By James Raia
E-Mail: address@hidden
Web site: WWW.BYJAMESRAIA.COM
To read this edition (Tour de France, Stage 2) CLICK HERE
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STAGE 1
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PUBLISHER'S GREETING
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The sun shone in Belgium, and all was right with the Tour de France. Stage 2, as per tradition, was another day for sprinters. The occasion marked only the third time a stage of the race finished in Namur, about 30 kilometers from the home of Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone.
And as one friend here commented, "One wonders if the habitants of Namur spend a lot of time tooting their own horns."
Note to subscribers: I will be providing Tour de France radio reports on Capital Public Radio (CPR) in Sacramento and its varied Northern California and Nevada affiliates as well as on National Public Radio (NPR). The CPR reports can be heard on July 9, 16 and 23. Reports on NPR reports will be heard periodically throughout the event on Morning Edition, which is repeatedly several times before 9 a.m. PST.
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TOUR NEWS, NOTES AND QUOTES
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Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo) of Australia claimed the second sprinters' stage by several bike lengths, while Norgewian runner-up Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) assumed the overall race lead from prologue winner Fabian Cancellara (Fassa Bortolo) of Switzerland. Hushovd, who placed third in the first stage, finished second in the second stage and earned 12 bonus seconds. As the first Norwegian to possess the yellow jersey, he holds an eight-second cushion over Cancellara, with McEwen third at 17 seconds . . .
Lance Armstrong, who finished in the main peloton in the same time as the winner, fell one place to fourth and leads six Americans, representing four teams, in the top-20 . . . The field is down to 186 riders after the abandonment of Italian Gian Matteo Fagnini (Domina-Vacanze). Nick Gates (Lotto Domo) finished outside of the time limit of the first stage and didn't start stage 2 . . .
Stage 3 will take the peloton 210 kilometers (130.3 miles) from Waterloo to Wasquehal, and it's likely to continue the sprinters' showcase. But the route will also feature two small sections of pave, the famed cobblestones featured in the classic, Paris-Roubaix. The first cobble section will cover 2.5-kilometers beginning with 64 kms left in the stage. The final cobbles will cover one kilometer and will conclude with 25 kms left in the stage . . .
For those with celebrity interests: Sheryl Crow, the rock star and girlfriend of Lance Armstrong, is in attendance at The Tour. She was accepting of press interviews and revealed that she has ridden the climb to L'Alpe to Huez. With advice from her boyfriend, Crow concluded the climb in about 90 minutes.
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POSTCARD FROM LE TOUR
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The computer screen of the guy sitting next to me yesterday in the press room telephone section made me do a double-take. The screen featured the logo of the NBA's Sacramento Kings.
"Oh, you must know Vlade Divac or some of the other European guys on the team," I said while glancing over at the guy.
"I am his first cousin," the guy said.
Indeed, Vito Divac, a 52-year-old bachelor, is the first cousin of the veteran center. He's also a 30-year sportswriter for Delo, a 400,000 circulation daily newspaper in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Although he has bushy white hair and does not appear in the physical shape of an NBA player, Vito Divac facially resembles his famous cousin. At age 52, he's single and spends a fair amount of time in the U.S. writing columns about skiing, soccer, cycling and, of course, the NBA.
During the seasons in which Vlade Divac has played for the Kings, Vito Divac has traveled to Sacramento several times, usually after reporting on World Cup skiing in Colorado.
"Sacramento is one of my favorite cities," said Divac, as if serving as an ambassador from the city's chamber of commerce. But his reason was sincere.
"Where I live is one of the most quiet cities in Slovenia and I like the quiet," said Divac. "I like Sacramento because it's very quiet like where I live."
When Divac travels to write columns at the Kings' games, his goal is not to be objective. It would be impossible, he said, considering his relationship with his cousin.
"It's very difficult for me to write sports without emotion," explained Divac. "And when Vlade and I get together, there is a lot of emotion. And also, we don't talk about sports much."
When two Divacs last met a few months again in Sacramento, Vito told Vlade, he would return in June if the Kings advanced to the NBA Finals. Now Vito looks forward to a return to Northern California if his cousin continues to play for the Kings.
