The first stage of this 2008 Deutschland Tour is a 10km TT and although this stage won't give us the winner of the tour it will show us who is up for the race and who isn't.
There are many big names in the line-up so this time trial and the mountain stages will be very exciting.
The favourites for this time trial are Millar, Dekker and Fothen.
The first rider to set off today in Germany is Quinziato. A fairly decent time trialler but still fairly crap so he won't win here today.
A lot of riders kept going by and missing the time of Quinziato's, it was obviously a very good benchmark. The first real time trialler of the day was Michael Ford of La Gazetta dello Sport, and he claimed top-spot with ease setting a time of 10'18, which was 14 seconds better than Quinziato's.
The next rider through was Barth of Accumalux and he managed to claim 1st with a time of 10'17. Great ride by him in his home country.
But then came the big shot's. Klöden was on the road and posted the 3rd best time at the 1st check-point. Surely a man of his ability in his home-country would be able to claim the lead...
Yes he does and 8 seconds quicker than Barth. That will be a hard time to beat, but there are a few more very good time triallers to come through.
Speaking of good time triallers to come, whilst Klöden was finishing, Markus Fothen of Magenta Trefoil set the quickest time at the first check-point, 7 seconds quicker than the previous holder and 11 seconds quicker than Klöden. Maybe he set off too quickly?
No, he's quicker! Much quicker! This man needs testing. That's an astonishing ride by the German. Posting a 9'49 on this course is amazing, it will be very hard to beat that.
Again as Fothen finishes, Matthias Kessler has posted the 2nd quickest time at the first checkpoint, just 3 seconds down on Fothen. Surely he can't go even quicker at the finish...
Nope he takes 3rd place, another great ride by another German, they appear to be dominating this course. We do have several great riders to come though.
Schumacher posted a 6th best time at the first checkpoint, not great from him. Same goes for Sosenka, he's come into the first checkpoint in 13th place.
Schumacher comes accross the line in...
2nd! Very well pulled back by him, that'll set him up nicely for an attack in the hills. Coming in right after the big bald man is Sosenka hoping to limit the damage.
He's done more than limit it though! Another change in the top 3, fabulous ride by him to get back into contention. I get the feeling that no-one will beat Fothen's time here though.
There are still some big names though and they have different idea's, Devolder approaches the line and comes in...
2nd! Again! What a weird time trial. Everyone is coming in 2nd. Brodrogi is a very good time trialler but hasn't had a good day and comes in way below where he could've done.
The next big gun is Cadel Evans, surely he can't come in 2nd again. Maybe he can beat Fothen?
Noooo! 2nd place again. This is begining to get a bit monotonous. However, never fear, Millar is here! He is 4 seconds down on Fothen at the check-point, can he pull it back and end Fothen's reign at the top?
NOO! 2nd place again. This is definatley the most monotonous ever in the history of time trials. Dekker is the last contender for the win here and he's on the course. Again he's 4 seconds down at the first checkpoint, can he do what no one else has been able to do? Will he come 2nd? or will he fail miserably?
He fails! 4th place at the finish for Dekker, not bad. News has just come in the Fothen's drug test has come back negative so it's all good in Germany.
