won the time stage in Saint-Etienne in 1997 (the year he also claimed the overall title of the Tour) by over three minutes.

The rider who finished the Tour in 5th overall only two years ago, Haimar Zubeldia, has posted a time that’s 1’44" slower than Julich at the 17km mark. It’s enough only for 38th at the moment...

The rider who briefly held the fastest time at the 17km mark, Carlos Sastre (CSC) is now a fraction of a second ahead of Karpets at the 35km mark.

Levi Leipheimer - the Gerolsteiner rider who lost both time trials in the Criterium du Dauphine by just one second - has just started today’s stage. There are only five more riders scheduled to start: Mancebo (IBA), Ullrich (TMO), Rasmussen (RAB), Basso (CSC) and Armstrong (DSC).

Cadel Evans has begun the 20th stage. The Australian is seventh overall after 19 stages. He still has a small fracture in the collarbone he broke at the end of May but believes that the course for today’s test should suit his strengths.
Evans was a bronze medallist in the junior world time trial championships - one of his first major road races - back in 1995 when he was still a professional mountain bike rider.

At the first time check, Hincapie (DSC) is 19" behind his compatriot Julich (CSC).

Alexandre Vinokourov has begun his time trial clad in the magenta colors of his T-Mobile team. He’s raced most of the 2005 Tour in the blue and yellow hues of his national champion’s jersey but he did not win the Kazakh time trial championship this year.

Bobby Julich (CSC) is 22" ahead of his team-mate Sastre at the 17km mark. The new top five at the first check is:
1. JULICH (USA, CSC) 17km in 26’21"
2. SASTRE (ESP, CSC) at 22"
3. KARPETS (RUS, IBA) at 37"
4. LANG (GER, GST) at 01’04"
5. ROGERS (AUS, QST) at 01’06"

The world champion, Rogers, has just set the 12th best time of the stage at the finish. He is 2’12" behind Karpets.

At the top of the Col de la Gachet, Horner has posted the sixth best time.

At the 40.2km mark, Jose Luis Rubeira is ranked 11th - 1’27" behind Karpets at the 3rd check.

Moreau (CA) has just left the start house. There are now just 10 riders yet to get underway in the 20th stage.

The winner of yesterday’s stage has posted the same time as Rogers at the 17km mark. Giuseppe Guerini is normally considered a climbing specialist but he is currently equal with the world time trial champion.

At the 2nd time check, Chris Horner (SDV) is in the same position he was at the 17km mark. After 35km of racing the American is 1’01" behind Karpets.

There is a new leader at the first check. Carlos Satres is now ahead of Karpets. The new top five is:
1. SASTRE (ESP, CSC) 17km in 26’43"
2. KARPETS (RUS, IBA) at 15"
3. LANG (GER, GST) at 42"
4. ROGERS (AUS, QST) at 44"
5. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) at 46"

The leader of the youth classification, Yaroslav Popovych is the next rider scheduled to start the time trial. The only riders yet to begin the 20th stage are: Mazzoleni, Moreau, Pereiro, Landis, Vinokourov, Evans, Leipheimer, Mancebo, Ullrich, Rasmussen, Basso and Armstrong.

At the third time check, the world time trial champion Michael Rogers is 1’31" behind the time set by Karpets. The Australian Quickstep rider is currently 10th at the 40.2km mark.

The Russian who won the best young rider classification last year, Vladimir Karpets now has the best time in the 20th stage. The new top five is:
1. KARPETS (RUS, IBA) 55.5km in 1h14’51"670 (44.09km/h)
2. LANG (GER, GST) at 21"
3. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) at 42"
4. CIONI (ITA, LIQ) at 45"
5. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) at 58"

The last 19 riders are starting today’s stage three minutes apart. Until Kashechkin’s time trial began the interval between riders was two minutes.

Jorg Jaksche (LSW) celebrates his birthday today. The German Liberty Seguros-Wurth rider is in 16th place overall after 19 stages and he has just begun the 55.5km time trial.

