2012 Tour de France Stage 20, 7/22/12

July 22, Stage 20: Rambouillet - Paris Champs-Élysées 120km

Bradley Wiggins wins 2012 Tour de France

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-20/results)

Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) became the first Briton to win the Tour de France, taking the title of the 2012 Tour as he crossed the finish line on the Champs-Élysées Sunday afternoon. The final stage ended with the usual mass sprint, as Mark Cavendish easily took his fourth straight closing stage win. Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale), one of the stand-outs of the Tour, took second, with former Cavendish helper Matthew Goss of Orica-GreenEdge third.

Wiggins stood atop the podium with a gap of 3:21 over his most dangerous rival, Sky teammate Christopher Froome. Vincenzo Nibali of Liquigas-Cannondale rounded out the podium, finishing third at 6:19 down.

It was a historic moment for the British rider, who spent the entire race in first or second place overall. He stamped his authority on the race with two time trial victories, winning against the clock on stages 9 and 19 to assure himself of the title. The only rider really able to challenge him was his teammate and lieutenant, Froome.

"I've had 24 hours for this to soak in and today we were just on a mission to finish the job off with Cav," said Wiggins on the team website. "So job done and what a way for him to finish it off. I’m still buzzing from the Champs-Elysees.

"I've got to get used to going into the history books now, but I’m just trying to take everything in today first. It’s very surreal at the moment because this type of things [usually] happens to other people. You never imagine it happening to yourself."

Cavendish was jubliant with his stage win. "It’s incredible what we’ve achieved today – what a team. We got a one and two on GC but still we were riding to control things on the Champs-Elysees. It was an honour to have the yellow jersey leading me out. Bradley told me he’d go full gas to the last kilometre and then Edvald (Boasson Hagen) led me into the last corner. The finish couldn’t have been more perfect – no better end to this Tour,” he said on the team's website.

"It’s an incredible achievement for the team. Four years ago we said we were setting out to win the Tour, but we haven’t just done that, we’ve got second place as well and a handful of stages. Seven stages have been won by British guys this year so that’s one in three – not a bad stat."

Rush to the finish on the Champs-Élysées

The final stage followed its usual pattern, as the riders relaxed in the sun and in anticipation of successfully finishing the hard three weeks. There were even two category four ranked climbs in the first third of the race, with KOM Thomas Voeckler of Europcar picking up another point at the first one. The relaxed atmosphere only lasted until the sprinters could sense the approaching Champs-Élysées, and the racing then started. 

Two of the older riders, Christopher Horner (RadioShack-Nissan) and George Hincapie (BMC), who is retiring this season, were allowed to lead the way over the finish line as the field hit the Champs Elysees. They were then replaced by veterans Jens Voigt (RadioShack) and Danilo Hondo (Lampre-ISD), with a small group forming later around them.

Rui Costa (Movistar), Jens Voigt (RadioShack-Nissan), Marcus Burghardt (BMC), Sebastien Minard (AG2R), Lars Bak (Lotto Belisol), Maxim Iglinskiy (Astana), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis), Jean Marc Marino (Saur-Sojasun), Karsten Kroon (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank), Bram Tankink (Rabobank) and Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Katusha) built up a lead of up to 30 seconds on the closing circuit.

Sky led the chase for Cavendish to claim his fourth straight victory on the Champs Elysees, but as things progressed, they were joined by Liquigas riding to set up Peter Sagan. The lead group eventually fell apart, leaving only Minard, Voigt and Costa at the front.

The trio fought valiantly but never really had a chance, and with about 3 km to go, were caught. Shortly before that, a crash in the middle of the field took out two riders: Hondo and Mikael Cherel (AG2R).

None other than the yellow jersey Wiggins himself led the field under the flamme rouge for the final kilometer of the 2012 Tour. He peeled off to let Edvald Boasson Hagen make the final lead-out for Cavendish. Once the Manxman was in the wind on the finishing straight, there was no doubt as to his victory.

Wiggins rides to the top

Wiggins was never far from the top of the race, spending the entire race in either first or second place. He finished second in the race's prologue, three weeks ago, only seven seconds behind winner Fabian Cancellara. Wiggins successfully avoided the mass crash in the sixth stage, which took out a number of riders and put an end to the hopes of several contenders.

He made his move, though, on the race's first mountain stage. On stage seven, which featured the first mountaintop finish, Team Sky prepared the way for Wiggins by taking control of the stage and putting down a blistering pace the whole way.  By the time they approached the final climb up  La Planche des Belles Filles, the two Sky riders led the small group of favourites, dropping Cancellara along the way. Defending Tour champion Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) jumped first, Froome caught and passed him for the stage win, but Wiggins caught up to cross the finish line in the same time as the Australian, and took over the yellow jersey, which he never gave up.

As expected, Wiggins really won the Tour in the time trials. He won both of them, with Froome second in both. Even four-time World time trial champion Cancellara couldn't come close to him in the first time trial. But it was the second time trial, held yesterday, which really sealed the matter. Wiggins covered the rolling 53.5km over a minute faster than Froome.

