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Posted: August 2, 2005 Cycling: TOUR DE FRANCE TIMES - Volume 3, No. 15 (Aug. 1, 2005) By James Raia
Publisher's Greeting A little more than a week after the 2005 Tour, the cycling world has yet to return its more standard late summer calm. In short, Lance Armstrong's seventh and last title is still the buzz of the cycling community. While his final title didn't include the drama of previous titles, Armstrong's victory was particularly poignant. He dominated the race without dominating any one day of it, and his departure already has the community at-large looking at the potential vast possibilities for title contenders in '06. As a remembrance, here are three articles from the final day of the '05 Tour. ARMSTRONG CLAIMS #7 ON RAINY/SUNNY PARIS DAY
LEIPHEIMER PREDICTS TOP-5 BUT SLIPS ON FINAL DAY
FANS FLOCK PARIS TO WITNESS TOUR HISTORY
News, Notes & Quotes Armstrong Gets PR In Many Ways: Bombardier Flexjet, the fractional ownership program of Bombardier Aerospace, paid tribute to the company's most celebrated aircraft owner, Lance Armstrong, by hosting his flight back to the United States following his unprecedented seventh Tour de France victory. For the occasion, Flexjet arranged a flight from Nice, France to New York on the top-of-the-line business jet from Bombardier Aerospace, the ultra long-range Bombardier Global Express. According to the company's press release, Armstrong is a fractional owner of a Bombardier Challenger 300, the super midsize jet from Bombardier Aerospace and one of the best-selling aircraft in the Flexjet fractional fleet, which also includes the Learjet 40, Learjet 45 XR, Learjet 60 and Challenger 604. Flexjet arranged the special trip for Armstrong to honor one of its best-known fractional jet owners for his unique accomplishment . . . King Richard Still Controversial: CyclingNews.com, the comprehensive Australian cycling site, took a nice "jab" at Richard Virenque last week. Virenque, in his first year of retirement, paraded around this year's Tour often, appeasing crowds, signing autographs and doing a lot of interviews. But here's what CyclingNews.com reported: In 1998, Richard Virenque was caught up in the doping scandal surrounding the Festina team in the Tour de France. After denying, then admitting it, Virenque served a suspension, came back and won another two polka dot jerseys. Now, the French super star is taking to even faster roads. This weekend he will participate in the 24 hours of Francorchamps (Belgium). On July 31, a European ban on publicity for tobacco will be introduced, but that won't stop Virenque and his team being the only ones driving around the circuit sponsored by a tobacco company . . . Julich and Voight Victorious - Again: Jens Voight, who briefly held the Yellow Jersey in this year's Tour, and his close friend Bobby Julich, both of CSC, successfully defended their 2004 title last weekend with their victory in Luk Challenge two-man time trial in Bühl, Germany. The reigning champions finished 1 1/2 minutes ahead Gerolsteiner duo of Markus Fothen/Sebastian Lang and two minutes clear of another German pair from Gerolsteiner, Michael Rich and Uwe Peschel . . . Roster juggling: Alexandre Vinokourov, the always-active Kazakhstan rider will leave T-Mobile to ride in '06 for Liberty Seguros. Vinokourov even attacked on the final day of the '05 Tour, gained mid-race bonus time and won the final stage to overtake Levi Leipheimer of Santa Rosa, Calif. for fifth place overall . . . Erik Zabel, the six-time green jersey winner at the Tour, will leave T-Mobile after 13 seasons with the German team. Zabel, 34, doesn't yet have a new contract for '06 . . . For official Tour de France information, visit the official web site of Amaury Sport Organization (ASO): LeTour.fr. And, finally, beginning with issue, Tour de France Times will revert to monthly publication, unless the news of the sport dictates increased publication.
