By James Raia
E-Mail: address@hidden
Web site: WWW.BYJAMESRAIA.COM
To read this edition (Tour de France, Stage 5 CLICK HERE
To read additional Tour de France editions, click on the following:
STAGE 4 (Postal Takes TTT; Armstrong In Yellow)
STAGE 3 (McKwen Gives Aussies First Yellow)
STAGE 2 (McKwen Wins; Hushovd Claims Yellow)
STAGE 1 (Kirispuu Claims Sprint, Cancellara Retains Jersey)
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PUBLISHER'S GREETING
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What happened to the sun? As the race continued south, skirted Paris and then headed southwest, heavy rain slowed the cyclists. The average speed for the day was 24.39 mph.
George Hincapie, the veteran U.S.P.S. rider with seven Tour finishes, held an impromptu press conference Wednesday night and his interview will be featured in an upcoming issue.
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TOUR NEWS, NOTES AND QUOTES
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The Tour welcomed its fifth rider into the Yellow Jersey after Thomas Voeckler (Brioches La Boulangerie) of France used his fourth-place finish in a commanding breakaway by five riders to assume the race lead on a rainy and windy day.
As he predicted after leading his team to the fourth stage time trial win, Lance Armstrong (U.S.P.S.) had no intention to get keep the race lead. As such, when the eventually leading group of five emerged after 16 kilometers, the U.S.P.S. corps was content the let them go since none of the quintet will be a threat for the overall title once the race advances to the mountains.
The group stayed ahead of several crashes and eventually built more than a 15-minute margin. The main field narrowed the deficit some, but when Australian Stuart O'Grady (Cofidis) emerged as the stage winner, the group of five led by 12:33.
Voeckler, who won French national road championship 10 days ago, was the highest ranked rider entering the stage in 59th position, 3:00 behind Armstrong.
The U.S.P.S. stayed at the front of the main group, protecting Armstrong. As has happened many times during his five Tour victories, Armstrong finished in 24th, one place behind teammate Georgie Hincape. Armstrong fell to sixth place, with Hincapie sixth and Landis seventh . . .
Stage 6 will take the peloton 196 kilometers (121.5 miles) from Bonneval to Angers in another flat stage with no categorized climbs. Bonneval was a starting city in 1999 and Angers has twice previously been a stage finish (1936 and 1972). It also hosted the departure of the race in 1967 and 1972 . . .
The 7th, 8th and 9th stages also will not feature any substantial climbs, so Voeckler could keep his journey until at least stage 10 when the race's first category 1 climb will confront the field . . .
The starting field of 188 was reduced to 181. Bradley McGee (FDJeux.com) of Australia abandoned during the stage and Maryan Hary (Brioches La Boulangerie) of France finished outside the time limit and was eliminated.
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POSTCARD FROM LE TOUR
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The drive from Arras to Chartres was the longest commute of the Tour to date. Primarily, it was a high-speed trek along A1, some 200 kilometers to Paris and then a right turn to Chartres, another 75 kilometers down the road. Despite its simple route, I took the wrong turn in Paris and spent nearly an hour off and on the Peripherique, the wild and stressful ring of traffic that provides exits to various neighborhoods of Paris.
I stopped on a street corner and asked two Parisians for directions, and got lost again. I asked a guy at a red light, but his suggestion provided a diversion into another neighbhood. I then nearly drove nearly into the front door of a pub and asked the proprietor for directions.
All of my stops in Paris resulted in different directions, but eventually I saw the first sign to Chartres, the finish city. The green arrow signs posted by the race organization toward the press room were easy to follow and I arrived just prior to and deluge.
Still, I was upset with myself. Each day, journalists arrive in the press rooms late and upset after driving aimlessly for hours. But today I thought for sure I must have been the only one who couldn't fin the way.
When I arrived, however, the press facility was only half full. As it turned out, many others took the same wrong turn and spent ample time "sightseeing" in Paris. Lisewise, many others got stuck on the race course and arrived much later.
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AMERICANS IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE
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Individual Stage Results
Stage 5, Amiens to Chartres, 200.5 kilometers
Stage Results
23. George Hincapie, Greenville, S.C., (U.S.P.S.) @ 12:33
24. Lance Armstrong, Austin, Texas, (U.S.P.S), same time.
45. Bobby Julich, Reno, Nev. (CSC), s.t.
46. Tyler Hamilton, Marblehead, Mass., (Phonak), s.t.
51. Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa, Calif., (Rabobank), s.t.
91. Christian Vande Velde, Lemont, Ill., (Liberty Seguros), s.t.
101. Floyd Landis, San Diego, Calif., (U.S.P.S.), s.t.
General Classification
6. Armstrong @ 9:35
7. Hincapie @ 9:45
8. Landis @ 9:51
13. Hamilton @ 10:11
23. Julich @ 10:35
21. Leipheimer @ 10:43
93. Vande Velde @ 15:03
For complete results, visit the web sites:
cyclingnews.com
letour.fr
procycling.com
velonews.com
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2004 TOUR DE FRANCE FEATURES
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WHY LANCE WON'T WIN THE TOUR DE FRANCE
LANCE DECIDES TOUR NO LONGER A PRIORITY
A CONVERSATION WITH LEVI LEIPHEIMER
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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, 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 winner: Stuart O'Grady (Cofidis), Australia, 5:05:58. General classification: Thomas Voeckler (Broiches La Boulangerie) France.
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.
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