Wrecking Machine: Astana Time Trial Juggernaut Destroys 2009 Tour de France Field

Ahead of the 2009 Tour de France, most cycling fans and media agreed that the Astana team had one of the most potent line ups heading into the three week event. Between Alberto Contador, Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, and Andreas Kloden, the Astana team seemed primed to storm the GC board at the Tour, taking no prisoners.

What the media and fans did not anticipate though was that Astana would crush the overall hopes of many of the top contenders in the first week. Everyone who talked or wrote about this year's Tour spoke about how the race would be decided on the second to last stage on the mountain top finish to the Mont Ventoux, "The Giant of Provence." It was believed that a tight GC battle would finally get sorted out on the Ventoux stage, leading to a dramatic and exciting finish to the 96th edition of the race.

However, after a stage 4 team time trial that saw the Astana utterly destroy and demoralize the competition, it now seems as though there will be few GC riders within striking distance of the general classification for the Ventoux stage. Cadel Evans, Carlos Sastre, Denis Menchov and most of the other top GC threats are now better than two minutes or more behind the Astana foursome of Armstrong, Contador, Leipheimer and Kloden. Assuming that the four Astana riders climb like they normally do, there is no way that they will be passed on the GC by any of the other big pre-race favorites. A few months ago EP wondered whether it was possible for Astana to sweep the GC. Now, it seems a decent probability that Johan Bruyneel's team will occupy all three steps of the final podium. Putting this possibility into perspective is nearly impossible. It has never been done before.

Now that the classification has been shuffled, the next big day seems to be this coming Friday into Andorra Arcalis. The first summit finish of the 2009 Tour, Arcalis will provide the four headed Astana monster a chance to establish a clear hierarchy within the team. Contador and Armstrong particularly will be looking to establish themselves as the leader of the Astana team. Whoever is able to finish first among the Astana riders will likely assume the leadership of the team for the duration of the Tour. What will be interesting though is what could happen if there is no clear winner in the fight to control Astana. If Armstrong, Contador, and Leipheimer all finish together at the end of stage 7, then the uncertainty will continue until the next decisive stage.

In looking at the demeanor of each of the top four riders for Astana, it seems as though Kloden and Leipheimer are resigned to being domestiques for the Tour, while Armstrong and Contador both seem to believe in their heart of hearts that they deserve to lead the team. Armstrong has a mental advantage after his amazing escape during stage 3, while Contador is doing all he can to remain calm and not spark further controversy. Friday though will sort everything out, as both Armstrong and Contador will go mano a mano in the high mountains of France to determine once and for all who the 2009 Tour de France team leader for the Astana team will be.