5 Important Minutes for "Gotland"

With only 4 stages to go in the 2008 edition of the Tour de France, a Swede remains in the "Top 50" in the overall standings (with 150 cyclists still in the race). Not bad for a young rider. Thomas Lövkvist, nicknamed "Gotland" by his friends and fans and well known in the cycling community for his time trial skills, will begin Thursday's Stage 18 with a lead of nearly 5 minutes for 48th place in the overall standings. Stage 18 takes the riders out of the Alps, a 196.5 kilometer trek from Bourg d’Oisan to St. Étienne. The 24-year old Lövkvist's sprinting skills will be on display once more during the 2008 Tour during Saturday's Cérill to St. Amand-Montrond time trial. "Gotland" wore the white jersey as the fastest "Young Rider" on The Tour following the race's first time trial in Cholet.

Thomas Lövkvist, photo courtesy of Adam Bowie