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AMERICANS IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE
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Indvididual Stage Results
Stage 2, Charleroi to Namur, 197 kilometers
71. Bobby Julich (CSC), Reno, Nev., 4 hours, 18 minutes and 39 seconds (same time as the winner).
75. Levi Leipheimer (Rabobank), Santa Rosa, Calif, same time.
85. Lance Armstrong (U.S.P.S.), Austin, Texas, s.t.
86. George Hincapie (U.S.P.S.), Greenville, S.C., s.t.
89. Tyler Hamilton (Phonak), Marblehead, Mass., s.t.
94. Christian Vande Velde (Liberty Seguros), Lemont, Ill., s.t.
119. Floyd Landis (U.S.P.S.), San Diego, Calif., s.t.
General Classification
4. Armstrong @ 18 seconds
9. Julich @ 28 seconds
10. Hincapie @ 28 seconds
13. Leipheimer @ 31 seconds
18. Landis @ 34 seconds
19. Hamilton @ 34 seconds
89. Vande Velde @ 48 seconds
For complete results, visit the web sites:
CyclingNews.com
LeTour.fr
VeloNewws.com
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TFT'S QUICK PEDAL STROKES
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AMAZON.COM
Everything offered by the internet's largest online retailer.
ENDURANCE SPORTS NEWS
Endurance news from around the globe. Timely, pertinent, free.
JAMES RAIA'S ONLINE STORE
Amazon to Rudy Project, Land's End to R.E.I.
ROCK & ROLL BOB ROLL
Cycling's rebel announcer on Le Tour de France.
STRETCHING IS FOR CYCLISTS, TOO
Brad Walker is a long-time stretching expert.
THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE
The best cycling movie ever made?
THE TOUR WITHIN THE TOUR
Twenty-four essays about the cyclists, people & places of the Tour.
THE TOUR DE FRANCE AT A GLANCE
The Tour de France in facts and figures.
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TFT'S BUSINES PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
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2004 TOUR DE FRANCE SCHEDULE/RESULTS
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Prologue - July 3: Prologue Liege ITT, 6 km
Stage winner: Fabian Cancellara, Fassa Bortolo, 6 minutes, 30 seconds. General Classification: Cancellara
Stage 1 - July 4: Liège-Charleroi, 195 km
Stage winner: Jaan Kirsipuu (AG2R) 4 hours, 40 minutes and 29 seconds. General Classicifation: Cancellara.
Stage 2 - July 5: Charleroi-Namur, 197 km
Stage winner: Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo), Australia, 4 hours, 18 minutes, 39 seconds. General classification: Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole), Norway.
Stage 3 - July 6: Waterloo - Wasquehal, 195 km
Stage 4 - July 7: Cambrai - Arras TTT, 65 km
Stage 5 - July 8: Amiens - Chartres, 195 km
Stage 6 - July 9: Bonneval - Angers, 190 km
Stage 7 - July 10: Chateaubriant - Saint Brieuc, 208 km
Stage 8 - July 11: Lamballe - Quimper, 172 km
July 12: Rest Day: Transfer to Limoges
Stage 9 - July 13: St Leonard de Noblat - Guéret, 160 km
Stage 10 - July 14: Limoges - St. Flour, 237 km
Stage 11 - July 15: St Flour - Figeac, 164 km
Stage 12 - July 16: Castelsarrasin - La Mongie, 199 km
Stage 13 - July 17: Lannemezan - Plateau de Beille, 217 km
Stage 14 - July 18: Carcassonne - Nimes, 200 km
July 19 - Rest Day: Transfer to Nimes
Stage 15 - July 20: Valreas - Villard-de-Lans, 179 km
Stage 16 - July 21: Bourg d'Oisans - Alpe d'Huez ITT, 15 km
Stage 17 - July 22: Bourg d'Oisans - Le Grand Bornand, 212 km
Stage 18 - July 23: Annemasse - Lons le Saulnier, 166 km
Stage 19 - July 24: Besancon - Besancon ITT, 60 km
Stage 20 - July 25: Montreau - Paris-Champs-Elysees, 165 km
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PUBLISHER'S NOTICES
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Tour de France Times (TFT), an electronic newsletter about cycling's pinnacle event and the cyclists who compete in it, is written, edited and published by James Raia, a journalist in Sacramento, California. Tour de France Times is published monthly, except daily during the three-week Tour de France.
Story links, race information, suggestions and letters to the editor are encouraged via e-mail. Please include your name and city and state of residence. Names held upon request.
Use of this newsletter is encouraged with the publisher's permission.
Send correspondence to: address@hidden