THE RACE LIVE
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Tom Boonen has finished the stage in 41st place. He will lose his yellow jersey... as expected. His final time was 3’41" behind Honchar who will wear the yellow jersey in stage eight.

Sergiy Honchar is the only rider to finish the 52km course at over 50km/h. Although Boonen and McEwen are yet to finish the stage, we can report that the Ukranian T-Mobile rider has won his first stage of the Tour de France and become the first man from his nation to lead the race. The top five in stage seven is:
1. HONCHAR (UKR, TMO) 52.0km in 1h01’43"600 (50.6km/h)
2. LANDIS (USA, PHO) at1’01"
3. LANG (GER, GST) at 1’04"
4. ROGERS (AUS, TMO) at 1’24"
5. LARSSON (SWE, FDJ) at 1’33"

With Rogers past the 3rd time check, the top five at the 46.5km mark is:
1. HONCHAR (UKR, TMO) 55’09"
2. LANDIS (USA, PHO) at 57"
3. LANG (GER, GST) 1’12"
4. ROGERS (AUS, TMO) at 1’23"
5. LARSSON (SWE, FDJ) at 1’27"

The world time trial champion is now in 4th place at the 46.3km mark. Michael Rogers traditionally starts his time trials fast but brings it home even faster. Still, it will be a big ask for him to pass his team-mate Honchar who was 1’23" faster at the same check.

At the 3rd time check, George Hincapie (DSC) has the 23rd best time of the day. He is 2’32" behind Honchar (TMO) at the 46.3km mark.

With just seven riders - none of whom have been in the top five at the intermediate checks - yet to finish, the top five is:
1. HONCHAR (UKR, TMO) 1h01’43"600
2. LANDIS (USA, PHO) at 1’01"
3. LANG (GER, GST) at 1’04"
4. LARSSON (SWE, FDJ) at 1’33"
5. SINKEWITZ (GER, TMO) at 1’39"

Landis (PHO) has the second best time of the day: 1h02’44". It’s over a minute slower than Serhiy Honchar who is destined to start the eighth stage with the yellow jersey on his shoulders.

The rider in the yellow jersey has just raced past his two-minute man, Robbie McEwen who wears green again today.

The provisional yellow jersey is Serhiy Honchar who finished the stage in 1h01’43", an average speed of 50.6km/h. The T-Mobile rider’s time is 1’04" better than Lang (GST).

All the specialists have past the 2nd time check. The top five at the 36.5km mark is:
1. HONCHAR (UKR, TMO) 43’50"
2. LANDIS (USA, PHO) at 42"
3. MENCHOV (RUS, RAB) at 1’03"
4. LARSSON (SWE, FDJ) at 1’03"
5. LANG (GER, GST) at 1’11"

Millar has lost 2’30" to Lang at the end of the 52km stage.

It looks like we’ll see a Ukranian in yellow for the first time at the end of stage seven. The T-Mobile recruit, Serhiy Honchar is dominating the stage. Here is the top five after he passed the 46.3km mark...
1. HONCHAR (UKR, TMO) 55’09"
2. LANG (GER, GST) at 1’12"
3. LARSSON (SWE, FDJ) at 1’27"
4. MENCHOV (RUS, RAB) 1’29"
5. FOTHEN (GER, GST) at 1’34"

At the 2nd check, Landis has lost 42" to Honchar. The new top five at the 36.5km mark is:
1. HONCHAR (UKR, TMO) 43’50"
2. LANDIS (USA, PHO) at 42"
3. MENCHOV (RUS, RAB) at 1’03"
4. LARSSON (SWE, FDJ) at 1’03"
5. LANG (GER, GST) at 1’11"

No rider from the Ukraine has ever worn the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. Serhiy Honchar may change that situation today. He led the Giro d’Italia earlier this year after his T-Mobile team finished second in the team time trial.

If Serhiy Honchar maintains his current pace, it appears as though he will be the new leader of the Tour de France. The Ukranian has caught and passed his team-mate Matthias Kessler and has the fastest time at both the first and second intermediate time checks.