Jose Azevedo (DSC) was 10th in the last time trial of the 2004 Tour. At the first check he is in 22nd place, 56" behind Karpets (IBA).

The rider who finished fifth in the final time trial of last year’s Tour, Bobby Julich, is now racing. The CSC recruit has opted to wear a ’camelback’ drinking system. It doesn’t exactly look too pretty but it obviously suits him; he used same device last year when he was 2’48" behind Armstrong in the time trial in Besancon.

At the 2nd time check, Rogers (QST) has slipped down to 10th place. He is 1’14" behind the time set by Karpets.

At the first time check, Stefano Garzelli (LIQ) has posted the fifth best time. The new top five at the 17km mark is:
1. KARPETS (RUS, IBA) 17km in 26’58"
2. LANG (GER, GST) at 27"
3. ROGERS (AUS, QST) at 29"
4. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) at 31"
5. GARZELLI (ITA, LIQ) at 34"

The 100th rider to start the 20th stage, Dario Cioni (LIQ), has just set the third best time. At the finish he was 25" slower than Lang (GST) and 3" behind Roberts (CSC).

Santiago Botero (PHO) is the 56th best rider at the third time check. He is 4’17" behind the time set by Vladimir Karpets (IBA).

One of the eight Americans still in the 92nd Tour, Chris Horner (SDV) has set the 8th best time of the day at the first time check. He is 38" behind Karpets’ time at the 17km mark.

Vladimir Karpets has raced the first 40.2km at an average speed of 40.65km/h. He has the fastest time at the 3rd check. The new top five is:
1. KARPETS (RUS, IBA) 40.2km in 59’01"
2. LANG (GER, GST) at 20"
3. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) at 22"
4. CIONI (ITA, LIQ) at 23"
5. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) at 42"

The winner of the stage to Le Puy-en-Velay yesterday, Giuseppe Guerini (TMO) has just started the time trial. There are only 20 more riders yet to begin the 20th stage.

The former world time trial champion Santiago Botero has just past the 35km mark 3’32" behind the time of Karpets. The Colombian’s effort is only good enough for 53rd at the moment.

Now that Karpets has pushed his way into the lead, the top five at the 35km mark is:
1. KARPETS (RUS, IBA) 35km in 48’23"
2. LANG (GER, GST) at 17"
3. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) at 24"
4. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) at 24"
5. CIONI (ITA, LIQ) at 37"

Vladimir Karpets has just eclipsed the time of Lang at the 35km mark. The Russian Illes Balears rider leads at the 2nd check by 17".

At the 17km mark, the world time trial champion Michael Rogers (QST) has posted the third best time so far. The new top five at the first check is:
1. KARPETS (RUS, IBA) 17km in 26’58"
2. LANG (GER, GST) at 27"
3. ROGERS (AUS, QST) at 29"
4. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) at 31"
5. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) at 36"

Sebastian Lang covered the 55.5km course at an average speed of 43.88km/h. His is the fastest time of the stage so far. The new top five is:
1. LANG (GER, GST) 1h15’12"170
2. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) at 22"
3. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) at 37"
4. BODROGI (HUN, C.A) at 01’11"
5. GRABSCH (GER, PHO) at 01’29"
(The average speed that was posted for Roberts in an earlier newsflash was incorrect. Apologies for any confusion caused.)

At the 4th time check Lang (GST) is 6" better than Roberts (CSC) and 10" faster than Cancellara (FAS). The German Gerolsteiner rider has covered 49.7km in 1h09’12".

The rider who finished 9th in the last time trial of the 2004 Tour, Jose Luis "Chechu" Rubiera has just left the start house. He is the 121st rider to begin the 20th stage.

The rider who inherited the white jersey after the final time trial last year, Vladimir Karpets (IBA) has set the best time of the stage at the 17km mark. The Russian is 27" better than Lang at the first time check.

Sebastian Lang has beaten Luke Roberts’ time at the third check. At the top of the Col de la Gachet the Gerolsteiner rider was 1.4 of a second faster than the CSC recruit.

Beloki’s final time is 3’21" slower than Luke Roberts. The former runner-up in the general classification is currently 18th best in the 20th stage.

