7/6, Tour de France (stage 3)

James Raia <[email protected]> Tue, 06 Jul 2004 09:37:50 -0700
Newsgroups gmane.org.fsf.france.access
Message-ID <[email protected]>
--===============0765820108==
Content-Type: text/html
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<table width=3D"100%" border=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"10">
<tr>
<td valign=3D"top">
<b>TOUR DE FRANCE TIMES</b><br />
By James Raia<br />
E-Mail: <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> =
<br />
Web site: <a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBI=
bnbypJc/">WWW.BYJAMESRAIA.COM</a><br />
<br />
To read this edition (Tour de France, Stage 3<a href=3D"http://tourdefrance=
times.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBJ=
bnbypJc/"> CLICK HERE</a><br />
<br />
To read additional Tour de France editions, click on the following:<br />
<br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBK=
bnbypJc/"> STAGE 2</a><br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBL=
bnbypJc/"> STAGE 1</a><br />
<br />
--------------------------------------<br />
<b>PUBLISHER'S GREETING</b><br />
-------------------------------------<br />

Welcome to Stage 3 of the Tour de France. The rain is gone and warm tempera=
tures returned as the peloton entered France for the first time. The rise i=
n temperature also provided more aggressive riding and the race's first maj=
or crash and injury.<br />
<br />
The peloton lost Marco Velo (Fassa Bortolo) of Italy, who broke his collarb=
one as the riders approached the first cobblestone section of the route. Ve=
lo crashed with several other riders, fell into an agricultural canal and r=
emained there for several minutes before medical personnel arrived. With Ve=
lo's departure and the non-start of Frederic Bessy (Cofidis) of France, the=
 field is down to 184.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------<br />
<b>TOUR NEWS, NOTES AND QUOTES</b><br />
-----------------------------------<br />

Jean-Patrick Nazon (A2GR-Prevoyance) of France claimed the third stage and =
Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo) of Australia finished third -- his third top-thr=
ee placing in three stages -- to become the third race leader of the Tour d=
e France in the crashed-marred 210 km route from Waterloo to Wasquehal . . =
. <br />
<br />
Lance Armstrong finished 54th with the first of several large groups five s=
econds behind the winner and dropped one place to fifth overall. He trails =
McEwen by 16 seconds. Levi Leipheimer (Rabobank) of Santa Rosa, Calif., pla=
ced 12th as the leading American and moved into ninth overall @ 24 seconds =
. . . <br />
<br />
Armstrong, prior to the stage, on the two cobblestoned sections of stage 3:=
 "You have to be at the front. If you get stuck behind a crash or something=
 like that, you can almost say your Tour is over." . . . <br />
<br />
Armstrong's words proved prophetic: Several riders crashed as the peloton b=
ecame animated while beginning its chase of then leaders Jens Voight (CSC) =
and Bram De Groot (Rabobank) as they neared the first of the two cobbleston=
ed sections . The fallen riders included top overall contender Iban Mayo (E=
uskaltel-Euskadi) of Spain and the aforementioned Velo. Mayo finished 3:53 =
back and fell to 101st place overall at 4:23.<br />
<br />
Waterloo and Wasquehal, the respective starting and finishing cities of Sta=
ge 3 have legendary histories. Waterloo, part of the Tour de France for the=
 first time, of course, is famous as the site of the fall of the Napoleanic=
 empire. Washquehal has hosted stage finishes twice. The Brit Sean Yates wo=
n in 1988 and Italy's Mario Cipolloni, the aging sprinter star (he's compet=
ing this year), was victorious in 1996. Wasquehal also celebrated its 900th=
 anniversary in 1996, but hundreds of years ago its inhabitants often chang=
ed nationalities while sufffering through epidemics, faminine and epic batt=
les . . . <br />
<br />
Stage 4 is likely to provide the first substantial reshuffling of the overa=
ll standings. The field will compete in a 64.5 km team time trial from Camb=
rai to Arras. Look for the U.S. Postal Service and Phonak to post quick tim=
es. As a reminder, each team will send its riders out together. Each team w=
ill be given a finishing time as its fifth rider crosses the line . . . <br=
 />
<br />
There's a controversy "brewing" with the team time trial, however. A new ru=
le instituted this year limits teams from losing no more than 2 1/2 minutes=
 of time. Expectedly, many top teams don't like the rule and teams not expe=
cted to perform well like the rule. Said Johan Bruyneel, U.S.P.S. sports di=
rector: "It's not a rule I don't understand, but the organzation made it so=
 we have to abide by it."<br />
<br />
And, finally, Bruyneel on the stage results: "You couldn't win Tour de Fran=
ce on the pave, but you can lose it. And four minutes over Mayo is sizeable=
 gap."<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------<br />
<b>POSTCARD FROM LE TOUR</b><br />
--------------------------------------<br />

