Tour De France: Let the race begin

Race leader Alberto Contador and Cadel Evans duel at the Tour de France on Saturday as the 19th and penultimate stage - a time trial - gets started in windy conditions.

There was also rain for the riders first down the ramp over the 55.5-km race against the clock from Cognac to Angouleme. Contador was expected to leave last among the 141 cyclists.

Battered by scandal and doping embarrassments, the Tour de France might actually have stumbled upon a sliver of good news.

Contador of Spain and Evans of Australia are battling for the title. The race ends on Sunday with a ride from Marcoussis to Paris, finishing along the Champs-Elysees.

"Tomorrow is the most difficult day of my career as an athlete," Contador said after Friday's 18th stage, which was won by Sandy Casar. The French rider won the 211km stage despite crashing after hitting a spectator's dog.

"In this time trial, everything can change - my entire life can change," Contador said.

A slim margin of 1 minute, 50 seconds separates the two riders, each going for a first victory in this event and suddenly thrust into the spotlight after former overall leader Michael Rasmussen was ousted.

"We will know all the answers out on the road tomorrow," Evans said.

The 24-year-old Contador would be the Tour's youngest winner since Jan Ullrich in 1997. A victory for Evans would be a big lift for sports-mad Australia, where both codes of rugby and cricket hold sway.

Levi Leipheimer, the Discovery Channel team leader until Contador reversed the roles in the Pyrenees, is in third place, 2:49 back.

The Tour teetered on collapse this week. Three riders were kicked out in the space of 30 hours on Tuesday and Wednesday - Rasmussen, plus two others for doping.

The race has been reeling from Wednesday's withdrawal of Rasmussen, as well as other drug-related episodes. The Danish rider was kicked out of the race by his Rabobank team.

Contador took the overall lead only after Rasmussen was taken out of the race for lying about his whereabouts when he missed a doping check last month.

Denmark's cycling federation said on July 19 it ousted Rasmussen for missing doping tests in June. He contended he was in Mexico, where his wife is from, in June. Former rider Davide Cassani said he had seen Rasmussen in Italy.

On the same day, it was announced that Cristian Moreni had tested positive for testosterone. The Italian didn't deny it, and was carted off by police. On Tuesday, Alexandre Vinokourov was ejected for testing positive for a banned blood transfusion after last Saturday's stage.

Mind games were under way between Evans' and Contador's teams.

"Evans has to have a great day, and things would have to go really badly for Contador," said Discovery sporting director Johan Bruyneel, who helped Lance Armstrong win the Tour seven times.

Hendrik Redant, sporting director at Evans' Predictor-Lotto team, said the 29-year-old rider is "very relaxed" - while taking a subtle dig at Contador.

"He's a young guy, and it would be fine for cycling if a young guy like that can win the Tour," Redant said of Contador. "But it's a lot of stress ... and for him I hope he can cope with it."

At last weekend's time trial in Albi - won by Vinokourov - Evans finished second and Contador was seventh. The time split was 1:04 in favor of Evans.

Saturday's stage is flat and favors Evans, while the previous time trial was hilly and suited Contador.

But some weren't ruling out Leipheimer either.

"Levi is also a good time trialer," said American rider Chris Horner, a teammate of Evans. "In all honesty, any of the three could take the win. I'm hoping for Cadel, of course." - Sapa-AP