Tour de France 2012 – Stage 20 | Visible Procrastinations

Stage Details:

Tonight is Stage 20, Rambouillet > Paris Champs-Élysées, 120 km

“A little road stage, the shortest of the Tour (120 km). But it will no doubt be an apotheosis, with the traditional finish on the Champs-Élysées. Always the same, always magnificent since 1975. We already know more or less what will happen: a festive start in Rambouillet, two short hours before things really get going, and then a sudden, spectacular acceleration to mark the peloton’s arrival in the Parisian circuit. All of this before 1.5 billion TV viewers, nothing to sneeze at! For the rest, I do not think any brave riders will be able to slip under the radar of the sprinters’ teams. On paper, Mark Cavendish can dream of a fourth straight win. — Jean-Francios Pescheux Analysis

Stage 20 preview: Rambouillet → Paris Champs-Élysées, 130 km (flat) [SteepHill]
Rambouillet >> Paris Champs-Élysées, Stage 20 (130 km) [SBS Cycling Central]
July 22, Stage 20: Rambouillet – Paris Champs-Élysées 120km [CyclingNews]
20th Stage – Sunday 22 July 2012 Rambouillet > Paris Champs-Élysées – 120 km [EuroSport]
2012 Tour de France LIVE – Stage 20 [Cycling Fans]
Stage 20 – Rambouillet / Paris Champs-Élysées, 120 km [www.letour.fr]
Stage 20: Rambouillet > Paris Champs-Élysées [les vaches du tour]

Live:

Tickers/Streaming

SBS 2012 Tour Tracker [SBS]
Tour de France – Rambouillet – Paris “live match” [Eurosports]
Stage 20 – Rambouillet / Paris Champs-Élysées, 120 km “live” [www.letour.fr]

Results:

Stage 20 results
01 CAVENDISH, Mark GBR (SKY PROCYCLING) 3:08:07
02 SAGAN, Peter SVK (LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE)
03 GOSS, Matthew Harley AUS (ORICA-GREENEDGE)
04 HAEDO, Juan José ARG (SAXO BANK-TINKOFF BANK)
05 BOECKMANS, Kris BEL (VACANSOLEIL-DCM)
06 HENDERSON, Greg NZL (LOTTO BELISOL)
07 BOZIC, Borut SLO (ASTANA)
08 GREIPEL, André GER (LOTTO BELISOL)
09 BOASSON HAGEN, Edvald NOR (SKY PROCYCLING)
010 ENGOULVENT, Jimmy FRA (SAUR-SOJASUN)

Final GC
01 WIGGINS, Bradley GBR (SKY PROCYCLING) 87:34:42
02 FROOME, Christopher GBR (SKY PROCYCLING) + 3:21
03 NIBALI, Vincenzo ITA (LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE) + 6:19
04 VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen BEL (LOTTO BELISOL) + 10:15
05 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay USA (BMC RACING) + 11:04
06 ZUBELDIA AGIRRE, Haimar ESP (RADIOSHACK-NISSAN) + 15:43
07 EVANS, Cadel AUS (BMC RACING) + 15:51
08 ROLLAND, Pierre FRA (EUROPCAR) + 16:31
09 BRAJKOVIC, Janez SLO (ASTANA) + 16:38
10 PINOT, Thibaut FRA (FDJ-BIG MAT) + 17:17

* Tour de France round table podcast – Stage 20 [SBS Cycling Central]

Bradley Wiggins sealed his and Great Britain’s first Tour de France victory after his Sky team-mate Mark Cavendish won the final stage on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.
The 32-year-old triple Olympic champion finished the mostly ceremonial stage to Paris with a 3min 21sec lead over another team-mate, Chris Froome, in the general classification. Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) finalised the placings at third overall, 6min 19sec behind.
“It’s hard to take in as it happens,” said Wiggins. “Every lap of the Champs-Elysees was goose pimple stuff.
– SBS Cycling Central

Bradley Wiggins saved one of his best performances en-route to becoming the first Briton to win the Tour de France to the end – and he was on the podium, not his bike when he did it. The moment being when he was handed the microphone during the jersey and trophy presentations and told the crowd of thousands who lined the Champs Elysees on a glistening summer’s day and said: “We’re just going to draw the raffle numbers now … “
Those who got Wiggins’ humour in the crowd that was lacquered heavily with thousands of British fans who had either followed the Tour in France throughout or part of its journey, or who had just travelled over for the historic occasion, cheered at his impromptu impersonation of a bingo caller.
He continued: “I want to thank everyone, the support has been amazing. It’s been a magical couple of weeks. Some dreams do come true. My old mother over there, her son has just won the Tour de France,” before signing off to join his teammates that included Australians Michael Rogers and Richie Porte for a quick celebration before flying home to Wigan in England to say: “Thanks again. Have a safe journey home. Don’t get too drunk.”
– The Age

#SBSTDF
Checking the musette we find a 2011 Coteaux du Giennois Sauvignon Blanc AOC.

#lvdt Stage 20: Round-up

The #TrollDJ list from Stage 20;
♫ Emeli Sande – Heaven ~ for the starter montage
♫ Muppets – Movin’ Right Along ~ it’s a Kodak moment
♫ Green Day – Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) ~ the troll is firing up tonight!
♫ Flight of the Conchords – Foux Du Fafa ~ baguette?
♫ Frank Sinatra – Well Did You Evah? ~ What a swell party this is!
♫ Coldplay – Yellow ~ Maillot Jaune reference anyone?
♫ Art vs Science – Parlez-Vous Francais #TrollDJ #sbstdf “The Champs-Élysées is a busy street”
♫ Art vs Science – Parlez-Vous Francais ~ “The Champs-Élysées is a busy street“
♫ Tom Baxter – Better ~ final montage