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View Full Version : Tour de France - Stage 17


Phil C
07-20-2005, 08:13 AM
We are now in the final few stages of the tour. Today is basically a flat stage and there are 17 escapees who are 18min50sec ahead of the peloton. None of them are contenders. They want to win a stage before it ends. Lance is satisfied to remain with the peloton with his main competitors. If he can keep the lead into the final time trial Saturday (and he is good in those as well as mountain climbing) he will be in good shape.
Phil C
07-20-2005, 08:14 AM
The escapees have the biggest lead of any group since the tour started this year. The peloton will gain on them I am sure but I don't know if it will catch them. Some of the sprinters in the peloton will make a try of it I am sure.
Phil C
07-20-2005, 08:17 AM
The escapees are now 19min20sec ahead of the peloton which is lead by Lance and his teammates. Incredible!
Phil C
07-20-2005, 08:26 AM
The Dutchman Eric Dekker is one of the 17 escapees which may mean trouble today for the sprinters. The T-Mobile Team is 19min28sec ahead of Lance's team (Discovery Channel) in the team times which is taken by the combined time of each team's top three riders. But Lance's team could make up some time today since two of Lance's teammates are in the escape group. Lance is satisfied to be near the front of the peloton because his main competitors are with him. But I am sure he is hoping his two teammates can make good time even though I am sure the peloton is going to make up some ground though. Excitement this!!
Phil C
07-20-2005, 08:28 AM
Of the escapees Dekker would have to be considered the favorite if they hold off the peloton but T-Mobile rider Seville is considered the second best rider of the escapees.
Phil C
07-20-2005, 08:32 AM
The escapees are now 20min10sec ahead of the peloton. This is incredible! There is still a long distance to go though. Since none of them are serious contenders at all and this could help Lance's team make up time Go Escapees Go!
Phil C
07-20-2005, 09:26 AM
There are now 8 riders in the lead group and they are over 23min ahead of the peloton. Incredible!
Phil C
07-20-2005, 09:38 AM
The first group of escapees are now a minute ahead of the second group. They are 23 minutes ahead of the peloton! Amazing indeed! My goodness me!
Phil C
07-20-2005, 09:48 AM
The leaders are about 15 miles from the finish. They are 24min15sec ahead of the peloton. This is incredible news indeed.
Phil C
07-20-2005, 09:55 AM
The 8 front riders are now over 2 minutes ahead of the 9 in the second group. They are less than 10 miles to the finish line.
Phil C
07-20-2005, 09:57 AM
With about 8 miles to go the lead group is 2 1/2 minutes ahead of the second group.
Phil C
07-20-2005, 09:58 AM
This stage is goind to be decided by escapees rather than sprinters. Lance is with the peloton and will be satisfied with status quota since he is leading and none of the escapees are considered dangerous to the overall top standings.
Phil C
07-20-2005, 10:04 AM
The leaders are about 6 miles from the finish. T-Mobile has moved to the front of the peloton. They better be careful or Lance will punish them. The leaders that are about finished are over 24 minutes ahead of the peloton! Unbelieveable!!
Phil C
07-20-2005, 10:06 AM
Lance's teammate Paolo Savoldelli is in the lead but it is very close. Hinault and others are just behind. It should be a thrilling ending.
Phil C
07-20-2005, 10:08 AM
Three more miles to go and no change.
Phil C
07-20-2005, 10:12 AM
Less than 2 miles to go and the win is going to be decided by the top five riders who are close together. An exciting finish indeed!!
Phil C
07-20-2005, 10:15 AM
Paolo Savaldelli (Lance's temmate) wins the stage!! Good news indeed!
Phil C
07-20-2005, 10:17 AM
Arveson attacked the group with about 300 minutes left to go. Savoldelli followed behind closely then with about 50 minutes to go went for the lead and got it and was able to win. A thrilling conclusion indeed! Lance will be very pleased.
Phil C
07-20-2005, 10:24 AM
The peloton is now less than ten miles from the end of the stage but there has been a crash! Bad news! :(
Bandera YaYa
07-20-2005, 10:27 AM
Originally posted by Phil C
The peloton is now less than a half mile from the end of the stage but there has been a crash! Bad news! :( HAHAHA.....and we are left in suspense!!!! You are something else ....... :p
Phil C
07-20-2005, 10:30 AM
The peloton has been split into several groups. It appears Lance was not involved in the crash as he and his other teammates are approaching the finish line. You hate to hear about the crash but whew!
Phil C
07-20-2005, 10:32 AM
Ullrich is now attaching Armstrong and his teammates. It may be to try to get team time because it is probably too little and too late to make an overall difference for the yellow jersey.
Phil C
07-20-2005, 10:37 AM
I have had to do some editing on some of these posts due to faulty information. It appears Lance has less than 2 miles to the finish line.
Ranger Mom
07-20-2005, 10:43 AM
Originally posted by Phil C
I have had to do some editing on some of these posts due to faulty information. It appears Lance has less than 2 miles to the finish line.

