54th Grand Prix du Midi-Libre - 2.1

France, May 22-26, 2002

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Stage 5 - May 26: Anduze - L'Espérou-Mont Aigoual, 172 km

Life is short, so win baby

Armstrong wins 54th Grand Prix Midi-Libre

By Tim Maloney, European editor

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Photo: © AFP

"It was good to win (the Midi-Libre) but I’m not 100% yet for the Tour De France. I really wanted to win a stage here; but I’m happy to win the overall. Life is short and it's always good to win," said 3 time Tour De France winner Lance Armstrong (USPS).

But the win was no cakewalk for Lance Armstrong and his US Postal team. Today was one of those days at the office where you just want to get the job done (i.e. win the race and go home) but someone just keeps distracting you...like the other riders! It may have seemed to Armstrong and USPS that every French rider in the book was going to attack today to try and unseat the American from his race lead in the 54th Grand Prix Midi-Libre, not to mention the O.N.C.E. team just lying in wait, looking to attack Armstrong on the final climb and grab the race lead back for Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (O.N.C.E.), who had just edged Armstrong by 6" into second in Fridays's Stage 3 time trial in Rodez.

With 6 weeks before the Tour De France, the US Postal machine isn't firing on all cylinders yet, but today was a real good dress rehearsal for Le Grande Boucle. Postal rode tough tempo all day to bring back breaks after break and keep things together until the final climb.

Just before the feed zone halfway through the stage, a dangerous break of eight got away, including David Moncoutié (Cofidis), Christophe Moreau (Credit Agricole), David Arroyo and Jorg Jaksche (O.N.C.E.). After a hard chase by USPS, they were almost caught on the climb up Mont Aigoual, but Moreau went again kept a slim lead with three others (Moncoutié, Atienza and Jaksche) in l'Espérou, with USPS still chasing hard behind.

It was clear that O.N.C.E. and the mostly French peloton were going to test Armstrong's blood and gold Midi Libre leader's jersey. Despite some tense moments when Armstrong missed a turn on the descent of Mont-Aigoual, "I missed a turn and just went straight rather than crashing," said Armstrong, his Postal boys withstood the onslaught and brought the boss to the base of the final climb in a position to maintain his GC lead.

With 22km to race, the Moreau break was reeled in after a determined chase by USPS across the hilly terrain of the Cevennes, with only the final climb up L’Espérou to the finish at the Observatory remaining. After a general regroupment of 40 riders, O.N.C.E. wasn’t rolling over as the climb began in earnest; first they sent Jaksche, who was covered by Roberto Heras (USPS), then they sent Azevedo (O.N.C.E.), but to no avail.

Armstrong was right on Galdeano’s wheel all the way up the climb and the tough Texan was not cracking no matter what the French and O.N.C.E. could throw at him and USPS. "There were a lot of attacks on the last climb and I was able to respond to them all," said Armstrong after the stage.

Eventually, tiny climber Laurent Paumier (St.Quentin-Oktos) got away with 4km to go up L'Espérou and held off the chasers for his first pro win, with Armstrong taking the overall win and showing already that he will be yet again be THE force to be reckoned with at this year's Tour De France.

Photography

Photos by AFP

Laurent Paumier (Saint-Quentin Oktos) works to maintain his lead over the final 4km.
Lance Armstrong (USPS) holds off ONCE and works up the final climb.
Laurent Paumier (Saint-Quentin Oktos) takes his first pro victory.
Both riders looking like they felt the climb.
Lance Armstrong (USPS) pulling a face on the podium.
A smiling Lance Armstrong (USPS) waves to the crowd.