The world time trial champion has dropped his chain into the little chainring as he begins the ascent around the 6km mark. Michael Rogers said at the start of the season that he’s been concentrating on riding easier gears in the time trial than he’s done in the past.
"I can see the benefits of spinning rather than pushing a big gear all the time."

Andriy Grivko has the fifth best time of the stage. He is currently 1’16" behind Roberts.

Sebastian Lang has set the best time at the second check. The new top five is:
1. LANG (GER, GST) 35km in 48’40"
2. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) at 07"
3. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) at 07"
4. BODROGI (HUN, C.A) at 27"
5. GRIVKO (UKR, DOM) at 44"

Michael Rogers, the two-time world time trial champion, is about to start the 20th stage. He is 42nd place in the general classification and hoping for a good performance in this stage which suits his style of racing. "I like to have a few undulations," said the Australian Quickstep rider about his ideal TT course. "The flat route for stage one just didn’t suit me. Hopefully I can make amends at the end of the Tour."

The Ukranian time trial champion has muscled his way into the top five at the fourth check. The current standings are the 49.7km mark are:
1. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) 1h09’18"
2. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) at 04"
3. BODROGI (HUN, C.A) at 42"
4. GRABSCH (GER, PHO) at 01’06"
5. GRIVKO (UKR, DOM) at 01’09"

The T-Mobile rider who was dropped in the team time trial of stage four has finished today’s stage with the 6th best time so far. Tobias Steinhauser was the 73rd rider to start the stage and he is currently 1’53" behind the leader, Roberts.

The leader of the Liberty Seguros team, Roberto Heras is the next rider to start the 20th stage. After the three-time Vuelta A Espana winner there are just 44 riders still to begin the 55.5km test.

Denis Menchov, a former winner of the youth classification at the Tour, has finished today’s stage with a time of 1h18’39"... enough to put him in 13th place (3’06" behind Roberts).

Sebastian Lang (GST) has set the best time at the first time check. The new top five is:
1. LANG (GER, GST) 17km in 27’25"
2. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) at 04"
3. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) at 09"
4. BERTOGLIATI (SUI, SDV) at 10"
5. GRIVKO (UKR, DOM) at 17"

The next rider to start the 20th stage is Santiago Botero, the Colombian who won the time trial world championship in Zolder three years ago.

The best time of the day is still held by Luke Roberts of the CSC team. He covered the 55.5km course at an average speed of 44.067km/h.

The first change to the top five at the 2nd check in a while has come from the Ukranian time trial champion, Grivko, who is now fourth at the 35km mark. The current top five at the 2nd check is:
1. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) 35km in 48’47"
2. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) at 00"
3. BODROGI (HUN, C.A) at 20"
4. GRIVKO (UKR, DOM) at 37"
5. GRABSCH (GER, PHO) at 41"

The British-born Italian Dario Cioni is the next to start the 20th stage. He is the 100th rider to begin the time trial.
There are still two minute intervals between each rider. The last 19 riders will be separated by three minutes. Armstrong’s start time is 4.22pm.

There wasn’t much of a breeze blowing at the start of the stage. But Brad McGee, who finished his time trial a few minutes ahead (and is currently placed 5th, 1’47" behind Roberts) said that the wind is getting stronger. "It wasn’t too bad out there now," he said. "In a way I’m pleased that I went early though because the wind is picking up. It could make things interesting later in the day."

The leader of the Euskaltel-Euskadi team, Iban Mayo, is the next to start the 20th stage. He is the 97th of the 155 riders to tackle the 55.5km time trial course that starts and finishes in Saint-Etienne.

The last time Joseba Beloki finished the Tour de France was in 2002. He was 2nd overall and ninth in the final time trial. Today he is only the 19th best at the 17km mark. Here is a reminder of the top 10 of the final time trial from 2002:
1. Armstrong
2. Rumsas at 53"
3. Bodrogi at 1’06"
4. Millar at 1’14"
5. Gonzalez de Galdeano at 1’42"
6. Honchar at 1’43"
7. Belohvosciks at 2’09"
8. Botero at 2’11"
9. Beloki at 2’11"
10. Pena at 2’29"

Joseba Beloki has posted the 19th best time at the first check. He is 56" behind the time set by Cancellara at the 17km mark.