At the end of his time trial, Andreas Kloden has the fourth best time 39" behind Lang.

The 2003 under-23 world time trial champion, Marcus Fothen (GST) is third at the end of his time trial. He is 38" behind his team-mate Sebastian Lang.

Honchar is about to catch his team-mate Kessler after 37km of racing. The Ukranian who won the world time trial championship in 2000 set an average speed of 50.0km/h at the 2nd time check. He leads at that mark by 1’03"!

At the 2nd time check, Evans (DVL) has lost 34" to Menchov (RAB). It’s enough to put him in 12th place so far at the 36.5km mark.

A change of race leader was expected today. If the riders at the top of the first intermediate check continue at their current pace, the most likely new leader after seven stages will be Landis (PHO)... Boonen has the 44th best time at the first check, 1’26" behind Honchar...

There are two sprinters yet to reach the first time check. Neither McEwen nor Boonen are expected to finish high in today’s stage so we report that the top five at the 16.5km will be as follows...
1. HONCHAR (UKR, TMO) 19’37"
2. LANDIS (USA, PHO) at 17"
3. KLÖDEN (GER, TMO) at 22"
4. FOTHEN (GER, GST) at 29"
5. MENCHOV (RUS, RAB) at 30"

Rogers is 13th at the first time check. The world time trial champion has lost 46" to T-Mobile team-mate, Honchar.

Leipheimer has failed on a day some considered he would excel. He is 78th at the moment at the 46.3km mark, 4’15" behind the time set by his Gerolsteiner team-mate Lang.

Hincapie is at the first time check 52" slower than Honchar. It’s the 15th best time of the day... with four more riders yet to reach the 16.5km mark.

At the 2nd check, Fothen (GST) has posted the seventh best time of the day. He is 19" behind Menchov at the 36.5km mark. In fourth place is his compatriot Kloden (TMO), 12" behind Menchov.

Savoldelli (DSC) is 11th at the first time check. He has lost 45" to Honchar.

There was an incident early in the stage for Landis; with reports of a puncture. It seems unlikely as the rider from Phonak has lost only 17" to Honchar at the 16.5km mark. (Apologies for any confusion caused by a previous flash...)

Race radio reported earlier than Landis had punctured. We didn’t see images of the incident, but can report that the American Phonak rider has lost just 17" to Honchar after 16.5km mark.

Menchov (RAB) covered the 52km course at an average speed of 49.2km/h. He is 40" slower than Lang (GST). It appears as though the wind is having an effect on the result...

At the first check, Honchar (TMO) is 22" ahead of his nearest rival, team-mate Kloden. The world champion from 2000 was the 162nd rider to start the stage.

Floyd Landis has punctured. He was late for the prologue because of problems with his tires and now he’s stopped to get a new wheel from his Phonak team car.

Levi Leipheimer has passed the 2nd check in 86th place, 3’27" behind Menchov.

The final rider to start the stage is Tom Boonen (QSI). The yellow jersey left Saint-Gregoire at 4.28pm...

Evans (DVL) has reached the time check at the 16.5km mark in 20’14", it’s 16 seconds slower than Kloden (TMO).

The third rider to start the stage, Magnus Backstedt commented on how still it was during his time trial. "There was no wind at all," said the Liquigas rider. That’s no longer the case. There’s a significant headwind in the closing kilometers of stage seven.

At the 3rd check, Sastre (CSC) is 45" slower than Lang (GST).

After 16.5km of racing, Millar (SDV) is in 10th place - 34" behind Kloden.

The rider in the rainbow jersey as world time trial champion, Michael Rogers, is in the start house. The Australian is considered by many to be the favorite for today’s stage. Currently two of his T-Mobile team-mates are in the top five at the 16.5km mark.

Sinkewitz has passed the first check with a deficit of 9" to compatriot and T-Mobile team-mate Kloden. Zabriskie is 6" slower.

With Zabriskie posting the fourth best time at the first check the new top five is:
1. KLÖDEN (GER, TMO) 16.5km in 19’59"
2. FOTHEN (GER, GST) at 7"
3. MENCHOV (RUS, RAB) at 8"
4. ZABRISKIE (USA, CSC) at 15"
5. MAZZOLENI (ITA, TMO) at 15"

At the 36.5km mark, Menchov (RAB) has the best time of the day. He is a fraction of a second ahead of Larsson...

