Tour de France: Bernard Hinault on Stage 6

Update: Click here for Tour de France Stage 6 results. The race turned out nothing at all like I surmised it might below!

In video below, Bernard Hinault gives a “just the facts” summary of today’s stage 6 from Gerone to Barcelona. He gives some advice to Fabian Cancellara, telling him to stay on Lance Armstrong’s wheel to retain the yellow jersey.

My prediction: I think the story today will be Alberto Contador as he enters his native Spain. Team Astana has kept Contador relatively fresh coming into Stage 6, and his climbing legs will serve him well on the moderate terrain on today’s stage. Maybe he won’t win, but I see him gaining the yellow jersey today after he makes up the 19 seconds that current leader Cancellara has on him. Stage 6 isn’t mountainous enough to kill time trialing specialist Cancellara, but he and Saxo Bank will have to work for him to retain the lead.

Tour de France 2009 - 15-km individual time-trial and first stage - Monaco

I think Stage 6 will also be the moment of truth when the question of Astana’s leadership will be defined.

I’m writing this late Wednesday night; by the time most Americans read this Stage 6 preview the Stage 6 results will be known as the racers cross the finish line in Barcelona at about 8 AM USA Pacific Time.

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