With 53 riders at the finish, the difference between the first-placed rider (Roberts) and last place (Becke) is 9’50". Both are former pursuiters, both have ridden the 4,000m event in less than four minutes, and both have Olympic gold medals from the teams pursuit... Roberts from last year and Becke from Sydney 2000.

The Australian CSC recruit, Luke Roberts, has set the fastest times at the 2nd, 3rd and 4th checks. At the finish he leads by 15".
The top five at the moment is:
1. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) 55.5km in 1h15’33"910
2. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) at 15"
3. BODROGI (HUN, C.A) at 50"
4. GRABSCH (GER, PHO) at 01’07"
5. LEFEVRE (FRA, BTL) at 02’05"

The last rider to win a stage of the Tour de France in Saint-Etienne was Ludo Dierckxsens. The Belgian was a member of the Lampre team when he attacked an escape group "about 40km from the finish". Today Dierckxsens is working for Belgian radio but he is still racing. The final race of his career will be this October.

With Roberts now in the lead at the fourth time check, the new top five is:
1. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) 49.7km in 1h09’18"
2. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) at 04"
3. BODROGI (HUN, C.A) at 42"
4. SANCHEZ (ESP, LSW) at 01’50"
5. LEFEVRE (FRA, BTL) at 01’52"

At the 4th time check, Roberts (CSC) is still ahead of Cancellara (FAS). The margin, however, is only four seconds.

At the 40.2km mark, Brad McGee has posted the fourth best time of the day so far. He is 1’19" behind his compatriot, Roberts.

At the 40.2km mark, Roberts (CSC) has posted a time that’s 20" better than Cancellara. The new top five is:
1. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) 40.2km in 59’23"
2. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) at 20"
3. BODROGI (HUN, C.A) at 45"
4. LEFEVRE (FRA, BTL) at 01’22"
5. VAN SUMMEREN (BEL, DVL) at 01’28"

There is a time limit imposed on each stage of the Tour de France. In time trials, this is calculated by the winner’s time plus 25 per cent. It’s possible that today’s tough course around St-Etienne will see some riders eliminated from the Tour de France.

Matt White was the 36th rider to start the stage. He is currently the slowest at the 17km mark, 4’06" behind Cancellara.

The rider in the green jersey, Thor Hushovd (CA) has posted the eighth best time of the day at the fourth time check. He is 3’52" behind Cancellara at the 49.7km mark.

Andriy Grivko, the Ukranian time trial champion, is the 77th rider to start today’s stage. The Domina Vacanze rider is waiting to be sent on his way...

With Roberts pushing ahead of Cancellara at the 2nd time check, the new top five is as follows:
1. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) 35km in 48’47"
2. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) at 00"
3. BODROGI (HUN, C.A) at 20"
4. VAN SUMMEREN (BEL, DVL) at 01’10"
5. SANCHEZ (ESP, LSW) at01’15"

At the second time check, Roberts (CSC) has eclipsed the time of Fabian Cancellara (FAS). The Australian leads by a fraction of a second but he has closed in on the Swiss time trial champion who was 5" ahead at the 17km mark.

The timing issues appear to have been solved. Here is an update on who the leading five riders at the 17km mark really are at this stage of the race:
1. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) 17km in 27’30"
2. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) at 05"
3. MC GEE (AUS, FDJ) at 17"
4. BODROGI (HUN, C.A) at 22"
5. LEFEVRE (FRA, BTL) at 24"

Bodrogi has been close to Cancellara’s time at every check. The Hungarian has just finished the stage with a time that’s 34" behind the Swiss rider.

One of the Bouyges Telecom boys, Laurent Lefevre has posted the third best time at the third check. The new top five at the 40.2km mark is:
1. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) 59’44"
2. BODROGI (HUN, C.A) at 25"
3. LEFEVRE (FRA, BTL) at 01’02"
4. VAN SUMMEREN (BEL, DVL) at 01’08"
5. LJUNGQVIST (SWE, LIQ) at 02’18"

There is a bit of confusion about the times of the leading riders at the 1st check. Roberts (CSC) is actually in 2nd place, 4" behind Cancellara (FAS) at the 17km mark.
(The technicians are looking into the problems with the timing equipment and expect to resolve the matter in the next few minutes. Apologies for any confusion caused.)

Please disregard the previous flash. A problem with the timing equipment gave us a false impression that Luke Roberts had beaten Cancellara’s time at the 17km mark. The top five at the first check is actually:
1. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) 17km in 27’30"
2. BODROGI (HUN, C.A) at 47"
3. MC GEE (AUS, FDJ) at 42"
4. ROBERTS (AUS, CSC) at 30"
5. LEFEVRE (FRA, BTL) at 49"
Sorry for any confusion caused.

Luke Roberts has the fastest time of the day at the first check. He is the first man to eclipse the effort of Fabian Cancellara. Roberts is a time trial specialist with a wealth of results on the velodrome, including three world team pursuit championships (from 2002, 2003 and 2004) as well as being a member of the world record breaking Australian team which won the gold medal at the Athens Olympics.

Laszlo Bodrogi, the Hungarian who finished the first stage this year in 5th place, has posted the 2nd best times at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd checks. Each time his deficit to Cancellara has grown. At 17km Bodrogi was 22" behind; at 35km, 20" and at 40.2km, 25"...

Fabian Cancellara has the best time of the day at every check. The new top five at the finish is:
1. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) 55.5km in 1h15’49"
2. VAN SUMMEREN (BEL, DVL) at 02’05"
3. CARLSTRÖM (FIN, LIQ) at 03’23"
4. ALBASINI (SUI, LIQ) at 04’35"
5. KNAVEN (NED, QST) at 04’36"

Fabian Cancellara has just posted the best time of the day. The Swiss time trial champion leads Van Summeren by 2’05".

The winner of the first stage of the Tour in 2002, Rubens Bertogliati (SDV) is the next rider due to start today’s stage. He is the 62 man to begin the 55.5km time trial.

At the end of his time trial Johan Van Summeren has posted the best time of the day so far. The tallest rider in the race leads Kjell Carlstrom by 1’18" at the moment but there are another 135 riders yet to finish the stage.

At the 3rd time check (40.2km), the triple stage winner from this year - Robbie McEwen - is 5’02" behind the time set by Cancellara.

The Swiss time trial specialist Fabian Cancellara is the first man to finish the first 40.2km in less than an hour. He leads Van Summeren (DVL) at the 3rd time check by 1’08".

Fabian Cancellara has the best time of the day at the 35km mark. The new top five at Saint-Romain-en-Jarez is:
1. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) 35km in 48’48"
2. VAN SUMMEREN (BEL, DVL) at 01’ 10"
3. RICH (GER, GST) at 02’ 16"
4. CARLSTRÖM (FIN, LIQ) at 02’ 21"
5. GEROSA (ITA, LIQ) at 02’ 54"

Kjell Carlstrom of the Liquigas-Bianchi team has set the best time of the stage so far. With 12 riders at the finish, the top five is:
1. CARLSTRÖM (FIN, LIQ) 55.5km in 1h19’12"
2. ALBASINI (SUI, LIQ) at 01’ 12"
3. KNAVEN (NED, QST) at 01’ 13"
4. VANSEVENANT (BEL, DVL) at 01’ 56"
5. NURITDINOV (UZB, DOM) at 02’ 10"

Brad McGee has just started the 20th stage. The Australian has won two stages of the Tour in the past (if you count the Parisian prologue of the 2003 race as a stage). He is now in pursuit of his Australian team pursuit colleague, Luke Roberts who started the stage two minutes ahead of him.

Luke Roberts, a member of the Australian quad which won the Olympic team pursuit in Athens last year, is the next rider to start. This is the CSC rider’s first Tour de France.

