On a day that was supposed to be Cadel Evans crowning glory, a plucky Spanish climber once again spoiled the party. Twelve months on from Alberto Contador's 2007 win, Carlos Sastre produced a career-best time-trial display to hold off the charges of Evans, Bernhard Kohl, and Denis Menchov to hold his yellow jersey. Sastre will now ride into Paris tomorrow as the winner of the 2008 Tour de France. No one can doubt he is the most deserving in the race being the only rider, apart from Alejandrdo Valverde, in the top 10 who actually won a stage this year.
On a day when the time-trial specialists were expected to shine, it was Sastre who shined brightest. While the true specialists against the clock, world time trial champion Fabian Cancellara and stage winner Stefan Schumacher (who has apparently found this amazing time trial ability somewhere in the last three weeks), would have gained more than enough time to take the jersey of Sastre, for the leading GC men the challenge never eventuated. While Schumacher took the 53km test from Cérilly to Saint Amand Montrond by 21 seconds from Cancellara (Kim Kirchen filled the podium finishing third), the likes of Menchov and Evans never looked like making up enough ground. In the end Evans only managed to pull back 29 seconds on Sastre, leaving the Spaniard with a minute to spare over the Australian on the general classification. An impressive ride from Kohl saw him hold his podium position for Paris ahead of Menchov and Christian Vande Velde. Frank Schleck had a horrible day against the clock, finishing over five and half minutes behind Schumacher. His podium dreams evaporated and he slipped from 2nd to 6th overall.
As bad as Frank Schleck's performance was, the most disappointing man on the day was Evans. We had been told time and time again that he was a so called specialist against the clock, and that his rivals needed time over him in the mountains, but when the pressure was on once again he was no where to be seen. I don't know where this myth of Evans time trialling ability has come from, but the fact is he has never looked like taking a time trial stage at the Tour. He barely outperformed Kohl last night. He was never going to get near Sastre. Evans leaves the 2008 tour without the final yellow jersey or a stage win. In fact he can thank Vande Velde for dragging him up Hautacamp to the maillot jaune - the only positive thing he has got out of the whole tour. The sad fact is that Evans is a pretender and never will, nor deserves to, win the Tour. On all the main rendezvous (Hautacamp, L'Alpe d'Huez, the final time trial) he was below expectations, but below expectations defines his career in all honesty. This year's Tour was handed to him on a plate and he dropped it. Next year Andy Schleck will be a year older and more mature and most likely Contador will be back so Evans will be lucky to hang onto a podium position. We can now add the 2008 Tour de France to Evans previous failures when the pressure has been on him - the 2000 Sydney Olympics (MTB), and last years Tour.
So, with only the neutralised final stage into Paris to come the competitions are decided. Carlos Sastre will win the 2008 Tour de France. The points competition will go to his countrymen Oscar Freire, who will be the first Spaniard to win the green jersey. Bernhard Kohl will be the King of the Mountains (possibly an investigation needs to be made of Gerolsteiner's drinking water with both Kohl and Schumamcher performing far above any ones expectations this year), while Andy Schleck will hold onto the white jersey for Best Young Rider despite a penultimate day assault from Roman Kreuziger.
However, all honours go to Carlos Sastre, who showed on the climb up to L'Alpe d'Huez that he has all the qualities a Tour winner should have.
Yellow Jersey - Carlos Sastre
Green Jersey - Oscar Freire
Polka Dot Jersey - Bernhard Kohl
White Jersey Andy Schleck
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