The final yellow jersey of the 2018 Tour de France will be decided during a challenging individual time trial on Stage 20, with Geraint Thomas looking the favourite to hold onto his lead. Join The Roar for live coverage from 10:45pm (AEST).
Thomas brings a two minutes and five second advantage coming into this time trial. That seems like a lot, until you remember who the man is behind him.
Tom Dumoulin has had an excellent Tour de France, riding brilliantly through the mountains to give himself a chance. A chance which is elevated by the fact he is the best time trialist in the world and current world champion in the discipline.
If he can live up to that name today and has anything in the tank, then he could well overthrow Thomas. Weird things happen in Stage 20 time trials. Aussie fans know that harrowingly well after Cadel Evans suffered a shock loss to Carlos Sastre in 2009.
Of course, by that token, Primoz Roglic and Chris Froome, who are also both excellent time trialists are worthy of a mention. Sitting third and fourth respectively on the general classification, they would need huge, but not impossible efforts.
The stage itself opens up to those weird situations. It’s very hilly for a time trial with barely a metre of flat over the 31 kilometres on course.
The highest point comes at the summit of the Col de Pinodieta, which ordinarly would be a Category 4 climb, made tougher by being at the end of the effort.
It does mean there is a descent to the line, but a potential to lose chunks of time on the climb after the rolling route exists.
The time trial is technical and difficult all the way though, with one mistake having the potential to end a charge at the stage of general classification.
Prediction
In terms of winning the time trial itself as a stage, it’s very hard to go past Tom Dumoulin, who is without a doubt the best time trialist in the world.
The chance of him gaining enough time to take the yellow jersey though seems remarkably slim. Weirder things have happened in a Stage 20 time trial, but Thomas should win his first grand tour tomorrow in Paris.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the penultimate stage of the Tour de France from 10:45pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Scott Pryde
Expert
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION 1. Geraint Thomas (Sky) @ 80:30:37 2. Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) + 1:51 3. Chris Froome (Sky) + 2:24 4. Primoz Roglic (Lotto NL-Jumbo) + 3:22 5. Steve Kruiswijk (Lotto NL-Jumbo) + 6:08 6. Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) + 6:57 7. Mikel Landa (Mivstar) + 7:37 8. Daniel Martin (UAE Team Emirates) + 9:05 9. Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) + 12:37 10. Nairo Quintana (Movistar) + 14:18
Scott Pryde
Expert
TOP FIVE 1. Tom Dumoulin (Sunbweb) @ 40:52 2. Chris Froome (Sky) + 0:01 3. Geraint Thomas (Sky) + 0:14 4. Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) + 0:50 5. Soren Kragh Andersen (Sunweb) + 0:51
Scott Pryde
Expert
Well, that's a great ride from Bob Jungels. He has come over the line now just two seconds behind.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Geraint Thomas is on a mission! He leads by 14 seconds at the end of the first time check.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Dumoulin just two seconds behind at the first check point.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Ooh! A scary, scary moment for Thomas. He went to go round a corner and almost ended up on the deck!
Scott Pryde
Expert
Not so good for Roglic. He is 30 seconds slower than Froome at the first check point and he will find that hard to recover.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Chris Froome is on a good one! He leads the race by seven seconds at the first time check. Now we wait for Roglic, Dumoulin and Thomas.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Well, if Bon Jungels was going well, then Zakarin is on fire up to the second time check. He leads by ten seconds.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Good ride from Bob Jungels here. He has the fastest time by two seconds as the second check point!
Scott Pryde
Expert
Rain! It's raining where Geraint Thomas is right now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Not a bad ride from Damiano Caruso. He has provisionally stopped the clock in seventh position at the finish line.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Ilnur Zakarin is on fire! Eight seconds up at the first time check.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thomas is away. Every rider has now started the individual time trial.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Bob Jungels through the first time check just five seconds behind, which puts him up to fourth spot.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Well, then there was one. Geraint Thomas is in the start house with the yellow jersey knowing more or less what he needs to do to hang on.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Here is the world champion. Tom Dumoulin about to roll down the ramp. He has just 19 seconds to Roglic, but will still have hopes of making up over 2 minutes to yellow jersey wearer Geraint Thomas.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Primoz Roglic is away. He is one of the best time trialists in the world and will be trying to fend off Froome and finish third.
Scott Pryde
Expert
PROVISIONAL TOP FIVE 1. Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) @ 41:42 2. Soren Kragh Andersen (Sunweb) + 0:02 3. Marcus Soler (Movistar) @ 0:33 3. Michael Hepburn (Michelton-Scott) + 0:33 4. Stefan Kung (BMC) + 0:37 5. Adam Yates (Michelton-Scott) + 0:39
Scott Pryde
Expert
Here comes Chris Froome. Can he force his way back onto the podium?