Americans in Paris

America has two strong teams in the Tour de France this year.
Team Columbia and Team Garmin-Chipotle
Not all the members of each team are American but we have Americans placed very high in the GC (General Classification)

Yesterday’s time trial pointed up just how strong the teams are.

Stage 4 Time Trial Cholet, France

American Team Members in Top 20

Stage Results
2. Kim Kirchen (LUX), Columbia, at at0:18sec
3. David Millar (GBR), Garmin-Chipotle, at 0:18
8. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Chipotle, at 0:37
9. George Hincapie (USA), Columbia, at 0:41
11. Thomas Lovkvist (SWE), Columbia 0:47
14. Danny Pate (USA), Garmin-Chipotle, at 1:10

Team Columbia and Team Garmin-Chipotle are evenly split in the first time trials’ top twenty. It must have been a great incentive to see Danny Pate set the early lead and hold on for his 14th place finish.

A closer look at the GC paints a picture of what Team Columbia can do in the mountains. No one knows how to put together a winning day in the mountains better than Hincapie. He wants and is due some glory for himself but his team mate Kirchen may be the key to an over all win.

Americans in today’s top twenty

8. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Chipotle, at 0:37
9. George Hincapie (USA), Columbia, at 0:41
14. Danny Pate (USA), Garmin-Chipotle, at 1:10

Americans in the top twenty (GC Today)

6. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Chipotle, at 0:37
7. George Hincapie (USA), Columbia, at 0:41

There is so much racing left that today’s stats may be meaningless but the American Teams and the Americans near the top of today’s race and the GC are IMO going to stay in contention right into the last week.

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