Lance In 2nd, Americans Do Well on Day One

[TexasTerror]

Lance was winning after the first few checkpoints, but Zabriksie who went out early just set a tough pace to keep. Lance is still pretty nicely placed as one of the three competitors who he said would give him a tough time in Vinokorouv is a good 51 seconds back of him. Julich and Ullrich are both over a minute back.

I'm shocked at Moreau, O'Grady and McGee being that far back as I thought one of those three would walk away with it as they do well in these shorter time trials. McEwen didn't do so hot either and Heras is a good two plus minutes back. A good day on le Tour for the Americans though. First, second, fourth and sixth. Throw in 11th and 14th as well.

Top 5
1 029 ZABRISKIE David USA CSC 00:20:51:840
2 001 ARMSTRONG Lance USA DSC 00:20:53:810 02"
3 019 VINOKOUROV Alexandre KAZ TMO 00:21:44:970 53"
4 004 HINCAPIE George USA DSC 00:21:48:300 56"
5 102 BODROGI Laszlo HUN C.A 00:21:50:600 59"

Notables
6 066 LANDIS Floyd USA PHO 00:21:53:190 01' 01"
11 023 JULICH Bobby USA CSC 00:21:58:040 01' 06"
12 011 ULLRICH Jan GER TMO 00:21:59:340 01' 08"
14 164 LEIPHEIMER Levi USA GST 00:22:04:450 01' 13"
18 171 MC GEE Bradley AUS FDJ 00:22:15:350 01' 24"
20 021 BASSO Ivan ITA CSC 00:22:17:870 01' 26"
41 101 MOREAU Christophe FRA C.A 00:22:41:470 01' 50"
42 121 O’GRADY Stuart AUS COF 00:22:41:720 01' 50"
79 091 HERAS Roberto ESP LSW 00:23:11:990 02' 20"
80 041 MC EWEN Robbie AUS DVL 00:23:12:980 02' 21"

[ISUMatt]

The best is when Lance passes Ullrich right at the 15K time mark, just blew right past him!!!

[chattanoogamocs]

(my stage report :)) Sorry if I repeat some info already list, I cut and pasted my report from another site.

Stage One: don't "piss" off the champ

I say don't piss of the champ because after the TdF officials tested all 189 riders on Thursday, they then "randomly" (I have to laugh ever time I say) selected Lance Armstrong for an additional surprise test on Friday (which, of course, he passed). On a side note, that is the 6th time he has been given a surprise test by the ICU this season (not to mention being tested every time he has participated in a race). He has been given more out of competition "spot tests" than any other pro cyclist this season.

But I digress. So, obviously irritated by the additional test yesterday (he made the ICU officials do it right in front of the media), Armstrong decided to take it out on the rest of the Tour de France field in the Stage One Individual Time Trial, 11.78 miles (19km) from the port city of Fromentine to Noirmoutier en l'ile.

American Dave Zabriskie, riding in his first Tour de France, set the early pace with a time of with a time of 20:51.84. The Team CSC rider ultimately became one of SIX American riders to finish the Time Trial in the top 14. An amazing statement in how far American cycling has has come in the last 20 years as you would be lucky to find six American period back in the early 80's.

After watching riders come and go with out taking away the top spot, Zabriskie then had to wait for the favorites of the race to start (with all first stage time trials, the start order places the best finishers from last season at the end of the start house...meaning that Lance would be the last starter today, with Jan Ullrich just in front of him).

Side Note: some info on the individual time trial. These stages are know as the "race of truth" because riders, especially team leaders, receive no assistance from their teammates...commentator Phil Liggett loves to mention at least once a race that the riders face each other "mano e mano" on the road. No wind blocking, no chasing down the breaks, etc. Each rider is spaced apart (in this short TT, it is a minute, in the longer one near the end of the race, it is 2 minutes). This is done to insure each riders effort is completely his own.

With the final three out of the start house, it was time for Alexandre Vinokourov (T-Mobile), Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile) and Armstrong to put all the pre-race media jousting aside and prove on the road who was in form and rady to race.

At the first checkpoint, it was obvious something was not right with Ullrich (who had suffered what was termed a minor crash into his team car during a training ride a day earlier), maybe the crash had done more damage than first thought, as he went through 42 seconds behind Briskie and 21 behind teammate Vino with Lance still to come. Lance, obviously motivated to put time into his rivals, blistered the first section, only 3 seconds behind and already 39 second ahead of Jan.

At checkpoint two, Vino was still in 3rd overall, but had slowed and was 40 seconds behind new leader on the road Armstrong who clocked a time 3 seconds faster than 'Briskie and 58 second (amazingly, in less than 10k, Lance had made up the 1 minute start house stagger on Jan) ahead of Ullrich.

Once Lance passed Jan, the psychological damage done, Armstrong seemed to back off the pace just a bit, ultimately giving the lead...and the yellow jersey...to David Zabriskie.

Like I said in my earlier preview, you don't win the Tour de France on the first day, but you can lose it. I think that statement holds true today as a couple of the challengers for the maillot jaune may have, in just 12 miles, road themselves out of the competition. Truly amazing effort today by Lance, lets hope he can keep it up for 20 more stages.

