Gerrans in Yellow

The team trial of Tuesday was won by Orico-GreenEdge and so, Simon Gerrans, winner of stage 3, may wear the yellow jersey on Wednesday. Half way the team trial it looked like team Omega Pharma-Quickstep would be the winner, but Orico-GreenEdge won in the end with 1 second. The team of top favorite Chris Froome ended third at 3 seconds and the team of Alberto Contador ended fourth at 6 seconds. Radioshack-Leopard, the team of Jan Bakelants, ended 11th and so he lost his yellow Jersey. Chris Froome, last years’ number two is in top condition and has much chance to win the Tour of this year. Alberto Contador, although not in his best shape so far this year, must, however, not be wiped off the list of the favorites. Contador didn’t win any of the spring races and insiders say that this is a sign that he is not in his normal shape to win the Tour. After all this has not happened since 2007. Contador, who says last Saturday that he started the Tour at 90% of his top condition, is however, well known to get in top shape in no time. Alberto Contador was the man to beat since 2007 till 2010. Because of a substance, measured in very small quantities, in his blood he lost the victory of the 2010 Tour de France and was not allowed to start in 2011 and 2012. Contador thinks that he has a chance to beat Chris Froome. He likes it that he is not the most favorit contender for the general classification. He says that the Tour de France brings pressure anyway, but the extra pressure to be the favorit for the number position on the podium in Paris is now for Froome. Stage 5 will go from Cagnes-sur-Mer to Frances’ second city of Marseille. It is a stage with no serious climbs but it goes up and down all day. Although this seems a typical stage which should end in a mass sprint, the many small hills might be too much for the teams of the sprinters to control the race. In that case well known attackers, like Flecha, might try their luck.