At the first check, Kloden has posted a time of 19’59", seven seconds faster than Fothen.

Marcus Fothen (GST) has the best time at the 16.5km mark. The young German won the under-23 world time trial championship in Hamilton back in 2003.

The former leader of the youth classification, Marcus Fothen (GST) has just beaten Menchov’s time at the 16.5km mark by 1".

Sastre (CSC) has ridden the first 36.5km at an average speed of 48.4km/h. He has the 4th best time (45’14") so far, 21" behind Larsson (FDJ)

Eddy Mazzoleni (TMO) has posted the 2nd best time of the day at the 16.5km mark. The new top five at the first check is:
1. MENCHOV (RUS, RAB) 20’07"
2. MAZZOLENI (ITA, TMO) at 8"
3. SASTRE (ESP, CSC) at 15"
4. LÖVKVIST (SWE, FDJ) at 20"
5. PEREIRO SIO (ESP, CEI) at 25"

One of the favorites for the title in 2006, Levi Leipheimer is not living up to expectations today. He has lost 1’32" to Menchov at the first time check.

David Millar won the last long time trial he contested at the Tour. That was the penultimate stage of the 2003 race. He is the last rider to leave the start house.

A number of riders have posted good times at the 16.5km mark but faded before the 2nd check. The latest example is Thomas Lovkvist. He has the 2nd best time at the 16.5km mark and 7th best at the 36.5km mark...

The rider who finished fourth in the final time trial of the 2005 Tour de France, Bobby Julich has just stepped into an ambulance. It appears that the CSC rider has abandoned the race...!

Andreas Kloden just left the start house. He is the 18th last rider to begin the time trial. The order of the final 20 is: Dessel, Fothen, Kloden, Zabriskie, Sinkewitz, Vaugrenard, Millar, Moreau, Evans, Kessler, Honchar, Karpets, Landis, Savoldelli, Hushovd, Hincapie, Freire, Rogers, McEwen and Boonen.

Bobby Julich does not look like he’s prepared to get back on his bike. He’s sitting on the side of the road and still nursing his right wrist.

Menchov has posted a time that’s 15" better than Sastre at the first time check.

Bobby Julich has crashed! He is holding his right wrist and is not yet back on his bike...!

With Sastre now in the lead at the first check, the top five looks like this:
1. SASTRE (ESP, CSC) 16.5km in 20’22"
2. LÖVKVIST (SWE, FDJ) at 5"
3. ASTARLOZA (ESP, A2R) at 11"
4. CHAVANEL (FRA, COF) at 11"
5. LARSSON (SWE, FDJ) at 14"

Carlos Sastre (CSC) has just posted the best time at the first check. He rode the first 16.5km in 20’22", 5" faster than Thomas Lovkvist (FDJ).

Levi Leipheimer is down in the aerodynamic tuck and, on a flat section of the course, is pedalling a cadence of 96rpm. His chain is in the middle of his cluster meaning he’s probably turning a gear of 54 or 55 x 15...

Levi Leipheimer (GST) has just started the seventh stage. The American won the Dauphine Libere stage race in June this year, finishing third (1’16" behind Zabriskie) in the 42km time trial for stage three.

The new Italian time trial champion, Marzio Bruseghin (LAM) has just started the seventh stage. He has an interesting variation on the usual colours for the national champion’s outfit...

The youngest rider in the race has set the fastest time at the 16.5km mark. Thomas Lovkvist is 6" ahead of Astarloza (A2R) and Chavanel (COF) at the first check.

The winner of the 2005 Vuelta A Espana, Denis Menchov has just left the start house. The Russian Rabobank rider has won important time trials in the past (including the prologue of the Vuelta last year) and is determined to make an impression today. He was the best young in the Tour in 2003.

