MILLAR TIPS EVANS FOR TOUR DE FRANCE VICTORY

• Friday, 25 July 2008
• By Stephen Farrand
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David Millar (Garmin) admits he has struggled in the final week of the Tour de France, but he's excited about the Saturday’s decisive 53km time trial and how it will decide final podium in Paris.

Millar tips Cadel Evans (Silence) to pull back his 1-34 deficit on Carlos Sastre (CSC) and ride into Paris in yellow. He also hopes his team mate Christian Vande Velde can do an excellent time trial and perhaps move up from sixth to third place overall and onto the final podium.

“I think it’s going to be a great battle for the GC. We haven’t had a time trial where so many places overall are up for grabs. We’re going to see a total shift in the top five and I don’t think we’ve ever seen that before,” Millar predicted when speaking to Cycling Weekly.

“I think if Cadel is Cadel, then I think he’s on to win the Tour de France. But I think the rest of the podium is up for grabs and Christian is a real candidate for third place. I can’t wait to watch it and were all very excited about it (in the Garmin team).”

MILLAR: ”MY ENGINE IS SHRINKING INSIDE ME"

Millar finished in the gruppetto during the Alpine mountain stages and is 71st overall, more than two hours down. He admitted he is suffering after an intensive first part of the Tour chasing the yellow jersey and then working for Christian Vande Velde.

“I’m tired, my engine is shrinking inside on a daily basis,” Millar said with a laugh, clearly still enjoying the Tour, at least mentally.

“I’ve been having a bit of a rough time in the last ten days. It’s fatigue. I feel fine off the bike but I’m just getting worse and worse on it. I’ve never had that before, it’s just not happening.”

"Perhaps I over did it in my zeal to be good in that first week. Perhaps I over trained after the Giro. It could have worked really well but it was a risk I took and now I’m paying for it. I was okay on the stage to L’Alpe d’Huez because the day before I had an awful day and only just made it into the gruppetto. I was terrified it was going to be the same to the L’Alpe but being in the gruppetto and not grovelling was a joyful experience.”

FINAL TASK IN THE FINAL TIME TRIAL

Millar’s final task will be to help Vande Velde in the final time trial. He will use his experience and early ride to give precious feedback to his team mate on key sections of the course.

“I’m looking after Cristian in the final stages and then I might be quite good for the time trial,” Millar said.

“I can set times for him at least and give him an idea of what the course is like. I’m going to save everything for that. I haven’t got the legs to win a stage so I’m going to save it for time trial.”