The first Discovery Channel rider to start the 20th stage is Benjamin Noval. He is the 49th rider to begin today. The Spaniard is 2h52’53" behind his team leader, Armstrong, in the general classification after 19 stages.

At the third time check, Wim Van Summeren (DVL) is the fastest so far. He is 1’26" ahead of Carlstrom at the ’chrono’ that’s at the top of the Col de la Gachet (40.2km).

Erik Dekker is now in the start house. The Dutchman who has won four stages in the Tour de France is the 46th rider to begin the 20th stage.

The fourth rider to start the stage, Servais Knaven has set the best time so far. He leads Wim Vansevenant by 43".

The 12th rider to start the 20th stage, Kjell Carlstrom has set the best time of the day at the 3rd time check. The new top five at the 40.2km mark is:
1. CARLSTRÖM (FIN, LIQ) 40.2km in 1h02’18"
2. ALBASINI (SUI, LIQ) at 58"
2. KNAVEN (NED, QST) at 58"
4. VANSEVENANT (BEL, DVL) at 01’45"
5. NURITDINOV (UZB, DOM) at 01’56"

The second rider to start the stage has ridden the 55.5km time trial course at an average speed of 40.68km/h. Wim Vansevenant caught and passed his two-minute man Iker Flores. The Belgian’s time at the finish was 1h21’07" - 2’28" better than the Spaniard.

The 10th rider to start the stage, Michael Albasini, is in equal first at the 40.2km mark. He shares the same time as Servais Knaven...

The leader of the points classification Thor Hushovd has begun the time trial. He is the 40th rider to start. The Norwegian has 15 more points than the rider in second place in the race for the green jersey (Stuart O’Grady) after 19 stages of the 2005 Tour.

One of the four-man pursuit team that won the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Sydney (and became the first formation ever to ride the 4km event in less than 4 minutes), Daniel Becke of the Illes Balears team, has posted a time that’s 4’23" slower than Knaven (QST) at the 40.2km mark.

With five riders now past the time check at the 40.2km mark, the standings are:
1. KNAVEN (NED, QST) 40.2km in 1h03’16"
2. VANSEVENANT (BEL, DVL) at 47"
3. FLORES (ESP, EUS) at 02’16"
4. TOMBAK (EST, COF) at 02’31"
6. FÖRSTER (GER, GST) at 02’33"

At the first check of the stage, the winner of last year’s prologue Fabian Cancellara (FAS) has set the best time. The new top five at the 17km mark is:
1. CANCELLARA (SUI, FAS) 17km in 27’30"
2. VAN SUMMEREN (BEL, DVL) at 45"
3. RICH (GER, GST) at 55"
4. CARLSTRÖM (FIN, LIQ) at 01’22"
5. KNAVEN (NED, QST) at 01’27"

One of the time trial specialists with the Gerolsteiner team, Michael Rich, has only been able to post the 2nd best time of the day so far at the first time check. He is 10" slower than Johan Van Summeren.

With five riders at the second time check, the order is:
1. KNAVEN (NED, QST) 35km in 52’02"
2. VANSEVENANT (BEL, DVL) at 21"
3. FÖRSTER (GER, GST) at 01’43"
4. FLORES (ESP, EUS) at 01’43"
5. TOMBAK (EST, COF) at 02’00"

One of the 10 Australian riders still in the race, Simon Gerran (A2R) is the last man to leave the start house. He is 125th in the general classification after 19 stages. In his debut Tour, Gerrans’ best result in a stage was the fourth place he achieved after being in a long escape en route to Revel a few days ago.

The tallest rider in the 2005 Tour, Johan Van Summeren has posted the best time of the day so far at the first check. After 17km he leads Carlstrom by 37".

