By James Raia
E-Mail: address@hidden
Web site: WWW.BYJAMESRAIA.COM
To read this edition (Tour de France, Stage 4 CLICK HERE
To read additional Tour de France editions, click on the following:
STAGE 3
STAGE 2
STAGE 1
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PUBLISHER'S GREETING
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The sunny weather at the Tour de France lasted one day. The rain fell hard and caused many crashes during the team time trial Wednesday . But that was hours after I arrived safe, dry and satisfied in Arras.
The reason: With only an hour's travel from Roubaix to the finish of stage 4, there was plenty of extra time today to post new feature content.
Take a look at the Q&A interview I did with Levi Leipheimer, the Santa Rosa, Calif., rider and leader of the Rabobank squad.
I've also posted a humorous essay provided by Kiril Kundurazieff. He's commonly known as the The Cycling Dude and is the Costa, Mesa, Calif., publisher of the unique web site, The Cycling Dude
And I've also posted a column I was asked to write prior to the Tour for the Austin-American Statesman, the hometown newspaper of Lance Armstrong. The idea was a point-counterpoint perspective and I was assigned to write: "Why Lance Armstrong Won't Win The Tour de France."
Here are the links to today's new posts:
WHY LANCE WON'T WIN THE TOUR DE FRANCE
LANCE DECIDES TOUR NO LONGER A PRIORITY
A CONVERSTION WITH LEVI LEIPHEIMER
Lastly, a subscriber asked, so here are some simple conversion guidelines:
1 kilometer = .6204 miles, 50 kilometers = 31.2 miles, 100 kilometers = 62.4 miles. If a stage is 210 kilometers in length, multiple 210 by .6204. It's 130.2 miles.
To convert temperatures from celsius to fahrenheit, multiple the celsius number by 9, divide that amount by 5 and add 32. An example: 21 degrees celsius multiplied by 9 = 189, divided by 5 = 37.8. Add 32 and the temperature in fahrenheit is approximately 70 degrees.
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TOUR NEWS, NOTES AND QUOTES
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It took only five days this year, but Lance Armstrong moved into the race lead following the U.S. Postal Service victory in rainy and slick 64.5-kilometer fourth stage team time trial.
Following a steady, if unspectacular start, the Posties surged into the lead after the second time check and increased their lead despite teammate Benjamin Noval falling off pace.
Armstrong, who became the race's fourth wearer of the yellow jersey, possessed the jersey for the final 13 days last year en route his fifth title. The U.S.P.S. squad also won the TTT last year.
The U.S.P.S contingent defeated Tyler Hamilton's Phonak squad by one minute and seven seconds. But under the new team time trial guidelines instituted this year, only a 20-second gap was allowed between the first and second-place teams. The last-place squad among the 21 teams could lose a maxium of 2 1/2 minutes . . .
As the defending titlists, the Posties were the last group to ride and the heavy rains subsided as their journey progressed. Several teams suffered in poor and Levi Leipheimer crashed for the second time in the Tour, but was unhurt.
Quotes from Armstrong:
"Our objective is not to defend the jersey for the next week or until the mountains but for Paris." . . .
"I would like keep the jersey, but it's not in the best interests of the team. It's difficult to defend, and we will conserve the strength of the team. We will not sacrifice the team to defend the jersey in the north of France. The time to defend is in the Pyrenees." . . .
"We got 20 seconds and 20 seconds it is. The only consolation (of losing an additonal 47 seconds) is knowing your team is strong and that you have the best team in the race." . . .
Twenty-seven countries are represented at the Tour de France, with the host country's 37 riders the most by any nation. And just in anyone forget, Bernard Hinault in 1985 was the last Frenchman to claim the overall title . . .
For nearly a decade, Rob Arnold, an Australian journalist and cycling magazine editor, has provided closed-caption text of each stage to the press room and to outside entitities interested in purchasing the service. It's estimated he writes about 10,000 words per day while constantly updating the stage in brief reportorial style and with flashes of lively commentary. Consider one of Arnold's entrants as the weather worsened during Wednesday's fourth stage: "Conditions are expected to turn feral before Lance's mob finishes." . . .
The fifth stage Thursday will take the riders 200.5 kilometers from Amiens to Chartres in another flat stage again to conducive to sprinters' strengths. It will also provide an ideal opportunity to watch U.S.P.S. defend Armstrong's jersey.
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POSTCARD FROM LE TOUR
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Will return on 7/8.
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AMERICANS IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE
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Individual Stage Results
Stage 4, Cambrai-Arras, 64.5 kilometers
Stage Results
1. U.S. Postal Service, 1 hour, 12 minutes and 3 seconds at 53.71 kph (33.32 mph)
General Classification
1. Lance Armstrong, Austin, Texas, U.S.P.S.
2. George Hincapie, Greenville, S.C., U.S.P.S. @ 10 seconds
3. Floyd Landis, San Diego, Calif., @ 16 seconds
8. Tyler Hamilton, Marblehead, Mass., Phonak @ 36 seconds
18. Bobby Julich, Reno, Nev., CSC, @ 1:00
21. Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa, Calif., @ 1:08
93. Christian Vande Velde, Lemont, Ill., @ 5:28
For complete results, visit the web sites:
cyclingnews.com
letour.fr
procycling.com
velonews.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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Tour de France Times acknowledges and encourages the support of its business partners:
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The worldwide cycling resource.
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DIRTRAGMAG.COM
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LUFTHANSA.COM
There's no better way to fly.
SPOKERADIO.COM
Get out there and ride.
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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, 210 km
Stage winner: Jean-Patrick Nazon (AG2R Provoyance), France, 4:36:45. General classification: Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo), Australia.
Stage 4 - July 7: Cambrai - Arras TTT, 64.5 km
Stage winner: U.S. Postal Service, 1 hours, 12 minutes, 3 seconds. General classification: Lance Armstrong (U.S.P.S.), Austin,Texas.
Stage 5 - July 8: Amiens - Chartres, 200.5 km
Stage 6 - July 9: Bonneval - Angers, 196 km
Stage 7 - July 10: Chateaubriant - Saint Brieuc, 204.5 km
Stage 8 - July 11: Lamballe - Quimper, 168 km
July 12: Rest Day: Transfer to Limoges
Stage 9 - July 13: St Leonard de Noblat - Guéret, 160.5 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, 197.5 km
Stage 13 - July 17: Lannemezan - Plateau de Beille, 205.5 km
Stage 14 - July 18: Carcassonne - Nimes, 200 km
July 19 - Rest Day: Transfer to Nimes
Stage 15 - July 20: Valreas - Villard-de-Lans, 180.5 km
Stage 16 - July 21: Bourg d'Oisans - Alpe d'Huez ITT, 15.5 km
Stage 17 - July 22: Bourg d'Oisans - Le Grand Bornand, 204.5 km
Stage 18 - July 23: Annemasse - Lons le Saulnier, 166.5 km
Stage 19 - July 24: Besancon - Besancon ITT, 55 km
Stage 20 - July 25: Montreau - Paris-Champs-Elysees, 163 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
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