SPOILER - Standings after Stage 4, TDF08

Here is how the riders are placed after today's Individual Time Trial.

A nice little shake-up. My riders didn't win, but they're all placed in the top 10.

See you tomorrow for the first of a more difficult and long stage. It's 232KM and goes from Cholet to Châteauroux. The stage is flat and I expect that it will be won by Thor Hushovd or Robbie Mc Ewen. UNLESS there's a major breakaway. See you tomorrow.

1. SCHUMACHER Stefan 111 GEROLSTEINER 14h 04' 41"
2. KIRCHEN Kim 41 TEAM COLUMBIA 14h 04' 53" + 00' 12"
3. MILLAR David 198 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 14h 04' 53" + 00' 12"
4. EVANS Cadel 1 SILENCE - LOTTO 14h 05' 02" + 00' 21"
5. CANCELLARA Fabian 13 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 14h 05' 14" + 00' 33"
6. VANDEVELDE Christian 191 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 14h 05' 18" + 00' 37"
7. HINCAPIE George 47 TEAM COLUMBIA 14h 05' 22" + 00' 41"
8. LÖVKVIST Thomas 48 TEAM COLUMBIA 14h 05' 28" + 00' 47"
9. NIBALI Vincenzo 67 LIQUIGAS 14h 05' 39" + 00' 58"
10. GUTIERREZ José Ivan 35 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 14h 05' 42" + 01' 01"
11. MENCHOV Denis 131 RABOBANK 14h 05' 53" + 01' 12"
12. VOIGT Jens 19 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 14h 05' 54" + 01' 13"
13. DEVOLDER Stijn 91 QUICK STEP 14h 05' 59" + 01' 18"
14. PEREIRO SIO Oscar 37 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 14h 06' 03" + 01' 22"
15. MONFORT Maxime 189 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 14h 06' 05" + 01' 24"
16. CUNEGO Damiano 71 LAMPRE 14h 06' 07" + 01' 26"
17. VALVERDE Alejandro 31 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 14h 06' 08" + 01' 27"
18. SCHLECK Andy 16 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 14h 06' 10" + 01' 29"
19. SANCHEZ Samuel 27 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 14h 06' 12" + 01' 31"
20. LANG Sebastian 117 GEROLSTEINER 14h 06' 21" + 01' 40"
21. BRUSEGHIN Marzio 74 LAMPRE 14h 06' 22" + 01' 41"
22. ASTARLOZA Mikel 22 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 14h 06' 23" + 01' 42"
23. SASTRE Carlos 11 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 14h 06' 24" + 01' 43"
24. KOHL Bernhard 115 GEROLSTEINER 14h 06' 28" + 01' 47"
25. POZZATO Filippo 61 LIQUIGAS 14h 06' 29" + 01' 48"
26. BARREDO Carlos 92 QUICK STEP 14h 06' 29" + 01' 48"
27. KNEES Christian 153 TEAM MILRAM 14h 06' 34" + 01' 53"
28. SCHLECK Frank 17 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 14h 06' 49" + 02' 08"
29. CHAVANEL Sylvain 181 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 14h 06' 51" + 02' 10"
30. VALJAVEC Tadej 109 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 14h 06' 53" + 02' 12"
31. EFIMKIN Vladimir 104 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 14h 07' 06" + 02' 25"
32. FREIRE Oscar 133 RABOBANK 14h 07' 08" + 02' 27"
33. KREUZIGER Roman 65 LIQUIGAS 14h 07' 10" + 02' 29"
34. CARRARA Matteo 93 QUICK STEP 14h 07' 11" + 02' 30"
35. PINEAU Jérôme 145 BOUYGUES TELECOM 14h 07' 13" + 02' 32"
36. HUNTER Robert 58 BARLOWORLD 14h 07' 28" + 02' 47"
37. BELTRAN Manuel 62 LIQUIGAS 14h 07' 38" + 02' 57"
38. GERRANS Simon 86 CREDIT AGRICOLE 14h 07' 42" + 03' 01"
39. ELMIGER Martin 105 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 14h 07' 46" + 03' 05"