Results

1 Laurent Paumier (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos            4.37.14 (37.22 km/h)
2 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Credit Agricole                 0.27
3 Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) ONCE Eroski
4 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service
5 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Jean-Delatour
6 Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Cofidis
7 Denis Menchov (Rus) iBanesto.com
8 Marcos A. Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
9 José Azevedo (Por) ONCE-Eroski
10 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux            0.32
11 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) ONCE-Eroski                         0.36
12 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) iBanesto.com                    1.05
13 Unai Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) iBanesto.com
14 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Fassa Bortolo
15 Unai Etxebarria Arana (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi
16 David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis
17 Richard Virenque (Fra) Domo-Farm Frites                1.08
18 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
19 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Ag2r-Prevoyance
20 Pierre Bourquenoud (Swi) Saint-Quentin Oktos
21 Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
22 Ludovic Turpin (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance                   1.17
23 Tomas Konecny (Cze) Domo-Farm Frites                   1.19
24 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems            2.54
25 François Simon (Fra) Bonjour
26 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Jean-Delatour
27 Felix M. Garcia Casas (Spa) Big Mat-Auber 93
28 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) Jean-Delatour                   3.01
29 Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) iBanesto.com                 3.48
30 Daniel Schnider (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems
31 José Enrique Gutierrez Cataluna (Spa) Kelme
32 Stéphane Heulot (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
33 Dariusz Baranowski (Pol) iBanesto.com
34 Cyril Dessel (Fra) Jean-Delatour
35 Roberto Heras (Spa) US Postal Service
36 Floyd Landis (USA) US Postal Service
37 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
38 Iker Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
39 Dmitri Fofonov (Kaz) Cofidis
40 Victor Hugo Pena (Col) US Postal Service               4.24
41 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo
42 Inaki Isasi Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
43 Daniel Atienza Urendez (Spa) Cofidis                   6.20
44 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Jean-Delatour                    6.22
45 Adolfo Garcia (Spa) iBanesto.com                       6.24
46 Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Credit Agricole                   6.55
47 Benoît Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole
48 Mikel Artetxe Gezuraga (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi         7.15
49 Piotr Wadecki (Pol) Domo-Farm Frites                   8.36
50 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance                  10.34
51 Anthony Morin (Fra) Credit Agricole
52 Frédéric Gabriel (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos            11.45
53 Vincent Bader (Swi) Saint-Quentin Oktos
54 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Domo-Farm Frites
55 Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance
56 Christophe Laurent (Fra) Jean-Delatour                15.35
57 Andy Flickinger (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance
58 Olivier Asmaker (Fra) CSC-Tiscali                     16.00
DNF Fabio Baldato (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
DNF Nicola Loda (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
DNF Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Fassa Bortolo
DNF Claude Lamour (Fra) Cofidis
DNF Jean-Michael Tessier (Fra) Cofidis
DNF René Andrle (Cze) ONCE-Eroski
DNF Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) ONCE-Eroski
DNF Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
DNF David Clinger (USA) US Postal Service
DNF Steffen Kjaergaard (Nor) US Postal Service
DNF Jose Luis Rubiera (Spa) US Postal Service
DNF Matthew White (Aus) US Postal Service
DNF Jans Koerts (Ned) Domo-Farm Frites
DNF Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Domo-Farm Frites
DNF Geert Van Bondt (Bel) CSC-Tiscali
DNF Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) CSC-Tiscali
DNF Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) CSC-Tiscali
DNF Nicki Sørensen (Den) CSC-Tiscali
DNF Igor Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF David Herrero Llorente (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Cesar Solaun Solana (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole
DNF Ludovic Martin (Fra) Credit Agricole
DNF Jonathan Vaughters (USA) Credit Agricole
DNF Stéphane Berges (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance
DNF Walter Bénéteau (Fra) Bonjour
DNF Franck Bouyer (Fra) Bonjour
DNF Charles Guilbert (Fra) Bonjour
DNF Mickael Pichon (Fra) Bonjour
DNF Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Bonjour
DNF Didier Rous (Fra) Bonjour
DNF Fabrice Salanson (Fra) Bonjour
DNF Sandy Casar (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
DNF Baden Cooke (Aus) La Francaise des Jeux
DNF Carlos Dacruz (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
DNF Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
DNF David Derepas (Fra) Phonak Hearing Systems
DNF Alexandre Usov (Blr) Phonak Hearing Systems
DNF Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Big Mat-Auber 93
DNF Xavier Jan (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
DNF Alexei Sivakov (Rus) Big Mat-Auber 93
DNF Lylian Lebreton (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
DNF Sébastien Talabardon (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
DNF Christophe Rinero (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos
DNF Eddy Lembo (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos
 