Three former Tour stage winners are the next riders to start. Erik Zabel (MRM) begins the time trial at 3.24pm. He is followed by Carlos Sastre (CSC) and Oscar Pereiro Sio (CEI)... then there are 30 riders yet to leave Saint-Gregoire.

In his first long Tour time trial Damiano Cunego has lost 5’19" to Lang at the end of the stage. The darling of the Italian ’tifosi’, is currently in 51st position.

Astarloza (A2R) has just covered the first 16.5km at the same time as Chavanel. These two have the best time at the first check.

The temperature when the first riders began the time trial was a mild 22 degrees with overcast conditions. The sun is now shining in Rennes and the temperature is around 27 degrees Celsius.

The 84th rider to start the stage was Sebastian Lang. The German time trial champion has the best time. He was fourth in the prologue.

Thomas Lovkvist, the youngest rider in the 93rd Tour de France, is the latest rider to leave the start house. He was the 132 man to begin the time trial.

The rider who slipped from third to seventh in the general classification after the time trial at the end of last year’s Tour, Michael Rasmussen (RAB), has posted a time 4’44" slower than Lang (GST) at the third time check.

Chavanel’s time is 2’01" slower than Lang’s at the finish. The French TT champion rode the 52km at an average speed of 48.1km/h.

The French time trial champion is in the final kilometer of the seventh stage. Can he lift himself up the rankings from his seventh at the third split? He’s still in the aerodynamic tuck and the conditions are significantly warmer than when Lang finished the stage only a short time ago...

The rider with the best time split at the first check has just passed the 46.3km mark in seventh place. Sylvain Chavanel is currently 1’30" behind Lang at the 3rd check.

Sandy Casar, the leader of the Francaise des Jeux team, has passed the 16.5km mark with a time of 20’48"; good enough for fourth place at the moment, 14" behind compatriot Chavanel.

LeTour.fr contacted Alain Gallopin, a directeur sportif at CSC, to find out if there’s anything wrong with Jens Voigt who is currently in last place. "No, he’s okay but he wants to save energy today," said the Frenchman. "We didn’t want every rider on our team to give one hundred per cent in the time trial. That’s all."

It appears as though Jens Voigt has had a problem during today’s time trial. The rider who finished the opening time trial of last year’s Tour in sixth place has finished today’s stage in last place at the moment (with 84 riders home). His deficit to Lang is 8’57"...!

The rider who has the best time check at the 16.5km mark is Sylvain Chavanel. The French time trial champion has just reached the 36.5km mark with the seventh best time of the day. He is 50" behind Larsson...

So far 83 riders have finished the 52km time trial. There is a Gerolsteiner rider in the lead and another from the same squad in last place. Lang leads Wrolich by 8’43"...

Sebastian Lang has beaten Larsson’s time at the finish. He rode the 52km course in 1h2’47", 29" faster than the Swedish time trial champion.
The average speed for Lang’s ride is 49.7km/h.

The 2004 Giro d’Italia champion Damiano Cunego has just passed the 1st time check in 29th place. He was 1’09" behind Chavanel after 16.5km of racing.

At the second time check, Jens Voigt’s time is 51’16", it’s 6’24" slower than Larsson after 36.5km...!

Larsson still has the best time of the day at the finish. The Swedish time trial champion also has the best time at the final two intermediate checks. At the 36.5km mark, he leads Lang by 8" after covering the first part of the course today at an average speed of 48.8km/h.

With Chavanel now in the lead at the first time check, the top five is as follows:
1. Chavenel (FRA - COF) 20’33"
2. Larsson (SWE - FDJ) at 3"
3. Lang (GER - GST) at 7"
4. B. Grabsch (GER - PHO) at 16"
5. Ekimov (RUS - DSC) at 19"

The French time trial champion Sylvain Chavanel has just pushed his way into first place at the first time check. He leads Larsson by 3" with a time of 20’33" at the 16.5km mark.

