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

Tour news

Racing begins
Photo: © Sirotti

Monday, July 26 - Post-Tour headlines, Six for them, too, Floyd, mo-fo of the mountains, Scotty seeks, On the attack, Vandevelde and son all smiles in Paris, Top 10 again Leipheimer, Nee enjoys his Tour commissaire debut
Monday, July 26 - Armstrong atop Tour pantheon with sixth straight win, Ullrich gets close, Julich's ups and downs, Alessio-Bianchi satisfied, Armstrong to race in Prague
Sunday, July 25 - Green jersey: McEwen almost there, Klöden surprised, Hoban: "Other riders should try harder", Rogers disappointed
Sunday, July 25 - Armstrong on top of his game, Karpets cleans up, Etxebarrias not in agreement with Armstrong, An interview with Ludovic Martin
Saturday, July 24 - McEwen not resting up yet, Hushovd optimistic, Pre race comments
Saturday, July 24 - David vs. Goliath, Simeoni nailed by Armstrong, , McEwen loses a point, The secret of CSC's success?, Commissaire's communique, Medical communique, Doping control
Friday, July 23 - Armstrong's last Tour?, Levi and the Bandit, Christian at Liberty, Bobby's wrist report, Bartoli for Athens, Merckx agrees with "No Gifts" Armstrong, Verbrugghe wants to show himself on birthday, More post-stage comments
Friday, July 23 - Only the strongest survive, Green jersey battle, Ullrich defends Voigt, Seventh polka dot jersey for Virenque, Simoni goes down fighting, Rogers wants top 20, Caucchioli slips a place, Tour spectator falls to his death, Communiques
Thursday, July 22 - Bruyneel argues against relegation, Another one bites the dust as Heras pulls out, Tombak out, Voigt defends himself, Armstrong tops TT count
Thursday, July 22 - T-Mobile wants the podium, McEwen not happy after Alpe heckling, Leblanc admits Alpe TT "not so good", O'Grady considers a beer stop, Cooke slowed by leg woes
Thursday, July 22 - A sign of the times, Ullrich rising, Post-race comments, Caucchioli keeps ninth, Simoni's had enough, Hamilton in one piece
Wednesday, July 21 - L'Alpe d'Huez: The time to beat, Basso looking forward to l'Alpe, Virenque tries again, Competitions update: new pair up for grabs
Wednesday, July 21 - Green jersey race hinges on stage 18, Armstrong looks forward to l'Alpe, Scary days ahead for Rogers, Netherlands wants Tour start, Bettini aims for Athens, Pre-race banter
Wednesday, July 21 - The maillot jaune changes hands, The end of the dream, Riis defends his tactics, Caucchioli loses time, Communiques
Tuesday, July 20 - Bruyneel plans the last week, Mayo out, Ullrich surprised, Heras tries to stay positive, Lotto-Domo concerned about Alpe d'Huez, Scanlon battles the mountains, White on the mend
Tuesday, July 20 - Where have all the favourites gone?, Postal watch, Basso remains calm, Piil abandons, Nice and easy?