For several years, I've tried to approach the Tour de France with one omnip=
resent motto: "Spirit of the Adventure." <br />
<br />
Last night, a new chapter was added when for the first time in my eight tri=
ps to the event, I rested for the night in a country gite in the village of=
 Naninne, about 10 kilometers from the finish of stage 2 in Namur. <br />
<br />
The accommodations were simple: a second-level room of a country home with =
a bath and shower down the hall. But the oddity of the situation was that I=
 never saw another guest or the gite's owner. No one else was there for my =
entire stay.<br />
<br />
I booked my room via a chamber of commerce representative from Namur. He ma=
de several phone calls to the owner and also escorted me the gite's locatio=
n.<br />
<br />
When we arrived the key was in the lock of a side door and I was told via i=
nterpretation to "make myself comfortable."<br />
<br />
This morning, I left the gite before its owner's scheduled arrival. I left =
the key, a simple note ("Merci") and the fee of 25 Euros on the kitchen cou=
nter. And like the race itself, I began bid farewell to Belgium and began t=
he two-hour drive to France.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------<br />
<b>AMERICANS IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE</b><br />
--------------------------------------<br />

Indvididual Stage Results<br />
Stage 3, Waterloo to Wasquehal, 210 kilometers.<br />
12. Levi Leipheimer (Rabobank), Santa Rosa, Calif., same time as the winner=
.<br />
36. Floyd Landis (U.S.P.S.), San Diego, Calif., @ 5 seconds<br />
42. George Hincapie (U.S.P.S.), Greenville, S.C., same time.<br />
54. Lance Armstrong (U.S.P.S.), Austin, Texas, s.t.<br />
62. Bobby Julich (CSC), Reno, Nev., s.t<br />
63. Tyler Hamilton (Phonak), Marblehead, Mass., s.t.<br />
142. Christian Vande Velde (Liberty Seguros), Lemont, Ill @ 3:53.<br />
General Classification<br />
5. Armstrong @ 16 seconds<br />
9. Leipheimer @ 24 seconds<br />
11. Julich @ 26 seconds<br />
12. Hincapie @ 26 seconds<br />
19. Landis @ 32 seconds<br />
20. Hamilton @ 32 seconds<br />
121. Vande Velde @ 4:34 seconds<br />
<br />
For complete results, visit the web sites:<br />
<br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBM=
bnbypJc/">cyclingNews.com</a><br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBN=
bnbypJc/">letour.fr</a><br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBO=
bnbypJc/">procycling.com</a><br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBP=
bnbypJc/">velonews.com</a><br />
<br />
--------------------------------------<br />
<b>TFT'S QUICK PEDAL STROKES</b><br />
--------------------------------------<br />

