Tour de France

[darthfergie]

If your following the Tour De France coverage on OLN (for english speaking people that is the soul provider) then you might have some picks for the winning cycler. Really though this Tour de France is probably a cakewalk for Lance Armstrong because his arch rival, Jan Ullrich, is out with an injury. Lance will still have stiff competition from several riders, but will most likely take the Yellow Jersy home again for the 4th time.

[Uutont Fær Uulion]

I'm watching I'm putting my chips down on Lance, but you never know

[Lord Fergie]

Owwwww I poked myself in the eye

 

Useless post dimwit! Next Time I'll delete it -darthfergie

[Lord Fergie]

A Rainbow Victory Under Blue Skies!

 

After two days of overcast conditions at the Tour de France, the sun finally shone on the this summertime fete on the day the race crossed the border into Germany. And yet, without even the hint of any drizzle, there was a rainbow which concluded the 181km stage. Oscar Freire, resplendent in the colorful jersey of the world champion, proved his sprinting prowess by leading an elite corp of quicks across the line to claim his first Tour stage win. And, in so doing, the Spaniard became the first rider in the prestigious rainbow jersey to taste stage success in this race since Bernard Hinault in 1981.

The conditions were ideal for a sprint finish, and the huge German crowds which lined the roads cheered the peloton on in the hope that this would indeed be the scenario on the streets of Sarrebruck. The local fans were out in force – and not only because of the perfect, 30 degree weather, but also because they wanted to see their Sprint King, Erik Zabel make amends for his lapse yesterday when Rubens Bertogliati ruined the predicted sprint finish.

As is always the case in a stage of the ‘Grande Boucle’, however, there was the obligatory quest for opportunist glory – and a display of commitment from the ‘rouleurs’. At the top of this list was Stephane Berges.

After a long escape in stage one, Berges tried his luck again when he joined Sylvain Chavanel and Thor Hushovd in a break 11km into the 181km stage. Together they toiled until cramp crippled the Credit Agricole representative up front.

For Berges the attempt paid dividends; he scored 10 points in the climbing contest and earned a polka-dot jersey for his efforts. But for Hushovd, the pain never eased. He was passed by the peloton with 50km to race and the cramp forced him off the bike and almost into the team car. For reasons surely only he can explain, he persisted – at times pedaling with only one leg while he tried to stretch the other back to life – and eventually he rolled across the line. Wilted and hurt, the Norweigen finish almost 20 minutes behind the pack.

By the time Hushovd arrived, the presentations were over. Bertogliati was back in yellow after finishing in the pack. He may have dreamed of another escape attempt, but the sprinters were more prepared today.

Today it went according to plan for the fast finishers. The peloton exited the final left-hand turn of the stage and sent the pack speeding along the 700 meter finishing straight. The colors of the Telekom train were at the front of the pack and the green jersey of Zabel was positioned perfectly. Not even a fall near the front of the bunch could stop the inevitable bunch kick and with 500 meters to go. All the Tour’s quicks were in place and the only German team in the race appeared to have things under control. The new German champion, Danilo Hondo, peeled off leaving Zabel’s key lead-out man, Gian Matteo Fagnini to ply his trade. But the Australian champion, Robbie McEwen had other ideas. He upped the pace and began his sprint early. The Lotto rider who has already won two stages of this year’s Giro d’Italia came past both Fagnini and Zabel and seemed on track to take his second Tour stage win in his fifth start. What they all forgot, however, was the quality of Freire’s finish.

The Spanish Mapei rider won the first of his two world championships with a solo victory back in 1999, but his top-end sprint speed was what sealed his second rainbow victory in Portugal last October. And it was this kick which netted him his first Tour win after only two days of trying. It’s been a long time since a world champion has won a stage of this year’s race, but judging on Oscar’s form, it won’t be long before we see it again. Perhaps it won’t quite equal Hinault’s five stage-win blitz in the rainbow colors in 1981, but don’t count on this being Oscar’s last salute at the 2002 Tour.

[Guest UNCLE LIJAH]

"Australians Just Try Harder!

