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Bayern Rundfahrt
Photo ©: Schaaf


91st Tour de France - July 3-25, 2004

Main Page     Stages & Results     Stage Profile     Latest Live Report   Results

Stage 17 - Thursday July 22: Bourg d'Oisans - Le Grand Bornand, 204.5 km

Commentary by Roger Hughes, with additional reporting from Tim Maloney and Chris Henry

Complete live report

Live coverage starts: 11:00 CEST
Estimated finish time: 17:06 CEST

With a tighter vise grip than ever on the 2004 Tour de France, maillot jaune Lance Armstrong and his USPS-Berry Floor team will try to keep the lid on things on what is perhaps the most difficult stage on this year's Tour. With five categorized climbs on the program, including the Cat. 1 Glandon and HC Madeleine in the first 80km, then a Cat. 2 ascent of the Col de Tamie, the steep Cat. 1 Col de la Forclaz and a final ascent of the Cat. 1 Col de la Croix Fry before the 15 km descent to Le Grande-Bornand, Stage 17 is the last major mountain test of the Tour. Look for Jan Ullrich, Andreas Klöden and T-Mobile to attack to try to take back time on Basso and CSC and solidify their lead in the team GC.

11:01 CEST   
They're rolling in Stage 17, with a short 1.1 km neutral section out of Bourg d'Oisans before the race proper starts. Thomas Voeckler (in white), Richard Virenque (in dots) and Robbie McEwen (in green) are at the front of the peloton. O'Grady's up there too, chatting to McEwen.

The weather is perfect: blue skies and warm, sunny conditions with not too much wind.

11:04 CEST   
The flag is dropped at kilometre zero by Jean Marie Leblanc, and they're racing in stage 17.

The big news today is that Roberto Heras didn't start. The Liberty Seguros captain has not exactly been in scintillating form of late and opted not to start today's tough Alpine finale.

11:06 CEST    2km/202.5km to go
Lance Armstrong
Photo ©: Chris Henry/CN
Click for larger image
The first intermediate sprint today is at kilometre 9 at Allemont before the climbs start. There's also one in Thones at km 177.

The attacks have started with Simeoni (Domina) making the first move, together with Bartoli.

11:07 CEST   
Alessandro Bertolini (Alessio-Bianchi) and Laurent Lefevre (Brioches) didn't start either.

11:09 CEST    5km/199.5km to go
Simeoni and Bartoli are joined by Simoni, Martin and Aldag, and the five have about 20 seconds lead on the peloton led by US Postal.

11:13 CEST    6km/198.5km to go
Astarloza and a Rabobank rider set off in pursuit of the lead group, which has Rolf Aldag (T-Mobile Team), Michele Bartoli (Team CSC), Gilberto Simoni (Saeco), Filippo Simeoni (Domina Vacanze) and Ludovic Martin (R.A.G.T. Semences - MG Rover) in it. They now have 38 seconds.

Simoni is the best placed in the break, sitting in 12th overall at 15'41.

3 km to go to the first sprint, and the peloton is very strung out. Another Ag2r rider accelerates off the front of the Blue Train led peloton.

11:15 CEST    10km/194.5km to go
Astarloza is the Ag2r rider, but it's his second attempt at pursuing the leaders. The five reach the first sprint with a 45 second advantage over the peloton.

Aldag takes the points ahead of Martin and Simoni.

Janek Tombak is dropping back to see the race doctor after slicing his fingers in the spokes of his front wheel while trying to adjust his sensor. Ow.

11:16 CEST    11km/193.5km to go
Astarloza comes through the sprint about 35 seconds behind the leaders, with Pavel Padrnos driving the peloton another 10 seconds back.

11:17 CEST   
Tombak has abandoned.

11:23 CEST    14km/190.5km to go
The peloton rides past La Barrage de Verney about 1'50 behind the leading five. Astarloza is still in no-man's land at 54 seconds. He's really missed his chance.

The leaders hit the base of the Glandon, a 22 km Cat. 1 climb averaging 5.2%. There are a couple of downhill sections in this climb, but it's a really long slog.

11:26 CEST   
Hushovd has to stop for a mechanical (or other) problem, but is back on the peloton now.

11:30 CEST   
Botero has mechanical problems and has to stop for attention. He's now on his way again after a 40 second stop.