“I only get out on the bike occasionally at the moment," said Boardman at the end of his brief interview with LeTour.fr. "I run a lot because I live close to a beach and I enjoy that as an exercise. Bike riding just doesn’t fit in quite as well with my schedule. It’s tempting though… and if I do the Tour with the television network again next year, I’ll bring my bike with me. I’d have loved to have ridden the course today but it’s been a case of poor planning on my behalf.
“I struggle with motivation. I said back in 2000 after I broke the hour record that I’d never pin a number on my back again. I’m still comfortable with that statement apart from a fun event… but racing? No. Been there, done that. Had enough.”

One of the more unique time trial positions in the pro peloton is that of Floyd Landis. The Phonak team’s captain has a high hand position and he sit well forward on his saddle. We asked Chris Boardman for his appraisal on Landis’ approach. “I run all the equipment and clothing development for British cycling,” said Boardman. “I’m certainly not going to divulge any of that information but I can say that I understand what Landis is doing. I can understand why he’s adopted his position. It doesn’t work for everybody but it is one way divert the airflow – to use your arms as a kind of shield.
“He sits forward on the saddle and that also makes sense. You have three touch points on the bike: your butt, your feet and hands, so if you can take those three points and rotate them forward as far as the rules allow – because your saddle must be 5cm behind the bottom bracket – then that means you can get lower and lower is everything in time trialing.
“The bike is not such a big deal at all; it’s a minor component of the overall package. Position and physical size – just getting lower – is most important."

The winner of three Tour prologues in the 1990s, Chris Boardman is at the finish today. He’s working for British television as a consultant. LeTour.fr caught up with the time trial specialists to get his thoughts on today’s stage. “I think the great thing about today is that there are about six to eight people who could possibly win this time trial. I think the edge goes to Dave Zabriskie; he’s one of the few remaining specialists. He won the Dauphine time trial by a minute which is pretty handy. After that, I think George Hincapie is certainly going to be good to. You’ve also got to keep an eye on him.
“Leipheimer will be up there, but I don’t think he’ll make the podium today.
“Floyd Landis should be second.
“David Millar will be interesting but I think he should be happy with sixth or seventh.
“Michael Rogers could be first or second. I think it’ll be between him and Zabriskie with George coming in close.”

The rider who finished fourth in the prologue was Sebastian Lang (GST). The German time trial champion has just posted the second-best time of the day at the 16.5km mark.

Manuel Calvente is the latest rider to reach the finish in Rennes. He was the 52nd to start the time trial. The current top five is:
1. LARSSON (SWE, FDJ) 52km in 1h03’17"080
2. POSTHUMA (NED, RAB) at 11"
3. PENA (COL, PHO) at 36"
4. EKIMOV (RUS, DSC) at 1’07"
5. WIGGINS (GBR, COF) at 1’36"

"The course is really good for Mick (Rogers)," said Cadel Evans about the time trial. The Australian Davitamon-Lotto rider is currently having a rest in his hotel after having ridden the course this morning. LeTour.fr contacted him to get some thoughts on what he expect from the stage. "There are a lot of people on the course already. I rode it earlier today just to get an idea of when I can go hard and when I can rest a little... but this is a course for the fast men. It’d perfect for a guy like Ullrich.
"I think the winning time should be around 58 minutes but you never know... I wouldn’t be surprised if someone comes out and rips another minute off that.
"I’ll ride a 55x14 most of the day. That’s what I usually train on and, on a flat course like today, it gives me a cadence that I like.
"Everyone is saying Landis is the man for today. I tend to agree. It’s not ideal for me because I’d like a few more climbs but I’ll do what I can."

Posthuma has gotten better as the stage progressed. He is 11" behind Larsson at the finish of the stage. It’s enough to put him in second place at the moment.

The Dutch Rabobank rider who set the early standard at the half way mark of the prologue, Joost Posthuma is currently second at the third time check. He is 13" behind Larsson and 14" ahead of Pena at the 46.3km mark.

