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Posted: July 15, 2004

Cycling: James Raia Reports from the Tour de France - Stage XI

Publisher's Greeting

The newspaper LeMonde is an aggressive, conservative daily that likes to pursue the drug component of cycling relentlessly. In an editorial prior to the Tour de France, it called for the race to cancel its 91st edition because of the sport's varied doping issues.

In a story that quickly spread, it printed a story Friday quoting former three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond as saying "Armstrong will do anything to keep his secret."

LeMond and Armstrong are not the best of friends, but why LeMond would give the quote and what it means circulated the press room quickly . . . Stay tuned.

Oh, at the bike race, the day was warm (reportedly reaching 30C (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and now the Pyrenees are upon us. Tomorrow will bring the first of the race's two consecutive mountaintop finishes and the only stages in the Pyrenees. If the weather remains warm, the remaining field of 167 could "shatter."

New Profile Feature - Virenque/Voeckler Celebrate Bastille Day

Virenque Takes Stage, Voeckler Still In Yellow

SAINT-FLOUR, France -- It's been 20 years since a Frenchman claimed the Tour de France. But on a cloudless Bastille Day, such lingering nationalistic concerns were soothed by the performances of two surprising French cyclists.

Richard Virenque, 34, the controversial rider in his 14th professional season, rode solo for the final 41.5 miles Wednesday and claimed the first mountain stage and longest event in the 91st Tour de France.

While assuming the polka dot jersey, the designation given to the race's top climber, Virenque, the leader of the Quick Step-Davitamon squad, also became the 14th Frenchman to win a Tour stage on the July 14 national holiday that celebrates the French Revolution. He completed the 147-mile 10th stage from Limoges that included nine categorized climbs in 6 hours and 24 seconds.

Correspondingly, compatriot Thomas Voeckler, 25, shadowed by five-time race titlist Lance Armstrong, retained the race leader's yellow jersey he has held since July 7.

Voeckler, the reigning French national titlist, finished fifth, one place ahead of Armstrong in a group of 14 riders 5 minutes and 19 seconds behind Virenque.

"Today was more difficult; and I am not a machine," said Voeckler, who struggled twice during climbs, "But the team did exactly what they've done on other days. They said they want to defend my jersey to the end, and I respect them for it."

Voeckler, who rides for the Brioches La Boulangere team, holds a three-minute lead over Australian Stuart O'Grady. Armstrong, the leading expected overall contender who is seeking as record sixth title, is in sixth place, 6:35 behind.

Tyler Hamilton of Marblehead, Mass., fourth overall last year, placed 26th in the stage and leads three other Americans in the top 20 while in 11th place, 10:18 behind.

Jan Ullrich of Germany, second to Armstrong last year and the 1997 race winner, is 17th, 10:42 behind.

For the first time since the race began, Armstrong didn't speak with the media. He quickly exited the course via a team vehicle, with his squad's official comment as "no comment."

For Virenque, the win continued his unique status in the sport.

While his name is still often written in chalk and painted on mountain courses throughout the country by French fans, Virenque will long be remembered for his association with Festina.

The team sponsored by the watch manufacturer was dismissed during the 1998 Tour de France for drug offenses. While his teammates plead guilty, Virenque maintained his innocence for nearly three years. He eventually confessed and received a seven-month suspension from competition.

"I didn't attack because it's Bastille Day, no, not at all," said Virenque via the race interpreter. "I wanted to have the points for the best climber classification. The sun is back and I am back, too."

Despite his cycling longevity, however, Virenque has only 18 wins as a professional, including seven Tour de France stage wins. He's most noted as the six-time winner of the race's best climber award, the designation signified with the red polka dot jersey he earned Wednesday. No one in the Tour de France history has claimed the best climber's award seven times.

Virenque is also notorious for thrusting one finger in the air as he crosses the line following wins. The gesture is sometimes viewed as arrogance.

After his 10th stage triumph, Virenque twice thrust both hands in the air and spoke emotionally to the race announcer moments later.