Astarloza is 1'30 behind the leaders, and going nowhere. The peloton is at 2'59.

11:35 CEST   
Hushovd is being dropped by the peloton again but is back on, just.

11:39 CEST    19km/185.5km to go
A sprinters autobus is forming already on the Glandon, as a few RAGT riders (Laurent and Rinero), Jimmy Casper, Thor Hushovd, Matt Wilson and JP Nazon are being dropped.

The five leaders have 1'40 on Astarloza and 3'42 on the peloton. It's a warm day, and everyone is already sweating a lot.

11:42 CEST    21km/183.5km to go
Engoulvent (Cofidis) is also being dropped on the Glandon, really suffering in the heat.

The leaders have reached the first flat spot on the climb, which also contains a bit of a descent. A welcome relief, for sure. The next 9 km are all uphill as they ride up the long valley.

11:46 CEST    23km/181.5km to go
The leaders finish the short descent and are straight away hit with a 9 percent wall as the Glandon continues relentlessly. The group: Rolf Aldag (T-Mobile Team), Michele Bartoli (Team CSC), Gilberto Simoni (Saeco), Filippo Simeoni (Domina Vacanze), Ludovic Martin (R.A.G.T.).

Simoni is the best placed on GC, and has an excellent chance of winning the stage if this break goes all the way. A long way to go though. The gap is still 3'50. Astarloza is still at 1'40.

11:48 CEST    24km/180.5km to go
Bettini punctures his front wheel and gets a quick change, although the team car does it in front of Bettini.

The peloton is now on the mini-descent, which switchbacks its way down the mountain. Bettini is almost on the back again.

11:51 CEST    25km/179.5km to go
David Etxebarria punctures, gets a back wheel and is pushed off by team director Julian Gorospe. Nasty way to get going again as he has to tackle a nine percent slope. He quickly passes Hushovd, who's about 20 seconds off the back of the peloton.

4'25 to the leading five with Postal setting tempo.

11:55 CEST    26km/178.5km to go
Etxebarria passes the US Postal car, which had been relegated to the back of the peloton today after a "dangerous driving manoeuvre" yesterday. The race jury ruled that Bruyneel hindered a TV cameraman and penalised him. However, Bruyneel argued that there was a prior agreement with Jean-Marie Leblanc that his car could follow right behind Armstrong until the barriers started yesterday and has obviously won his case.

"It was dangerous and we were concerned about that," Bruyneel told Cyclingnews today. "That's why we have taken these precautions. At least until the barriers to have me directly on Lance's wheel. If the importance of having images on TV or photographers is more important to the president of the jury than the security of the riders, then I don't understand it any more."

Etxebarria is now back in the peloton.

12:10 CEST    29km/175.5km to go
The US Postal tempo is not exactly the destructive force that it can be, but there is still a steady trickle of riders off the back of the bunch as they come up towards the tree line. Although Simoni, the best placed rider in the break, is unlikely to make up his 15.41 deficit on Armstrong, they still need to keep his lead in control.

The race is above the treeline now and riding in brilliant sunshine along the corniche over the Grand-Maison reservoir. With the relatively sparse crowds (well, compared to yesterday) the Alpine scenery is at its best here.

12:19 CEST    35km/169.5km to go
Andrea Peron is another puncture victim on part of the course under cliffs; probably a lot of grit on the road. The leaders are now out into the Alpine pastures close to the summit, where the gradients are easier. We're looking out for marmots and cows, of course.

Astarloza is still out there, piggy in the middle, not making any ground on the leaders though.

12:25 CEST    36km/168.5km to go
The five leaders swing off the main road (which goes on up to the Col du Croix de Fer) and up the last little pitch to the summit of the Glandon, with Simoni first over the top, and on to the long and initially very steep descent.

Astarloza comes over about 2.50 down; I imagine he will take it easy on the descent and be mopped up by the bunch.

12:28 CEST    39km/165.5km to go
Bettini leads out Virenque for the last few points on the summit, and manages to cut Moreau out of them by taking 8th himself.

Astarloza crashes on the descent; he's back up again though.

12:42 CEST    55km/149.5km to go
Christophe Moreau has a little dig on the descent. Richard Virenque goes with him, but doesn't seem inclined to work with him. They have a bit of a chat about it.

Daniele Nardello punctures but is away quickly.