Alain Gallopin, one of the directors of the CSC team, was contacted by LeTour.fr a few minutes ago to get his thoughts on the time trial.
Several of the team’s riders are expected to excel today and we asked how the form of the first leader of last year’s Tour, David Zabriskie is. "He hasn’t come to Rennes before the Tour so, after yesterday’s stage, we drove the route in the car along with Carlos Sastre," said Gallopin.
"This morning the team rode most of the stage with a focus on the final section.
"David is at the team hotel now for some lunch and a little rest. He will come to the start at about 1.30pm to start his warm-up."
Zabriskie’s start time is 3.56pm. "He really likes the course because it suits strong riders but there are other favourites. Sure, Dave was faster than Landis by a minute in the Dauphine but Landis at the Tour and Landis at the Dauphine is not the same thing..."

The Phonak rider who finished fifth in the long time trial at the Dauphine Libere early in June has done the first 16.5km of today’s stage two seconds faster than Ekimov. Bert Grabsch has the second best time so far at the 16.5km mark, 14" slower than Larsson (FDJ).

The third stage of the Dauphine Libere on 7 June was a 43km time trial. Here is a reminder of the top 10, seven of whom are still in the Tour de France.
1. David Zabriskie (USA - CSC) 43km in 52’49” (48.854km/h)
2. Floyd Landis (USA - PHO) at 53’00”
3. Levi Leipheimer (USA – GST) 1’16”
4. George Hincapie (USA – DSC) 1’35”
5. Bert Grabsch (GER - PHO) 1’38”
6. Marco Pinotti (ITA - SDV) 1’54”
7. Vladimir Gusev (RUS – DSC) 1’54”
8. Yaroslav Popovych (UKR – DSC) 1’57”
9. Alejandro Valverde (ESP - CEI) 2’03”
10. Sebastian Lang (GER – GST) 2’03”

The world time trial champion Michael Rogers is due to start the seventh stage at 4.24pm. He is currently third in the general classification, 21" behind Tom Boonen. LeTour.fr contacted the Australian before the stage to get his thoughts on the time trial from St-Gregoire to Rennes.
"I’ve ridden the course a couple of times before the start of the Tour," said the T-Mobile recruit. "There’s nothing to do now but ride as fast as I can.
The team is pumped and everyone has amazing morale at the moment. It was great to see Matthias (Kessler) win the other day and I’m going to give it everything to try and keep the wins coming. It’s about time that I have a good ride in a time trial at the Tour de France. This is my fourth Tour and I’ve never really made much of an impression in the time trials.
"This course isn’t perfect for me, but my form is good and there’s no reason why I can’t finish in the top five... but the win is my objective."

Four of the top 10 of last year’s time trial world championships are in the Tour de France in 2006, including the winner Michael Rogers.
Here is a reminder of the results from the race in Madrid at the end of September.
1. Michael Rogers (AUS) 53’34”49 (49.939km/h)
2. José Ivan Gutierrez (ESP) at 23’’
3. Fabian Cancellara (SUI) 24’’
4. Ruben Plaza Molina (ESP) 44’’
5. Alexandr Vinokourov (KAZ) 1’20’’
6. Andrey Kashechkin (KAZ) 1’29’’
7. Bradley Wiggins (GBR) 1’32”
8. Sebastian Lang (GER) 1’35”
9. Matias Medici (ARG) 1’37”
10. Victor Hugo Pena (COL) 1’41”

The Olympic time trial champion from Sydney 2000, Viatcheslav Ekimov has just set the second fastest time of the day at the first check. He is 16" slower than Larsson at the 16.5km mark.

With 30 riders at the finish, the top five is as follows:
1. LARSSON (SWE, FDJ) 52km in 1h03’17"080
2. PENA (COL, PHO) @ 36"
3. WIGGINS (GBR, COF) @ 01’36"
4. BACKSTEDT (SWE, LIQ) @ 2’41"
5. DE GROOT (NED, RAB) @ at 03’21"

Gustav Larsson has posted the best time of the day at the finish. The Swedish FDJ rider is 36" better than Pena (PHO) after 52km.

The Colombian Phonak recruit, Victor Hugo Pena has just set the best time of the day at the finish. He has a time that’s 1’01" better than Wiggins after 52km.

Pena has passed the third check in 57’02", the Phonak rider is 48" faster than Wiggins at the 46.3km mark.