Monday, July 19 - Post-stage 14 quotes, Pevenage at odds with T-Mobile, Assocorridori vs. ASO
Monday, July 19 - Armstrong still on the retirement fence, Hinault joins LeMond/Armstrong fray
Monday, July 19 - McEwen edges ahead, Rogers aiming for top 20, Fdjeux.com looks to Paris, All part of the job for Sunderland
Monday, July 19 - The right moment to go, Voeckler ready for some rest, CSC ups and downs, Klöden has carte blanche, Mancebo concedes, USPS and ASO not speaking, Carbon chef, Medical communique, Commissaire's communique, Prize money so far
Sunday, July 18 - Green sea for sprinters, Basso the most dangerous, All good for Alessio-Bianchi, R.A.G.T. needs to buckle-up
Sunday, July 18 - Closer to yellow, Climb-o-Rama, Bruyneel the tactician, Basso brilliant again, Caucchioli solid, Leipheimer runs out of gas, Hamilton abandons, Medical communique
Saturday, July 17 - Armstrong pours cold water on doubters, Rogers solid, Other Aussies exhausted, Stage 13 preview: Harder and longer, Morning banter at the Village Départ, Basso asks for privacy
Saturday, July 17 - The contenders step forward, Hincapie happy, Ullrich surprised, Godefroot floored, Julich: "It's good to be back", Sastre gets close, ASO loses appeal to boot Padrnos and Zanini, Brandt sacked, Medical communique
Friday, July 16 - Voeckler hurting, Mayo ready, Ullrich expectant, Kessler transferred to Freiburg, More SBS live Tour action
Friday, July 16 - Padrnos and Zanini stay
Friday, July 16 - Armstrong responds to LeMond, Padrnos and Zanini in danger, Moncoutié's boss loses bet, Voeckler credits team effort; inspires French
Friday, July 16 - McEwen cuts through, O'Grady's team spirit, Sunderland chases, Morning banter & stage 10 tales
Friday, July 16 - Mission accomplished, Flecha gets close, Stage 12 preview, Levi excited for Athens, Not just a dog, Brandt uses tainted supplement defense, Bäckstedt withdraws, Communiques, Weather
Thursday, July 15 - Post-stage 10 quotes, Stage 11 preview: Rolling, rolling, rolling, More buns in the oven for Brioches La Boulangère, Tony Doyle crashes in L'Etape du Tour
Thursday, July 15 - O'Grady still second; McEwen's green threatened, Voeckler gets by, Bruyneel: every second counts, Virenque vs Merckx, Hincapie to be a father
Thursday, July 15 - Reborn on the 14th of July, Merckx angry, Hincapie cool as Tour stages go vertical, Leblanc regrets rider ejections, Medical communique
Wednesday, July 14 - Landaluze hesitates too long, Quick.Step and Lotto-Domo at odds, Mayo hopes for La Mongie, A sad day for Hamilton
Wednesday, July 14 - Stage 10 preview: The real mountains begin, Competitions update: last chance
Wednesday, July 14 - A desperate lunge pays off, O'Grady, Morning banter
Wednesday, July 14 - A delighted winner, Brandt's counter analysis positive, Sunderland on Hvastija's exclusion, With Liberty for all, Medical communique, Health checks, Stage 10 weather, Stage 10 Preview
Tuesday, July 13 - Tour restarts in Poulidor country, Health checks on rest day, Hamilton still in the hunt, Leipheimer on target, Voeckler to Athens?
Tuesday, July 13 - Ullrich waiting for second half, Casagranda ejection: Saeco's response, Dumoulin out, Broken rib for Petacchi, Jens "turn it up" Voigt, Dutch TV audience high
Monday, July 12 - Casagranda and Hvastija excluded
Monday, July 12 - Mayo looks forward to rest, Tosatto satisfied, Boonen tired, Baldato decked, Auger determined, Brandt proclaims innocence, Piil most aggressive rider, Ag2r tops prize list
Monday, July 12 - Aussies swap green again, Looks like rain - and break-aways, Wilson wants "a bit of a go", Rogers still waiting