The leading quintet are still edging away, Simoni setting the pace.

12:47 CEST   
On the lower slopes of the descent Stefano Zanini, back among the cars, nearly takes off into the woods on a corner, but thankfully just manages to hold on. Virenque and Moreau are still out there.

12:54 CEST    59km/145.5km to go
For the five leaders the road is starting to rise again as they set out on the Col de la Madeleine, 19.5 km averaging 7.8% to the highest point that the Tour reaches, 2000 m asl. Simoni is clearly the most active at the front of the group.

12:56 CEST    62km/142.5km to go
Virenque, now taking the lead, and Moreau have now caught Astarloza, who tags on. He's got his jersey a bit grubby but otherwise looks OK.

12:59 CEST   
The three chasers are now closing a bit on the breakaway, while the bunch - with US Postal prominent on the front but not obviously forcing the pace.

In the absence of any real wildlife, we have a spectator in a rabbit suit, who is clearly suffering from the heat - it's in the mid 30s celsius in the valleys today. The things people do for fame.

13:03 CEST   
Virenque and Moreau have dropped Astarloza. The race is currently a few minutes ahead of its fastest schedule, to put the relatively steady chase into perspective. Erik Dekker is again dropped from the bunch but there will be riders behind him, again a stream of non-climbers starts to come of the back.

Simoni has now overtaken Ullrich in the "virtual GC", up to fourth overall, so T-Mobile and CSC will probably start helping the chase if the lead grows further.

13:08 CEST    65km/139.5km to go
Among those going off the back and into a forming gruppetto/autobus/laughing group are former mountains winner Christophe Rinero and Michael Boogerd as well as more predictable figures like Robbie McEwen and lanterne rouge Sébastien Joly.

Simoni is still setting the pace for the leaders most of the time. Lot of flapping open jerseys and exposed heart monitor belts today.

13:16 CEST    66km/138.5km to go
13 km from the summit of the Madeleine (with its special prime, the Souvenir Henri Desgranges) the five leaders are still together. Moreau and Virenque now seem committed to crossing the gap and are closing in; at the present rate it looks as though they should get up there before the top of the climb, although it does flatten out a bit at the top.

13:19 CEST    68km/136.5km to go
The US Postal bloc, with Padrnos at the front looks to have stepped up a gear; the bunch is now down to 60 or so riders and the gap to the leaders has come down a bit more.

13:23 CEST    69km/135.5km to go
Ludovic Martin (RAGT) who did a pretty good rider in yesterday's time trial, takes a long pull on the front of the break. Moreau and Virenque are working together well and coming back fast to them now.

13:32 CEST    72km/132.5km to go
Aldag and Bartoli look to be just hanging on in the break, certainly not doing anything at the front; Martin, Simoni and Simeoni seem to be the drivers on the climb. However, they won't be in too much of a hurry to drop the two rouleurs who will be useful on the flatter section that follows the Madeleine.

Astarloza is being caught by the bunch now.

13:38 CEST    73.5km/131km to go
Nonetheless, Bartoli is dropped by the leading group; if he can get his wind he might be able to hang onto Virenque and Moreau when they catch him, which won't take long, but it will be a big ask because they are moving a whole chunk faster than the leaders.

13:43 CEST    77km/127.5km to go
Simoni is setting the pace again out in the open Alpine meadows, with his helmet unstrapped (probably pick up a fine for that). Moreau and Virenque are coming up fast though - they catch Bartoli and sweep straight past him.

13:45 CEST   
Mikel Astarloza drops off the bunch to his team car and gets his handlebars retaped on the move. Don't try that at home.

13:47 CEST   
Virenque is rocking and rolling with the effort now, while Moreau looks a bit smoother. They have the leaders in sight, and that opens the door to a sprint royale for the €5000 prize at the summit.

Virenque drops Moreau.

13:52 CEST    79km/125.5km to go
Simoni is looking over his shoulder as they come up towards the summit and Virenque is across to them, and moves straight up to take the Italian's wheel.

Virenque leads out a long sprint, but just for once he has found someone else who can sprint on a climb, and Simoni takes the honours.

13:59 CEST   
The Armstrong group, now down to 40 or so riders, is still being led by the blue train up the upper slopes. Maillot blanc Thomas Voeckler is just about hanging in there at the back. The leading group was broken up under the impact of the sprint for the summit, but looks to be coming back together as one might anticipate.