 

For the first time in the history of the Tour de France, the green and gold colors of the Australian champion flashed across the finishing line in first place. Robbie McEwen was finally able to throw his arms in the air and rejoice a victory which many pundits predicted would happen this year. For McEwen had already won 17 times before today. But his salute in Reims only came once the win was confirmed. "It’s a great feeling to win today," said Robbie at the post-race press conference. "And I really wanted be able to celebrate with the win by showing off my Australian champion’s jersey. I knew (Erik) Zabel was right with me. And with him so close, I wasn’t going to chance it with an early salute. And indeed, Zabel is so consistent in the race of the quicks, that he has a golden reward today: the jersey of the new race leader thanks to his efforts in acquiring time bonuses at the intermediate sprints and his second place at the finish today. Indeed, Robbie knows only too well the feeling of coming close to success. Yes, he’s tasted success in a Tour stage before – when he claimed the final stage of the 1999 race – but he also has a wealth of "close calls" in the sprint stages. This was the case in the second stage this year when he was caught on the line by the world champion, Oscar Freire, but today, the world champion wasn’t part of the final equation. And, if you follow the coverage of the final kilometer, you'll appreciate that no other sprinters really came close to spoiling the celebrations. He dominated the rush to the line despite the presence of most of the race's big-name sprinters.

There are several things which contributed to Robbie’s victory at the end of the 174.5km stage, which began in Metz and concluded in the capital of the Champagne region, Reims. But Robbie was quick to point out that the main reason he will be able to raise a glass of the local drink tonight is because of the work of his Lotto-Adecco team. "This is a good moment for me," he said, "but really it’s a victory for the entire team.

It’s a stark contrast to the scenario at the end of 1999 when he was due to end his contract with the Dutch Rabobank team; a squad which he felt failed to support him in the lead-up to the sprint stages. The third stage may have concluded with a bunch kick which included most of the big-name sprinters, but according to Robbie, "it began 100 kilometers from the finish. We organized a chase of the two escapees (Jacky Durand and Franck Renier) and the team did the perfect job for me today. I can’t say enough for the way the worked today. Mario Aerts was bloody awesome!" But the winner of the Fleche Wallone this year wasn’t the only rider who fulfilled his role as team man to perfection. And Robbie repeated this point on several occasions to ensure his team understood his appreciation.

Another thing he felt compelled to reiterate was the work ethic of the growing number of Australian riders who are enjoying success at the elite level of professional cycling. When asked just what he thought was the key to success of the growing number of Aussie riders in the peloton, he mentioned several contributing factors: a growing awareness of the sport in Australia, a good background of track racing – which, he claims, is part of the reason so many sprinters from the southern continent are now enjoying success – but he concluded with the observation that "Australians just work harder!

For McEwen, this work began early for the 2002 season. "I got back on the bike on the first of December," he said about his preparation for this year. "That month, I did about 3,300km." And this early work paid immediate dividends when he won the right to wear the green and gold jersey of Australian champion mid-way through January. And he’s not stopped winning since.

It’s a confirmation that we’ll see yet more of the Australian colors in the year’s Tour. And with his form, it may well be enough for him to swap the jersey for the green top of Sprint King. If he does that, however, Robbie says that it’ll come from stage success, not from chasing the intermediate sprint points. "I want to win another stage," he said when asked if he’d now try and challenge Zabel for the title that the German has won for the past six Tour. "If I can do that, then I might refocus on the green jersey.

Before he thinks about tomorrow, however, there is sure to be some local speciality lifted at the team table in Reims tonight. Weather it affects his Belgian squad's ambitions for tomorrow's team time trial matters little. For what is important today is that he can smile in the knowledge that each item on his season's wish-list is being ticked off thanks to meticulous preperation, strong team support and the confidence that his wealth victories create.

[Kyle d'Tana]

The Swiss guy RUBENS BERTOGLIATI had the "maillot jaune" for two days! Sensationally!!! :D

[darthfergie]

Igor Gonzalez Degaliono from Once took it today in the team time trials with the U.S. Postal team finishing up second with 16+ seconds back and CSC Tiscali finishing 46+ back.