Wiggins and Froome quickly became an inseparable pair, although there were often indications that Froome was unhappy with the relationship. The younger Briton was obviously the stronger rider on the climbs, and showed his impatience at being held back by his captain. He went public with his indignation at not being allowed to win the Tour, before belatedly realizing it was better to say nothing.

The jerseys

Wiggins and Cavendish were not the only winners of the day, though. Peter Sagan of Liquigas-Cannondale took the green jersey for the points classification, having won three stages. He also fought to take points at the intermediate sprints and made a reputation for his victory celebrations, ranging from the Hulk to Forrest Gump. It was in incredibly impressive Tour debut for the 22-year-old Slovakian.

Thomas Voeckler claimed the King of the Mountains classification and its polka-dot jersey. He wrestled it away from Astana's Fredrik Kessiakoff with his first of two stage wins, in the 16th stage. The Europcar rider aggressively defended it through the remaining few stages.

Best young rider was 23-year-old Tejay van Garderen. The 23-year-old American riding for BMC Racing Team finished his second Tour in fifth place, eleven minutes down, but six minutes ahead of the second-best young rider, Thibaut Pinot (FDJ-Big Mat).

Team RadioShack-Nissan went from the high of Fabian Cancellara's prologue win to the low of Fränk Schleck leaving the race under suspicion of doping, and along the way managed to win the team title.

Hincapie says adieu

A long-time popular rider took his final bow in the Tour. George Hincapie of BMC Racing Team finished his 17th Tour at 38th overall, an hour and a half down. Over the years, he rode in support of nine winners: Lance Armstrong (seven times) and Alberto Contador and Cadel Evans (once each).

Hincapie wore the yellow jersey for two stages in 2006, and won a total of four stages, three of which were team time trials. But perhaps his most important victory was winning the heart and hand of podium girl Melanie Simonneau.

The sprinters

All eyes were on Mark Cavendish at the Tour, but from even before the race it was clear that it would be difficult if not impossible for Sky to support both Wiggins and Cavendish. The reigning world champion got the short end of the deal, but by the end of the race, he, too, was doing his share to support the team leader and sacrificing his own chances. Cavendish ended up with three wins, as did Greipel and Sagan.

Cavendish was overshadowed this year by none other than former teammate Andre Greipel, whom he once said could win only “little shit races.” The Lotto Belisol rider put that to the test, and took three sprint wins. Equally impressively, he finished second to Sagan on the sixth stage after crashing twice and having a suspected dislocated shoulder, which fortunately proved not to be so.

Full Results

1	Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling	3:08:07
2	Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale
3	Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
4	Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
5	Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
6	Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Belisol Team
7	Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team
8	André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol Team
9	Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling
10	Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Saur - Sojasun

 

Final general classification

1	Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling	87:34:47
2	Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling	0:03:21
3	Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale	0:06:19
4	Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team	0:10:15
5	Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team	0:11:04
6	Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) RadioShack-Nissan	0:15:41
7	Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team	0:15:49
8	Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar	0:16:26
9	Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team	0:16:33
10	Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat	0:17:17

 

A Look Back: 2011 Tour de France

With 1 week left until the 2012 Edition of the Tour de France, I wanted to make a special post:

I went through all the pictures I saved from the 2011 Tour de France, and chose one from each stage that I want to share with you. Some of them are just cool pictures, while others the tell the story. It was so nice going back and re-living last year's Tour de France. July is my favorite month, and this is why. I hope you enjoy!

(All pictures were taken from Cycling on Yahoo! Sports during the 2011 Tour de France)

Stage 1: July 2, Passage du Gois – Mont des Alouettes, Flat Stage

I love this picture because it shows how close the peloton rides. And, if you look close enough you can see some of the top riders like Andy and Frank Schleck, Fabian Cancellara, George Hincapie, Cadel Evans, and Thor Hushovd, as well as many more.

Stage 2: July 3, Les Essarts – Les Essarts, Team Time Trial

Everyone knows that Thor Hushovd is my favorite rider, and this is such a great shot of the God of Thunder. This was taken after his team, Garmin-Cervelo, won the team time trial.

Stage 3: July 4, Olonne-sur-Mer – Redon, Flat Stage

This wasn't my first choice for a favorite picture, but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted this one. On America's Independence Day, American Tyler Farrar wins the stage and gives a sign for his best friend Wouter Weylandt, who was in a fatal crashed during the 2011 Giro d'Italia

Stage 4: July 5, Lorient – Mûr-de-Bretagne, Flat Stage



This was just a neat picture of the weather before Stage 4 began. Alexandre Vinokourov was warming up in the rain before the start.

Stage 5: July 6, Carhaix – Cap Fréhel, Flat Stage

After a nasty crash, in which Tom Boonen was caught in, his teammate Addy Engles helps him to the finish line.

Stage 6: July 7, Dinan – Lisieux, Flat Stage



Here is another weather shot. The day's breakaway, Malori, Duque, Roux, Hoogerland, and Westra, had to ride through a mix of rain and snow.