Paolo Bettini leads the bunch over the summit 6.45 down to mop up some of the remaining points and preserve Virenque's almost-safe-now spotty vest, ahead of Michael Rasmussen.

14:04 CEST   
Moreau takes the lead on the descent and opens a bit of a gap. The posties are taking it a bit steadier on the descent and the gap to the break as a whole is increasing a bit.

14:11 CEST   
The six leaders are back together now as they come onto shallower slopes.

14:16 CEST    100km/104.5km to go
The bunch are descending with the whole US Postal team at the front, Armstrong sixth in line.

In front, Virenque loses his chain and puts it back on on the move. He and Moreau both corner with their knees out, motorbike style.

14:17 CEST   
Bartoli is caught by the bunch.

14:32 CEST    111km/93.5km to go
The leaders are down in the Isere valley now and working fairly smoothly together, still pulling away from the bunch gradually. That bunch is still being led by US Postal, although there are some CSC vests up there as well now, the first sign that the podium-place riders are a bit concerned about Simoni's position.

In fact CSC have now taken over at the front as I write.

14:38 CEST    115km/89.5km to go
The leaders pass through the feed at Tours-en-Savoie. The Val d'Isere is supposedly the hottest place on the course today; it's certainly sweltering. US Postal and CSC have the bunch lined out on the main valley road, so although it has grown on the descent proper, not many dropped riders will be coming back up from here on in.

14:45 CEST    120km/84.5km to go
Michele Bartoli is reported as having retired. Another one bites the dust. Meanwhile, his team-mates and the posties have started pulling the break that he was once in back again, with the gap down below 7 minutes again.

Astarloza makes a further bid for the day's unluckiest rider prize (there used to be one, there isn't any more, before you ask), as he punctures.

14:46 CEST   
To six minutes, indeed.

14:54 CEST    125km/79.5km to go
A long flat road with nothing much happening here. The break are riding steadily rather than tearing it up, and the bunch are coming back fast.

Ah, that's more like it. The leaders set out on the climb of the second category Col de Tamie, a relatively 8.7 km at 6.6%.

15:00 CEST   
Simoni has his helmet unstrapped again. Virenque, Moreau and Simoni are setting the pace on the climb, and it's too much for Simeoni quite early on in the climb. Martin too looks to be finding it hard.

15:01 CEST   
Martin waves the leaders goodbye. Aldag looks like he might manage it, but it will be touch and go.

15:13 CEST   
Jens Voigt puts in a strong pull on the front of the bunch that turns into a solo attack, as the massed US Postals decline to follow him.

Big Rolf Aldag is still hanging in there up the road.

Iker Flores jumps cross to Voigt.

15:15 CEST   
Flores goes straight past Voigt, but they don't seem to be making any big impression on the bunch; Voigt is caught again.

15:17 CEST   
Virenque leads Moreau, Simoni and Aldag over the Col de Tamie. A few kilometres of descent now and then it's the steep Forclaz.

Flores has caught and passed Simeoni and Martin now.

15:20 CEST   
Simeoni is caught by the bunch, as Flores crosses the summit in fifth place, 4 minutes behind the leaders - a big ask to get across.

15:27 CEST    143.5km/61km to go
All US Postal at the front of the bunch again on the descent, chasing without any great conviction. Flores is not making much ground on the descent, but if he starts on the climb of the Forclaz ahead, he may be more in his element.

15:37 CEST    149km/55.5km to go
Flores has got together with Ludovic Martin, but they are still in sight of the bunch on a long stretch of valley road.

The four leaders are now on the foot of the Forclaz - 8 km at a stiff 8%, and Aldag is in trouble straight away. Then Moreau can't hold the pace set by Simoni for a moment, but comes back

15:40 CEST   
Flores likewise drops Martin and sets out in pursuit alone.

US Postal settle down to their normal climbing tempo, and a few riders start going off the back already. Then T-Mobile move up with them, and Ivanov goes off the front. The yellow jersey group is now down to a dozen or so riders.

Ivanov is caught again.

15:43 CEST   
Voigt, Ivanov, Botcharov, Rogers and Brochard are among those being dropped from the US Postal led group.

