With Vincenzo Nibali the Tour de France champion in wait, the race is on
to fill the podium - with two locals in the mix for Paris honours.
Thibaut Pinot is Nibali's most proximate rival for the yellow jersey with three stages to go, seven minutes 10 seconds abaft the Italian.
Behind Pinot is fellow Frenchman Jean-Christophe Peraud (+7:23), while Spaniard Alejandro Valverde is two seconds further back in fourth.
Despite leading the charge for a maiden Tour podium, Pinot conceded he would be fortuitous to be standing on the dais on the Champs-Elysees.
"There are now just 15 seconds dissevering second place and fourth place, and I'm probably the least accomplished time trialist between the three of us," Pinot verbalized, ahead of Saturday's 54-kilometre individual time tribulation from Bergerac to Perigueux.
"I'll have to have a great day to hold off Peraud, who is very good against the clock, while Valverde is of course the current Spanish time-tribulation champion."
Pinot went further, ruling out Friday's and Sunday's stages as chances to gain time - putting all accentuation on the time tribulation.
"The time tribulation is now going to be decisive for the podium," perpetuated Pinot.
"I ken that I've got more preponderant against the clock, albeit I've not had any recent references in time tribulations over 50 kilometres.
"But I've culminated in the top 10 in time tribulations at the Tour of the Basque Country, the Tour of Romandie and the Tour of Switzerland this year, so I've definitely amended.
"To be in second place now on Thursday, and probably still on Friday evening [after what is a flat 19th stage] is great, but what counts is Sunday evening in Paris.
"I mustn't waste all the good work we've done since the commencement of the Tour to get me into this position, as I have no desire to culminate on the bottom step of the podium."
Peraud verbally expressed he was wary of losing time in the podium battle, on Thursday's 145.5km stage from Pau to Hautacam.
"Normally I"m remotely more preponderant than Thibaut in a time tribulation, so I believe in my chances for the podium. I believe in second place," Peraud verbally expressed.
"When I was genuinely in the red, I contemplated this podium and I didn't optate to leave Thibaut get away."