Stage 7: July 8, Le Mans – Châteauroux, Flat Stage

I had to include this picture. El Diablo goes hand-in-hand with Le Tour de France. He is here every year, and in multiple stages.

Stage 8: July 9, Aigurande – Super-Besse, Medium Mountains

American Tejay van Garderen won the King of the Mountain jersey for the stage.

Stage 9: July 10, Issoire – Saint-Flour, Medium Mountains

Johnny Hoogerland is the new KOM leader after the crash that pushed him into a barbed wire fence. He finished the stage, and lead the KOM points.

Stage 10: July 12, Aurillac – Carmaux, Flat Stage

Andre Greipel out-sprints Mark Cavendish to win the stage.

Stage 11: July 13, Blaye-les-Mines – Lavaur, Flat Stage

The riders ride through the rain during Stage 11. This hasn't been the year for nice, sunny weather.

Stage 12: July 14, Cugnaux – Luz Ardiden, Mountain Stage

Luxembourg Champion, Frank Schleck rides up a mountain during the stage.

Stage 13: July 15, Pau – Lourdes, Mountain Stage

Hushovd wins a mountain stage!!! The former sprinter now shows that he can climb as well.

Stage 14: July 16, Saint-Gaudens – Plateau de Beille, Mountain Stage

Leading the Sprint classification, Mark Cavendish is getting used to wearing the Green Jersey.

Stage 15: July 17, Limoux – Montpellier, Flat Stage

And if earning the Green Jersey wasn't enough, Cavendish won another stage.

Stage 16: July 19, Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux – Gap, Medium Mountains

Hushovd wins again in the Mountains, proving why he is the World Champion!

Stage 17: July 20, Gap – Pinerolo, Mountain Stage

This is a beautiful shot of the peloton riding with the mountains next to them.

Stage 18: July 21, Pinerolo – Col du Galibier / Serre Chevalier, Mountain Stage

This was one of the best birthday presents I could have received! Although he didn't earn the Yellow Jersey from it, watching Andy Schleck win the stage on top of Col de Galibier was amazing. Okay, so I only saw it on TV, but that is almost like a front row seat.

Stage 19: July 22, Modane – L'Alpe d'Huez, Mountain Stage

The final mountain stage in the 2011 Tour de France ended on top of my favorite mountain, L'Alpe d'Huez! Pierre Rolland won the stage, and Andy Schleck took the Yellow Jersey from Thomas Voeckler.

Stage 20: July 23, Grenoble – Grenoble, Individual Time Trial



Its not a secret that I am not a fan of Cadel Evans, but we all knew the 2011 Tour de France was won by him as soon as he started his time trial on the second to last stage. His complete aerodynamic position from the beginning showed that he was the best rider this year.

Stage 21: July 24, Créteil – Paris (Champs-Élysées), Flat and Final Stage



Congratulations to the 2011 Tour de France winner, Cadel Evans! He really did earn the Yellow Jersey this year.

19 - June - 2012 - Daily News

Today's edition is coming out early because I have to work late tonight.

Let's begin with the teams that are announcing their Tour de France lineups:

Rabobank: Laurens Ten Dam, Robert Gesink, Steven Kruijswijk, Bauke Mollema, Mark Renshaw, Luis Leon Sanchez, Bram Tankink, Maarten Tjallingii and Maarten Wynants

Argos-Shimano: Marcel Kittel (Ger), Patrick Gretsch (Ger), Roy Curvers (Ned), Koen de Kort (Ned), Tom Veelers (Ned), Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger), Matthieu Sprick (Fra), Albert Timmer (Ned) and Yann Huguet (Fra)

With National Championships coming up right before the Tour de France, riders get to choose if they will participate. Is this beoming a race to fine-tune performance before the biggest race of the year? Or is it still about National pride?

Valverde and Sanchez to skip National Championships

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valverde-and-sanchez-to-skip-national-championships)

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) will not line up at the Spanish National Championships, which begin on Thursday in Salamanca. Valverde, who initially wanted to compete in both the time trial and the road race, finally decided to skip the event while Sanchez never planned to race it in the first place.

According to El Periódico, the Movistar leader "talked to Eusebio Unzué on Sunday evening. Considering that Valverde already rode 1,300 kilometres in the Tour de Suisse, and that his state of form was up to Tour de France level, the sports director thought that it was best to use this week to fine-tune his shape by training at home in Murcia."

The 32-year-old, who will be his team's top man at the Tour starting June 30 in Liège, was instrumental in Rui Costa's overall victory in Switzerland last week-end. By skipping the Nationals, Valverde will start the French Grand Tour with 36 days of competition in his legs.

Sanchez, who together with Valverde was named into the Spanish Olympic selection earlier this month, is sticking to his intital plan of not attending the National Championships. Euskaltel-Euskadi's sports director Gorka Gerrikagoitia confirmed to BiciCiclismo that "since the very beginning" of the season, Sanchez' race programme up to the Tour de France did not include the Salamancan event.

On Tuesday last week, after having completed the Critérium du Dauphiné, the Olympic champion retreated to a training camp in Sierra Nevada where he will stay until Saturday. His crash on the second day of the French stage race did not result in any serious injuries.

