Even if you haven't watched a lick of this year's Tour de France, you should set your DVR to OLN to catch Saturday's stage, which promises to be the most exciting since 1989, when American Greg LeMond overcame a 50-second deficit during the penultimate stage, a 24.5 kilometer time trial, to best Frenchman Laurent Fignon. (Fignon's loss was partly due to his refusal to wear an aerodynamic helmet because it didn't seem very Gallic to him not to let his blonde locks flow stylishly in the breeze.)
This year, it's American Floyd Landis who is 30 seconds off the lead going into an individual time trial on the second to last day of the Tour. Two days ago, Landis was written off as a contender when he bonked (ran out of energy) on a climb and lost the yellow jersey, finishing eight minutes off the lead. He fell from first place to 11th. Then, on Thursday, Landis rode perhaps the bravest, most impressive race in Tour history, leaving the pack behind early in the race and regaining all but 30 seconds of the time he had lost the day before.
So, tomorrow, Floyd will ride the most important race of his life, a 57-kilometer time trial. Unlike most stages, where riders have teammates to support them, and are able to draft behind other riders, during the time trial, everyone rides alone. The French call it the "race of truth." Landis is one of the best time trialers there is, and is now a favorite to win the Tour. But it will still be a very exciting race. Do watch.
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