Snuggie and The Final GC -SPOILERS

July 25, 2009

What an amazing stage. I probably only needed to watch the time Trials and Stage 20 to get the real feel for how this year’s Tour would turn out.

According to Phil Liggett, “We’ve had a great Tour de France.” But he said that about five minutes ago after commentating at the end of Stage 20.

Well, the Tour de France has 21 stages and doesn’t officially go into the books until after tomorrow. But he was right. The Tour is essentially over. Contador, Schleck and Armstrong are expected to be 1, 2, and 3 on the Podium in Paris.

Why is that? Well, the unwritten rules of the Tour de France dictate that nobody attack the Yellow Jersey or the top riders on the final stage of the race.

So as we go into Paris tomorrow, the GC shapes up as follows – current as of 10:53AM EST in the United States… (and the reason I put Snuggie in the title is because VERSUS is running Snuggie ads – in JULY!)

1. CONTADOR Alberto 21 ASTANA 81h 46′ 17″
2. SCHLECK Andy 31 TEAM SAXO BANK 81h 50′ 28″ + 04′ 11″
3. ARMSTRONG Lance 22 ASTANA 81h 51′ 41″ + 05′ 24″
4. WIGGINS Bradley 58 GARMIN – SLIPSTREAM 81h 52′ 18″ + 06′ 01″
5. SCHLECK Frank 36 TEAM SAXO BANK 81h 52′ 21″ + 06′ 04″
6. KLÖDEN Andréas 23 ASTANA 81h 52′ 59″ + 06′ 42″
7. NIBALI Vincenzo 95 LIQUIGAS 81h 53′ 52″ + 07′ 35″
8. VANDE VELDE Christian 51 GARMIN – SLIPSTREAM 81h 58′ 21″ + 12′ 04″
9. KREUZIGER Roman 93 LIQUIGAS 82h 00′ 33″ + 14′ 16″
10. LE MEVEL Christophe 106 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 82h 00′ 42″ + 14′ 25″
11. ASTARLOZA Mikel 61 EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI 82h 01′ 01″ + 14′ 44″
12. CASAR Sandy 101 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 82h 03′ 36″ + 17′ 19″
13. KARPETS Vladimir 161 TEAM KATUSHA 82h 04′ 51″ + 18′ 34″
14. NOCENTINI Rinaldo 87 AG2R LA MONDIALE 82h 07′ 02″ + 20′ 45″
15. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 17 SILENCE – LOTTO 82h 07′ 07″ + 20′ 50″
16. GOUBERT Stephane 85 AG2R LA MONDIALE 82h 08′ 46″ + 22′ 29″
17. SASTRE Carlos 1 CERVELO TEST TEAM 82h 12′ 38″ + 26′ 21″
18. BOTCHAROV Alexandre 162 TEAM KATUSHA 82h 15′ 50″ + 29′ 33″
19. HINCAPIE George 74 TEAM COLUMBIA – HTC 82h 19′ 44″ + 33′ 27″
20. CHAVANEL Sylvain 151 QUICK STEP 82h 20′ 26″ + 34′ 09″
21. KNEES Christian 185 TEAM MILRAM 82h 21′ 05″ + 34′ 48″
22. ROLLAND Pierre 148 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 82h 24′ 01″ + 37′ 44″
23. ROCHE Nicolas 89 AG2R LA MONDIALE 82h 24′ 37″ + 38′ 20″
24. GERDEMANN Linus 181 TEAM MILRAM 82h 24′ 52″ + 38′ 35″
25. FEILLU Brice 174 AGRITUBEL 82h 27′ 31″ + 41′ 14″
26. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 118 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 82h 27′ 44″ + 41′ 27″
27. MONFORT Maxime 77 TEAM COLUMBIA – HTC 82h 29′ 37″ + 43′ 20″
28. ZUBELDIA Haimar 29 ASTANA 82h 29′ 51″ + 43′ 34″
29. MOREAU Christophe 171 AGRITUBEL 82h 30′ 50″ + 44′ 33″
30. EVANS Cadel 11 SILENCE – LOTTO 82h 31′ 41″ + 45′ 24″
31. SORENSEN Nicki 38 TEAM SAXO BANK 82h 32′ 51″ + 46′ 34″
32. VELITS Peter 187 TEAM MILRAM 82h 32′ 52″ + 46′ 35″
33. DUPONT Hubert 84 AG2R LA MONDIALE 82h 36′ 00″ + 49′ 43″
34. SORENSEN Chris 37 TEAM SAXO BANK 82h 36′ 04″ + 49′ 47″
35. PAULINHO Sergio 26 ASTANA 82h 40′ 17″ + 54′ 00″
36. MARTIN Tony 76 TEAM COLUMBIA – HTC 82h 41′ 21″ + 55′ 04″
37. PELLIZOTTI Franco 91 LIQUIGAS 82h 41′ 50″ + 55′ 33″
38. MINARD Sébastien 127 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 82h 43′ 54″ + 57′ 37″
39. PASAMONTES Luis 116 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 82h 44′ 04″ + 57′ 47″

Sometime after tomorrow I’ll give a wrap-up post. Thanks for reading.