95th Tour de France - Stage 4 Live Part 2
Favorites are starting the course as Denis Menchov set the new time to beat....

Stage 4 Cholet - Cholet  ITT 29 km
1527 CEST - 2007 Belgium Champion Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) is off the ramp. About 30 riders left  to start. José Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse) is at the 19,5 km 22 seconds down on Voigt. A 3rd time. One of the Tour favorites Carlos Sastre (CSC) is off the ramp

Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) is at the 19.5 km. He sets a time of 25:25 a 3rd time. 20 seconds down on Voigt, and excellent performance by the shark. Riccardo Ricco (SDV) comes in at the finish with a time of 39:20 and is 3.02 down on Menchov.

Yaroslav Popovych is at the 19,5 km check, 58th 2.03 down on Voigt. Sebastian Lang (GST) is also at the 19,5 km 39 seconds down on Voigt - 5th best time have to see what Lang can do on the rest of the course he's capable of a good time.

Fabian Cancellara in flight. Photo © 2008 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Here we go folks... Fabian Cancellara is 2 seconds down on Voigt at the 11 km; is Cancellara saving his strength to give more gas at the end or is he not that strong at the moment? I expect he will ride a faster second half. Either way we may see the fastman in the yellow jersey if Feillu falters today.

José Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse) comes in with a time of 36:34 and is 3rd at the moment 15 seconds down on Menchov. Simon Gerrans finished as well.

Thomas Lövkvist (Columbia) is at the 19,5 km check. he is 4th 22 seconds down on Voigt. Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) is at the finish 36:31 and in for 3rd at the moment. 14 seconds down on Voigt.

Cancy can take yellow if he wins the stage and takes 6 seconds on Valverde and the others and if Feillu is 1.52 slower, same for Longo. Stefan schumacher (GST) is off the ramp too. Cooke, Monfort, Bruseghin, Beltran, Valjavec and Vandevelde are on there way as well'

Devolder is running well: 6th at the 11 km check 12 sec down on Voigt. Sebastian Lang (GST) comes in with a time of 37:13 and is 7th for the time being. Damiano Cunego is at the 19,5 km check 10th at 47 seconds of Voigt.

Cancellara is approaching the 19,5 km check... Fabian is 3rd at 6 seconds off Voigt's pace. In the final 10 km Cancy is able to bridge up these 6 seconds as Menchov did. Vladimir Efimkin is in 1.40 down on Menchov as he finishes.

Carlos Sastre is 12th at the 11 km check 29 seconds behind team mate Voigt. Andy Schleck (CSC) is off the ramp. 2 minutes before him the revelation of the 2008 season has started. Thomas Lövkvist (Columbia) comes in at the finish in 4th best time. Stijn Devolder (QSI) is at the 19,5 km check with a 8th time

George Hincapie (Columbia) is off the ramp. The next one to start is Samuel Sanchez. Marzio Bruseghin is 24 seconds down at the 11 km check. Not a really good time for the TT winner of the Giro.

Carlos Sastre is at the 19,5 km check. He sets a 13th best time 48 seconds down on Voigt. 17 riders left to start. Vandevelde is 3rd at the 11 km check 4 sec down on Voigt; an excellent ride for Christian who wore the maglia rosa in the Giro this year. Both orange warriors Samuel Sanchez and Mikel Astarloza are off the ramp too.

Cunego limited his losses. Photo © 2008 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Damiano Cunego (Lampre) comes in with a time of 37:10 and is 52 sec down on Menchov.

Fabian Cancellara (CSC) comes in with a time of 36:17 and is 1 second faster than Menchov. Bad luck for the Russian. Stefan Schumacher is burning up the course he's 15 seconds faster than Voigt and 17 sec than Cancellara at the 11 km check, wow the German is really strong!

Erik Zabel (Milram) launches off the ramp. Thor Hushvod is out of the gate... 13 riders left. Stijn Devolder is coming in with a time of 37:02 and is 9th at the moment. Zubeldia follows Devolder in 2 minutes behind Devolder who passed the orange warrior on the course. Andy Schleck arrives at the11 km check...

Vandevelde is at the 19,5 km check. He's rocking the clock, 3rd best time 6 seconds behind Voigt. Carlos Sastre comes in at 15th 1.09 down on Cancellara.

Schumacher at work  Photo © 2008 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Stefan Schumacher is at the 19,5 km check. He sets the new best time 23 sec faster than Voigt!! The beast is Schumi and not Cancellara so far. Can Stefan hold this pace for victory?

Hincapie is second at the 11 km check. 14 sec down on Schumacher... very fast George! Fränk Schleck (CSC) rolls down the ramp to start his effort. The top 10 are about to start. Andy Schleck was 45 sec down on Schumacher at the 11 km point. Maxime Monfort comes in with a time of 37:08 and is 10th at 50 seconds of Cancy a good ride for the young rider.

Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) is off the ramp now. Marzio Bruseghin (Lampre) comes in with a disappointing time of 37:27 and is 15th I believe. Cadel Evans (Silence) launches his bid for the top spot. Evans is the top favorite to win the Tour. We will see what he does in this ITT can he best the time of Cancellara?

Samuel Sanchez lost 40 seconds on Schumi at the 11 km check. that's about 25 seconds behind Voigt, and 20 sec behind Menchov. Now another TT favorite is off the ramp, British champion David Millar.

The final riders left to start are:
172. PINEAU Jérôme 16:44:00
173. FREIRE Oscar 16:46:00
174. KIRCHEN Kim 16:48:00
175. VALVERDE Alejandro 16:50:00
176. FRISCHKORN William 16:52:00
177. LONGO BORGHINI Paolo 16:54:00
178. FEILLU Romain 16:56:00

Romain Feillu, race leader in the start house. Photo © 2008 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Andy Schleck is 1.09 down on Schumi at the 19,5 km check. Christian Vandevelde finishes strong with a time of 36:21 for current 4th place - 4 sec behind Cancellara. Hincapie is 6th at the 19,5 km check over 30 seconds behind Schumi.

Stefan Schumacher (GST) comes in with a time of 35:44 and is 33 seconds faster than Cancellara. Wow Schumacher for the double? Stage win and Yellow Jersey?

1650 CEST - Kim Kirchen (Columbia) is off the ramp. Pineau and Freire are on there way as well. Still to start: Alejandro Valverde, William Frischkorn, Longo Borghini, and race leader Romaine Feillu.

Alejandro Valverde is now off the ramp as the final G.C. favorite; we will be waiting for the times at the 11 km check to see what the first verdict is. Can the escapees of yesterday keep their positions on the G.C.?

Samuel Sanchez is 1.08 down on Schumacher at the 19,5 km point. not good but not bad either. Will Frischkorn charges down the ramp for the most important time trial of his career. Oscar Pereiro is 44 seconds down on Schumacher at the 11 km check.

Barloworld's Borghini near the finish. Photo © 2008 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Paolo Longo Borghini (Barloworld) is off the ramp. Only the yellow jersey Romain Feillu to start in two minutes.

Cadel Evans is 22 seconds down on Schumacher at the 11 km check. Slower than Menchov, Voigt and Cancellara for example. Andy Schleck (CSC) comes in with a time of 37:13 and is 16th 1:29 down on Schumacher.

Romain Feillu is off the ramp. The yellow jersey is on his way, all the riders have started...  Can Feillu keep his jersey? Hincapie finishes in 6th , 41 seconds down on Schumacher, a solid ride. Fränk Schleck is 1.00 down on Schumacher at the 11 km check.

David Millar is 2nd at the 11 km check 13 seconds down on Schumacher; not bad, it's going to be an exciting finish to this first time-trial. Samuel Sanchez comes in at 17th 1.30 down on Schumacher. Fränk Schleck is at the 19,5 km check. He is 37th 1.40 down on Schumacher. Bye Bye Fränk. Kim Kirchen is 2nd at the 11 km check. 11 seconds down on Schumacher. Kirchen is doing really well.

Stefan Schumacher waits to see if he has won the stage and the jersey.
Photo © 2008 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Valverde next to come at the 11 km check. Cadel Evans is at the 19,5 km check and is 3rd at 23 seconds off Schumacher; he lost 1 seconds in the second part of the race to Schumi. Valverde loses 46 seconds to Schumacher at the 11 km check. 24 seconds slower than Evans. David Millar is out of the saddle at the 19,5 km check, he is 2nd at 14 seconds to Schumacher. Schumacher flew over the course which you can tell by these split times as the time trial specialists come in.

1710 CEST - Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) comes in at 106th. Oscar Pereiro (Caisse) comes in with a time of 37:12. Frischkorn lost 1.42 on Schumacher at km 11 time check. Feillu loses 1:48 on Schumacher at km 11. Schumacher is already the new yellow jersey.

Kim Kirchen is at the 19,5 km check. He is 2nd at 10 seconds off Schumacher's pace. He makes up some time on Schumi in the second part. Fränk Schleck (CSC) comes in with at time of 37:58 and is 2.14 down on Schumacher. Alejandro Valverde (Caisse) is at the 19,5 km ceck. 1.04 down on Schumacher. really disappointing for Valverde- 40 seconds down on Evans.

Evans 1 km to go, he sprints to the line... Evans is in as second 28 seconds down on Schumacher. Evans does a good ride for his G.C. hopes.

David Millar comes in with a time of 36:02 and is second at 18 seconds from current leader Schumacher. Fiellu seems to struggle. Valverde on the other hand is having a good day and moving well. Longo and Frischkorn are around 3.00 down on Schumi at the 19,5 km check. So Schumi is really going to take the stage and the yellow jersey if Kirchen is not going to make up the 10 seconds gap he has now.

