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Davitamon-Lotto’s Ridley TT machine

Floyd Landis's BMC - good enough to win a Tour on.

A long and lonely road...

Course: Although there are Cat. 2, Cat. 3 and Cat. 4 climbs in the middle section of this 197km stage from the Alps through the Jura mountains to the Saône Valley, the whole course is on wide routes nationales. The stage is likely to open with constant attacks before a breakaway establishes itself on the hills in the middle part of the stage. The last 50km are almost completely flat before the 400-meter final straightaway in the northern part of Mâcon. History: Besides two time trials (won by Induráin in 1991 and Armstrong in 2000), the only road stage to finish in Mâcon was 15 years ago.

“Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose: It's how drunk you get.”—Homer Simpson None of my colleagues in the cycling press thought to ask Floyd Landis the two questions I wanted answered after Stage 17: What kind of beer were you drinking last night, and where can I get some? This is what happens when a magazine sends amateur tipplers to cover a sporting contest of this magnitude. John Wilcockson may have written up 39 Tours de France, but I’ll bet you a case of Deschutes Brewery’s Twilight Ale that I can drink that skinny Limey under the

Matteo Tosatto collected Italy’s first victory of the 2006 Tour de France in a broiling transition stage over the Jura Mountains. There were no major shakeups in the overall as everyone is looking ahead to Saturday’s decisive final time trial. The Quick Step-Innergetic rider out-shot compatriot Cristian Moreni (Cofidis) to win Friday’s 197km 18th stage, which ran from the cool heights of Morzine onto the sticking hot flats along the Saône, out of a 15-man breakaway that included Americans Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) and Dave Zabriskie (CSC). “To be the first Italian to win this year is

German star Jan Ullrich will not be welcomed back at the T-Mobile team that has sacked him due to doping allegations against him, even if he proves he is innocent. The German T-Mobile squad has confirmed that it has terminated its contract with Ullrich after the 1997 Tour de France champion made his dismissal public first. Ullrich, 32, was sacked on Thursday night, along with his Spanish teammate Oscar Sevilla. The two had been suspended due to their implication in the Spanish drugs investigation named “Operacíon Puerto.” And Ullrich slammed the team for the way it sacked him. “I am very

The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen in cycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to WebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name and home town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.Land-IS the man!Editor:That should be the copy for the first issue after the Tour: "Land-IS the Man.” Or better yet, maybe you should have some contest for the title! Thanks for the coverage. Sean ReesPortland, Oregon Any relation to Lazarus Long?Editor:I have a new nickname for Floyd,

1. Matteo Tosatto (I), Quick Step-Innergetic, 197km in 4:16:15 (46.126kph)2. Cristian Moreni (I), Cofidis, 00:003. Ronny Scholz (G), Gerolsteiner, 00:024. Manuel Quinziato (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, 00:475. Sébastien Hinault (F), Credit Agricole, 01:036. Jérôme Pineau (F), Bouygues Telecom, 01:037. Sylvain Calzati (F), Ag2r Prevoyance, 01:038. Vaugrenard Benoít (F), Francaise des Jeux, 01:039. Inaki Isasi (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 01:0310. Egoi Martinez (Sp), Discovery Channel, 01:03 11. Mario Aerts (B), Davitamon-Lotto, 01:0312. Patrik Sinkewitz (G), T-Mobile, 01:0313. Juan Antonio Flecha (Sp),

First SRAM asked consumers to make the leap – now it’s hoping a ProTour team will, too. VeloNews has learned that SRAM and Saunier Duval-Prodir are in the midst of talks that could make the Spanish-based team the first ProTour squad to roll out on the American company’s new Force road group. According to Saunier Duval-Prodir director Joxean Fernández, his team is in “conversation” with SRAM and its current gruppo provider, Campagnolo. “We have tried SRAM and there was no problem,” said Fernández. “What we want to avoid is having problems throughout the season. It’s a new product, so we