Monday, July 12 - A successful Tour for Thor, McEwen goes early, Ullrich and Armstrong, Hamilton content, Haselbacher defends, More Stage 7 comments, Medical communique, Guess these shoes
Sunday, July 11 - Wusty TV tunes, Pascal Lino: voice of experience, Armstrong wants earlier TT, Brandt claims lab error, Voeckler hangs in there, Simoni struggles
Sunday, July 11 - Aussie showdown continues, O'Grady survives, McEwen wants one more, Pre-race banter: O'Grady's green everything, Gerrans drops by, Rogers takes it easy
Sunday, July 11 - The youth movement continues, McEwen frustrated, Hamilton soldiers on, X-rays for Mayo, Petacchi's shoulder not seriously injured, Botero down but not out, Medical communique, Commissaire's communique, Stage 8 weather report
Saturday, July 10 - Brandt positive
Saturday, July 10 - Tour crash-fest good and bad for down under contingent: O'Grady takes green from McEwen, McEwen goes down hard, Cooke comes close, Pre-stage comments
Saturday, July 10 - Boonen clicks into gear, Armstrong in two crashes, Hamilton and Pereiro suffer in crash, Flecha gets close, Alessio-Bianchi maintains the rage, Dekker wants to be first on Alpe d'Huez, Medical communiqué, Commissaire's communiqué
Friday, July 9 - Petacchi and Cipollini out, Post-stage 5 comments, An interview with Mark Scanlon, Riis and Julich on the TTT
Friday, July 9 - Big blow for Bäckstedt, Petacchi down but not out, Simoni wants to go home, Medical communiqué, Commissaire's communiqué, Jolly good! Bobbies on Tour
Friday, July 9 - Australian round-up - Turnaround for O'Grady, McGee out, blow for Cooke, McEwen lucky, Pre race rambles
Friday, July 9 - Why the Chicken crossed the road, Leblanc phases himself out, ASO wants answers on investigations, Calzati flies the flag, Seigneur out with stomach problems, Cyclingnews TdF Fantasy prize list confirmed!
Thursday, July 8 - Spanish armada happier, Rabobank acquits itself well, 33 riders tested, Stage 8 live on SBS, Just two days to go for fantasy Tour
Thursday, July 8 - Australian round-up - McEwen back in green, O'Grady still in the horrors, Sunderland's plan
Thursday, July 8 - Posties dominate, Cofidis rides its race, Alessio-Bianchi celebrations scuppered, Voigt and Piil square off, Velo on the mend, Hamilton: "Cobbles in the Tour?", Boonen: "I hesitated", Commissaire's communique, Medical communique, Stage 5 weather
Wednesday, July 7 - One second short: Cancellara comes back, Levi leaps ahead, A costly puncture for Sunderland, Roomies: Pippo and Matteo
Wednesday, July 7 - Lefevere on the Tour's cobbled classic, What’s Cookin’ Willi?, Cyclingnews meets Team Cyclingnews, Tour Medical Communique, Commissaires Communique, Stage four weather, Tour fantasy game prize round-up & top tips
Wednesday, July 7 - Australian round-up - A good day for some: McEwen in yellow, O'Grady: "Can anything else happen?", Rogers down again, More bad luck for McGee
Wednesday, July 7 - Nazon: "We are really riding in the Tour", Yellow jersey consolation for McEwen
Tuesday, July 6 - Ullrich does it his way, Piil on form, Bruyneel talks to Popovych
Tuesday, July 6 - Tales from the Tour: Big Tour welcome back for Cipo, Bartoli still up for battle, Chicken cookin', Simeoni lawsuit against Armstrong continues, Beaming Bettini, Three weeks together: Tour roommates, Le Passage du Roi
Tuesday, July 6 (updated) - What lies ahead: Lance Armstrong on the Tour so far, Ullrich TTT tactics, getting & defending yellow, the real start of the Tour and more.