 

Official times...

 

1. ONCE - EROSKI 01:19:49

2. US POSTAL SERVICE 01:20:05, at 00:16

3. TEAM CSC TISCALI 01:20:35, at 00:46

4. FASSA BORTOLO 01:21:19, at 01:30

5. COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 01:21:33, at 01:44

6. IBANESTO.COM 01:21:45, at 01:56

7. DOMO - FARM FRITES 01:22:01, at 02:12

8. RABOBANK 01:22:05, at 02:16

9. KELME - COSTA BLANCA 01:22:08, at 02:19

10. LAMPRE - DAIKIN 01:22:11, at 02:22

11. CREDIT AGRICOLE 01:22:17, at 02:28

12. TEAM TELEKOM 01:22:36, at 02:47

13. BONJOUR 01:23:02, at 03:13

14. ALESSIO 01:23:04, at 03:15

15. LOTTO - ADECCO 01:23:21, at 03:32

16. FDJeux.com 01:23:23, at 03:34

17. JEAN DELATOUR 01:23:32, at 03:43

18. TACCONI SPORT 01:23:34, at 03:45

19. MAPEI - QUICK STEP 01:23:36, at 03:47

20. EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 01:24:11, at 04:22

21. Ag2R PREVOYANCE 01:24:13, at 04:24

[XERXES]

OLN does an awesome job at covering the tour. and BTW i do competetive roadna d cross country cycling, its awesome.

[darthfergie]

Estonian national champion Jaan Kirsipuu (AG2R) won the fifth stage of the Tour de France Thursday after he and the other members of a five-man break managed to hold off a hard charging peloton at the end of a 195km stage from Soissons to Rouen.

 

ONCE’s Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano retained the race leader's yellow jersey.

 

Former Danish champion Michael Sandstod of the CSC team came second in the stage with Belgian Ludo Dierckxsens, who rides for Lampre, third following 199.5 km of racing from Soissons to here.

 

The main peloton arrived around 20secs later.

 

stage results:

 

1. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est), A2R, 195 km in 4:13:33 (46.145 kph).

 

2. Michael Sandstod (Dk), CST, at 0:00.

 

3. Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel), LAM, at 00:00.

 

4. Stefano Casagranda (Ita), ALS, at 00:03.

 

5. Christophe Edaleine (Fra), DEL, at 00:08.

 

6. Robbie McEwen (Aus), LOT, at 00:33.

 

7. Baden Cooke (Aus), FDJ, at 00:33.

 

8. Stuart O'Grady (Aus), C.A, at 00:33.

 

9. Erik Zabel (G), TEL, at 00:33.

 

10. Andrej Hauptman (Slo), TAC, at 00:33.

[Lord Fergie]

I can't wait for the time trial

[darthfergie]

TIME TRIAL TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

GO LANCE! GO LANCE! GO LANCE!

 

(I'll update you on the points once it's over towards 10:00)

[darthfergie]

Santiago Botero has won the stage, Armstrong has finished second, ahead of Hontchar and Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano, but Gonzalez Galdeano has kept the jersey for another day.

 

 

1. Santiago Botero (Col), KEL, at , 52 km in 1hr 02min 18sec

(average: 50.080 kph, at

2. Lance Armstrong (USA), USP, at at 00:11.

3. Serhiy Honchar (Ukr), FAS, at 00:18.

4. Igor Gonzalez Galdeano (Spa), ONE, at 00:19.

5. Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun), MAP, at 00:25.