Sebastian Moll caught up with Phonak chief Andy Rihs for a chat about the team’s ups and downs, drugs in cycling and the ProTour. And some of the things Rihs had to say, particularly as regards doping, may surprise you. Here’s a transcript. VeloNews: After six years with many ups and downs Phonak is racing for the Tour victory. Is that a happy ending for you? Andy Rihs: For me a Tour victory would count more than 1000 Olympic gold medals. People remember a Tour winner for 100 years. If I would tell reporters about hearing aids, they wouldn’t be interested. That’s why I need cycling as a

Caisse d'Epargne’s Oscar Pereiro is already preparing to part with cycling's biggest prize ahead of a 57km time trial on the penultimate stage of the Tour de France on Saturday. However, he's hoping against hope that he can produce the performance of a lifetime to save his yellow jersey. After one of the most dramatic and entertaining races in years, the Spaniard goes into the decisive race against the clock with a 12sec lead on CSC's Carlos Sastre and a 30sec advantage on Phonak's Floyd Landis -and knowing his back is against the wall. The American is the big

WeatherSunny to partly sunny all day, highs 30-34C Stage winnerMatteo Tosatto (Quick Step), 4h16:15, 46.127kph – The Italian veteran edged compatriot Cristian Moreni (Cofidis) and Ronny Scholz (Gerolsteiner) in a three-up sprint after counter-attacking a 15-man breakaway that pulled away about 50km into the transition stage over the Jura Mountains of eastern France. It was the first stage-win for Italy and Tosatto’s Quick Step team. Race leaderOscar Pereiro (Caisse d’Epargne), 3,445.8km, 84h33:04, 40.748kph – There were no major changes in the top 12. American Levi Leipheimer

A hot day in the sun, as race favorites allow a break to move ahead in a hunt for glory - at least a day's worth. From start to finish, our guy Casey Gibson was there.

Stage 18: Morzine-Avoriaz to Mâcon - 197km

Stage 18: Morzine-Avoriaz to Mâcon - 197km

Mmmm ... beer

Tosatto wins

Leipheimer and Isasi have a go

The winning move

Pereiro holds yellow – but for how long?

Landis remains confident – thirsty, but confident

Floyd Landis and Phonak chief Andy Rihs

Pereiro wants a spot on that podium

The big Italian scores one for the home folk

Stage Stats: Stage 18 by the numbers

Stage Stats: Stage 18 by the numbers

Do you need a hand? I've put a few of these on before.

No stage win, but Levi gets the prize for being aggressive

Millar and Popovych tried an early escape

The peloton was more intent on staying cool than catching the break

One more day in yellow for Pereiro

Recording it all for posterity... and photo contracts

French scouts made sure to greet every car in the caravan

Captain America? We checked. He's from Belgium.

Wrolich leads the peloton on the descent

Zabriskie shows fine form in the break.

Course: This is almost identical to the stage in 2000 when Marco Pantani attacked on the first climb (the 15km, 6.4-percent Saisies) and forced Armstrong’s U.S. Postal squad to chase for 100km over the Aravis, Colombière and Châtillon climbs to the foot of the day’s main obstacle: the mighty Col de Joux-Plane (11.7km at 8.7 percent). It was partway up the Joux-Plane that Armstrong bonked and could only watch as Ullrich and others rode away from him, and he conceded almost two minutes by the finish in Morzine. History: Morzine has seen 13 finishes of the Tour, including that one six years

In one of the most audacious and bravest rides seen in the modern era of the Tour de France, Phonak’s American rider Floyd Landis turned the despair of his stage 16 implosion into a stage-winning breakaway that put him back into the role of favorite to win this extraordinary race. Landis stunned Tour de France observers when he lost more than 10 minutes on the slopes to La Toussuire on Wednesday; but they were floored by his performance in Thursday’s 200.5km stage from St. Jean de Maurienne to Morzine, the last day in the Alps. Heading into the Tour’s three-day finale, Spaniard Oscar