So does that mean he may have been involved in the crash afterall?
RBARKER
07-20-2005, 10:46 AM
Originally posted by Ranger Mom
So does that mean he may have been involved in the crash afterall?

Nope I just read that Armstrong crossed the line with the group he was in. The yellow Stays with Armstrong and there will be no changes to the top four.

See what you doing phill now you got me keeping up with this:D
Ranger Mom
07-20-2005, 10:48 AM
Originally posted by RBARKER


See what you doing phill now you got me keeping up with this:D

LOL!! Me too!

I am at work and can't find any kind of updates so I am having to rely on Phil!
Phil C
07-20-2005, 11:04 AM
There was a crash but I was referring to misinformation on the mileage left in the race. Vinokourov took advantage of the crash to gain time and move up but he is still over 8 minutes behind Lance and not really as big a threat as he was. The top five leaders and time has not been changed. Overall another successful day for Lance and his team especially with his teammate winning the stage.
Snyder_TigerFan
07-20-2005, 11:16 AM
I was curious about how much money they won...here is what I found in case anyone else was wondering...

Tour de France 2005 Prize Money Distribution
Overall winner - $483,425.27 (voluntarily divided among the rest of the winner's team)

Runner-up - $205,470

Stage wins - $9670

Green (best sprinter) and polka dot (King of the Mountains, or best hill climber) jersey winners - $30,215.52 each

Teams classification winner - $42,304
Prize money is awarded in each stage except the team time trial for riders down to 25th place (21 teams are particpating in the 2005 Tour de France). Each daily jersey winner* is awarded a bonus, as is the most aggressive rider. And primes are available, as well as $1800 per rider for teams finishing the Tour de France with at least seven of the team's nine riders.
RBARKER
07-20-2005, 11:16 AM
Originally posted by Ranger Mom
LOL!! Me too!

I am at work and can't find any kind of updates so I am having to rely on Phil!

I hate to step on Phill's toes :eek: , but I've been getting my updates from the following site if you would like to keep up Ranger Mom. There not near as animated as Phills updates though :D

Tour De Lance (http://tour.latimesinteractive.com/)
RBARKER
07-20-2005, 11:18 AM
Originally posted by Snyder_TigerFan
I was curious about how much money they won...here is what I found in case anyone else was wondering...

Tour de France 2005 Prize Money Distribution
Overall winner - $483,425.27 (voluntarily divided among the rest of the winner's team)

Runner-up - $205,470

Stage wins - $9670

Green (best sprinter) and polka dot (King of the Mountains, or best hill climber) jersey winners - $30,215.52 each

Teams classification winner - $42,304
Prize money is awarded in each stage except the team time trial for riders down to 25th place (21 teams are particpating in the 2005 Tour de France). Each daily jersey winner* is awarded a bonus, as is the most aggressive rider. And primes are available, as well as $1800 per rider for teams finishing the Tour de France with at least seven of the team's nine riders.

Thanks for the info.
Phil C
07-20-2005, 11:39 AM
Originally posted by RBARKER
I hate to step on Phill's toes :eek: , but I've been getting my updates from the following site if you would like to keep up Ranger Mom. There not near as animated as Phills updates though :D

Tour De Lance (http://tour.latimesinteractive.com/)

Not a thing wrong with that RB! The main thing is to get the information posted as quickly as possible so feel free to post your updates too.
Phil C
07-20-2005, 03:00 PM
As I said it was a good day for Lance and his teammates. The team has now gained the overall lead in time for the tour. They have won 3 stages and Yavoslov Popovytch has a good chance to win the white jersey for best young rider. Of course Lance is getting closer to winning the yellow jersey permanently. There is still some competition left for the Green Jersey mainly between O'Grady, McEwen and Hushovd. All of the races are still important because teams that get stage winners or jersey winners have more chances of getting sponsors and support because they love to support the ones that get their names in the paper for obvious reasons.
Phil C
07-20-2005, 03:01 PM
Look for Lance to maybe really go out to get the stage win on Saturday because that is the individual time trials that he is very good at. He lost the first time trial to Zambriskie by just 2 seconds and Zambriskie unfortunately had to discontinue the tour.
Phil C
07-20-2005, 04:02 PM
One more thing I wish to point out regarding the Tour is that all of the teams have members from more than one nation. Lance has several members on his team that are from other countries including Spain and Portugal that help him. Even though the winner may be from one country and that country is justifiable proud it must not get too carried away because all the teams have several members from different countries.