So following a rest day there was arguably the most boring type of stage to follow as the riders headed out for an individual time trial. Some people love the simple man against the machine format of a time trial but I find the lack of exciting racing and argy bargy make it significantly dull. Still it was a day where Nibali wanted to make time back on Horner and everyone wanted to make an impact on the race.
Early leaders were the obvious, including Cancellara for a good long time before it hotted up into the race leaders. Valverde's drama came in the shape of a wheel change for a puncture and a day-old bee sting, and we waited to see what the challengers could do.
At the first time check it was a race between Roche and Nibali, both down on the leader's time but fighting it out for the lead in what people seem convinced is an important stage. Luckily I was watching the race taped so I could fast forward through the boring bits.
Roche was putting together the time trial of his life and chased down by Nibali and Valverde, while Horner lost some time in a discipline that doesn't really suit him. Rodriguez didn't put a good ride in and remained back by a significant time as Valverde took nearly the full two minute gap back intohim. Roche came in beating Valverde, leaving Nibali on the road. Nibali put a ride in that took him into red, beating all his rivals and reshuffling the lead pack as Horner was left to ride in alone to lose the red jersey, but without losing as much as the big loser, Rodriguez who lost time to literally everyone that mattered. Roche rode into second place, 33 seconds behind Nibali.
In other news the Mail tried to make more people interested in the building in the city that is melting cars, by pointing out that it's been damaging bikes as well. I guess that worked then.
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