15:47 CEST   
Hincapie is setting the pace for the yellow jersey group, with Landis and Azevedo still ready for action. Thomas Voeckler is still in there, marking Vladimir Karpets, his main opponent for the white jersey. Ullrich and Klöden are on Armstrong's shoulders - looks like they're about to try something...

For those who have been enquiring about the whereabouts of the devil, we've just passed him.

15:49 CEST    154km/50.5km to go
Virenque, Simoni and Moreau are up to the treeline now, riding more or less side by side.

15:56 CEST    155.5km/49km to go
Flores is making no impression on the leaders still.

Rubiera is also still in the group with Armstrong. No move from the T-Mobile or CSC camps yet. Voeckler is starting to lose contact with them.

The three leaders hit the little dip before the Forclaz summit; the last couple of kilometres are a stiff 9.5%, though.

Flores is being caught now.

16:03 CEST    157.5km/47km to go
The three leaders crest the summit of the Forclaz, Virenque, Moreau and Simoni in that order; with 20 km of descent and valley in front of them before the final climb of the Croix-Fry; the lead doesn't look to be enough to stay clear if the Postals keep up this pace.

Aldag comes over 2.12 down.

16:13 CEST   
The leading trio are now down the precipitous descent to the Lac d'Annecy and are now on a little rise to Bluffy. Rolf Aldag is caught by the Armstrong group and spat directly out of the back, just as a few riders including Thomas Voeckler make it back up to them. The chase has lost a bit of momentum, it appears.

16:22 CEST   
Long straight valley roads take the race up to Thone, where there is a bonus sprint of very little interest (other than pecuniary) to the three leaders who will dispute it. This road favours the chasers, and US Postal have the bunch lined out and the gap coming down.

16:28 CEST    177.5km/27km to go
The gap comes down under two minutes as the leaders enter Thone. Simoni leads them through the sprint without a contest.

The final climb, the col de Croix-Fry is 11.5 km at 7.1% with the steepest sections after 6 km (9.5 + 10.5 %). There's a flatter bit after 3 km with two km at 5 + 2.5%. From the summit there are 13 km to go, practically all downhill.

16:29 CEST   
Rik Verbrugghe (Lotto-Domo) has taken a flyer off the front of the Armstrong group; he has got a quarter of a minute clear, but he will be hard pressed to do anything much against the climbers in front and behind.

16:34 CEST    181km/23.5km to go
As the bunch reach the climb once more it is Iker Flores who attacks from the yellow jersey group. Ahead, once again Simoni unbuckles his helmet and Virenque unzips his jersey.

Flores's effort comes to nothing.

16:36 CEST   
Sastre and Basso attack out of the yellow jersey group, but Floyd Landis closes them down. The three leaders are less than a minute ahead now.

16:39 CEST   
Riders who were in trouble earlier but got back to the Armstrong group are now going off the back: Aldag, then Voeckler and Caucchioli among others. Karpets is still in there so this could be decisive for the white jersey.

Sastre jumps clear, this time without Basso.

16:40 CEST    183.5km/21km to go
The yellow jersey group is now down to Armstrong, Ullrich, Basso, Klöden, Landis, Azevedo, Totschnig, Karpets, Rasmussen, Leipheimer, Merckx.

Sastre bridges the gap to the three leaders.

16:41 CEST   
Sastre goes straight through and only Virenque goes with him.

16:42 CEST   
My colleague Jeff is still forecasting an Ullrich attack. Moreau and Simoni are caught by the Armstrong group.

16:43 CEST   
Sastre drops Virenque and opens a big gap quickly. Virenque only needs to get to Paris upright now to take his seventh spotty jersey; he sits up.

16:46 CEST   
All three of the former leaders are dropped by the yellow jersey group. Virenque gets a word of acknowledgement from the race director as the cars go past.

Landis is setting the pace for Armstrong, with Azevedo in reserve. Sastre is half a minute up the road.

16:48 CEST   
Sastre is digging deep into his reserves, and his lead is starting to come down again.

16:51 CEST   
In the group Klöden looks pretty comfortable, as maillot blanc contended Karpets is dropped, and then Azevedo, Merckx and Rasmussen too.

16:53 CEST   
Armstrong, Ullrich, Basso, Klöden, and Leipheimer are massed on Floyd Landis's back wheel; he brings them back up to Sastre.