40. TROFIMOV Yury 147 BOUYGUES TELECOM 14h 07' 48" + 03' 07"
41. FEILLU Romain 124 AGRITUBEL 14h 07' 48" + 03' 07"
42. DUQUE Leonardo 186 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 14h 07' 50" + 03' 09"
43. LONGO BORGHINI Paolo 59 BARLOWORLD 14h 07' 56" + 03' 15"
44. ZABEL Erik 151 TEAM MILRAM 14h 08' 00" + 03' 19"
45. ZUBELDIA Haimar 21 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 14h 08' 03" + 03' 22"
46. DESSEL Cyril 101 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 14h 08' 11" + 03' 30"
47. VELO Marco 159 TEAM MILRAM 14h 08' 12" + 03' 31"
48. POPOVYCH Yaroslav 7 SILENCE - LOTTO 14h 08' 15" + 03' 34"
49. MARTINEZ Egoi 24 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 14h 08' 16" + 03' 35"
50. BALLAN Alessandro 72 LAMPRE 14h 08' 17" + 03' 36"
51. HUSHOVD Thor 81 CREDIT AGRICOLE 14h 08' 17" + 03' 36"
52. BONNET William 82 CREDIT AGRICOLE 14h 08' 19" + 03' 38"
53. FISCHER Murilo Antoniobil 64 LIQUIGAS 14h 08' 19" + 03' 38"
54. GILBERT Philippe 165 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 14h 08' 25" + 03' 44"
55. VERDUGO Gorka 29 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 14h 08' 27" + 03' 46"
56. VAUGRENARD Benoît 169 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 14h 08' 29" + 03' 48"
57. FRISCHKORN William 194 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 14h 08' 32" + 03' 51"
58. FOTHEN Markus 113 GEROLSTEINER 14h 08' 36" + 03' 55"
59. RICCO Riccardo 171 SAUNIER DUVAL - SCOTT 14h 08' 49" + 04' 08"
60. FÖRSTER Robert 112 GEROLSTEINER 14h 08' 49" + 04' 08"
61. TEN DAM Laurens 138 RABOBANK 14h 08' 56" + 04' 15"
62. QUINZIATO Manuel 68 LIQUIGAS 14h 08' 56" + 04' 15"
63. STEEGMANS Gert 97 QUICK STEP 14h 08' 57" + 04' 16"
64. COBO ACEBO Juan Jose 173 SAUNIER DUVAL - SCOTT 14h 08' 58" + 04' 17"
65. MÜLLER Martin 155 TEAM MILRAM 14h 09' 00" + 04' 19"
66. DEAN Julian 193 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 14h 09' 00" + 04' 19"
67. ROSSELER Sébastien 96 QUICK STEP 14h 09' 15" + 04' 34"
68. DE JONGH Steven 94 QUICK STEP 14h 09' 17" + 04' 36"
69. AUGUSTYN John-Lee 52 BARLOWORLD 14h 09' 19" + 04' 38"
70. TERPSTRA Niki 157 TEAM MILRAM 14h 09' 21" + 04' 40"
71. VOECKLER Thomas 149 BOUYGUES TELECOM 14h 09' 27" + 04' 46"
72. TANKINK Bram 137 RABOBANK 14h 09' 29" + 04' 48"
73. TOSATTO Matteo 98 QUICK STEP 14h 09' 29" + 04' 48"
74. MAASKANT Martijn 197 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 14h 09' 29" + 04' 48"
75. O’GRADY Stuart 15 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 14h 09' 32" + 04' 51"
76. POSTHUMA Joost 136 RABOBANK 14h 09' 37" + 04' 56"
77. HAUSSLER Heinrich 114 GEROLSTEINER 14h 09' 43" + 05' 02"
78. BOTCHAROV Alexandre 83 CREDIT AGRICOLE 14h 09' 48" + 05' 07"
79. PEREZ Ruben 26 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 14h 09' 54" + 05' 13"
80. HOSTE Leif 5 SILENCE - LOTTO 14h 09' 58" + 05' 17"
81. MOREAU Christophe 121 AGRITUBEL 14h 10' 00" + 05' 19"
82. ARRIETA Jose Luis 102 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 14h 10' 02" + 05' 21"
83. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 39 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 14h 10' 03" + 05' 22"
84. PATE Danny 199 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 14h 10' 04" + 05' 23"
85. JALABERT Nicolas 126 AGRITUBEL 14h 10' 04" + 05' 23"