The first stage of the 92nd Tour was a 19km time trial from Fromentine to Noirmoutier en l’Ile. Here is a reminder of who finished in the top 10.
1. Dave Zabriskie (USA - CSC) 19km in 20’51"
2. Lance Armstrong (USA - DSC) at 2"
3. Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ - TMO) at 53"
4. George Hincapie (USA - DSC) at 56"
5. Laszlo Bodrogi (HUN - C.A) at 59"
6. Floyd Landis (USA - PHO) at 1’02"
7. Fabian Cancellara (SUI - FAS) at 1’02"
8. Jens Voigt (GER - CSC) at 1’04"
9. Vladimir Karpets (RUS - IBA) at 1’05"
10. Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (ESP - LWT) at 1’06"
Of this selection, three are no longer in the race - the stage winner Zabriskie, the other CSC yellow jersey holder Jens Voigt and Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano.

Two riders have reached the 2nd time check. Wim Vansevenant (DVL) is 1’22" faster than Iker Flores (EUS) at the 35km mark.

With 13 riders past the 17km time check, the top five is:
1. CARLSTRÖM (FIN, LIQ) 17km in 28’52"
2. KNAVEN (NED, QST) at 05"
3. ALBASINI (SUI, LIQ) at 23"
4. WAUTERS (BEL, RAB) at 35"
5. VANSEVENANT (BEL, DVL) at 58"

The 12th rider to start stage 20 has posted the best time of the day at the 17km mark. Kjell Carlstrom (LIQ) is 5" ahead of Knaven (QST) and 23" ahead of his team-mate Michael Albasini.

There are 155 riders contesting today’s time trial. Below is a breakdown of how many riders from each nation are still in the race:
28 - Spain (Constantino Zaballa abandoned during stage five; Isaac Galvez abandoned during stage eight; Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano and Jose Angel Gomez both abandoned with injuries sustained in crashes in stage nine; Manuel Beltran abandoned during stage 12; Alejandro Valverde abandoned during stage 13; David Herrero abandoned during stage 15).
26 - France (Mengin did not start stage eight; Sylvain Calzati abandoned during stage eight; Jean-Patrick Nazon abandoned during stage 11; Nicolas Fritsch abandoned during stage 12)
21 - Italy (Claudio Corioni abandoned during stage six; Alessandro Spezialetti did not finish stage seven; Dario Frigo did not start stage 11; Stefano Zanini abandoned during stage 11; Angelo Furlan abandoned during stage 12; Gianluca Bortolami did not start stage 16).
14 - Germany (Jens Voigt finished outside the time limit in stage 11; Andreas Kloden abandoned during stage 17)
10 - Australia
8 – Belgium (Kevin Hulsmans finished outside the time limit in stage 11; Tom Boonen did not start stage 12; Wilfried Cretskens abandoned during stage 15)
8 - USA (Dave Zabriskie abandoned during stage nine)
7 - The Netherlands (Van Bon Abandoned during stage eight; Gerben Lowik did not start stage 14)
6 – Switzerland (Steve Zampieri abandonded during stage seven).
4 - Ukraine (Honchar did not start start eight)
3 - Austria (Gerrit Glomser abandoned during stage 10) and Kazakstahn
2 – Denmark, Norway, Russia (Evgeni Petrov did not start stage 10); Sweden (Magnus Backstedt did not start stage 16).
1 – Estonian (Kirsipuu abandoned during stage nine); Colombia, Finland, Hungary, Uzbekstahn, Portugal, Czech Republic, Slovenia and Venezuela
0 – Brazil (Luciano Pagliarini abandoned during stage nine); Luxembourg (Kim Kirchen abandoned during the 11th stage); South Africa (Robbie Hunter abandoned during stage 12)

The winner of the prologue of last year’s Tour, Fabian Cancellara is the last rider to begin today’s stage. The Swiss Fassa Bortolo rider was 7th in stage one this year, 1’02" behind Dave Zabriskie.

With six riders past the 17km mark, the top five is:
1. KNAVEN (NED, QST) 17km in 28’57"
2. VANSEVENANT (BEL, DVL) at 53"
3. FLORES (ESP, EUS) at 01’23"
4. FÖRSTER (GER, GST) at 01’24"
5. BECKE (GER, IBA) at 01’41"

The winner of three stages in the 2005 Tour de France, Robbie McEwen is the next rider to start the time trial. He is the 22nd man to begin the 20th stage.