Sanchez, who won the mountains classification at the 2011 Tour, will thus have 31 days of competition in his legs at the start of this year's Tour.

This confused me. A few days ago we learned that Pozzato isn't being investigated, even though he had a conversation(s?) with Dr. Michele Ferrari. However, now he is being called to talk to the Italian Olympic Committee.

Pozzato to front CONI anti-doping prosecutor today

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/pozzato-to-front-coni-anti-doping-prosecutor-today)

Filippo Pozzato's participation in the London Olympic Games is under threat having been called to appear before the anti-doping prosecutor of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) on Tuesday. The meeting is scheduled for 1230pm local time.

The move follows a report in Saturday's La Repubblica which suggested that Pozzato was a client of the controversial Dr. Michele Ferrari, who last week was formally charged with doping by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), alongside Lance Armstrong and Johan Bruyneel.

The article quotes extracts from a telephone conversation intercepted in the summer of 2009, in which Pozzato allegedly speaks of working with Ferrari, something which the Italian Cycling Federation (FCI) outlawed in 2002. According to La Repubblica, Pozzato can be heard speaking in Vicenza dialect in the recording, saying "Listen: I went to Ferrari because I asked him myself."

Pozzato also allegedly discusses the Emanuele Sella doping case in the recording, and expresses his distaste at the manner in which the rider had negotiated a reduction on his ban after collaborating with the Italian Olympic Committee's (CONI) panel.

"If you go to see him in his own house, then you're responsible," Pozzato is alleged to have said. "You don't have a gun pointed to your head. I wanted to go to Ferrari. We're grown-ups aren't we?"

La Repubblica's report notes that the recorded conversation also reveals that it cost €40,000-50,000 per year to be "followed" by Ferrari.

Pozzato's lawyer, Pierfilippo Capello denied the Farnese Vini-Selle Italia rider denied the association.

"We've checked several times with magistrates in Padova and in other places where there are ongoing anti-doping inquiries, and my client is not listed in any register of those under investigation," Capello told Tuttobici and Gazzetta dello Sport.

Ferrari remains banned for life by the Italian Cycling Federation based on rider testimony and other evidence that he provided doping products to athletes, but was cleared of criminal charges in 2006. Riders found to have worked with Ferrari face a possible ban in Italy of between three and six months.

And of course, how can I miss a RadioShack Nissan Trek news update.

Fuglsang disappointed to miss Tour de France

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/fuglsang-disappointed-to-miss-tour-de-france)

After winning the Tour of Luxembourg and working diligently for RadioShack-Nissan teammate Fränk Schleck in the Tour de Suisse, Jakob Fuglsang was expected to be selected for the Tour de France. Although he was named to the team's long list for July, the Dane was surprisingly left off the final roster, announced today.

In his place was Chris Horner, a rider who was not listed in the long team, but who petitioned for his inclusion for the Tour, insisting his back injury that flared up after the Tour of California was all better.

Interviewed by sporten.dk, Fuglsang wouldn't speculate as to the reasons why he was not chosen for the Tour team. "I was told by Kim Andersen, but he could not say why," the 27-year-old Dane said.

"Of course I'm disappointed with it and I think I should have a place on the team. If you look at my form and my results, I can not see that there are nine riders who are better."

The flip-flop in selections could be related to Andy Schleck's broken sacrum, which was discovered last week, as stated by RadioShack press officer Philippe Maertens. The decision could also be related to Fuglsang's own admission that he is considering moving back to the Saxo Bank squad, or it could simply be that the team, sponsored by two US sponsors, wanted at least one of the team's three Americans in the race.

"[It] Was a difficult choice, but a choice of team management. Andy [dropping] out changed many things. And it was not a choice [of] Horner or Fuglsang," Maertens told Cyclingnews via e-mail.

Fuglsang said he respects the decisions of the team's sport directors, but when questioned about the drama currently surrounding his team, he hinted, "There is more than what appears in the press. We see only the tip of the iceberg. It does not take a genius to see that it is not running as it should."

What appears in the press are several indications that general manager Johan Bruyneel's authority is not what it once was: Bruyneel has engaged in a public debate with the Schleck brothers over their performances this season and the decision to leave director Kim Andersen at home in July, and as a result both riders are rumoured to be looking to leave the team next year.

More recently, it became public that Bruyneel is embroiled in the Lance Armstrong/USADA doping case, the Belgian is facing the end of his career in the sport if he is found guilty of anti-doping rule violations from the US Postal Service team days.

The case could lead the Tour de France organisers ASO to exclude the team from the race, although Christian Prudhomme refused to comment on the speculation.

Before I conclude today's post, let's have a look back at the Numbers of the Tour de France. However, I am surprised to see that George Hincapie isn't on the Most Tour Appearances. from my understanding, he tied the highest last year, and this year would be the record. I guess I have to look into it.

History of the Tour de France by numbers

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/history-of-the-tour-de-france-by-numbers)

The world’s most famous road race - the Tour de France - has a rich 109 year history and its fabled past is synonymous with the greatest names in the sport.