Virenque, who dedicated his win to the recent deaths of his grandmother and a friend, also hedged directly answering questions about his retirement.

And despite his stage win, he also spoke realistically about the event's remaining 10 stages.

"The real mountains are still to come," Virenque said, who's participating in his 12th Tour de France. "And the Tour is very long."

Following the relatively short and easy 11th stage Thursday, the field will encounter consecutive mountains stages Saturday and Sunday. Both stages will have mountaintop finishes will be the race's only two days in the Pyrenees.

Tour News, Notes And Quotes

Lance Armstrong is furious. He claims reporting crew from the French national television 2/3 tried to enter the five-time titlist's room after U.S, Postal Service team departed. Armstrong reacted strongly and said such actions are the attempts of certain reporters to find anything they can.

"If they found a vitamin B capsule, they would make it into a story and put it on TV as a big deal," said Armstrong in an Associated Press article . . .

Thomas Voeckler, the current national French titlist, has now defended the Yellow Jersey for seven days via the support of his Brioches La Boulangere squad. He finished the stage in 14th place, five places behind but in the same time as Armstrong . . .

Levi Leipheimer will only ride in the road race as a replacement for Lance Armstrong in the Summer Olympics next month in Greece. Tyler Hamilton and Bobby Julich have been selected to partipate in the individual time trial, according to a release from USA Cycling, the sport's U.S. governing body . . .

Matthias Kessler (T-Mobile) of Germany and Magnus Backstedt (Alessio Bianchi) of Sweden have left the race. Kessler didn't begin stage 11, while Backstedt, the heaviest rider in the Tour abandoned during the stage, Backstedt began the race weighing 95 kilos (209 pounds) . . .

Seven cows briefly led the 11th stage, until they were moved off the road while the peloton rode around them.

Postcard From Le Tour

The French highway system has its faults, but the country does know how the make a convenience store convenient.

On major auto and state routes throughout France, the major gas stations also include "La Boutique."

In addition to purchasing fuel, a weary traveller can find nearly anything in the stations' markets. A dozen kinds of coffee, hot tea and a tasty combination of potato and tomato soup are available for one Euro in vending machines.

Huge cases of sandwiches (on baguettes and bread) and offered in tightly sealed containers, include ingredients ham to salami, tuna to egg. Sometimes, the sandwiches are offered in odd combinations, like egg and tuna or ham and butter.

In larger gas stations with boutiques, one can take a shower in a private stall or take a break at small, stand-only tables and watch television.

In one of the boutiques I visited a day or two ago, there were freshly cut flowers in vases positioned thoroughout the men's room.

Candy, cookies, fresh fruit, soda, beer, bottled water, potota chips and various other comfort foods are all readily available, too.

The convenience stores in France do have one thing in common with American convenience stores. Good prices are not part of the definition of convenience.

A can of Coke Cola can ranges from 1.25 to 1.50 Euros (approximately $1.50 to $1.80) and a thinly appointed sandwich on a baquette can vary between 2.80 and 4.50 Euros (approximately $3.35 to $5.50)

Americans In The Tour De France

 
Individual Stage Results
Stage 11, Saint Flour - Figeac, 164 kilometers
9. Lance Armstrong, Austin, Texas, (USPS) @ 5:58
15. Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa, Calif., (Rabobank), same time.
24. George Hincapie, Greenville, S.C., (USPS) s.t.
30. Bobby Julich, Reno, Nev., (CSC), s.t.
38. Tyler Hamilton, Marblehead, Mass., (Phonak), s.t.
104. Floyd Landis, San Diego, Calif. (USPS) @ 6:19
107, Christian Vande Velde, Lemont, Ill., (Liberty Seguros), s.t.
General Classification
6. Armstrong @ 9:35
11. Hamilton @ 10:18
15. Hincapie @ 10:26
18. Julich @ 10:42
19. Leipheimer @ 10:50
21. Landis @ 11:14
109. Vande Velde @ 34:29

For complete results, visit the web sites:

CyclingNews.com
LeTour.fr
ProCycling.com
VeloNewws.com
More TDF Links