At the first time check, Servais Knaven (QST) has set the fastest time early today. He is 53" better than Wim Vansevenant (DVL) at the 17km mark.

The 19th stage of the 2004 Tour de France was a 55km time trial in and around Besancon. The top 10 in the stage 12 months ago was:
1. Lance Armstrong (USA) 55km in 1h06’49”
2. Jan Ullrich (Germany) at 1’01”
3. Andreas Kloden (Germany) at 1’27”
4. Floyd Landis (USA) at 2’25
5. Bobby Julich (USA) at 2’48”
6. Ivan Basso (Italy) at 2’50”
7. Jens Voigt (Germany) at 3’19”
8. Vladimir Karpets (Russia) at 3’33”
9. Jose Luis Rubiera (Spain) at 3’40”
10. Jose Azevedo (Portugal) at 3’49”

The first time posted at the 17km check point was 30’20" by Iker Flores (EUS). The second rider to start, Wim Vansevenant (DVL) has eclipsed that time by 30".

The 12th stage of the 1997 Tour de France was a time trial in St-Etienne. The winner of the stage was also the overall champion that year, Jan Ullrich. The German beat Richard Virenque by over three minutes eight years ago.

There are four sites on the 55.5km course to keep track of the riders’ progress in the time trial. The time checks are at 17km, 35km, 40.2km and 49.7km.
Click on the ’intermediate timing’ button of your browser to get the latest information for the 20th stage.

There is a memorial to the rider who finished fourth overall in the 2001 Tour de France on the time trial course for stage 20. The rider from Kazakstahn died in March 2003 after sustaining head injuries in a crash during the Paris-Nice stage race.
He raced for the French Cofidis team at the time and lived near Saint-Etienne. The memorial is at the 40.5km mark.

After 19 stages of the 92nd Tour de France, the following riders are leading the four major prize classifications.
Lance Armstrong (DSC) wears the yellow jersey as the leader of the general classification. The American is 2’46” ahead of Ivan Basso (CSC), 3’46” ahead of Mickael Rasmussen (RAB) and 5’58” ahead of Jan Ullrich (TMO). Armstrong won the last time trial of the 2004 race, finishing the stage in Besancon last year 58” ahead of Ullrich. Lance’s start time for today’s time trial is 4.22pm.
Thor Hushovd (CA) wears the green jersey as leader of the points classification. The Norwegian has 175 points, 15 more than Stuart O’Grady (COF) and 21 more than last year’s green jersey winner Robbie McEwen (DVL).
Mickael Rasmussen wears the polka-dot jersey as leader of the mountains classification. The Dane has an unbeatable tally of 185 points, 30 more than Oscar Pereiro Sio (PHO) and more than twice the tally of Armstrong (with 92pts).
Yaroslav Popovych (DSC) wears the white jersey as leader of the youth classification. The Ukranian is 7’47” ahead of Andrey Kashechkin (CA) and 41’20” ahead of Alberto Contador (LSW).

The fourth rider to start the 20th stage is Servais Knaven of the Quickstep-Innergetic team. The Dutchman won the stage to Bordeaux in the 2003 Tour de France.

The first rider to begin the 20th stage was Iker Flores (Spain - Euskaltel). He left the start house at 10.55am, two minutes before Wim Vansevenant of the Davitamon-Lotto team.
Flores is the reigning ’Lanterne Rouge’ the title given for the rider who is last in the general classification. After 19 stages of the 2005 Tour de France his time deficit to Lance Armstrong is 4h08’35". Vansevenant is second-last in the rankings, 4h00’04" behind Armstrong.

A category-three climb is part of the 55.5km time trial course for stage 20 of the 2005 Tour de France. The 731m high Col de la Gachet is at the 40km mark.
Mickael Rasmussen has an unbeatable lead in the mountains classification. The Danish rider claimed the polka-dot jersey for the first time after stage eight. He’s worn it ever since. Even if he isn’t in the top four on today’s climb, the Rabobank rider will wear the climber’s prize in the stage to Paris tomorrow.