Points
 
1 Laurent Paumier (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos                 20 pts
2 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Credit Agricole                   17
3 Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) ONCE Eroski               15
4 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service                   13
5 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Jean-Delatour                       11
6 Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Cofidis                              10
7 Denis Menchov (Rus) iBanesto.com                           9
8 Marcos A. Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) ONCE-Eroski              8
9 José Azevedo (Por) ONCE-Eroski                             7
10 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux               6
11 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) ONCE-Eroski                            5
12 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) iBanesto.com                       4
13 Unai Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) iBanesto.com                    3
14 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Fassa Bortolo                        2
15 Unai Etxebarria Arana (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi             1
 
Young riders
 
1 Denis Menchov (Rus) iBanesto.com                     4.37.41
2 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux             0.05
3 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux             0.41
4 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems             2.27
5 Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) iBanesto.com                  3.21
6 José Enrique Gutierrez Cataluna (Spa) Kelme
7 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
8 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo                    3.57
9 Inaki Isasi Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
10 Adolfo Garcia (Spa) iBanesto.com                       5.57
11 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance                  10.07
12 Vincent Bader (Swi) Saint-Quentin Oktos               11.18
13 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Domo-Farm Frites
14 Christophe Laurent (Fra) Jean-Delatour                15.08
15 Andy Flickinger (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance
DNF Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Fassa Bortolo
DNF Jean-Michael Tessier (Fra) Cofidis
DNF Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) ONCE-Eroski
DNF Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
DNF David Clinger (USA) US Postal Service
DNF David Herrero Llorente (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole
DNF Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Bonjour
DNF Fabrice Salanson (Fra) Bonjour
DNF Sandy Casar (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
DNF Baden Cooke (Aus) La Francaise des Jeux
DNF David Derepas (Fra) Phonak Hearing Systems
DNF Alexandre Usov (Blr) Phonak Hearing Systems
DNF Sébastien Talabardon (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
DNF Eddy Lembo (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos
 
Final general classification
 
1 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service             19.22.36
2 Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) ONCE Eroski             0.09
3 José Azevedo (Por) ONCE-Eroski                          0.45
4 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Credit Agricole                 0.54
5 Marcos A. Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) ONCE-Eroski           1.02
6 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) ONCE-Eroski                          1.27
7 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Jean-Delatour                     1.28
8 Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Cofidis                            1.30
9 David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis                           1.46
10 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Fassa Bortolo                     1.48
11 Denis Menchov (Rus) iBanesto.com                       1.49
12 Unai Etxebarria Arana (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi          2.00
13 Laurent Paumier (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos              2.04
14 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Ag2r-Prevoyance              2.58
15 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Jean-Delatour                   3.00
16 Richard Virenque (Fra) Domo-Farm Frites                3.23
17 Ludovic Turpin (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance                   3.32
18 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux            3.34
19 Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
20 Unai Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) iBanesto.com                 3.40
21 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) iBanesto.com                    3.58
22 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux            4.06
23 Roberto Heras (Spa) US Postal Service                  4.44
24 Pierre Bourquenoud (Swi) Saint-Quentin Oktos           4.56
25 François Simon (Fra) Bonjour                           4.57
26 José Enrique Gutierrez Cataluna (Spa) Kelme            5.23
27 Tomas Konecny (Cze) Domo-Farm Frites                   5.32
28 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems            5.39
29 Felix M. Garcia Casas (Spa) Big Mat-Auber 93           5.46
30 Stéphane Heulot (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                 6.02
31 Iker Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                    6.04
32 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) Jean-Delatour                   6.12
33 Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) iBanesto.com                 6.18
34 Dmitri Fofonov (Kaz) Cofidis                           6.23
35 Daniel Schnider (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems           6.51
36 Dariusz Baranowski (Pol) iBanesto.com                  7.17
37 Floyd Landis (USA) US Postal Service                   7.41
38 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo                   8.31
39 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Jean-Delatour                    8.52
40 Victor Hugo Pena (Col) US Postal Service               9.11
41 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) ONCE-Eroski                  10.33
42 Cyril Dessel (Fra) Jean-Delatour                      10.52
43 Benoît Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole                  10.59
44 Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Credit Agricole                  11.01
45 Adolfo Garcia (Spa) iBanesto.com                      12.26
46 Inaki Isasi Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi            13.13
47 Piotr Wadecki (Pol) Domo-Farm Frites                  13.18
48 Daniel Atienza Urendez (Spa) Cofidis                  14.00
49 Anthony Morin (Fra) Credit Agricole                   14.08
50 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance                  14.22
51 Mikel Artetxe Gezuraga (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi        15.43
52 Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance            15.52
53 Frédéric Gabriel (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos            17.34
54 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Domo-Farm Frites              18.54
55 Vincent Bader (Swi) Saint-Quentin Oktos               19.13
56 Christophe Laurent (Fra) Jean-Delatour                21.25
57 Andy Flickinger (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance                 22.01
58 Olivier Asmaker (Fra) CSC-Tiscali                     30.27
 