...and remember, don't "piss" off a champion! :)

The top 20 times on Stage One:
1 029 ZABRISKIE David USA CSC 00:20:51:840
2 001 ARMSTRONG Lance USA DSC 00:20:53:810 02"
3 019 VINOKOUROV Alexandre KAZ TMO 00:21:44:970 53"
4 004 HINCAPIE George USA DSC 00:21:48:300 56"
5 102 BODROGI Laszlo HUN C.A 00:21:50:600 59"
6 066 LANDIS Floyd USA PHO 00:21:53:190 01' 01"
7 071 CANCELLARA Fabian SUI FAS 00:21:53:210 01' 01"
8 028 VOIGT Jens GER CSC 00:21:55:760 01' 04"
9 037 KARPETS Vladimir RUS IBA 00:21:56:780 01' 05"
10 095 GONZALEZ GALDEANO Igor ESP LSW 00:21:57:560 01' 06"
11 023 JULICH Bobby USA CSC 00:21:58:040 01' 06"
12 011 ULLRICH Jan GER TMO 00:21:59:340 01' 08"
13 063 GUTIERREZ José Enrique ESP PHO 00:22:03:650 01' 12"
14 164 LEIPHEIMER Levi USA GST 00:22:04:450 01' 13"
15 165 RICH Michael GER GST 00:22:04:760 01' 13"
16 008 RUBIERA José Luis ESP DSC 00:22:07:750 01' 16"
17 007 POPOVYCH Yaroslav UKR DSC 00:22:09:110 01' 17"
18 171 MC GEE Bradley AUS FDJ 00:22:15:350 01' 24"
19 058 WAUTERS Marc BEL RAB 00:22:16:140 01' 24"
20 021 BASSO Ivan ITA CSC 00:22:17:870 01' 26"

Like I mentioned earlier...absolutely amazing to see SIX American riders near the top. People wonder what happens after Lance leaves...I say American cycling is just fine.

Other "contenders", Discovery riders, and Americans:
25 061 BOTERO Santiago COL PHO 00:22:21:550 01' 30"
56 092 BELOKI Joseba ESP LSW 00:22:56:260 02' 04"
79 091 HERAS Roberto ESP LSW 00:23:11:990 02' 20"

22 005 NOVAL GONZALEZ Benjamin ESP DSC 00:22:19:420 01' 28"
31 006 PADRNOS Pavel CZE DSC 00:22:25:420 01' 34"
32 009 SAVOLDELLI Paolo ITA DSC 00:22:26:630 01' 35"
34 002 AZEVEDO José POR DSC 00:22:30:990 01' 39"
70 003 BELTRAN Manuel ESP DSC 00:23:05:220 02' 13"

53 086 HORNER Christopher USA SDV 00:22:52:330 02' 00"
63 046 RODRIGUEZ Fred USA DVL 00:23:00:250 02' 08"
178 138 TRENTI Guido USA QST 00:24:12:510 03' 21"

[TexasTerror]

I'm loving your report, Mocs! Keep it up. This Tour will be very enjoyable with your chipping in and all the other reports available online...

[ISUMatt]

Phil also mentioned earlier in the race that Jan had a significant scar on his neck from running into the team car yesterday. They showed photos of the car, back windrow broken out and a large dent in the auto!

[chattanoogamocs]

Thanks! I need to go back and spell check now (I wrote it on the fly and did not proof read it). I typically just sit at my computer and type out a report in "real time" as I watch the live telecast.

As eurphoric as I was watching today, I think back to when Greg Lemond looked to be breezing to his 3rd striaght win (4th overall) and had a good lead over his rivals...only to fall apart half way through the race.

Of course, it was later determined that he had a severe iron defenciecy (sp), ultimately ending his career.

I think Lance would be the first to say...we still got 2,200 miles to go! :) But man, what a great first step!!!

[chattanoogamocs]

BTW--the stuff I write is meant to be typically read by people with not much cycling knowledge. Usually I try to put in one section a day that teaches a "lesson" (can't help it, I was originally an education major, before switching to sports managment), like explaining today how the time trial is step up.

...so if I speak of simple things (strategy, meanings, history, etc) it is not to talk down to anyone with more knowledge of cycling...just trying to spread more information on stuff that most would not even know about.

I find most "outsiders" to cycling think it is just boring to watch until you start explaining all the inner workings and team tactics that go on. The more they understand, the more that they are like "hey, this is pretty interesting afer all!"

[chattanoogamocs]

from the Guru of cycling photography, Graham Watson...

You know Jan is tired of this happening...

http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/images/05tdfSt1/$file/10.jpg

Briskie borrowing Lance's jersey :)

http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/images/05tdfSt1/$file/12.jpg

[chattanoogamocs]

David joins a exclusive club as the 7th American rider to win a Stage of the Tour.

Jeff Pierce
Davis Phinney
Andy Hampsten
Greg LeMond
Lance Armstrong
Tyler Hamilton
David Zabriskie

...and if you count Team Time Trial, add George Hincapie and Floyd Landis.

Looking at that list only LeMond was not at some point a member of the 7-Eleven/Motorola/US Postal/Discovery team

[blukeys]

Thank you Moc, I was going to watch tour coverage but I saw Kerry Walsh and Misty May were Playing Youngs and Wacholder in beach volleyball and women with great butts always win in my book. Lance is in good shape as the real race starts in the mountains. By the way individual time trials are the best test of an indvidual cyclist. Lance always does well in time trials.

[ngineer]

from the Guru of cycling photography, Graham Watson...

You know Jan is tired of this happening...

http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/images/05tdfSt1/$file/10.jpg

Briskie borrowing Lance's jersey :)

http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/images/05tdfSt1/$file/12.jpg

It is said, " Unless you are the lead dog, the view doesn't change."

[ISUMatt]

Stage 3 winner to the Green Jersey Tom Boonen, an absolutely fabulous finish!!! Zabriskie will continue to wear the Yellow jersey tomorrow!!!