86. HESJEDAL Ryder 195 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 14h 10' 07" + 05' 26"
87. MOERENHOUT Koos 135 RABOBANK 14h 10' 07" + 05' 26"
88. OROZ Juan José 25 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 14h 10' 10" + 05' 29"
89. CIOLEK Gerald 44 TEAM COLUMBIA 14h 10' 13" + 05' 32"
90. ISASI Inaki 23 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 14h 10' 19" + 05' 38"
91. MC EWEN Robbie 6 SILENCE - LOTTO 14h 10' 21" + 05' 40"
92. LEQUATRE Geoffroy 128 AGRITUBEL 14h 10' 22" + 05' 41"
93. COOKE Baden 55 BARLOWORLD 14h 10' 23" + 05' 42"
94. JEGOU Lilian 166 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 14h 10' 26" + 05' 45"
95. FLECHA Juan Antonio 132 RABOBANK 14h 10' 31" + 05' 50"
96. JUFRE POU Josep 177 SAUNIER DUVAL - SCOTT 14h 10' 36" + 05' 55"
97. WEGMANN Fabian 119 GEROLSTEINER 14h 10' 39" + 05' 58"
98. CAVENDISH Mark 43 TEAM COLUMBIA 14h 10' 39" + 05' 58"
99. HANSEN Adam 46 TEAM COLUMBIA 14h 10' 40" + 05' 59"
100. RENSHAW Mark 89 CREDIT AGRICOLE 14h 10' 41" + 06' 00"
101. FOFONOV Dmitriy 85 CREDIT AGRICOLE 14h 10' 43" + 06' 02"
102. AERTS Mario 2 SILENCE - LOTTO 14h 10' 44" + 06' 03"
103. BRANDT Christophe 3 SILENCE - LOTTO 14h 10' 45" + 06' 04"
104. PASSERON Aurélien 178 SAUNIER DUVAL - SCOTT 14h 10' 46" + 06' 05"
105. LANGEVELD Sebastian 134 RABOBANK 14h 10' 57" + 06' 16"
106. DUENAS NEVADO Moises 56 BARLOWORLD 14h 11' 02" + 06' 21"
107. SCHOLZ Ronny 118 GEROLSTEINER 14h 11' 04" + 06' 23"
108. VAN DE WALLE Jurgen 99 QUICK STEP 14h 11' 05" + 06' 24"
109. LOWE Trent 196 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 14h 11' 07" + 06' 26"
110. CLEMENT Stef 142 BOUYGUES TELECOM 14h 11' 08" + 06' 27"
111. CHAVANEL Sébastien 162 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 14h 11' 10" + 06' 29"
112. WILLEMS Frederik 69 LIQUIGAS 14h 11' 12" + 06' 31"
113. FACCI Mauro 95 QUICK STEP 14h 11' 15" + 06' 34"
114. DEL NERO Jesus 175 SAUNIER DUVAL - SCOTT 14h 11' 24" + 06' 43"
115. GONZALO RAMIREZ Eduardo 125 AGRITUBEL 14h 11' 27" + 06' 46"
116. CASPER Jimmy 123 AGRITUBEL 14h 11' 31" + 06' 50"
117. BRARD Florent 183 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 14h 11' 37" + 06' 56"
118. MONCOUTIE David 188 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 14h 11' 38" + 06' 57"
119. VOGONDY Nicolas 129 AGRITUBEL 14h 11' 43" + 07' 02"
120. DUMOULIN Samuel 185 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 14h 11' 45" + 07' 04"
121. PORTAL Nicolas 38 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 14h 11' 54" + 07' 13"
122. TXURRUKA Amets 28 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 14h 11' 59" + 07' 18"
123. CARDENAS Félix 53 BARLOWORLD 14h 12' 10" + 07' 29"
124. CASAR Sandy 161 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 14h 12' 12" + 07' 31"
125. GOUBERT Stephane 107 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 14h 12' 14" + 07' 33"
126. SIUTSOU Konstantsin 49 TEAM COLUMBIA 14h 12' 16" + 07' 35"
127. RIGHI Daniele 77 LAMPRE 14h 12' 17" + 07' 36"
128. MOINARD Amaël 187 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 14h 12' 23" + 07' 42"
129. GUSTOV Volodymir 14 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 14h 12' 24" + 07' 43"
130. VELITS Peter 158 TEAM MILRAM 14h 12' 30" + 07' 49"
131. GRABSCH Ralf 152 TEAM MILRAM 14h 12' 32" + 07' 51"
132. BONO Matteo 73 LAMPRE 14h 12' 40" + 07' 59"
133. BICHOT Freddy 122 AGRITUBEL 14h 12' 40" + 07' 59"