But who are the figures that have written themselves into the record books of this most emblematic of events? Who’s the fastest winner? The oldest winner? The youngest winner? Which country has basked in yellow more than any other? Who’s the climber that stands head and shoulders above all the other?

We’ve got all the answers and more right here in our history of the Tour de France by numbers, and alongside it is a gallery of some of the race's biggest names. With the start of the latest edition on June 30 rapidly approaching, will any of the current generation force their way into some of these categories?

Multiple winners
7: Lance Armstrong (USA) – 1999-2005
5: Jacques Anquetil (Fra) – 1957, 1961-64
5: Eddy Merckx (Bel) – 1969-72, 1974
5: Bernard Hinault (Fra) – 1978-79, 1981-82, 1985
5: Miguel Indurain (Spa) – 1991-95

Victories by nation
France: 36
Belgium: 18
Spain: 13
USA: 10
Italy: 9
Luxembourg: 4
Holland and Switzerland: 2
Ireland, Denmark, Germany, Australia: 1

Smallest winning margins (since 1947)
8 seconds: 1989 - Greg LeMond (USA) beats Laurent Fignon (Fra)
23 seconds: 2007 – Alberto Contador (Spa) beats Cadel Evans (Aus)
38 seconds: 1968 – Jan Janssen (Hol) beats Herman Van Springel (Bel)

Largest winning margins (since 1947)
28m 17s: 1952 – Fausto Coppi (Ita) beats Constant Ockers (Bel)
26m 16s: 1948 – Gino Bartali (Ita) beats Alberic Schotte (Bel)
22m 00s: 1951 – Hugo Koblet (Sui) beats Raphael Geminiani (Fra)

Yellow jersey wearers by nation
France: 82
Belgium: 53
Italy: 25
Holland: 17
Germany: 12
Spain: 12
Switzerland: 10
Luxembourg: 7
Denmark and USA: 5
Great Britain and Australia: 4
Ireland: 3
Canada: 2
Austria, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Estonia, Colombia, Norway and Ukraine: 1

Most days in the yellow jersey
Eddy Merckx (Bel): 111
Lance Armstrong (USA): 83
Bernard Hinault (Fra): 79
Miguel Indurain (Spa): 60
Jacques Anquetil (Fra): 52

Most green jersey victories
6: Erik Zabel (Ger) – 1996-2001
4: Sean Kelly (Ire) – 1982-83, 1985, 1989
3: Jan Janssen (Hol) – 1964-65, 1967
3: Eddy Merckx (Bel) – 1969, 1971-72
3: Freddy Maertens (Bel) – 1976, 1978, 1981
3: Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (Uzb) – 1991, 1993-94
3: Robbie McEwen (Aus) – 2002, 2004, 2006

Green jersey winners by nation
Belgium: 19
France: 9
Germany: 8
Holland, Ireland and Australia: 4
Uzbekistan: 3
Italy, Switzerland and Norway: 2
Spain, Great Britain: 1

Most polka-dot jersey victories
7: Richard Virenque (Fra) – 1994-97, 1999, 2003-04
6: Federico Bahamontes (Spa) – 1954, 1958-59, 1962-64
6: Lucien Van Impe (Bel) – 1971-72, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1983

Polka-dot jersey winners by nation
France: 18
Spain: 15
Italy: 13
Belgium: 11
Colombia: 4

Most white jersey victories
3: Andy Schleck (Lux) – 2008-2010
3: Jan Ullrich (Ger) – 1996-98
3: Marco Pantani (Ita) – 1994-95

White jersey winners by nation
France, Holland, Italy and Spain: 5
Germany: 4
Luxembourg: 3
Colombia, USA and Russia: 2
Australia, Mexico and Ukraine: 1

Highest average speed of Tour winner
41.654kph: Lance Armstrong (USA) – 2005
40.940kph: Lance Armstrong (USA) – 2003
40.553kph: Lance Armstrong (USA) – 2004

Biggest winning margin in a stage (since 1947)
22m 50s: 1976 (Montgenevre-Manosque) - Jose Luis Viego (Spa)
21m 48s: 1957 (Pau-Bordeaux) – Pierino Baffi (Ita)
20m 31s: 1955 (Millau-Albi) – Daan De Groot (Hol)

Most stage victories
34: Eddy Merckx (Bel)
28: Bernard Hinault (Fra)
25: Andre Leducq (Fra)
22: Andre Darrigade (Fra)
22: Lance Armstrong (USA)
20: Nicolas Frantz (Lux)
20: Mark Cavendish (GBr)

Most time trial victories
20: Bernard Hinault (Fra)
16: Eddy Merckx (Bel)
11: Jacques Anquetil (Fra)
11: Lance Armstrong (USA)

Most stage wins in one Tour
8: Charles Pelissier (Fra) – 1930
8: Eddy Merckx (Bel) – 1970, 1974
8: Freddy Maertens (Bel) – 1976