1. Floyd Landis (USA), Phonak, 200.5km in 5:23:362. Carlos Sastre (Sp), CSC, 05:423. Christophe Moreau (F), Ag2r Prevoyance, 05:584. Damiano Cunego (I), Lampre, 06:405. Michael Boogerd (Nl), Rabobank, 07:086. Frank Schleck (Lux), CSC, 07:087. Oscar Pereiro Sio (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne-I.B., 07:088. Andréas Klöden (G), T-Mobile, 07:089. Haimar Zubeldia (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 07:0810. Cadel Evans (Aus), Davitamon-Lotto, 07:20 11. Mickael Rasmussen (Dk), Rabobank, 07:2412. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, 07:2413. Patrik Sinkewitz (G), T-Mobile, 07:2414. Tadej Valjavec (SLO), Lampre,

The German winner of the 1997 Tour de France and his Spanish teammate were suspended by their T-Mobile team just before the current Tour after being linked, with more than 50 other cyclists, to the Operation Puerto investigation. The prosecutor's office here, where T-Mobile has its head office, said it had opened its own investigation into the matter in response to a fraud complaint lodged by an academic and former athlete. "The procedure arises following the lodging of a complaint for fraud and breaches of the law concerning medications," said prosecutor Monika Nostadt-Ziegenberg.

Dear readers;Last column, in "TheBUI Blues", we had a letter from J.C. in Oregon, who asked about the difference in penalties between a DUI and a BUI. This column, we have more letters from readers about DUIs. It’s gotta be the hot days and cold beers and stiff penalties.Don’t Fence Me InFirst, R.S. wrote from South Dakota to sayWhew! After reading the latest information regarding those poor souls who live in CA and OR, I'm glad our State legislators (South Dakota) have the common sense to realize that BUI is only a threat to the rider, and not to society at large, and is not an crime,

After the second major shake-up in the overall standings of the Tour de France in as many days, Saturday's 57-kilometer individual time trial from Le Creusot to Montceau les Mines takes on even more importance. Indeed, it could be the most significant Tour de France time trial since the final stage showdown between Laurent Fignon and Greg LeMond in 1989. Perhaps the best indicator of how current race leaders may fare on Saturday is how they performed in Stage 7's 52km TT from St. Gregoire to Rennes. That stage was, of course, won by Sergei Gontchar of T-Mobile, who covered the

Acclaim was universal for Floyd Landis and his heroic attack across the final hard climbs in the 2006 Tour de France. Everyone agreed it was something unseen in recent Tour history. Here’s a sampling of what some of the key players thought: Juan Fernandez, sport director Phonak“What he did today was make everyone stand on the edge of their seats because it was a tremendous, tremendous demonstration. He knew he wanted to try from the first climb and give everything. If they caught on the Joux-Plane, so be it, but he dared to do something others would be afraid to try. He was riding with

Leave it to a photographer to put all of us self-styled wordsmiths to shame in a single e-mail. In the frantic rush for post-race superlatives and pithy descriptions of what many regard as one of the most impressive performances in modern Tour de France history, it was photographer Casey Gibson who managed to sum up the past two days most succinctly: "Wow... again," Gibson wrote in the e-mail accompanying the collection photos from today's stage. Like the man said, "Wow... again."

A Spanish judge upheld charges Thursday against two doctors at the center of a major doping investigation in cycling. The two doctors, Eufemiano Fuentes and Jose Merino Batres, reiterated their innocence while the court upheld the charges of crimes against public health. It is up to the provincial court to decide whether to order the doctors to stand trial or to drop the case. Five people - including Fuentes and Merino Batres - were arrested and charged in May when police seized drugs and frozen blood at a Madrid clinic. The samples were thought to have been prepared for