Tuesday, July 6 - Australian round-up: Lucky country riders start to prove it
Tuesday, July 6 - McEwen finds his legs, Armstrong nervous, Ullrich under the weather, Medical communique, Commissaire's communique
Monday, July 5 - Wilson the worker, Sunderland content, Julich confident, Beppe Turbo ready, Vandevelde back in le Tour, O'Grady down but not out, Ernesto speaks
Monday, July 5 - Kirsipuu powers back, McGee suffering, Cipollini OK, Voigt chases yellow, Aussie reactions, Weather report, Medical communique
Sunday, July 4 - Matt White out, Cancellara's emotions run high, Anti-doping measures get tougher, Tough start for Aussies, Petacchi not seeing green, McEwen tired of the talk, Commissaire's communique, Medical communique
Saturday, July 3 - Baden's about to Cooke up a storm, Bourquenoud kicks off in Liège, 27 countries represented, Rider stats, Prologue weather report, No strike at national lab
Friday, July 2 - Hamilton as leader, Riis confident
Friday, July 2 - Armstrong: Not a legend just yet, Millar placed under investigation, Ullrich relaxed, Johan Bruyneel: Cool, calm & collected, Di Luca out, Climbing Crow, Top tips for Fantasy Tour de France game
Thursday, July 1 - Gorka Gonzalez out, Armstrong book decision on Friday
Thursday, July 1 - Life goes on like a song for Stuart O'Grady, Simoni ready, Scott Sunderland: Back at the Tour, Vasseur ban upheld, Dean happy, Tour de France fantasy game 2004
Wednesday, June 30 - Jaksche out of Tour, Ullrich: "I have been second often enough", Lamour's tempered expectations, Leblanc confident in Armstrong, Liberty Seguros completes its lineup, Tour de France fantasy game
Tuesday, June 29 - Millar due in court, Blood tests to be introduced for Tour, Cofidis names its nine, Wegmann in for Gerolsteiner, Scanlon officially confirmed for Tour, Vasseur keeps fighting, Steels still dreams of Tour, Leblanc seeks varied Tour, Tour braces for police raids, Cyclingnews Tour de France fantasy game
Monday, June 28 - Roberto Heras interview, Rogers aims for top ten, Ullrich calls Armstrong's bluff, Alessio-Bianchi, Illes Balears, Lotto-Domo Tour squads, T-Mobile protecting Evans, Beloki talks to Saunier Duval, Vasseur denied
Sunday, June 27 - Tour decision provokes reactions
Saturday, June 26 - Cofidis to meet with Millar, Under investigation? No Tour for you
Friday, June 25 - Millar out, but not out of the woods, Millar confesses, T-Mobile announces Tour team, Ullrich releases autobiography, Euskaltel aiming for another orange tide
Thursday, June 24 - Bruyneel: "Ullrich is the most dangerous", Millar in custody, Phonak for Tour de France, Evans reacts to Tour exclusion, RAGT's Barle optimistic about the Tour, Alpe d'Huez crowd control, THF live Tour stage
Wednesday, June 23 - US Postal Tour team announced, Evans out of T-Mobile Tour team, Madariaga's Tour dream, Pevenage on Lance vs. Jan, An interview with Theo De Rooij, Zberg out, Wegmann in?, No Maier in Tour prologue
Tuesday, June 22 - Court setback for Armstrong, Quick.Step names Tour team, Rabobank names Tour team, T-Mobile's (unofficial) Tour squad
Monday, June 21 - Morale boost for Ullrich, Heras confident
Sunday, June 20 - Bernaudeau's sponsor search, Pevenage sees turnaround, No cakewalk at Tour de Suisse, No Tour for Freire
Saturday, June 19 - Virenque's modest ambitions
Friday, June 18 - French judge to hear Armstrong case, Ullrich expects more attacks, Fassa Bortolo announces Tour team, Alvaro Gonzalez to miss Tour
Thursday, June 17 - Beloki confirms - no TdF, Boonen can't wait, Verbruggen trusts Armstrong
