Saturday's Stage 19 -- the next-to-last leg of the Tour de France -- is a time trial that spans 53.5 kilometers and takes the riders from Bonneval to Chartre. The route is largely flat, with some mild hills here and there. Here's what Jean-Francois Pescheux has to say about it:
"The final round before the finish in Paris. What will come out of this 53.5 km time trial on rather flattish terrain, except the first part on the rolling hills of the Perche region? Personally, I expect gaps of two to three minutes between leaders. Three weeks into the race, 53.5 km are a long way to go in a time trial. This also holds true for the yellow jersey, who will probably come behind specialists such as Martin or Cancellara. Think of the Pauillac time trial in 2010, when Cancellara took the win on a similar course and Menchov, the freshest of all the leaders, propelled himself onto the final podium."
Related: 2012 Tour de France Results: Mark Cavendish Sprints Way To Victory On Stage 18
For additional information on this stage, visit the Tour de France website.
Television coverage begins at 6:00 a.m. on the NBC Sports Network.
SB Nation Denver is your source for 2012 Tour de France updates on Team Garmin-Sharp, and be sure to visit cycling blog Podium Cafe as well.