134. LANCASTER Brett Daniel 154 TEAM MILRAM 14h 12' 41" + 08' 00"
135. GERARD Arnaud 164 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 14h 12' 58" + 08' 17"
136. DUPONT Hubert 103 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 14h 13' 04" + 08' 23"
137. LELAY David 127 AGRITUBEL 14h 13' 15" + 08' 34"
138. LE MEVEL Christophe 87 CREDIT AGRICOLE 14h 13' 17" + 08' 36"
139. DI GREGORIO Rémy 163 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 14h 13' 20" + 08' 39"
140. EISEL Bernhard 45 TEAM COLUMBIA 14h 13' 21" + 08' 40"
141. CIONI Dario 4 SILENCE - LOTTO 14h 13' 27" + 08' 46"
142. ARVESEN Kurt-Asle 12 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 14h 13' 28" + 08' 47"
143. MORI Massimiliano 76 LAMPRE 14h 13' 33" + 08' 52"
144. BACKSTEDT Magnus 192 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 14h 13' 34" + 08' 53"
145. GARCIA ACOSTA Vicente 34 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 14h 13' 37" + 08' 56"
146. FLORENCIO Xavier 143 BOUYGUES TELECOM 14h 13' 42" + 09' 01"
147. ENGOULVENT Jimmy 84 CREDIT AGRICOLE 14h 14' 02" + 09' 21"
148. FEDRIGO Pierrick 141 BOUYGUES TELECOM 14h 14' 04" + 09' 23"
149. BURGHARDT Marcus 42 TEAM COLUMBIA 14h 14' 06" + 09' 25"
150. LE BOULANGER Yoann 167 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 14h 14' 14" + 09' 33"
151. TSCHOPP Johann 148 BOUYGUES TELECOM 14h 14' 21" + 09' 40"
152. KRAUSS Sven 116 GEROLSTEINER 14h 14' 25" + 09' 44"
153. PAURIOL Rémi 88 CREDIT AGRICOLE 14h 14' 30" + 09' 49"
154. RIBLON Christophe 108 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 14h 14' 59" + 10' 18"
155. VAN SUMMEREN Johan 8 SILENCE - LOTTO 14h 15' 03" + 10' 22"
156. COYOT Arnaud 33 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 14h 15' 03" + 10' 22"
157. SZMYD Sylvester 78 LAMPRE 14h 15' 18" + 10' 37"
158. LEFEVRE Laurent 144 BOUYGUES TELECOM 14h 15' 20" + 10' 39"
159. MARZANO Marco 75 LAMPRE 14h 15' 27" + 10' 46"
160. TIRALONGO Paolo 79 LAMPRE 14h 15' 40" + 10' 59"
161. CHICCHI Francesco 63 LIQUIGAS 14h 15' 41" + 11' 00"
162. ROY Jérémy 168 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 14h 15' 46" + 11' 05"
163. FROOME Christopher 57 BARLOWORLD 14h 15' 49" + 11' 08"
164. SCHRÖDER Björn 156 TEAM MILRAM 14h 16' 04" + 11' 23"
165. DE LA FUENTE David 174 SAUNIER DUVAL - SCOTT 14h 16' 06" + 11' 25"
166. WEENING Pieter 139 RABOBANK 14h 16' 07" + 11' 26"
167. GADRET John 106 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 14h 16' 48" + 12' 07"
168. BERTOGLIATI Rubens 172 SAUNIER DUVAL - SCOTT 14h 17' 19" + 12' 38"
169. KUSCHYNSKI Aleksandr 66 LIQUIGAS 14h 17' 35" + 12' 54"
170. CHEULA Gianpaolo 54 BARLOWORLD 14h 17' 39" + 12' 58"
171. ARROYO David 32 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 14h 18' 12" + 13' 31"
172. AUGE Stéphane 182 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 14h 18' 22" + 13' 41"
173. PIEPOLI Leonardo 179 SAUNIER DUVAL - SCOTT 14h 18' 40" + 13' 59"
174. LOPEZ GARCIA David 36 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 14h 18' 50" + 14' 09"
175. SORENSEN Nicki 18 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 14h 19' 47" + 15' 06"
176. SOLER HERNANDEZ Juan Mauricio 51 BARLOWORLD 14h 22' 27" + 17' 46"
177. SPRICK Matthieu 146 BOUYGUES TELECOM 14h 22' 36" + 17' 55"
178. VANSEVENANT Wim 9 SILENCE - LOTTO 14h 24' 46" + 20' 05"