Wednesday, June 16 - Discovery lands Armstrong & Postal, Godefroot: "Bad luck", Mayo plays down 'favourite' tag, Scott Sunderland on LA Confidential, Beloki out of La Boulangère, Bruyneel: Deal good; Ullrich hurt by Vino withdrawal, Tour chief puts pressure on Saeco and Cofidis
Tuesday, June 15 - Armstrong fires back, No Tour for Vinokourov, McEwen: "Talk is cheap", Basso hones TT form, Armstrong in USA, Tough break for T-Mobile, Walsh: "Circumstantial evidence", Beloki in the Alps, Artetxe in doubt for Tour
Monday, June 14 - Armstrong sweats the details, Next stop: Tour de France, New image challenge for Armstrong, Vinokourov out, CSC Tour team, Ullrich does it his way, Vino out for three weeks
Sunday, June 13 - First victory for Ullrich, Mayo still guarded
Saturday, June 12 - Gerolsteiner Tour team
Friday, June 11 - Armstrong loses time, not confidence, Mayo's Ventoux performance, Serge Baguet out of the Tour
Thursday, June 10 - Armstrong to test new kit on Ventoux, Mayo backs Lance, Beloki: Armstrong favourite, Ullrich sets sights on Tour de Suisse, Phonak's Tour team takes shape, Horrach out of Tour, Arvesen likely
Wednesday, June 9 - Beloki & the Tour, Basso prepares for Tour, RAGT Hires new doctor
Tuesday, June 8 - Ullrich closer to target, Baal remains skeptical, Armstrong's warning, Mayo more ambitious, Beloki could stay, Millar's lost time, Cofidis at odds with French charter,No Tour for Rebellin, RAGT down but not out
Monday, June 7 - No bluffing for Mayo, Beloki not going to the Tour?, US Postal successor gets Armstrong, Rinero OK after crash, La Boulangère doctor rebuffs Beloki
Sunday, June 6 - Pre-Tour showdown at the Dauphiné-Libéré, Cipollini says yes to Tour
Saturday, June 5 - Beloki malcontent
Friday, June 4 - Brioches La Boulangère to stop, Allergies hamper Beloki
Thursday, June 3 - Euskaltel plays down Extebarria, David Etxebarria: Not the end of the world, Beloki still unknown, Dean back
Wednesday, June 2 - Indurain: Armstrong faces tough challenge, Riis: Ullrich needs to work harder, Canadian Tour prologue "can't be done"
Tuesday, June 1 - The Giro wants Lance, The return of Der Kaiser?
Monday, May 31 - Lance, meet the Mortirolo, Gerolsteiner extends through 2008
Sunday, May 30 - Ullrich tests himself
Thursday, May 27 - Riis takes notes
Tuesday, May 25 - McEwen heads home, RAGT Semences meet, Lehigh Valley Velodrome opening night, No Tour for Vandenbroucke, Ullrich hits the Alps, Hamilton in the Pyrénées
Monday, May 24 - Armstrong satisfied, Moreau surprised, Moreau wants Tour podium, Chavanel wants a stage, Confidence grows for Phonak
Friday, May 21 - Yellow suits Hushovd, US Postal makes waves, Sastre improving
Wednesday, May 19 - New sponsor in the bag for US Postal, Bruyneel clarifies sponsor comments, Armstrong ready to challenge
Monday, May 17 - Cipollini unhappy
Sunday, May 16 - Armstrong on the Alpe
Saturday, May 15 - Boonen's Tour ambitions, Peron back from injury
Thursday, May 13 - Ullrich 'definite', Cofidis wins one on appeal
Wednesday, May 12 - New record for Mayo, Botero back to Europe, T-Mobile injuries continue
Tuesday, May 11 - Carmichael: Armstrong on track for six, Can Mayo do it again in Naranco?, Le Boulanger confirmed out for the season, Dean out for at least a month,
Monday, May 10 - Bruyneel: No reason to worry, Mayo on target
Sunday, May 9 - Beloki has doubts, Vasseur to face Gaumont, Ullrich expected in Germany
Friday, May 7 - Warrant issued for Rumsas' arrest, Broken arm for Dean
Thursday, May 6 - Dramatic TT improvement for Basso
Wednesday, May 5 - Cofidis reshuffles
Tuesday, May 4 - Vasseur has clean hair (again), Juniors get a ride at Tour
Monday, May 3 - Voigt: Ullrich would be unbeatable in CSC, VMoreau back on track, Ullrich training hard
Saturday, May 1 - Cofidis returns to competition, Paris pharmacy searched