The gold medallist from the Madison at the Athens Olympics, Stuart O’Grady (CSC) has finished with the fifth best time of the day 2’58" behind the pursuit gold medallist.
The Australian CSC rider was sixth in the prologue but he crashed in the stage to Strasbourg has sustained a hairline fracture of his fourth lumbar vertebrae so it’s understandable that he’s lost some of his power.

Juan Manuel Garate (QSI) has just started the seventh stage. He is the 50th rider to begin the time trial.

At the end of his first long time trial effort in the Tour de France, Bradley Wiggins has set the fastest time of the day. He finished the 52km course in 1h04’53" - 1’05" better than Backstedt.

The competition director for the Tour de France, Jean-Francois Pescheux has offered some comments to LeTour.fr about today’s stage. "It’s a course designed for pure time trial specialists. There are no particular difficulties and the route is devoid of climbs.
"It is essentially a course with long straight and the corners aren’t too tight so there’ll be little need for the riders to brake too often.
"I expect it to be an extremely fast stage; not fast enough to break the record average speed but still very quick.
"It’s the first time trial of this year’s Tour so the strongest riders are still spread out in the overall rankings and because of this, the weather may have an influence on results if the rain starts to fall at the end of the day.
"I have just followed Sebastian Joly in the car and can report that the road is almost completely dry. If I had to offer my forecast for the winner, I’d suggest it suits the big specialists - Rogers, Landis and Hincapie should be in contention for the win."

Victor Hugo Pena (PHO) has set the best time so far at the second check. He is 31" ahead of Wiggins after 36.5km of racing.

The best time of the day at the 3rd time check is held by Bradley Wiggins. The Cofidis riders leads Backstedt by 1’02" after riding the first 46.3km in 57’51". These two riders are the only ones to have finished that section of the course in less than an hour.

At the first time check, Gustav Larsson (FDJ) has set the best time of the day. The Swedish time trial champion leads at the 16.5km mark with a time of 20’36", 20" better than Pena (PHO).

The rider with the best time of the day so far is Magnus Backstedt (LIQ). The Swede is 2’12" ahead of Charteau. LeTour.fr caught up with him at the finish to get his thoughts on the stage.
“It’s quite a nice course actually," said the Liquigas rider. "It’s rolling up and down all the time so it’s a course for the strong boys. I found it a bit hard to get going to start off with but I started to get going about 15km into it; I got a nice tempo and I’m happy with my ride. It was a solid effort but nothing special.
“It’s really quite still. There’s no wind out there at all actually. It’s a quick course.
“It’s a day that’s going to suit the specialists like Rogers, Kloden, Hincapie… the usual suspects.”

The first few riders to start stage seven have arrived in Rennes. The best time of the day so far is Backstedt’s. The Liquigas rider finished the 52km course in 1h05’58". He leads Charteau by 2’12".

The winner of Paris-Roubaix in 2004, Magnus Backstedt (LIQ) has the best time of the day so far at the 2nd time check. He is 2’02" ahead of Anthony Charteau (C.A).
This margin is the same at the third time check...

The only Colombian to wear the ’maillot jaune’ at the Tour de France has set the best time of the day at the first check. Victor Hugo Pena (PHO) is 16" better than Wiggins at the 16.5km mark.

The 12th stage of the 2006 Giro d’Italia was a 50km time trial in Pontedera. The top 10 of that stage, contested on 18 May was:
1. Jan Ullrich (GER - TMO) 58’48” (51.020km/h)
2. Ivan Basso (ITA - CSC) 28”
3. Marco Pinotti (ITA - SDV) 1’01”
4. Serguei Honchar (URK - TMO) 1’09”
5. Paolo Savoldelli (ITA – DSC) 1’19”
6. José Enrique Gutierrez (ESP - PHO) 1’42”
7. Jens Voigt (GER - CSC) 2’12”
8. Gustav Erik Larsson (SWE - FDJ) 2’22”
9. Dario David Cioni (ITA - LIQ) 2’24”
10. Viatcheslav Ekimov (RUS - DSC) 2’27”
Of this selection, the riders who are in the Tour de France are: Honchar, Savoldelli, Voigt & Ekimov.