SPOILER - Top 10 in Stage 4 Time Trial

Here they are, the top ten finishers in today's Stage 4 Individual Time Trial.

1. SCHUMACHER Stefan 111 GEROLSTEINER 35' 44"
2. KIRCHEN Kim 41 TEAM COLUMBIA 36' 02" + 00' 18"
3. MILLAR David 198 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 36' 02" + 00' 18"
4. EVANS Cadel 1 SILENCE - LOTTO 36' 11" + 00' 27"
5. CANCELLARA Fabian 13 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 36' 17" + 00' 33"
6. MENCHOV Denis 131 RABOBANK 36' 18" + 00' 34"
7. VOIGT Jens 19 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 36' 19" + 00' 35"
8. VANDEVELDE Christian 191 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 36' 21" + 00' 37"
9. HINCAPIE George 47 TEAM COLUMBIA 36' 25" + 00' 41"
10. NIBALI Vincenzo 67 LIQUIGAS 36' 31" + 00' 47"

OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOMENT

You know what I liked the most about the stage 4 time trial? Verus TV coverage of the event and the camera they put in the team car behind David Millar on team Garmin-Chipotle.

Robbie Hunter reported from the car and viewers really got to see the machinations that go on between the car driver/coaches and the rider.

We got to hear an update that was broadcast right into Millar's headset. So cool to be behind the scenes.

In a decade of watching the Tour de France, that was one of the few times I've been really pleased about the coverage on TV and one of the few times I've learned something new.

Great great great!

Still watching stage 4

This time trial is amazing. It's one of only two individual time trials in this year's race. And without the Prologue this year, the results are a bit of a surprise so far...at least to me.

I'll post all the stats at about 9PM along with my thoughts on tomorrow's stage 5.

What's really interesting is Bicycling Magazines unabashed promotion of stages not to miss. but the funny part is they are saying that about MANY of the stages in this year's Tour de France. So what should we believe?

More coming...

Stage 4 Overview

Today's time trial stage is almost 30KM or about 18 miles long.

It starts in Cholet and ends in Cholet. A hilly loop that's short and probably favors riders like Hincapie and Valverde. I suspect Cadel Evans will have a shot as will David Millar.

The sprinters - depending on their conditioning and the fact that it's still early in this year's Tour - might also have a go at snatching this stage up.

I'm not sure if they'll want to chance it with a few more flat stages ahead before the 2008 edition of the race jumps into the mountains.

We shall see.

The race has finished in Cholet two times before, the last time being in 1998.

So much of it is luck

If you look at Denis Menchov and the stuff written about him before this year's Tour de France, you would think he'd be in the catbird seat for a podium finish.

Well, we're three stages into the 2008 event and Menchov has hit a bump in the road that has put him pretty far back in the overall standings.

Think about it. Had Menchov not been caught up in a crash in yesterday's stage 3, he'd be right up front with Valverde and Evans and the other big names that are less than two minutes behind the leader.

What's going to happen in today's time trial is a likely fall from the front by Romain Feillu of France. Even with his 1:45 lead, I'm guessing that Valverde, Hincapie and even Menchov will leap over this little Frenchman.

After looking at the stats, Menchov is at 2:30 to the leader which means he's at :45 to Valverde and that's going to be tough to make up. Even though we're only a few stages in.

Well, I'm about to watch today's time trial stage and will be back after I find out what happens.

*By the way, cycling is on the minds of people everywhere. I wrote about it on my regular blog and Bella English wrote about it in the Boston Globe this past weekend.

Time Trial tomorrow

Tuesday brings with it the Individual Time Trial.

THAT's gonna be a great day.

Stay tuned for more info on today's stage 3.