After an incredibly exciting 53-kilometer time trial on Saturday from Cérilly to Saint-Amand-Montrond it became clear that Carlos Sastre will still be wearing the Yellow Jersey, when the Tour de France peloton takes on Paris and Champs-Élysées on Sunday.
Sastre was 12th in the stage and has a lead ahead of the final stage of one minute five seconds down to Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto).
"I really don't know what to say. This is what we've worked so hard to achieve for such a long time and now Carlos and the team have don it!" said Bjarne Riis just after the stage.
"We had Fabian Cancellara's intermediate times all the way through and we got times on Evans regularly as well so that Carlos had something to go by and luckily he had the strength to set a fast pace and keep it all the way and it's an absolutely incredible feeling for all of us right now," continued Riis whilst surrounded by cheering sports directors, mechanics, soigneurs and riders near the finish line.
"It's a fantastic feeling and I'm not sure I've taken it all in yet. I felt strong and my legs were good already during warm-up. And as it was hot and there was no wind I knew the conditions would suit me perfectly. The rest was up to me and I gave everything I had – and I couldn't expect more from myself so it was all or nothing basically," said Sastre after the stage.
Besides Carlos Sastre defending his Yellow Jersey Andy Schleck also managed to defend his White one and he now has 1.17 down to Tour de Suisse winner Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) in second place. Team CSC Saxo Bank increased the lead in the Team's Competition to 15 minutes 49 seconds on ag2r. The team has won the Team's Competition in Tour de France once before.
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