DH: Welcome to Rotterdam for coverage of the 2011 Tour de France, we begin today with the short prologue in the Dutch city of Rotterdam. It is a day for the specialists to do battle for the yellow jersey, the big question we have been asking ourselves all morning is can Taylor Phinney take yellow today?
Sm: Daniel, I have my doubts he is just twenty years of age and I get the feeling his teammate and World Time Trial champion David Zabriske may have something to say about that.
Kg: ... and according to the French bookmakers on the start line they are taking a lot of money for French TT champion Jerome Coppel.
Parcours
DH: It is a fairly flat day, with wind conditions quite variable. We expect it to change a fair bit over the course of the day and Kingston is out with the proverbial wind sock to keep an eye on things. How is it looking at the moment mate?
Kg: It is fairly breezy at 32 mph, not sure whether that gives the riders an advantage or disadvantage really.
Sm: I would say advantage buildings are high rise, if anything for the most part the wind could get behind the riders. We had something similar down in Columbia when we got some unexpected results.
DH: First guy we have pictures of here is Schadlich of Festina.
Lucus Schadlich(Festina)
DH: Festina are one of the strongest teams in the peleton and Lucas Schadlich is our first really serious contender.
Kg: Maxime Bouet of Auber has already set 10.12 and... the German goes two seconds faster 10.10.
Sm: Thats pretty quick Kingston, but I expect the times to go under ten minutes today.
DH: All French team Auber have whipped another rider out in Pierre Rolland, how do you assess his chances Smowz?
Pierre Rolland (Auber)
Sm: Probably the best stage racer they have on their books, time trialling is his best discipline but I would be surprised if he beats Schadlich.
Kg: Chaps the wind is begin to settle it is going down to around 20mph...
DH: .. and Smowz you better be surprised Rolland has smashed his way into the lead with 10.03.
Sm: We may be in Holland but I think the French riders are a little bit inspired here.
DH: Van Winden of Gazzetta is out on the course as well.
Dennis Van Winden(La Gazzeta)
Sm: The Dutchman should go well here, no Rogers here for Gazzetta would have been interesting to see him here.
DH: Cunego too, mind you La Gazzetta do have the brilliant Bennatti here ... Van Winden looks good here wow that's close Kingston?
Kg: Looks like he has set an identical time, but our computers are showing him in 2nd place must be those French officials.
DH: We will let them argue over it, looked as if Van winden crossed over the line towards the end of the 10.03 time. Rolland still leads.
Sm: You can take the Tour de France out of France but you cannot deny the French!
DH: On that note we go for adverts.
Ivars(Wikipedia) - Rein Taaramae(Ikea) - Flens (La Gazzeta)
DH: Welcome back, I can tell you Pierre Rolland still leads, Smowz whats been happening?
Sm: Another Frenchman Sebastion Ivars set 10.13, as did Ikea's Rein Taaramae he will be slightly disappointed with that. Another Dutchman Rick Flens has moved into provisional 3rd with 10.12, slightly faster than Bouet.
DH: More creative time keeping?
Sm: I dunno about that Daniel, I think that may be something dreamed up by Kingston.
Kg: He he, by the way chaps the wind is picking up a bit again it is registering 22 mph. No idea whether this is affecting the riders.
DH: We shall soon see Kingston as French favourite Jerome Coppel is out on the course.
Jerome Coppel
Sm: Ouch Auber have brought their big guns out early here!
DH: SENSATIONAL, Coppel has smashed the best time. Smowz it is under ten minutes, way under 9.46!
Sm: Wow, thats woken things up Pearl Adidas have sent Fothen out there.
Kg: Last year's winner guys.
Marcus Fothen (Pearl Adidas)
DH: He really blasted out of the startgates and here he comes setting 10.02
Sm: Nowhere near Coppel, though he is surely saving his big guns for later.
DH: Another Frenchman for you William Bonnet.
William Bonnet (Lafarge)
Sm: Good rider Daniel, may challenge for the podium today I just cannot see anyone getting near Coppel.
DH: Lets not rule out Phinney, Bonnet is setting a good time 10.02, Kingston is it faster than Fothen.
Kg: Computer says no, Bonnet good enough for provisional 3rd. Time for another break.
Spilak (Warner Brothers) and Rigoberto Uran(Vesuvio)
DH: Welcome back viewers, you have just seen clips of two big GC favourites go through what were their times Smowz?
Sm: Spilak 10.11 not too bad for the Slovenian, Uran was better though with 10.09. Both will look to save themselves for the Alps.
Kg: The wind has really dropped off as well we are down to a barely registering 9mph.
Sm: Not sure that is going to help the riders mind you this guy may just have something to say about that.
DH: It is World TT champ David Zabriskie
David Zabriskie (Wikipedia)
DH: Determined stuff from the Utah man he is going to set a new best mark I am sure...
Sm: Looks close though...
DH: Yeeeaaa... No 9.47 one second off Coppel. Great stuff from Davey Zee though.
Kg: Under worse conditions too...
Sm: Debatable, guys we are missing some GC contenders here...
DH: Yes, sorry Smowz, 10.05 for Gesink that's pretty good for the tall Dutchman.
Sm: 10.03 for Pluchkin, a precocious talent and Dekker hmm thats a bit disappointing.
DH: Yeah 10.13 for the Dutchman, he would not have expected to be dropping time to guys like Spilak and Gesink.
Kg: Wind is not picking up, I guess the French are going to get their Yellow after all.
DH: Hold onto your hats folks it is the Phinney!
Kg: The US time trial champion at last taking on the world.
DH: The Tour of California champ looked great out there, he is going to set a time under ten minutes. Taylor has arrived folks.
Sm: It is not good enough to take the jersey though, not even best inside team Wikipedia.
DH: Yes, very clever Smowz Taylor sets 9.58 best of the main contenders.
Sm: Not a lot of time separating them though Daniel we will have to wait for the Alps and the Pyrenees to sort that lot out. It is Jerome Coppel's day today. Jerome Coppel celebrates in Yellow
