Read the video transcript here arrow up arrow down
The remaining riders of this year's Tour de France only have to overcome two more stages.
On the third from last stage, Irish Sam Bennett was the man of the hour alongside day winner Kragh Andersen from Denmark.
He kept competitor Peter Sagan in check in the battle for the green jersey.
Both drove to the finish line together.
O-Ton Marcel Kittel "Bennett was
also strong, sovereign and also very well defended. I have to say myself that I think Bennett had a good day. I am also surprised that he was also up front It was certainly not easy there at that point. But he did it and with that I now believe the greenery, if everything goes on as normal until Paris, will be difficult to get off his shoulders. "
And the yellow jersey - the decision seems to have already been made here too.
Primoz Roglic, the former ski jumper, seems too dominant, supported by his strong Jumbo-Visma team.
Today is the short but difficult mountain time trial of 36 kilometers in the Vosges.
For Tadej Pogacar the last chance to attack Roglic.
O-Ton MarceL Kittel "Pogacar and Roglic
have fought each other again and again in the time trial championship in Slovenia over the last few years, so they are actually on the same level. I think that in such a long time, because Roglic is a bit older as long as the Tour, there the Roglic has a small advantage from the racing toughness.
But a flat tire, a mishap could upset the duel again in favor of Pogacar.
The time trial will be an ordeal.
For 6.5 kilometers there are rates of increase of 8 to 9 percent.
It's a real challenge for the drivers.
O-Ton Marcel Kittel "The nice thing about the time trial is, of course, when you know you have a good day, you have a goal, you have a realistic goal, you can compete for victory. And then it's really fun because then in the time trial it's all about driving just enough fast that you can keep up the pace until the end of the time trial and that's sometimes not easy to assess, especially after a difficult Tour de France. But that is actually, what it's about: the balance between, maybe I can just step one step harder, but then not much anymore. And that right up to the goal of suffering mentally, so to speak, this pain that you have to endure in the time trial. "
Marcel Kittel was a real time trial specialist at the beginning of his career.
He was twice world junior champion before focusing on the sprint as a professional.
There is no tactic in the time trial.
O-Ton Marcel Kittel "They don't necessarily go through with it, but they drive, I'll say 95 percent, until they then drive the last two kilometers one hundred percent or the last five if it goes well. And you don't have on the way a lot of time, you take a small sip from the bottle. 38 kilometers or 36 kilometers - that's not even an hour, so nowhere near an hour. You need a sip of water, gel maybe, at most, but not even that. You concentrate fully on accelerating. "
Two more stages and then the 107th Tour de France will be history.
Not too much should change in the overall standings.
There is much to suggest that Roglic will arrive in Paris in yellow.
By the way, the best German driver is Lennard Kämna in 35th place, two hours and 11 minutes behind.