Tour of Austria update - The mountains stage in the Tour of Austria is won by Chris Anker Sörensen (CSC). He is also the new leader of the race.

Kim Kirchen is at the finish. He sets a time of 36:02 and is second at 18 seconds. Just before Millar who is third.

Alejandro Valverde nears the finish going hard... final km... Alejandro Valverde comes in with a time of 37:16 and is 1:34 down on Schumacher and over the 1:00 down on Evans. A solid ride, limiting his loss to his major rivals for the victory.

With the three break riders of yesterday to come over 2:30-3:00 down at 19,5 km it's sure we can declare that Stefan Schumacher wins the stage. The fourth stage in the Tour is won by;

STEFAN SCHUMACHER (GEROLSTEINER) & the  YELLOW jersey!!

William Frischkorn comes in but his time is hardly worth mentioning: 39:45 and is 141st. Feillu just saw the flag of the final 3km. But the top 20 of the stage will not change. Paolo Longo Borghini comes in now with a time of 40:16 and is 4:32 down on Schumacher.

Stage 4 Results
1. Schumacher Stefan 111 Gerolsteiner 00:35:44
2. Kirchen Kim 41 Team Columbia 00:36:02 00:00:18
3. Millar David 198 Garmin Chipotle   00:00:18
4. Evans Cadel 1 Silence - Lotto 00:36:12 00:00:27
5. Cancellara Fabian 13 Team Csc Saxo Bank  00:00:33
6. Menchov Denis 131 Rabobank 00:36:18 00:00:34
7. Voigt Jens 19 Team Csc Saxo Bank 00:36:19 00:00:35
8. Vandevelde Christian 191 Garmin Chipotle 00:36:21 00:00:37
9. Hincapie George 47 Team Columbia 00:36:26 00:00:41
10. Nibali Vincenzo 67 Liquigas 00:36:32 00:00:47
11. Lövkvist Thomas 48 Team Columbia 00:36:32 00:00:47
12. Gutierrez José Ivan 35 Caisse D’epargne 00:36:34 00:00:50
13. Chavanel Sylvain 181 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone  00:01:08
14. Pate Danny 199 Garmin Chipotle  00:01:10
15. Devolder Stijn 91 Quick Step  00:01:18
16. Monfort Maxime 189 Cofidis Credit Par Tele  00:01:24
17. Cunego Damiano 71 Lampre 00:37:10 00:01:26
18. Pereiro Sio Oscar 37 Caisse D’epargne 00:37:13 00:01:28
19. Lang Sebastian 117 Gerolsteiner 00:37:13 00:01:29
20. Schleck Andy 16 Team Csc Saxo Bank 00:37:13 00:01:29

The yellow jersey Romain Feillu is now in with a time of 40:43 and is at about160th place at 5:00 down on Schumacher.

Other G.C. Contender's Finish positions
21. Sanchez Samuel 27 Euskaltel - Euskadi 00:37:16 00:01:31
23. Valverde Alejandro 31 Caisse D’epargne 00:37:18 00:01:34
27. Astarloza Mikel 22 Euskaltel - Euskadi 00:37:27 00:01:42
28. Sastre Carlos 11 Team Csc Saxo Bank 00:37:27 00:01:43
46. Schleck Frank 17 Team Csc Saxo Bank 00:37:58 00:02:14
100. Zubeldia Haimar 21 Euskaltel - Euskadi 00:39:06 00:03:22

So the new General Classification is:
1. Stefan Schumacher
2. Kim Kirchen 0.12
3. David Millar 0.12
4. Cadel Evans 0.21
5. Fabian Cancellara 0.33
6. Christian Vadevelde 0.37
7. George Hincapie 0.41
8. Thomas Lövkvist 0.47
9. Vincenzo Nibali 0.58
10 José Ivan Gutierrez 1.01

Stefan Schumacher in yellow of race leader, Kim Kirchen retains his lead in the points classification and will wear the green jersey tomorrow, no change in the climbers contest with Thomas Voekler in the polka dot jersey. The white jersey is taken by Thomas Lövkvist; which was expected due to his time trial ablility.

The next big appointment for the GC contenders is Thursday to Super-Besse with the mountain top finish in the Central Massif region.

This concludes our live coverage for today thanks for joining us. Join us tomorrow for the very flat stage 5 from Cholet to Chateauroux,  a 230 kilometer made for the fast legs of the sprinters... that is if they don't lose focus and let a break escape and fail to catch them as they did yesterday. Stage 5 Profile. However, with the climbing stage coming up, a well organized break with riders posing no danger to the G.C. riders does have a chance as the favorites will be looking for an easy day before the first climbing test of the tour.

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