The first Swiss round of the 2006 ProTour was the Tour de Romandie. The six-stage race concluded with a 20.4km time trial in Lausanne. The winner of the stage was Cadel Evans (DVL) and his victory was enough to give him the overall win. Here is the top 10 in the time trial.
1. Cadel Evans (AUS - DVL) 20.4km in 26’19”87 (46.485km/h)
2. Leif Hoste (BEL - DSC) at 22”
3. Bobby Julich (USA - CSC) 38”
4. Andrey Kashechkin (KAZ - LSW) 44”
5. Serguei Honchar (UKR - TMO) 49”
6. Jorg Jaksche (GER - LSW) 50”
7. Alberto Contador (ESP – LSW) 51”
8. Christophe Moreau (FRA – A2R) 51”
9. Jurge Van Den Broeck (BEL - DSC) 53”
10. Dario David (ITA – LIQ) 53”
Of this selection only Evans, Julich, Honchar and Moreau are in this year’s Tour de France.

At the first time check, the Olympic pursuit champion has beaten Backstedt’s mark by 23". Bradley Wiggins (COF) rode the first 16.5km in 21’10".

Several riders have ridden the 52km course before the start of the stage. One rider to finish in the top 10 in the final time trial of last year’s Tour, Cadel Evans (who was seventh in St-Etienne) recently finished his reconnaissance. "The course isn’t too difficult," said the Australian who was eighth on GC last year in his first Tour. "The roads are dry most of the way and it’s fairly undulating... something that’s not perfect for my strengths because I prefer a few more climbs.
"You have to work with what the organisers provide and I’m confident that I can post a good time today."

Six riders have reached the first time check (at 16.5km). The times of the first five are:
1. BACKSTEDT (SWE, LIQ) 21’30"
2. DE LA FUENTE (ESP, SDV) at 32"
3. POZZATO (ITA, QSI) at42"
4. JOLY (FRA, FDJ) at 53"
5. HERNANDEZ (ESP, EUS) at 1’03"

At the first time check, Backstedt (LIQ) is 53" faster than Joly.

The tallest rider in the 2006 Tour, Johan Vansummeren is about to start stage seven. The Belgian Davitamon-Lotto rider was involved in a crash at the end of stage five but he didn’t sustain any serious injuries.

The first rider has passed the first time check. Joly (FDJ) rode the first 16.5km in 22’23".

Daniele Righi (LAM) has just left the start house in Saint-Gregoire. He is the 10th rider to begin the time trial.

The first true time trial specialist to start the seventh stage will be Bradley Wiggins. The gold medallist from the 4,000m pursuit on the velodrome at the Athens Olympics is contesting the Tour de France for the first time. He finished 16th in the prologue and isn’t known as a rider suited to long time trials, but it’s likely that he will establish an early benchmark. The Brit’s start time is 11.16am.

One of the riders who was in a long escape in stage six is the latest rider to start stage seven. Magnus Backstedt (LIQ) is third-last in general classification, 32’20" behind Tom Boonen (QSI).

There are three intermediate time checks during today’s time trial. They are in Geveze at the 16.5km mark, L’Hermitage at 36.5km and on the outskirts of Rennes at 46.3km.

The first rider has begun the time trial for stage seven. The weather is a stark contrast to the first five days of the 2006 Tour de France. It has been raining in Brittany overnight. For the moment, it’s still dry but we can expect some showers.
The temperature is about 22 degrees Celsius.

Sebastian Joly (FDJ) is about to get the action underway in stage seven. He is the first rider to start the 52km test from Satint-Gregoire to Rennes.

The 52.0km seventh stage of the 2006 Tour de France is scheduled to begin at 10.48am. Today’s time trial will be contested on roads in the Ille-et-Vilaine department, between Saint-Gregoire and Rennes. There are 171 riders still in the race and they will start the individual test in reverse order of the general classification.
The first rider to start will be Sebastian Joly (FDJ). After six stages (and a prologue), the Frenchman is 36’26" behind the overall leader, Tom Boonen.
There are two-minute intervals between each starter. Boonen’s schedule start time is 4.28pm.