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Prologue, Saturday, June 30: Liège 6.4 km Individual Time Trial

The Race: Sylvain Chavanel produced an outstanding ride that held up until Bradley Wiggins beat him by .42 seconds. Then Fabian Cancellara rolled off. At the half-way point he was a second ahead of Wiggins but in the final kilometers, he roared away, grabbing six seconds in the short distance remaining, an incredible ride.

World time trial champion Tony Martin suffered a flat tire and what looked like a slow bike change while Peter Sagan overcooked the 180-degree turn and had to unclip his pedal to keep from going down.

Results:

1. Fabian Cancellara (Radio Shack-Nissan) 7min 13sec. 53.2 km/hr
2. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 7sec
3. Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) s.t. (almost a half-second slower)

4. Tejay Van Garderen (BMC) @ 10sec
5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) @ 11sec
6. Brett Lancaster (Orica-GreenEdge) s.t.
7. Patrick Gretsch (Argos-Shimano) @ 12sec
8. Denis Menchov (Katusha) @ 13sec
9. Philippe Gilbert (BMC) s.t.
10. Andriy Grivko (Astana) @ 15sec
11. Christopher Froome (Sky) @ 16sec
12. Peter Velits (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 17sec
13. Cadel Evans (BMC) s.t.
14. Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) @ 18sec
15. Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) s.t.
16. David Millar (Garmin-Sharp) s.t.
17. Stephen Cummings (BMC) s.t.
18. Jens Voigt (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 19sec
19. Andréas Klöden (Radio Shack-Nissan) s.t.
20. Nick Nuyens (Saxo) @ 20sec
21. Michael Albasini (Orica-GreenEdge) s.t.
22. George Hincapie (BMC) s.t.
23. Gregory Henderson (Lotto-Belisol) s.t.

24. Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil) s.t.
25. Marcel Kittel (Argos-Shimano) @ 21sec
26. Ruben Plaza (Movistar) s.t.
27. Christian Knees (Sky) s.t.
28. Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) s.t.
29. Matthieu Ladagnous (FDJ-Big Mat) s.t.
30. Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp s.t.
31. Maxime Monfort (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 22sec
32. Janez Brajkovic (Astana) s.t.
33. Kristijan Korne (Liquigas) s.t.
34. Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEdge) s.t.
35. Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Sharp) s.t.
36. Richie Porte (Sky) s.t.
37. Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) s.t.
38. Jérémy Roy (FDJ-Big Mat) s.t.
39. Sebastian Langeveld (Orica-GreenEdge) s.t.
40. Mikel Astarloza (Euskaltel) @ 23sec

41. Mark Cavendish (Sky) s.t.
42. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Ag2r) s.t.
43. André Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) s.t.
44. Stuart O'Grady (Orica-GreenEdge) s.t.
45. Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) s.t.
46. Marco Marcato (Vacansoleil) s.t.
47. Vladimir Gusev (Katusha) @ 24sec
48. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ-Big Mat) s.t.
49. Gustav Larsson (Vacansoleil) s.t.
50. Haimar Zubeldia (Radio Shack-Nissan) s.t.
80. Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 28sec
90. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 29sec
113. Christopher Horner (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 34sec
136. Frank Schleck (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 38sec

General Classification:

1. Fabian Cancellara (Radio Shack-Nissan) 7min 13sec. 53.2 km/hr
2. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) @ 7sec
3. Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) s.t. (almost a half-second slower)
4. Tejay Van Garderen (BMC) @ 10sec
5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) @ 11sec
6. Brett Lancaster (Orica-GreenEdge) s.t.
7. Patrick Gretsch (Argos-Shimano) @ 12sec
8. Denis Menchov (Katusha) @ 13sec
9. Philippe Gilbert (BMC) s.t.
10. Andriy Grivko (Astana) @ 15sec
11. Christopher Froome (Sky) @ 16sec
12. Peter Velits (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 17sec
13. Cadel Evans (BMC) s.t.
14. Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) @ 18sec
15. Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) s.t.
16. David Millar (Garmin-Sharp) s.t.
17. Stephen Cummings (BMC) s.t.
18. Jens Voigt (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 19sec
19. Andréas Klöden (Radio Shack-Nissan) s.t.
20. Nick Nuyens (Saxo) @ 20sec
21. Michael Albasini (Orica-GreenEdge) s.t.
22. George Hincapie (BMC) s.t.
23. Gregory Henderson (Lotto-Belisol) s.t.
24. Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil) s.t.
25. Marcel Kittel (Argos-Shimano) @ 21sec
26. Ruben Plaza (Movistar) s.t.
27. Christian Knees (Sky) s.t.
28. Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) s.t.
29. Matthieu Ladagnous (FDJ-Big Mat) s.t.
30. Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp s.t.
31. Maxime Monfort (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 22sec
32. Janez Brajkovic (Astana) s.t.
33. Kristijan Korne (Liquigas) s.t.
34. Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEdge) s.t.
35. Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Sharp) s.t.
36. Richie Porte (Sky) s.t.
37. Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) s.t.
38. Jérémy Roy (FDJ-Big Mat) s.t.
39. Sebastian Langeveld (Orica-GreenEdge) s.t.
40. Mikel Astarloza (Euskaltel) @ 23sec
41. Mark Cavendish (Sky) s.t.
42. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Ag2r) s.t.
43. André Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) s.t.
44. Stuart O'Grady (Orica-GreenEdge) s.t.
45. Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) s.t.
46. Marco Marcato (Vacansoleil) s.t.
47. Vladimir Gusev (Katusha) @ 24sec
48. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ-Big Mat) s.t.
49. Gustav Larsson (Vacansoleil) s.t.
50. Haimar Zubeldia (Radio Shack-Nissan) s.t.
80. Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 28sec
90. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 29sec
113. Christopher Horner (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 34sec
136. Frank Schleck (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 38sec

Climber: no points awarded

Points:

1. Fabian Cancellara (Radio Shack-Nissan): 20 points
2. Bradley Wiggins (Sky): 17
3. Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-Quick Step): 15
4. Tejay Van Garderen (BMC): 13
5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky): 11
6. Brett Lancanster (Orica-GreenEdge): 10

Young Rider:

1. Tejay Van Garderen (BMC) 7min 23sec
2. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) @ 1sec
3. Patrick Gretsch (Argos-Shimano) @ 2sec
4. Marcel Kittel (Argos-Shimano) @ 11sec
5. Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) @ 12sec

Team Classification:

1. Sky: 22min 13sec
2. Radio Shack-Nissan @ 4sec
3. BMC @ 6sec
4. Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 13sec
5. Orica-GreenEdge @ 19sec

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Stage map and profile

Prologue map

Prologue Profile

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Photos

Wiggins came close

Vincenzo Nibali

Michele Scarponi

Samuel Sanchez

Thomas Voeckler

Cadel Evans

David Millar

Sylvain Chavanel

Edvald Boasson Hagen

Brett Lancaster

André Greipel

Philippe Gilbert

Ivan Basso

David Zabriskie

Peter Sagen

Frank Schleck

Tejay Van Garderen

Tony Martin's chances were ruined by a flat tire

Alexandre Vinokourov

Alejandro Valverde

Robert Gesink

Denis Menchov

2012 Giro d'Italia champion Ryder Hesjedal

Fabian Cancellara is 2012's first yellow jersey

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