If you weren’t expecting to see a T-Mobile jersey on this page (signifying the leader of the Tour de France), then you probably aren’t alone. With Jan Ullrich out of the race, it seemed to many commentators like T-Mobile was just along for the ride in this year’s Tour. Sergei Gonchar (UKR) and Michael Rogers (AUS) proved them all wrong today. At the end of the day, T-Mobile riders held 4 of the top 10 spots in the general classification.

In fact, today was a day for surprises throughout the peloton as the 52 km individual time trial literally blew apart the general classification. Numerous riders were off their form today (especially American Levi Leipheimer who was 96th in the stage) and fell way behind in the final stage standings, while several riders (Sergei Gonchar, Floyd Landis (USA) and Michael Rogers) did extremely well and catapulted themselves right up to the top. This could prove to be a pivotal day in the 2006 Tour de France as the peloton prepares itself for the Pyrenees mountains which loom large in the next few days.

In another note, Team CSC’s Bobby Julich (USA) pulled out of the Tour as he crashed in the middle of the stage and appeared to have broken his wrist.

At the end of today’s stage, here are the standings in the general classification:

1. Sergei Honchar (UKR) T-Mobile
2. Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak at 1’00″
3. Michael Rogers (AUS) T-Mobile at 1’08″
4. Patrik Sinkewitz (GER) T-Mobile at 1’45″
5. Marcus Fothen (GER) Gerosteiner at 1’50″
6. Andreas Kloden (GER) T-Mobile at 1’50″
7. Vladimir Karpets (RUS) Caisse d’Epargne-Illes Balears at 1’52″
8. Cadel Evans (AUS) Davitamon-Lotto at 1’52″
9. Denis Menchov (RUS) Rabobank at 2’00”
10. Dave Zabriskie (USA) CSC at 2’03”

Some of the previous top ten leaders have moved to the following spots:

13. Paolo Salvoldelli (ITA) Discovery at 2’10”
17. George Hincapie (USA) Discovery at 2’30”
21. Tom Boonen (BEL) QuickStep at 3’15”
57. Robbie McEwen (AUS) Davitamon-Lotto at 6’02”
82. Thor Hushovd (NOR) Credit Agricole at 7’21”