Postcard From The Tour The recent announcement that Russian Dimitri Konyshev will continue his long career next season rekindled a wonderful memory. In most of the years I've attended the Tour, I've driven past Chambery, site of the 1989 World Championships. It was the first cycling World's I covered, and it remains the scene of arguably the best cycling image in history. Like most world road races, the '89 event was a race of attrition. The weather changed multiple times during the long day and the field was nearly half its original size by the final circuit. Greg LeMond encountered bad luck throughout the entire race, but all of a sudden there he was at the end. He bolted to the front in the rain, thrust his clenched fist straight forward like a battering iron, crossed the line mouth wide open and nearly overwhelmed as a narrow winner. He was flanked by Sean Kelly, the veteran Irish pro and Konyshev, a neophyte pro. While LeMond beamed, Konyshey, second, and Kelly, third, had the most astonished facial expressions of disbelief imaginable. Only a few photographers captured the image. If cycling collectively had to pick one image to represent the sport, it would likely the '89 World's finish-line shot. It perfectly defines victory and defeat. Konychev, who will ride at age 40 in the peloton in '06, won a stage of of the 1986 Coors Classic as an amateur, and he's claimed stages in each of the Grand Tours, as well as many other races in his 16-year pro career. More from: Tour de France Times
Postcard From The Tour Rest days at the Tour de France are always misnomers. No competition is held and the pace of the day eases, but it's hardly a day off. Teams hold press conferences in their hotels and various Tour officials have receptions and social gatherings. In today's instance, the press room was on the infield of a velodrome, in the Palais des Sport in Grenoble. The facility was a venue for the figuresksting during the 1968 Olympics and is now used for one of the most unique competitions in cycling - six-day racing. As for the rest day, it was a 425-kilometer drive this morning to Grenoble, mostly along auto routes. It took just under four hours (including two 15-minutes stops), and I believe I averaged about 130 kilometers or 81 miles per hour. Speaking of driving, I have a diesel Citroen, a four-door sedan with manual transmission. Today, I surpassed 3,000 kilometers of driving for the Tour, about 1,863 miles. The price of diesel fuel is around 1.15 Euros per liter or 4.37 Euros per gallon or about $5.25 gallon. Gas fuel is about $1 more per gallon. So far, I filled the gas tank three times, about 60 Euros per tank. Guerini Takes Stage 19; Lance Ready For Time Trial LE PUEY-EN-VALEY, France — Lance Armstrong's last quest for an individual stage win in the 92nd Tour de France will occur today in the 20th and next-to-last stage and as he begins the last five hours of his cycling career. With the race's largely ceremonial concluding 21st stage Sunday in Paris, the 55.5-kilometer (34.5-mile) route will also provide the last showcase ride of the race leader and pending seven-time titlist's competitive tenure. "It's big day tomorrow," said Armstrong following another pack finish in stage 19 in the same time as all of his top pursuers. "I'll give it everything I have." In approximate durations, Armstrong will ride for one hour today and conclude his career with a four-hour trek in the final stage. Italian Guiseppe Guerini (T-Mobile) won the 19th stage and final road stage Friday after he emerged from a four-rider group to claim the 153.5-kilometer (95.4-mile) stage from Issoire in 3 hours, 33 minutes and 4 seconds. Armstrong finished 56th in the main pack, 4:31 behind and in the same time as the majority of the riders who have been trying narrow their deficits to the six-time race winner since he regained the lead in stage 10. The stage was the second of Giuerini's Tour career. In 1999, Armstrong's first victory year, the Italian won the stage to Alpe d'Huez despite hitting and crashing into a an amateur photographer fan in waning meters. Guerini got back on his bike, the fan pushed him along and he still claimed the solo stage. Although it's not required, Armstrong has won a stage in each of his six Tour titles. He won five stages last year, including two time trials. He captured only one stage in 2000, an individual time trial. Armstrong assumed the leader's jersey this year when his Discovery Channel squad captured the stage 4 team time trial. He also finished second in stage 1, an individual time trial, and second in stages 10 and 14, both mountain stages. Armstrong will begin the day with the same 2 minute and 46-second margin he's held for nearly a week over Ivan Basso (CSC) of Italy. Mickael Rasmussen (Rabobank) of Denmark is third, trailing by 3:46. The field will ride in reverse order of their overall placings at two-minute intervals, with the exception of the top-20 riders in the overall standings. They'll ride in three-minute intervals. The final time trial begins at an elevation of 1,622 feet. It reaches 2,760 feet — its highest point — after 15 1/2 miles. After a six-mile descent, the route crests at the Col de la Gachet, a 3.5-mile ascent, at 2,420 feet. Even if he doesn't win, Armstrong's lead, barring catastrophe, is safe. But several other top-10 placings are close, including the status of Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) of Santa Rosa, Calif., and Floyd Landis (Phonak) of San Diego, Calif., the next two top Americans in the overall standings. Leipheimer, who predicted a top-five overall finish, is currently sixth, 1:04 behind fifth-placed Francisco Mancebo (Illes Banears) of Spain. Landis is ninth overall, trailing eighth-placed Alexandre Vinokourov (T-Mobile) of Kazakhstan by 1:31. Another intriguing ride will be for third and fourth place. Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile) of Germany is currently fourth, trailing Rasmussen by 2:12. Ullrich, the 1997 race winner, has also placed fourth, third and second overall five times in his eight race appearances. More from: Tour de France Times © Copyright 2005, James Raia Posted with the permission of James Raia. Subscribe to James Raia's Endurance Sports News and Tour de France Times at: www.byjamesraia.com. They're free and spam-free. Comment on this story. |
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