Re: Tour de France
 

It's 11:30, and that means it tour update time:
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Stage 13: Miramas to Montpellier - 173.5km

2 Sprints, 1 Climb, Very Sunny, Mostly flat day.

- Five riders established an escape group at the 17km mark. Da Cruz (FDJ) began the move. He was joined by Flecha (FAS), Horner (SDV), Voeckler (BTL) and Turpin (A2R). After only 30 km of being out front, the lead was over 9 minutes.
- At this point the peloton started to pick up the pace and bring this group back home.
- Alejandro Valverde retired from the race due to sickness. He was wearing the white jersey for top young rider.
- When half the stage was remaining the peloton brought the escape groups lead down to 5 minutes.
- The average for the first two hours of racing was 48.1km/h.
- With 17km to go, this long standing escape group was drawing nearer to the peloton, just 38 seconds out.
- As the group was about to be sucked back in, Horner and Chavanel decide it is not their time, and they accelerate. All the rest of the riders are caught, but these two still maintained a 16 second lead.
- With 3km to go, the started getting closer to the peloton, one second at a time. (dramatic eh?)
- 8 seconds out with 1 km to go.
- Chavanel and Horner were caught by the peloton with about 400m to go.
- McEwen has won the sprint to claim his third stage win in the 2005 Tour. He beat out Stuart O'Grady, who seemed like he was wronged in someway on the sprint.

*Note: It may not show in the team rankings, but the Discovery Channel team or "team disco" as it is sometimes called is very strong. Todays stage is the first time since 2000 (I think) that they haven't had all 9 riders start. They lost one yesterday. The team always seems to take charge at the end of the stage, leading for the last half or third and bringing in the escape groups.

The top 10 in the stage from Miramas to Montpellier is:
1. Robbie McEwen (Australia) DVL
2. Stuart O’Grady (Australia) COF
3. Fred Rodriguez (USA) DVL
4. Guido Trentin (USA) QST
5. Thor Hushovd (Norway) C.A
6. Anthony Geslin (France) BTL
7. Robert Forster (Germany) GST
8. Magnus Backstedt (Sweden) LIQ
9. Gianluca Bortolami (Italy) LAM
10. Chris Horner (USA) SDV

No change in the GC.

Re: Tour de France
 

Yeah, I missed Yesterday, so I am just going to list the finishing places and jersey wearers:
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Stage 14: Agde to Ax-3-Domaines - 220.5km

2 Sprints, 6 Climbs, Very Sunny.

Georg Totschnig and his Gerolsteiner team have won for the first time at the Tour de France. The top 10 in stage 14 is:
1. Georg Totschnig (Austria) GST 220.5km in 5h43’43" (38.491km/h)
2. Lance Armstrong (USA) DSC - at 56"
3. Ivan Basso (Italy) CSC - at 58"
4. Jan Ullrich (Germany) TMO - at 1’16"
5. Levi Leipheimer (USA) GST - at 1’31"
6. Floyd Landis (USA) GST - at 1’31"
7. Francisco Mancebo (Spain) IBA - at 1’47"
8. Mickael Rasmussen (Denmark) RAB- at 1’47"
9. Andreas Kloden (Germany) TMO - at 2’06"
10. Haimar Zubeldia (Spain) EUS - at 2’20"

After 14 stages in the 2005 Tour de France, the top 10 overall is as follows:
1. Lance Armstrong (USA) DSC - 2,440km in 55h58’17" (43.32km/h)
2. Mickael Rasmussen (Denmark) RAB - at 1’41"
3. Ivan Basso (Italy) CSC - at 2’46"
4. Jan Ullrich (Germany) TMO - at 4’34"
5. Levi Leipheimer (USA) GST - at 4’45"
6. Floyd Landis (USA) PHO - at 5’03"
7. Francisco Mancebo (Spain) IBA - at 5’03"
8. Andreas Kloden (Germany) TMO - at 5’38"
9. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakstahn) TMO - at 7’09"
10. Christophe Moreau (France) C.A - at 8’37"

Yellow: Lance Armstrong
Green: Thor Hushovd
Polka-Dot: Mickael Rasmussen
White: Yaroslav Popovych

Re: Tour de France
 

I missed it again. but here are the highlights:
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Stage 15: Lézat-sur-Leze to Saint-Lary-Soulan - 205.5 km


- For this first time since 1999, someone on Lance Armstongs team other than Lance has one a stage. George Hincapie could be team Discovery Channel's next big thing.
- There were some big showings by a few strong riders including Lance Armstrong (7th), Ivan Basso (6th), Oscar Sevilla (8th) and Mickael Rasmussen (10th).