<br />
<A HREF=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBQ=
bnbypJc/">AMAZON.COM</A><br />
Everything offered by the internet's largest online retailer. <br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBR=
bnbypJc/">ENDURANCE SPORTS NEWS</a><br />
Endurance news from around the globe. Timely, pertinent, free. <br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBS=
bnbypJc/">JAMES RAIA'S ONLINE STORE</a><br />
Amazon to Rudy Project, Land's End to R.E.I.<br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBT=
bnbypJc/">ROCK & ROLL BOB ROLL</a><br />
Cycling's rebel announcer on Le Tour de France. <br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBU=
bnbypJc/">STRETCHING IS FOR CYCLISTS, TOO</a><br />
Brad Walker is a long-time stretching expert.<br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBV=
bnbypJc/">THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE</a><br />
The best cycling movie ever made?<br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBW=
bnbypJc/">THE TOUR WITHIN THE TOUR</a><br />
Twenty-four essays about the cyclists, people & places of the Tour.<br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBX=
bnbypJc/">THE TOUR DE FRANCE AT A GLANCE</a><br />
The Tour de France in facts and figures.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------<br />
<b>TFT'S BUSINES PARTNER SPOTLIGHT</b><br />
--------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Tour de France Times acknowledges and encourages the support of its busines=
s partners:<br />
<br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBY=
bnbypJc/">BIKECAFE.NET</a><br />
The worldwide cycling resource.<br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bBZ=
bnbypJc/">CALIFORNIAWINEANDFOOD.COM</a><br />
California wine and food and global ambiance.<br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bB0=
bnbypJc/">DIRTRAGMAG.COM</a><br />
The mountain bike forum.<br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bB1=
bnbypJc/">LUFTHANSA.COM</a><br />
There's no better way to fly.<br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bB2=
bnbypJc/">SPOKERADIO.COM</a><br />
Get out there and ride.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------<br />
<b>2004 TOUR DE FRANCE SCHEDULE/RESULTS</b><br />
--------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Prologue - July 3: Prologue Liege ITT, 6 km<br />
Stage winner: Fabian Cancellara, Fassa Bortolo, 6 minutes, 30 seconds. Gene=
ral Classification: Cancellara<br />
Stage 1 - July 4: Li=E8ge-Charleroi, 195 km<br />
Stage winner: Jaan Kirsipuu (AG2R) 4 hours, 40 minutes and 29 seconds. Gene=
ral Classicifation: Cancellara.<br />
Stage 2 - July 5: Charleroi-Namur, 197 km<br />
Stage winner: Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo), Australia, 4 hours, 18 minutes, 3=
9 seconds. General classification: Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole), Norway.<=
br />
Stage 3 - July 6: Waterloo - Wasquehal, 210 km<br />
Stage winnner: Jean-Patrick Nazon (AG2R Provoyance), France, 4:36:45. Gener=
al classification: Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo), Australia.<br />
Stage 4 - July 7: Cambrai - Arras TTT, 64.5 km<br />
Stage 5 - July 8: Amiens - Chartres, 200.5 km<br />
Stage 6 - July 9: Bonneval - Angers, 196 km<br />
Stage 7 - July 10: Chateaubriant - Saint Brieuc, 204.5 km<br />
Stage 8 - July 11: Lamballe - Quimper, 168 km<br />
July 12: Rest Day: Transfer to Limoges<br />
Stage 9 - July 13: St Leonard de Noblat - Gu=E9ret, 160.5 km<br />
Stage 10 - July 14: Limoges - St. Flour, 237 km<br />
Stage 11 - July 15: St Flour - Figeac, 164 km<br />
Stage 12 - July 16: Castelsarrasin - La Mongie, 197.5 km<br />
Stage 13 - July 17: Lannemezan - Plateau de Beille, 205.5 km<br />
Stage 14 - July 18: Carcassonne - Nimes, 200 km<br />
July 19 - Rest Day: Transfer to Nimes<br />
Stage 15 - July 20: Valreas - Villard-de-Lans, 180.5 km<br />
Stage 16 - July 21: Bourg d'Oisans - Alpe d'Huez ITT, 15.5 km<br />
Stage 17 - July 22: Bourg d'Oisans - Le Grand Bornand, 204.5 km<br />
Stage 18 - July 23: Annemasse - Lons le Saulnier, 166.5 km<br />
Stage 19 - July 24: Besancon - Besancon ITT, 55 km<br />
Stage 20 - July 25: Montreau - Paris-Champs-Elysees, 163 km<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------<br />
<b>PUBLISHER'S NOTICES</b><br />
--------------------------------------<br />