6. Raimondas Rumsas (Lit), LAM, at 00:25.

7. David Millar (Gbr), COF, at 00:50.

8. Dario Frigo (Ita), TAC, at 01:34.

9. Andrea Peron (Ita), CST, at 01:34.

10. Joseba Beloki (Spa), ONE, at 01:38.

[Lord Fergie]

I can't believe Ja-Ja is retiring:yodaball:

[Lord Fergie]

OK ... First I'll access the secret military spy satelite that is in geosynchronous orbit over the midwest. Then I'll ID the limo by the vanity plate "MR. BIGGG" and get his approximate position. Then I'll reposition the transmission dish on the remote truck to 17.32 degrees east, hit WESTAR 4 over the Atlantic, bounce the signal back into the aerosphere up to COMSAT 6, beam it back to SATCOM 2 transmitter number 137 and down on the dish on the back of Mr. Big's limo... It's almost too easy. Yes we got the signal back! (If you saw the coverage yesterday you'd understand)

[Lord Fergie]

Difficulties

 

Km 35.0 - Côte de Louvié-Juzon : 5.0 km climb at 3.2 % - 4e Cat.

 

Km 66.5 - Col d'Aubisque : 16.7 km climb at 7.1 % - H.C.

 

Km 158.0 - LA MONGIE : 12.8 km climb at 6.8 % - 1e Cat.

 

tomorow

[Lord Fergie]

these are the results from today's stage:

 

1 /201/ HALGAND Patrice/ FRA DEL en/ 3h 00' 15"

2 /117/ PINEAU Jérôme/ FRA BJR à/ 00' 27"

3 /067/ O'GRADY Stuart/ AUS C.A à/ 00' 33"

4 /155/ DIERCKXSENS Ludo/ BEL LAM à/ 00' 33"

5 /124/ HORILLO Pedro/ ESP MAP à/ 01' 00"

6 /185/ FLICKINGER Andy/ FRA A2R à /01' 00"

7 /091/ VOGONDY Nicolas/ FRA FDJ à/ 01' 00"

8 /046/ MATTAN Nico/ BEL COF à/ 01' 00"

9 /039/ ZABALLA Constantino/ ESP KEL à/ 01' 00"

10 /073/ CASSANI Enrico/ ITA DFF à/ 01' 02"

11 /163/ ETXEBARRIA Unai/ VEN EUS à/ 03' 29"

12 /094/ /COOKE Baden/ AUS FDJ à/ 03' 57"

13 /147/ MC EWEN Robbie/ AUS LOT à/ 03' 57"

14 /011 /ZABEL Erik/ GER TEL à/ 03' 57"

15 /159/ SVORADA Jan/ SLO LAM à/ 03' 57"

[Lord Fergie]

tomorow is the first moutain stage in the pyrenees, THREE HOURS OF COVERAGE ON OLN!

 

 

this is tomorows map

[Lord Fergie]

 

look at this pic of real pain I'm not a bantha fodder any more

[darthfergie]

At the base of the mountain top finish most of the peleton was intact with USPS team leading the charge up the mountain. Party way up riders started to drop off the back like flies because of USPS' brutal pace they were setting. Toward the end it was just a core group of elite cyclists, but even they didn't last long. Lance Armstrong under the lead of his team mate Roberto Heras pulled away from all of the field except a lone ONCE rider, Beloki, nearly to the finish Lance rocketed away from the group and grabed the stage win. Lance finished nearly 2 minutes before the former Yellow Jersy holder, Igor Gonzalez Galdeano, and grabed the yellow jersey at the end of the day.

[Lord Fergie]

Lance wins stage captures the maillot jaune. I can't believe how well Roberto Heras rode

Jalabert was so close!

[Lord Fergie]

this is the map of tommorrows stage you could say in a way. any its stage 12.I wounld't want everything in a feed baglike prune cake, I mean you couldn't make it 5 k without stoping.

 

[Lord Fergie]

lance 20th in the Maillot vert,the green jersey, and 3rd for the Maillot à pois, the polka dot jersey

[Lord Fergie]

Lance wins stage 12

The provisional top five for the 12th stage is:

1. Lance Armstrong (US Postal) 6h00'29"

2. Roberto Heras (US Postal) @ 1'04"

3. Joseba Beloki (ONCE-Eroski) st

4. Santiago Botero (Kelme)

5. Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano.

[duder]

Woohoo. David Millar won todays stage!!! I hope he wins the white jersey, it would be great if the Uk had a genuine tour de france contender in the future years.