The Tour of France

[Neil Young]

Amazingly Andy Schleck is in the best position now. He lost only 30-odd seconds to Contador last year in the final time trial.

Frank lost about four minutes but he wasn't going for yellow so may have been a little less motivated.

I still can't get over how well Evans rode today. He's been brilliant since winning the world championship in 2009. He could definitely still do it.

[RichC]

Amazingly Andy Schleck is in the best position now. He lost only 30-odd seconds to Contador last year in the final time trial.

Frank lost about four minutes but he wasn't going for yellow so may have been a little less motivated.

I still can't get over how well Evans rode today. He's been brilliant since winning the world championship in 2009.

I have to admit I don't watch much cycling until the tour comes back around and then I remember what a brilliant spectacle is it - amazing stamina and strength to be able to do it coupled with the tactics employed by the teams to get their main man in positions to win it.

Simply brilliant!

[Fredo]

Andy Schleck reckons Contador might be strong enough to win the Giro/Tour double but his teammates won't be, whereas his teammates didn't ride the Giro. An interesting distinction.

Maybe mind games?

Oh gawd, please don't bring that nonsense into this sport.

Of course people say all sorts of crap (as you know better than anyone) but maybe he really believes it, who's to say?

It is certainly true that the Leopard Tour team didn't ride the Giro, even before their sad and premature exit, whereas most, if not all (I haven't checked), of the Saxo Bank Tour team did.

[ningnangnong]

Interesting that Mark Cavendish was penalised 20 points in the green jersey competition for finishing outside the time limit yesterday.

[Red_Polo]

You people are actually making cycling vaguely interesting to me.

[Neil Young]

Interesting that Mark Cavendish was penalised 20 points in the green jersey competition for finishing outside the time limit yesterday.

If the same happens again today Rojas will be in green going into Paris. Then, assuming there's no big gap in the intermediate stage on Sunday, Cavendish would need to win the stage to guarantee green.

You people are actually making cycling vaguely interesting to me.

[livvy145]

Great start to today's stage, all the big guns have broken away from the peloton two minutes behind the leaders. Contador putting the pressure on, great stuff.

[Neil Young]

Bloody hell, what a start!

[ningnangnong]

This is why I love Le Tour.

[livvy145]

I'm surprised Frank couldn't stay with them with having the easier day yesterday. I wonder if he's saving himself for the later mountains today.

[MrsB]

Amazing stuff!

[livvy145]

All going wrong for Evans, had to change his bike.

[Trippendicular]

Evans is a machine

[ningnangnong]

Contador looks so comfortable.

[Neil Young]

Another amazing stage. What a Tour this is.

Still three jerseys to be decided - if they've both recovered it'll be close between Evans (another fantastic ride from him) and Andy Schleck.

I can't see Voeckler getting 1'17" to leap into third, but Frank Schleck can be so poor in a time trial anything is possible. Maybe he'll actually be really good for change!

And Cavendish now should be the first Briton to win the Points jersey.