Tour de France Times (TFT), an electronic newsletter about cycling's pinnac=
le event and the cyclists who compete in it, is written, edited and publish=
ed by James Raia, a journalist in Sacramento, California. Tour de France Ti=
mes is published monthly, except daily during the three-week Tour de France=
.<br />
<br />
Story links, race information, suggestions and letters to the editor are en=
couraged via e-mail. Please include your name and city and state of residen=
ce. Names held upon request.<br />
<br />
Use of this newsletter is encouraged with the publisher's permission. <br /=
>
<br />
Send correspondence to: <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">JAMES@BYJA=
MESRAIA.COM</a> <br />
<br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bB3=
bnbypJc/"><img src=3D"http://www.e-rudy.com/pages/images/banners/468X60-200=
4-TDF-1.gif" alt=3D"Click Here to Buy Rudy Project Sunglasses" width=3D"468=
" height=3D"60" border=3D"0"></a><br />
<br />
<a href=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bB4=
bnbypJc/"><img src=3D"http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/images/banner_00=
2_468static.gif" width=3D"468" height=3D"60" border=3D"0"></a><br />
<br />
<A HREF=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/maacp8Yaa8bB5=
bnbypJc/" target=3D"_blank"><IMG SRC=3D"/images/amazon.gif" alt=3D"In Assoc=
iation with Amazon.com" WIDTH=3D"468" HEIGHT=3D"60" BORDER=3D"0"></a><br />=

<br />
</td>
<td width=3D"150" valign=3D"top" align=3D"center">
<script type=3D"text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client =3D "pub-8886632308747568";
google_ad_width =3D 120;
google_ad_height =3D 600;
google_ad_format =3D "120x600_as";
google_ad_type =3D "text_image";
//--></script>
<script type=3D"text/javascript"
src=3D"http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script> </td>
</tr>
</table>
<!-- 0x0fa9bafd8b87adf4ab0a121bfdabe341000 -->
<img src=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.c.topica.com/naacp8Yaa8bB6=
bnbypJc/" width=3D1 height=3D1>
<!-- 0x012390fa6570193887fff02398eeaa99283 -->



<!-- Begin Footer -->
<BR CLEAR=3DALL>
<CENTER>
<TABLE CELLPADDING=3D0 CELLSPACING=3D0 BORDER=3D0 WIDTH=3D580>
<TR><TD HEIGHT=3D10></td></tr>
<TR>
<TD WIDTH=3D1><IMG SRC=3D"http://www.topica.com/images/footer_cap3.gif" WID=
TH=3D"1" HEIGHT=3D"24" BORDER=3D"0"></td>
<TD NOWRAP BGCOLOR=3D"WHITE" STYLE=3D"border-top: 1px solid #CCCCCC; border=
-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC;">=20
<SPAN STYLE=3D"font: 10px verdana, sans-serif; color: black;">
&nbsp;<NOBR><A
STYLE=3D"font: 10px verdana, sans-serif; color: #0000FF; text-decoration: n=
one;"
HREF=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.f.topica.com/f/?a2i20d.=
bnbypJ.=
ZnNmZS1m">Update Profile</a></nobr>
&nbsp;|&nbsp;
<NOBR><A=20
STYLE=3D"font: 10px verdana, sans-serif; color: #0000FF; text-decoration: n=
one;"
HREF=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.f.topica.com/f/?a2i20d.=
bnbypJ.=
ZnNmZS1m.u">Unsubscribe</a></nobr>
&nbsp;|&nbsp;
<NOBR><A=20
STYLE=3D"font: 10px verdana, sans-serif; color: #0000FF; text-decoration: n=
one;"
HREF=3D"http://tourdefrancetimes.f.topica.com/f/?a2i20d.=
bnbypJ.=
ZnNmZS1m.c">Confirm</a></nobr>
</span>
</td>
<TD ALIGN=3DRIGHT BGCOLOR=3D"WHITE" STYLE=3D"border-top: 1px solid #CCCCCC;=
 border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC;"><A=20
HREF=3D"http://www.topica.com/?p=3DT3FOOTER"><IMG=20
SRC=3D"http://www.topica.com/images/delivered_by_blue.gif"=20
WIDTH=3D"139" HEIGHT=3D"18" BORDER=3D"0" HSPACE=3D2></td>
<TD WIDTH=3D1><IMG SRC=3D"http://www.topica.com/images/footer_cap3.gif" WID=
TH=3D"1" HEIGHT=3D"24" BORDER=3D"0"></td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
<BR><BR><BR><BR>
</body></html>





--===============0765820108==
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline

_______________________________________________
Fsfe-france-epn mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/fsfe-france-epn

--===============0765820108==--