16:54 CEST   
Leipheimer is dropped.

16:56 CEST    188.5km/16km to go
Still Landis setting the pace. Sastre is hanging on, but looks shaky.

16:58 CEST   
Sastre loses contact. It looks as though it's going to be a five man sprint.

17:02 CEST    191km/13.5km to go
The five leaders come up to the top of the climb, still the Landis show. Klöden at the back gets slightly too much attention from a flag-wielding German fan, and has to resort to a hand-off.

Armstrong give Landis a pat on the back as they crest the summit (and keeps him in first place over the line).

17:04 CEST   
Sastre is half a minute down, followed by a quintet with Leipheimer and Merckx a big minute behind, then Karpets at 1.50

Landis is attacking on the descent...

17:05 CEST   
Ullrich has got up to Landis, who eases up a bit. Armstrong is taking it slightly more steadily, but isn't far behind.

17:06 CEST   
The three are together now, easing up. The other two catch them, and then Klöden attacks.

17:07 CEST    196.5km/8km to go
Voeckler comes over the summit on the limit of the time he has to spare over Vladimir Karpets; he might just be able to hang onto the white jersey.

Five all together at the front again.

17:09 CEST   
Still all together. Armstrong is looking hungry here.

17:10 CEST   
Armstrong and Landis take the opportunity for a quick word. The quintet are all watching each other now.

17:12 CEST    201.5km/3km to go
Armstrong is now leading the group himself, leaving Landis sheltered.

17:13 CEST    202.5km/2km to go
The final kilometre of the race is a gentle climb, hard to call a winner here. Still all together coming though he streets of Le Grand Bornand

Landis attacks!

17:14 CEST   
Ullrich chases, Armstrong on his wheel. All together at the flamme rouge.

17:14 CEST   
Klöden attacks and there's a gap. Landis leading the chase

17:15 CEST   
Ullrich marks Landis, Armstrong on his wheel. Armstrong jumps back and just pips Klöden on the line. He wanted it most.

17:17 CEST   
Axel Merckx leads Leipheimer, Sastre, Totschnig and Azevedo in for 6th place.

Karpets comes over 1.59 down in 11th, just ahead of a group with Virenque.

17:21 CEST   
Voeckler comes over in 4.49 with Simoni, Verbrugghe and Rogers; he will still hang on to the white jersey today, but it will be hard for him not to lose the remaining seconds he has in hand to Karpets in the final time trial.

17:23 CEST   
Riders will be coming in for a while yet; the time limit today should be just under 41 minutes so it may be tough for the riders who were dropped on the Glandon.

17:32 CEST   
The consensus here is that Klöden has only himself to blame here, easing up too early and looking over the wrong shoulder when Armstrong jumped on his blind side.

Thanks for following the day's action with us at Cyclingnews. We apologise for the shortages of domesticated livestock on today's stage; this is largely a result of the Common Agricultural Policy. Jeff will be back tomorrow for the lumpy but probably not critical stage from Annemasse to Lons-le-Saunier - join us at or around 1305 CEST.

Results

Provisional
1 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal p/b Berry Floor        6.11.52
2 Andreas Klöden (Ger) T-Mobile Team                            
3 Jan Ullrich (Ger) T-Mobile Team                           0.01
4 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC                                     
5 Floyd Landis (USA) US Postal p/b Berry Floor              0.13
6 Axel Merckx (Bel) Lotto-Domo                              1.01
7 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Rabobank                                
8 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC                              1.02
9 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank                              
10 Georg Totschnig (Aut) Gerolsteiner                           
11 Jose Azevedo (Por) US Postal p/b Berry Floor                 
12 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Illes Balears - Banesto           2.00
                          
 
General classification after stage 17
 
1 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal p/b Berry Floor       74.04.56
2 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC                                 4.09
3 Andreas Klöden (Ger) T-Mobile Team                        5.11
4 Jan Ullrich (Ger) T-Mobile Team                           8.08
5 Jose Azevedo (Por) US Postal p/b Berry Floor             10.41
6 Francisco Mancebo Pérez (Spa) Illes Balears - Banesto    11.45
7 Georg Totschnig (Aut) Gerolsteiner                       12.56
8 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC                             15.14
9 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Rabobank                           16.25
10 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi                 16.33
Mail the commentary team