Points classification
 
1 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Credit Agricole                   42 pts
2 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service                   40
3 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Fassa Bortolo                        38
4 Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) ONCE Eroski               37
5 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Jean-Delatour                      36
6 Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Cofidis                              27
7 Unai Etxebarria Arana (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi             23
8 Laurent Paumier (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos                 20
9 François Simon (Fra) Bonjour                              19
10 Denis Menchov (Rus) iBanesto.com                         19
11 Marcos A. Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) ONCE-Eroski            19
12 David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis                            18
13 José Azevedo (Por) ONCE-Eroski                           17
14 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Jean-Delatour                      16
15 Olivier Asmaker (Fra) CSC-Tiscali                        12
16 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) ONCE-Eroski                           11
17 Cyril Dessel (Fra) Jean-Delatour                         10
18 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems               9
19 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux               6
20 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Jean-Delatour                       6
21 Andy Flickinger (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance                     6
22 Daniel Atienza Urendez (Spa) Cofidis                      6
23 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) iBanesto.com                       4
24 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Ag2r-Prevoyance                 4
25 Mikel Artetxe Gezuraga (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi            4
26 Inaki Isasi Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                4
27 Unai Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) iBanesto.com                    4
28 Roberto Heras (Spa) US Postal Service                     4
29 Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Credit Agricole                      4
30 Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance                4
31 Dmitri Fofonov (Kaz) Cofidis                              2
32 Ludovic Turpin (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance                      2
33 Adolfo Garcia (Spa) iBanesto.com                          1
 
Mountains classification
 
1 Daniel Atienza Urendez (Spa) Cofidis                      84 pts
2 Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Cofidis                              69
3 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Jean-Delatour                      47
4 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Credit Agricole                   45
5 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service                   39
6 Felix M. Garcia Casas (Spa) Big Mat-Auber 93              36
7 Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) ONCE Eroski               35
8 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Fassa Bortolo                        34
9 Marcos A. Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) ONCE-Eroski             31
10 Laurent Paumier (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos                30
11 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) ONCE-Eroski                           24
12 Benoît Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole                     24
13 Denis Menchov (Rus) iBanesto.com                         23
14 Anthony Morin (Fra) Credit Agricole                      18
15 David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis                            17
16 Dariusz Baranowski (Pol) iBanesto.com                    15
17 Olivier Asmaker (Fra) CSC-Tiscali                        15
18 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Jean-Delatour                      14
19 Unai Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) iBanesto.com                   14
20 Andy Flickinger (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance                    14
21 Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance               11
22 Richard Virenque (Fra) Domo-Farm Frites                   8
23 Unai Etxebarria Arana (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi             6
24 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Ag2r-Prevoyance                 6
25 Adolfo Garcia (Spa) iBanesto.com                          6
26 José Azevedo (Por) ONCE-Eroski                            4
27 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) iBanesto.com                       3
28 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) ONCE-Eroski                      3
29 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux               2
30 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Jean-Delatour                       2
31 Tomas Konecny (Cze) Domo-Farm Frites                      1
32 Floyd Landis (USA) US Postal Service                      1
 
Young riders classification
 
1 Denis Menchov (Rus) iBanesto.com                    19.24.25
2 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux             1.45
3 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux             2.17
4 José Enrique Gutierrez Cataluna (Spa) Kelme             3.34
5 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems             3.50
6 Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) iBanesto.com                  4.29
7 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo                    6.42
8 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) ONCE-Eroski                    8.44
9 Adolfo Garcia (Spa) iBanesto.com                       10.37
10 Inaki Isasi Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi            11.24
11 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance                  12.33
12 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Domo-Farm Frites              17.05
13 Vincent Bader (Swi) Saint-Quentin Oktos               17.24
14 Christophe Laurent (Fra) Jean-Delatour                19.36
15 Andy Flickinger (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance                 20.12