Oldest Tour winners (age at end of the race)
36: Firmin Lambot (Bel) – 1922
34: Henri Pelissier (Fra) – 1923
34: Gino Bartali (Ita) - 1948
34: Cadel Evans (Aus) – 2011

Youngest Tour winners (age at end of the race)
19: Henri Cornet (Fra) – 1904
21: Romain Maes (Bel) – 1935
22: Francois Faber (Lux) – 1909
22: Octave Lapize (Fra) – 1910
22: Philippe Thys (Bel) – 1913
22: Felice Gimondi (Ita) – 1965
22: Laurent Fignon (Fra) – 1983

Longest gap between victories
10 Years: Gino Bartali (Ita) – 1938 and 1948

Most Tour appearances
16: Joop Zoetemelk (Hol)
15: Lucien Van Impe (Bel)
15: Guy Nulens (Bel)
15: Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus)

17 - June - 2012 - Daily News

I'm putting this post out early again because I don't know how long I will be at my in-laws tonight. I hoping to catch some cycling later on TV, but that will hinder we getting home early since it's an hour drive back. At the time this is published, the last stage in the Tour de Suisse hasn't ended yet, and to be honest, I'm not following any feeds, so I'm not even sure what's going on. However, just based on reading this article, and what I heard yesterday about Costa breaking on one of the mountains, I think Frank Schleck has a very good chance to win, but 14 seconds is still a lot to make up in cycling.

Fränk Schleck confident he can snatch Tour de Suisse title

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/frank-schleck-confident-he-can-snatch-tour-de-suisse-title)

With one stage remaining at the Tour de Suisse, RadioShack – Nissan's Fränk Schleck says that he has to confidence to make up the 14 seconds required on race leader Rui Costa (Movistar) and claim overall victory.

The Tour de Suisse concludes today with a 215.8km stage from Näfels-Lintharena to Sörenberg.

"You must seize every opportunity," Schleck told Nieuwsblad.be. "I am very motivated here in Switzerland. In last Sunday's stage to Verbier I launched my attack a little too early, but now I waited for the right moment. I felt good and the team is strong. Everything is still possible in the final stage. I believe in the victory. "

Schleck made a solid attempt on Costa's lead on Saturday with an attack four kilometres from the finish, with Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharam-QuickStep) tagging along and darting forward at the last minute to get the better of the bonus seconds available on the line. Schleck however, moved from fifth overall to second with Costa's teammates aiding the Portugese rider to the finish and limiting the damage.

RadioShack – Nissan team director Kim Anderson said his charge would be in for a tough battle on Sunday.
"The big climbs are much harder than today but in the middle of the stage; then the final climb which is not as hard," he told the team website. "But it's a hard race and anything can still happen."

Schleck, who withdrew from the Giro d'Italia with a shoulder injury said that having ridden both the Tour of Luxembourg and now the Tour de Suisse he is feeling more and more confident ahead of the Tour de France which he'll race without brother Andy.

"I feel stronger every day and consider the final classification not yet lost."

Thanks to an ongoing knee injury, another GC contender may no make it to the Tour de France now:

Voeckler's Tour de France participation in doubt?

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/voecklers-tour-de-france-participation-in-doubt)

Thomas Voeckler’s Tour de France participation could be in doubt after the Europcar rider was forced to abandon the Route du Sud on the slopes of the Col du Soulor on Saturday, citing an inflammation of his right knee.

The same injury had already seen Voeckler withdrew from the Critérium du Dauphiné on its final stage the previous weekend, and with just two weeks to go to the Tour de France, the Frenchman faces a race against time to prove his fitness to compete.

Fourth in the Tour last year, Voeckler enjoyed a solid classics campaign and was looking to use the Dauphiné and Route du Sud to fine-tune his climbing form ahead of July. Although he had spent much of Saturday’s mountain stage in the leading group, however, Voeckler had to give best to his injury three kilometres from the summit of the Soulor.

“I wasn’t able to pedal anymore,” Voeckler told L’Équipe. “These aren’t the best moments of my career but there’s nothing to do, the pain is too much. I have to admit that I’m waiting to see what happens a bit. I’ve just spoken with the team doctor and we’re going to see what decisions are to be taken over the course of the next week.”

Even if he does make it to the start in Liège on June 30, Voeckler hinted that his disrupted preparation would have a major impact on his performance.

“It’s clear that with two weeks to go to the Tour, the state of my knee could be a worry,” he said. “I prefer to wait before taking a decision. If I have the fortune to be at the start, I’m afraid that it mightn’t be a Tour like the others.”

In spite of his abandon at the Dauphiné last week, Voeckler was adamant that he would line up at the Route du Sud in order to test himself further. “I preferred to go into a race situation and see how the pain developed rather than just train at home,” he explained on Saturday.

That plan may have backfired, for Voeckler has now been advised to take a week off the bike completely in order to assist his recovery. Thus, he joins the long list of potential Tour protagonists who will not race in the national championships next weekend.

“He will have to observe a complete week of rest, and we’ll advise him according to the tests we make,” said team doctor Hubert Long.

