By James Raia
E-Mail: address@hidden
Web site: WWW.BYJAMESRAIA.COM
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STAGE 5 (O'Grady For Stage; Voeckler In Jersey)
STAGE 4 (Postal Takes TTT; Armstrong In Yellow)
STAGE 3 (McKwen Gives Aussies Fourth 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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We're approaching a week into ther race, and with 14 stages remaining we're still not close to a mountain stage. The first significant climb occurs in stage 10 on July 13 with a 237-kilometer trek from Limoges to St. Flour.
The ascent will be a categorie 1 effort, a 5.5 kilometer section with an 8 percent grade. With the exception of the stage 4 time trial, the stages to date have been preambles, so let the climbing begin and let's see the contenders show their abilities.
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TOUR NEWS, NOTES AND QUOTES
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What was expected to be nondescript sprinters' stage certainly proved otherwise. There was even news the before the stage when Mario Cipollini (Domina Vicanze), the flashy Italian with 12 career Tour de France stage wins, and Italian compatriot Alessandro Petachhi (Fassa Bortolo) both exited the event . . .
Cipollini, who crashed earlier in the race, apparently has re-visited the shin injury that caused him to abandon the Tour of Italy. He'll likely have surgery next week. Petacchi, who had won four stages after six stages of the race last year, has been a non-factor this year. He also apparently re-injured a hip and also left for Italy . . .
Late Thursday night, Lance Armstrong held an impromptu press conference. It wasn't intended to include breaking news, but when the five-time race titlist was asked about his thoughts on competing in the Summer Olympics, the five-time Tour winner said he's decided not to compete in Greece. Armstrong, the divorced father of three children, said he's been away from his children too much in recent months and said he would rather spend the time being a father . . .
There was no immediate announcement of Armstrong's replacement for the five-rider squad, but the concensus has Freddie Rodriquez, the Emeryville, Calif., rider as the logical choice . . .
Armstrong also again avoided tragedy in the stage. When a few others went down in front of him at 12km into the stage, he crashed and fell on his hip and arm. But he was not hurt and was brought back to the main group by several teammates. Armstrong also went down in the pile-up just under the one-kilometer banner and with a majority of the field. Because the riders were within 1,000 meters from the finish, all were given the same time as the winner . . .
"The banners were tight and you've got 200 guys going 40 mph, I don't know what they we're thinking," said Armstrong regarding the finishing crash. "It's a good thing it happened about 10 meters inside the 1km mark." . . .
Yellow Jersey wearer Thomas Voeckler (Brioches La Boulangere) of France lost a few seconds to second-place Stuart O'Grady (Cofidis) of Australia. But Voeckler will retain the leader's jersery for stage 7 after finishing 128th in the stage in the same time as the stage win Tom Boonen (Quick Step-Davitamon) of Belgium.
There were no other significant changes in the top 10 overall standings, with Armstrong still leading three teammates, including two Americans, while in sixth place @ 9:35 . . .
With the departure of Cipolinni and Petacchi, the peloton has 179 riders remaining from its 188 original total in Liege on July 3.
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POSTCARD FROM LE TOUR
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One can always count on the Australians. Last night, I met two Aussie journalists in the lobby my hotel and I saw the same guys at breakfast. One thing led to another. We shared tales of cycling, including a wondrous account from John Trevarrow, a former pro who rode who finished the Tour of Italy more than 20 years ago while touting the virtues of tobacco for a cigarette company.
That's a tale for another time. The Aussie contingent also included a young radio journalist Thomas Connell. At age 20, it seems Connell knows his way around GPS systems.
I hadn't been able to decipher the system in my rental car for the first week of travel, but Connell took a five-minute at my system had me set for the 200-plus kilometer drive from Chartres to Angers.
The GPS equipment couldn't have worked better. In fact, since I'm driving each day by myself, the confident-sounding women's voice provided nice company.
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AMERICANS IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE
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Individual Stage Results
Stage 6, Bonneval to Angers, 196 kilometers
Stage Results
33. George Hincapie, Greenville, S.C., (U.S.P.S), same time as winnner
34. Lance Armstrong, Austin, Texas (U.S.P.S.), s.t.
102, Tyler Hamilton, Marblehead, Mass, (Phonak), s.t.
109. Floyd Landis, San Diego, Calif., (U.S.P.S)., s.t.
133. Christian Vande Velde, Lemont, Ill., (Liberty Seguros), s.t.
140. Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa, Calif., (Rabobank), s.t.
176. Bobby Julich, Reno, Nev., (CSC), s.t.
General Classification
6. Armstrong @ 9:35
7. Hincapie @ 9:45
8. Landis @ 9:51
13. Hamilton @ 10:11
24. Julich @ 10:35
26. Leipheimer @ 10:43
95. 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
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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 winner: Tom Boonen (Quick Step-Davitamon), Belgium, 4:41:41. General Classification: Voeckler.
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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