By James Raia
E-Mail: address@hidden
Web site: WWW.BYJAMESRAIA.COM
To read this edition (Tour de France, Stage 7 CLICK HERE
To read additional Tour de France editions, click on the following:
STAGE 6 (Pozzato For Stage; Voeckler In Jersey)
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)
--------------------------------------
PUBLISHER'S GREETING
-------------------------------------
The Tour has entered its second week and the peloton has traveled nearly 800 miles. There are two stages and a rest day before stage 10, the first mountain stage. Thomas Voieckler, the young Frenchman, will likely retain the Yellow Jeresey until then -- and then Lance Armstrong, Jan Ullrich, Tyler Hamilton, Iban Mayo and any other overall contender will began their climbs into the mountains and up the standings.
The periodic rain continued Saturday and this 91st edition couldn't be more opposit from last year's battles in record-setting temperatures.
Any talk of doping has been marginal at best in The Tour this year. But the first ban from the event via drugs occurred prior the seventh stage when Christophe Brandt (Lotto) of Belgium after failing a doping control in stage 2 in Namur.
--------------------------------------
TOUR NEWS, NOTES AND QUOTES
-----------------------------------
Thomas Voeckler kept the Yellow Jersey for the third day after placing 43rd in another windy and periodically rainy day in France.
Filioppo Pozzato (Fassa Bortolo) of Italy took the stage while Voeckler kept his 3:01 cushion over Stuart O'Grady (Cofidis) of Australia.
Lance Armstrong is in sixth position at 9:35 and all of the other contenders -- Jan Ullrich, Tyler Hamilton, Iban Mayo -- remain steady in their place . . .
The event lost it first in-race disqualification via doping when Christophe Brandt (Lotto-Domo) was not allowed to begin stage 7 after results showed a faied test after stage 2 in Lamur . . .
The peloton is down to 176 riders with Joly Sebastien (France) of Credit Agricole in last place @ 49:28 . . .
Numerous riders dsplayed their displeasure with the finish of stage six, including Lance Armstrong and Tyler Hamilton. Hamilton, in fact, spoke the race dircector Jean-Marie LeBlanc about the tight finish and ittss accident circumstances prior to the seventh stage.
--------------------------------------
POSTCARD FROM LE TOUR
--------------------------------------
Will return 7/11.
--------------------------------------
AMERICANS IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE
--------------------------------------
Individual Stage Results
Stage 6, Bonneval to Angers, 196 kilometers
Stage Results
39. George Hincapie, Greenville, S.C., (U.S.P.S) @ 10 seconds
48. Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa, Calif., (Rabobank), same time
49. Tyler Hamilton, Marblehead, Mass, (Phonak), s.t.
55. Lance Armstrong, Austin, Texas (U.S.P.S.), s.t.
80. Bobby Julich, Reno, Nev., (CSC) s.t.
91. Christian Vande Velde, Lemont, Ill., (Liberty Seguros), s.t.
152. 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
25. Julich @ 10:35
26. Leipheimer @ 10:43
90. Vande Velde @ 15:03
For complete results, visit the web sites:
cyclingnews.com
letour.fr
procycling.com
velonews.com
--------------------------------------
2004 TOUR DE FRANCE FEATURES
--------------------------------------
WHY LANCE WON'T WIN THE TOUR DE FRANCE
LANCE DECIDES TOUR NO LONGER A PRIORITY
A CONVERSATION WITH LEVI LEIPHEIMER
--------------------------------------
TFT'S QUICK PEDAL STROKES
--------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------
TFT'S BUSINES PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
--------------------------------------
Tour de France Times acknowledges and encourages the support of its business partners:
BIKECAFE.NET
The worldwide cycling resource.
CALIFORNIAWINEANDFOOD.COM
California wine and food and global ambiance.
DIRTRAGMAG.COM
The mountain bike forum.
LUFTHANSA.COM
There's no better way to fly.
SPOKERADIO.COM
Get out there and ride.
--------------------------------------
2004 TOUR DE FRANCE SCHEDULE/RESULTS
--------------------------------------
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 winner: Filippo Pozzato (Fassa Bortolo), Italy, 4:31:34. General classification: Voeckler
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
--------------------------------------
PUBLISHER'S NOTICES
--------------------------------------
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
Note: Click on the banners below to find out more about the respective companies.