The top 10 in the stage from Lezat-sur-Leze to Pla-d’Adet is:
1. George Hincapie (USA) DSC - 205.5km in 6h’06’38" (33.63km/h)
2. Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spain) PHO - at 06"
3. Pietro Caucchioli (Italy) C.A - at 38"
4. Michael Boogerd (Netherlands) RAB - at 57"
5. Laurent Brochard (France) BTL - at 2’19"
6. Ivan Basso (Italy) CSC - at 5’04"
7. Lance Armstrong (USA) DSC - at 5’04"
8. Oscar Sevilla (Spain) TMO - at 6’28"
9. Jan Ullrich (Ger) TMO - at 6’28"
10. Mickael Rasmussen (Denmark) RAB - at 6’32"

After 15 stages of the 2005 Tour de France, the top 10 in the general classification is as follow:
1. Lance Armstrong (USA) DSC - 2,645.5km in 62h09’59" (42.309km/h)
2. Ivan Basso (Italy) CSC - at 2’46"
3. Mickael Rasmussen (Denmark) RAB - at 3’09"
4. Jan Ullrich (Germany) TMO - at 5’58"
5. Francisco Mancebo (Spain) IBA - at 6’31"
6. Levi Leipheimer (USA) GST - at 7’35"
7. Floyd Landis (USA) PHO - at 9’33"
8. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakstahn) TMO at 9’38"
9. Christophe Moreau (France) C.A - at 11’47"
10. Andreas Kloden (Germany) TMO - at 12’01"

No change with the jerseys.

Re: Tour de France
 

Stage 16: Mourenx to Pau - 180.5 km

4 climbs, 2 sprints

- 12 riders finished in groups ahead of Lance today. None of them were any threat to his Yellow Jersey.
- Lance started in a group of less then 10 and it gradually grew to over 30 and then became the new peloton.
- The four riders that lead the stage for large portion include Zandio, Evans, Flecha, Mazzoleni, Serrano, Vasseur, Geslin, Pineau, Gilbert, Ludewig, Pereiro Sio, and Turpin
- Cadel Evans is the rider of the day in my opinion. He is the only one that is a slight threat to Lance in this stage. He was only 12'57" behind before the start of todays stage and held 44th place. After today's stage he has moved up to 9th place. Amazing for this rookie rider.
- Of the 4 riders that won today's stage, none of them have ever won a stage before and 2 of them were rookies.
- Oscar Pereiro Sio won the stage.

Top 10 in the stage:
1. Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spain) PHO - 180.5km in 4h38’40" (38.863km/h)
2. Xabier Zandio (Spain) IBA - at same time
3. Eddy Mazzoleni (Italy) LAM - at same time
4. Cadel Evans (Australia) DVL - at same time
5. Philippe Gilbert (Belgium) FDJ - at 2’52"
6. Anthony Geslin (France) BTL at 2’25"
7. Jorg Ludewig (Germany) DOM at 2’25
8. Juan Antonio Flecha (Spain) FAS at 2’25"
9. Ludovic Turpin (France) A2R at 2’25"
10. Cedric Vasseur (France) COF at 2’25"

Top 10 in the GC:
1. Lance Armstrong (USA) DSC - 2,826km in 66h52’03" (42.034km/h)
2. Ivan Basso (Italy) CSC - at 2’46"
3. Mickael Rasmussen (Denmark) RAB - at 3’09"
4. Jan Ullrich (Germany) TMO - at 5’08"
5. Franciso Mancebo (Spain) IBA - at 6’31"
6. Levi Leipheimer (USA) GST - at 7’35"
7. Cadel Evans (Australia) DVL - at 9’29"
8. Floyd Landis (USA) PHO - at 9’33"
9. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakstahn) TMO - at 9’38"
10. Christophe Moreau (France) C.A - at 11’47"

Re: Tour de France
 

hey its nice to see not just one but THREE american bicyclist on the top 10. you seem to follow this closly but ive done a little endurance bike riding and i know that the distance these guys pull is insane even if it wasnt a race.

Re: Tour de France
 

It's not official yet, as there's one stage left, but Lance has won again (It's tradition not to attack the leader on the final stage to Paris, so basically Lance just needs to avoid crashing and taking himself out of the race).

He opened his lead up to 4:40 in the individual time trial in the 20th stage of the race, and his first stage win of the year.

He also collected his 83rd career yellow jersey, second only to Eddy Merckx

Lance will be the only rider ever to win 7 tours, with four of the sport's greatest riders behind him at 5 a piece.

Personally, I think Lance is the greatest athlete of all time. To win 7 Tour de France's alone would be an epic achievement in and of itself, but to do that after being told there were overwhelming odds of him dying from cancer is nothing short of unbelievable.

Re: Tour de France
 

It's official now. Lance Wins.

Thats number 7.

Re: Tour de France
 

I saw him win this morning, it was quite a historic moment. He really is one of the best athletes of our time.

Re: Tour de France
 

Lance Armstrong is my hero. So who do you think is gonna win next year? I'm thinking Ivan Basso, Mickael Rassmussen, or Alexandre Vinokourov. Popivych (sp?) has a chance but I don't know if he has the experience.

Re: Tour de France
 

Don't forget Jan Ullrich. He could have won many of the years that Lance did if it weren't for him. Jan is also getting older, and I am sure is itching to come out next year and take over the tour.