So now we find out why the 'older' generation (minus Chris Horner) didn't get chosen for the London Olympics. I'd like to think that this is because of the Tour de France (or retirement in George Hincapie's case), but is there infact something more to this story, like the article is hinting at? Maybe Lance's former teammates just don't want to be under investigation or they were told by the powers-that-be that they wouldn't be selected? They all seem to have wanted to go to the Olympics, although because of his crash earlier this season, Leipheimer admitted he might not have been a good choice.

Hincapie, Leipheimer, Vande Velde, Zabriskie opted out of Olympics

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hincapie-leipheimer-vande-velde-zabriskie-opted-out-of-olympics)

USA Cycling has revealed that George Hincapie, Levi Leipheimer, Christian Vande Velde and David Zabriskie all requested that they not be considered by the eight-man selection committee for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. All four riders are former teammates of Lance Armstrong.

"USA Cycling will not speculate on the reasoning behind their requests and will not have further comment on this topic; any questions related to their decision should be directed to the individual athletes," it released via a statement.
Yesterday, USA Cycling named a five-man road team for London: Timmy Duggan, Tyler Farrar, Chris Horner, Taylor Phinney and Tejay van Garderen.

Leipheimer, 38, may have been a consideration for the one time trial position on the US team, having won a bronze medal in the event at the 2008 Games in Beijing. However after being hit by a car while training in April, Leipheimer admitted he was an unlikely starter.

Hincapie, also 38, has represented his country for the last five Olympic Games – from Barcelona in 1992 through to Beijing in 2008. Just last week, the three-time national road champion announced his retirement at the end of the season. He talked to Cyclingnews last year about the prospect of a sixth Olympics.

"It would be nice; I've done five of them. To do a sixth Olympics would be pretty cool. It's pretty crazy actually to think of that," admitting at the time that ending his career at the Games had not entered his thinking.

In May 2011, Hincapie was alleged to have given evidence to a grand jury in the Jeff  Novitzky-led federal investigation into alleged doping practices in American cycling. Unidentified sources claimed that Hincapie told the grand jury that he and Armstrong supplied each other with EPO and also discussed the use of testosterone. Hincapie later denied giving such evidence.

"I can confirm to you that I never spoke with '60 Minutes,' he said via a statement through his attorney. "I have no idea where they got their information. As I've said in the past, I continue to be disappointed that people are talking about the past in cycling instead of the future. As for the substance of anything in the '60 Minutes' story, I cannot comment on anything relating to the ongoing investigation."

Vande Velde missed the chance to compete in Beijing having been passed over in favour of Leipheimer and so the Garmin – Barracuda rider admitted that London was one of his goals for the 2012 season.

"I want to go to the Olympics really bad," he told Cyclingnews earlier this year. "I don't see myself going to Rio – I don't want to go to Rio... I want to come out of the Tour de France really well and I know that in the past that I always have. So the road race coming five days after the Tour de France and the Champs Elysees, I know I can do a good race."

Zabriskie, five time and reigning national time trial champion was seemingly involved in a tight two-man battle for the sole time trial spot on the team. Selectors announced yesterday that 21-year-old Taylor Phinney was their pick.
Speaking after the Tour of California where he dominated the Bakersfield time trial, Zabriskie said he was motivated to perform in order to gain an Olympic bid, and said the selection committee should "take who [they] think is the best. It's pretty simple."

On Wednesday, USADA formally charged Armstrong with doping with the use of evidence gathered in investigation of potential doping on the United States Postal Service (USPS) (1996-2004), Discovery Channel (2005-2007), Astana (2009) and RadioShack (2010) cycling teams. Johan Bruyneel, Dr. Pedro Celaye, Dr. Luis Garcia del Moral, Dr. Michele Ferrari, and Mr. Pepe Marti are also accused of a variety of doping violations, from the administration of doping products, trafficking, assisting and abetting and covering up.

USADA names 10 witnesses to the alleged conduct, made up of cyclists and cycling team employees, but their identities remain secret.

With the Lance investigation going on, rumors begin. Once they spread, it becomes hard to tell what is true and what isn't. Yesterday it looked liked Filippo Pozzato was under investigation for visiting Dr. Michele Ferrari, but now we find out Pozzato isn't under investigation...as of yet anyway...

Pozzato not under investigation, says lawyer

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/pozzato-not-under-investigation-says-lawyer)

Filippo Pozzato’s lawyer has denied that the Farnese Vini-Selle Italia rider is under investigation as part of the Padova-based inquiry into the activities of Dr. Michele Ferrari, following a report published in Italy this weekend.

On Saturday, La Repubblica printed an article which suggested that Pozzato was a client of the controversial Ferrari, who this week has been formally charged with doping by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), alongside Lance Armstrong and Johan Bruyneel.

The article quotes extracts from a telephone conversation intercepted in the summer of 2009, in which Pozzato allegedly speaks of working with Ferrari, something which the Italian Cycling Federation (FCI) outlawed in 2002. According to La Repubblica, Pozzato can be heard speaking in Vicenza dialect in the recording, saying “Listen: I went to Ferrari because I asked him myself.”