American Floyd Landis, who suffered such a spectacular implosion on Wednesday, is once again the yellow-jersey favorite after claiming a first-ever stage victory in the race following a third straight day of drama in the Alps. And Belgian legend Eddy Merckx, whose son Axel rides in Landis's Phonak team, played a part in his resurrection. Landis started the day with a deficit of eight minutes and eight seconds to Caisse d’Epargne’s Oscar Pereiro, having lost the yellow jersey to the Spaniard during his stunning collapse on stage 16. But thanks to some personal faith, and a telephone

Andréas Klöden saw third place in the 2006 Tour de France slip away from him during Thursday's 200.5km stage from St. Jean de Maurienne to Morzine as American Floyd Landis (Phonak) staged an astounding comeback from his collapse of the day before, winning the last Alpine stage and bumping Klöden down into fourth with just three stages remaining. Sebastian Moll caught up with the German T-Mobile rider for a quick chat; here's the transcript. VeloNews: How are you feeling at the end of three weeks of the Tour de France? Andréas Klöden: I'm pretty much at my limit, like everyone

WeatherSunny to partly sunny all day, highs 30-34C Stage winnerFloyd Landis (Phonak), 5h23:36, 37.176kph – Landis soloed to victory and vaulted back into contention overall in one of the most remarkable comebacks in cycling history. Less than 24 hours after tumbling out of the top 10 while bonking in the yellow jersey, the gritty Pennsylvanian refused to give up. Attacking at the base of the Col des Saises, Landis reeled in and then dropped an early break. The others left the chase too late and he soared down the Col de Joux-Plane to win his first career Tour stage, just the ninth American

Stage 17: St. Jean de Maurienne to Morzine-Avoriaz -200.5km

Stage 17: St. Jean de Maurienne to Morzine-Avoriaz -200.5km

Landis punches the air in exultation as he wins the stage and climbs back into third place overall

Phonak steps up the pace on the Col des Saisies...

We got your panache right here, pal. Whether he intended to or not, Landis offered up a good answer to his critics.

T-Mobile and CSC had to take up the chase after Pereiro's Caisse d'Epargne team evaporated before the Joux Plane.

Landis sets off on his own.

Pereiro fought valiantly and keeps the jersey another day

Landis nears the top of the Joux Plane

Saturday Time Trial takes on added significance

Saturday Time Trial takes on added significance

Santa? There were no gifts for anyone on Thursday.

A seemingly idylic day on to Col des Saisies with Mt. Blanc in the background

Landis knows how to make up for an off day: Follow it with an on day

The chase begins

Landis on a nice little 150km individual TT

Menchov was among the day's most notable victims

Leipheimer joins the Discovery gang on the final climb to Joux-Plane

It was an especially long day in the saddle for some

Sinkewitz drops back to help Kloden.. and looks a little worried about the guy. Is Kloden smiling or is that a grimace?

Hincapie looks for the top of the climb

Chris Horner has fans out there

Whew! Pereiro holds on to his jersey with 12 seconds to spare

What a difference a day makes: Landis, after Wednesday's devastating loss, found new resolve...over a quiet beer with team director John Lelangue

Sastre is 12 seconds out of the lead... with Landis 18 seconds behind.

Halgand emerged at the front of the break... but faltered later when caught and passed by Landis

Landis on the Aravis: Still making time on the peloton, with Sinkewitz and O'Grady in tow.

Gontchar drives hard at the front

Menchov lost time on the Joux Plane

Stage 17 was not Klöden's best day

Course: If L’Alpe d’Huez does not decide the Tour’s likely outcome, then this even tougher day in the Alps should do the job. The survivors first ride the 34km back to the top of the Lautaret, where a left turn takes them another 8.6km at 6.7 percent to the top of the Galibier — the Tour’s highest point at 8681 feet above sea level. After the 35km descent of the Galibier and intermediate Col du Télégraphe, the next 23km is down the Maurienne Valley. Of the remaining 79km, some 47km are uphill, in three separate climbs: the 23km Col de la Croix de Fer, the 6km Col du Mollard and the 18km