It had to happen, didn't it? Andy Schleck is primed to lose the Tour by the same 39 seconds so cruelly snatched from him by Alberto Contador after last week's infamous 'chaingate' scandal.
The amusing twist of fate makes a mockery of Contador's claim last Monday that: "I don't believe that 30 seconds at this point in the race is going to decide whether or not you win the Tour de France."
Well, looks like Alberto overestimated his ability to humble his rival in Saturday's race against the clock, doesn't it? Although if you believe the conspiracy theorists, the whole ITT - like the shoulder-to-shoulder climb of the Tourmalet - was entirely staged.
Rumours are spreading quicker than a Floyd Landis allegation that Contador's brother Fran actually told his sibling to slow up towards his approach to Pauillac to assure that the gap would be exactly 39 seconds.
"Fran is so angry that Alberto's fair play has been questioned and so he wanted to give his detractors something to suck on by making their worst nightmares come true," said Formula One driver Fernando Alonso in the paddock after qualifying at the German Grand Prix.
Meanwhile, Schleck is in denial about the whole thing and has apparently told friends: "I don't believe that 39 seconds at this point in the race is going to decide whether or not you win the Tour de France."
Psychiatric cycling experts believe that poker-loving Schleck has one last card to play - and is not afraid at using the same dirty tactics that saw his yellow dream terminated in such a cruel fashion.
A confidential Saxo source told Saddles on Saturday night: "The race if far from over. As far as Andy is concerned, Tour protocol went right out of the window the moment his chain slipped on the Port de Bales and his friend Alberto stabbed him in the back.
"If Contador thinks we're going to observe the processional tradition into Paris, well, he's stupider than he looks. There's still a race to be won."
One Tour insider told BS that Bjarne Riis's side had a Plan B should Schleck's unlikely attempt to attack on the way to Paris fall flat.
"There's even talk of Fabian Cancellara taking drastic steps to neutralise the entire Tour," he said.
One real Tour commentator, however, poured cold water on the fiery 39-second debate, claiming it was simply an ironic coincidence: "Do you think Contador would have treated the Tourmalet like a training ride had Schleck still been in yellow? Do the math. And stop all this pathetic chit-chat, already."
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Quote of the day #1: "15th mission accomplished." The tweet is all well and good, but what were Nicolas Roche's other 14 missions? Saddles can think of at least one.
Quote of the day #2: "Well, last TT of my life. Even taking it relatively easy it hurt! Looking forward to seeing friends and family tomorrow in Paris." Presumably Lance Armstrong meant "time trial" when he wrote TT as opposed to "testing trial" (of which there are sure to be many).
Word of the day: Schlecond - n. a Luxembourg measure of time more or less the equivalent of 39 normal seconds.
Cartoon character of the day: Inspector Gadret - today's episode is called 'Last Man Home'.
Stage 19 prediction: Well, you can forget the accustomed etiquettes of the Tour's final stage. With Alberto Contador posing for pictures with a champagne glass, Saxo Bank will launch an unexpected attack in a bid to steal back those 39 seconds for Andy Schleck. At the finish, Mark Cavendish will lead the peloton home, followed by three other HTC-Columbia team-mates to ensure that Alessandro Petacchi fails to get any green jersey points.
Plat du jour: Why not pop to Saddles' favourite restaurant in Paris, the Boucherie Rouliere on the Rue des Canettes in Saint Germain. The fillet steak with bone marrow is divine. Wash it down with some plonk from the vineyard at Montmartre.
Peleton prattle: Which hapless rider has so much respect for Carlos Barredo that he decided to fall over at the bottom of the start ramp in Bordeaux? For his next trick he plans to assault Rui Costa.
Uses for Fabian Cancellara #2: A Festina watch - predictable, sturdy, always on time.
Follow Blazin' Saddles throughout the Tour on www.twitter.com/saddleblaze