Pozzato also allegedly discusses the Emanuele Sella doping case in the recording, and expresses his distaste at the manner in which the rider had negotiated a reduction on his ban after collaborating with the Italian Olympic Committee’s (CONI) panel.

“If you go to see him in his own house, then you’re responsible,” Pozzato is alleged to have said. “You don’t have a gun pointed to your head. I wanted to go to Ferrari. We’re grown-ups aren’t we?”

La Repubblica’s report notes that the recorded conversation also reveals that it cost €40,000-50,000 per year to be “followed” by Ferrari. The doctor has been banned for life by the FCI, and in February 2002, the body issued a decree barring riders from consulting with Ferrari, a regulation which is still in place.

Responding to the article on Sunday, Pozzato’s lawyer Pierfilippo Capello told Tuttobici and Gazzetta dello Sport that his client was not under investigation.

“We’ve checked several times with magistrates in Padova and in other places where there are ongoing anti-doping inquiries, and my client is not listed in any register of those under investigation,” Capello said. “From a criminal point of view, at the moment there is no investigation involving Pozzato and the same can be said from the sporting point of view: we have no news of an investigation from either CONI or the Italian Cycling Federation.”

Pozzato is currently in action at the Tour de Slovenie, as he continues his build-up to the London 2012 Olympics, although his participation could be at risk should the FCI or CONI opt to open an investigation into the allegations.

I want to end with this article. This is what got me out of bed this morning; it's 06:43 EDT right now. I read this article and I wanted to share it with you. This was written by RSNT rider Jens Voigt about his long-time teammate and friend:

The Tour de France won’t be the same without Andy Schleck. Not even close.
By Jens Voigt

(http://bicycling.com/blogs/hardlyserious/2012/06/16/pure-class/)

This week Andy Schleck, my longtime team leader, announced he wouldn’t ride the Tour de France because of injuries sustained in a crash at the Dauphiné. I’ve been asked what it’s like to lose my leader and what it means for my RadioShack team.

But my very first thought was, “What the hell! Forget about losing our leader! I only care about Andy—my friend.”
I’ll just plain miss Andy, for being Andy.

I’ll miss Andy, the man who went ballistic on the stage up the Galibier in last year’s Tour. We talked about that attack before the stage, and he agreed to it, knowing full well that if he failed the fans and the media would butcher him for making such a “stupid” move.

But he straightened his back, took responsibility like a true champ, and went along with our beautiful and risky plan. And he went out there and ignited the fireworks.

I love Andy’s devil-may-care attitude.

I’ll miss the man who, after his dropping chain and then was attacked by Contador, got back on his bike and chased all alone. And after the stage, when the press asked him about what happened, he said not one bad word. He took that hit like a man.

Andy showed character beyond his age. He acted with class, even though I knew he was furious about what had happened.

I’ll miss Andy the boy too. The boy who comes through the team bus 20 minutes before the start of a stage in the Tour saying, “Have you seen my cycling shoes?” Generally he is joking, but he loves our shocked faces, not to mention those of our sport directors.

He can do that because we all know that every now and then Andy is not joking. Once in a while somebody has to race back to the hotel Formula 1 style to get his shoes …

I’ll miss Andy in the Tour for being relaxed on the rest days. Like last year, when he came with me to chill out by the river and watch some locals fishing. Andy’s a great outdoorsman. At the Tour he’s always coming up to me asking if I brought a new fishing magazine or a diving or hunting magazine, and then we talk about our latest fishing experiences. It was Andy who showed me how to catch big pike. He explained where to put the knots and where to place the hooks.

And then later, when his brother Franky’s wife and their little daughter, Leah, came to visit us, I enjoyed watching Andy being totally in love with his little niece, carrying her and laughing with her.

I’ll miss Andy, the little brother in the Tour, who always has these discussions with his big brother Franky in Luxembourgish. Franky still feels responsible for his little brother, and the little brother tries to tell his older brother, “I’m OK. I’m grown up now.”

If nothing else, it’s a very entertaining part of our long bus transfers.

I’ll miss Andy the great bicycle racer, the racer who saved our asses in so many Tours with stage wins, white jerseys, podiums—the Andy who won a Tour for us.

I’ll miss one of our leaders, miss his positive attitude, and how he says with total calmness and self-confidence before some killer hard stage in the Pyrenees or Alps, “No worries, boys. Today’s gonna be a good day for us!”

So yes, Andy’s absence is going to change our plans in the Tour quite a bit. But I believe that Franky and Klöden are both hitting their form perfectly about now, so I think we still have two great chances to go for the podium. OK, maybe we won’t start as top favorites, but such a situation has advantages too. Like this, we can hide and wait a little, maybe surprise a few people one day.

This situation may force us to ride with more improvised tactics than in previous years. And if somebody would come up to me and ask, “Hey, Jens. Feel like going into the break today?” Well, you know the answer I’ll give.

“Does a bear shit in the woods?”

But mostly I love Andy, and it hurts me to see him suffering. All I can say to him is what older and wiser men have said. “Shape comes and goes, but class always stays with you.”

And there’s no arguing whether Andy has class.