The first of two long time trials comes half way in the tour. For the GC men this is a stage where you must put in time or limit losses.

For the first hour of racing little happened. Only one man Ludvigsson (KLO) set a time of under one hour. Ludviggson passed the man who started ahead of him and must have felt superhuman for awhile finishing with a time of 59'49.

Everyone had to wait a good 65 riders before a favourite for the stage came off the ramp, that man was Canadian champ Tuft (QMS). But he is suffering already?.

No he isn't. Whilst out on course he sets the fastest times on all checkpoints and finishes @ 58'46, 1'03 ahead of Ludvigsson. But is this enough for a stage win?

For awhile Greek champ Tamouridis(BSE) looked as if he was going to challenge Tuft's times but that never materialised but put in a decent performance.
With around 100 riders to go, some big TT specialists are out on course....

Green jersey and stage favourite Phinney(IKO) is such and sets the fastest time at the 1st checkpoint. With 80 riders to go, times at first checkpoint:
Phinney 19'08, Tuft @ '1, Vandewalle @ '7, Gruzdev @ '8,Thomas @ '8.

At the second checkpoint can the likes of Kazakh champ Gruzdev (AFL) take time back on Phinney....no they can't, Phinney extends his lead.
Phinney 39'52, Tuft @ '7, Vandewalle @ '12, Gruzdev @ '15.

Phinney finishes at @ 58'33. Is this time good enough for the stage win?
Castroviejo(QMS) and Durbridge(PDA) set off next to eachother, each eying the stage win.

At the first checkpoint Durbridge is @ '4 but Castroviejo.......

Is reaaaal fast. He goes fastest at the first checkpoint by 9 seconds @ 18'59, but at the second checkpoint............ leads Phinney by 20 seconds. He finishes fastest @ 58'12, it is going to have to be real good time to beat Castroviejo from here.

Teammate Lithuanian champ Navardauskus never looked to challenge for the win, probably suffering from his efforts on stage 9.

Into the last 25 riders and riders looking for the stage win come out en mass. One such rider is USA champ Zabriskie(BZQ) he is @ '1 at the first split time....

But at the second checkpoint he is level with Castroviejo can he get the win?
He does it... Zabriskie goes into the lead finishing @ 58'08.
Karpets (AFL) seems to be flying around the course, but can never quite get on terms with Zabriskie, Karpets finishes @ 58'15.

Former yellow jersey Rosseler(SCD) might have put in a good time on a good day, but never featured and is likely suffering, teammate Kwiatkowski was going well earlier in the day however.

Only ten riders to go and.......word of a great split time

18'55 is the best time at the first checkpoint as is set by....Plaza (TNA). But can he keep it up?

van Niekerk (KLU) sets off the ramp signalling the 10 on GC are setting off.
At the second checkpoint at Bassieres Plaza.....goes fastest by more than 10 seconds.

At the finish Plaza finishes 20 seconds faster than Zabriksie @ 57'48 to finish 1st. What a time, what an effort, but Siutsou, Meyer and yellow jersey Spilak are still to come in.

All riders are off the ramp. White jersey Meyer (KAR) looks to going the best of the GC favourites taking 7 seconds out of Spilak (NEL) at the first checkpoint, Siutsou(ALS) doesn't impress. No riders challenge the time of Plaza.

Come the second checkpoint Spilak closes the gap on Meyer to three seconds..

come the finish line Spilak finishes two seconds down on Meyer and '33 down on stage winner Plaza, Spilak will keep the yellow jersey.

Stage win for Telecom Namibia, if you offered them the stage win at the start of the day they would have bitten your hand off.

Spilak has fun with the crowd, and why not the GC becomes more refined. Brambilla (HEY) did well not to lost much time, he looks a severe threat. Phinney increases his lead in the points classification to 54 points over Hinault.

STAGE GC:

ULTRA CLASSIFICATION STAGE:

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION OVERALL:

OVERALL TEAM:
TELECOM NAMIBIA @ 1'10 OVER QUILMES

ULTRA CLASSIFICATION OVERALL: