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Former Durango resident Missy Giove will be among the favorites at next week's race.

Waiting for the start.

Not all Lance fans are Americans.

What happens to photographers who try to cut the course.

Telekom fans keep track of the race before the peloton arrives.

Apparently not Lance fans.

A humble little home on today's route.

America has cowboys and when you get near Switzerland, you find cowgirls

Sometimes these early breaks do work.

Jaksche broke things apart, but didn't make the final split.

Life in the peloton stayed quiet until the finishline approached.

'Go Lance! Go Lance!!!'

Beloki has pretty much stayed in one spot throughout the Tour.

The podium in Benson

Hey, it may not be pretty, but....

'What did Mr. Carney say to that man?'

Our intrepid reporter goes undercover as Leisure Suit Larry

1932 Olympian Connell dies at 92

There was a relaxed feeling at the start of Thursday’s stage 17 deep inthe French Alps. The hardest mountain stage of the Tour to La Plagne wascomfortably behind everyone. But four hard climbs still stood between theracers and the finish line in Cluses. From there it might be a relativelyeasy ride back to Paris for Sunday’s conclusion on the Champs Elysées. Lance Armstrong again defended his yellow jersey as his U.S.Postal Service team worked hard to cover every move made by his most dangerousrivals. In the end, a three-man break slipped away from the clutches of thepeloton and Dario Frigo

Preliminary stage results1. Dario Frigo (Ita), TAC, 142 km in 4:02:27(35.141 kph)2. Mario Aerts (Bel), LOT, at 00:00.3. Giuseppe Guerini (Ita), TEL, at 00:02.4. David Moncoutié (Fra), COF, at 02:55.5. Thor Hushovd (Nor), C.A, at 02:58.6. Laurent Lefevre (Fra), DEL, at 02:58.7. Unai Osa (Sp), BAN, at 02:58.8. Marcos Serrano (Sp), ONE, at 02:58.9. Jorg Jaksche (All), ONE, at 02:58.10. Carlos Sastre (Sp), CST, at 02:58.11. Santiago Botero (Col), KEL, at 02:58.12. José Enrique Gutierrez (Sp), KEL, at 03:14.13. Laurent Brochard (Fra), DEL, at 04:36.14. Francisco Mancebo (Sp), BAN, at 04:36.15.

Paris is getting closer and the chance for an opportunist's stage winhas come down to Friday’s stage across the limestone hills of the Jura.That’s because the final two stages are reserved for the specialists —Saturday’s time trial will probably go to race leader Lance Armstrong andSunday’s finale on the Champs-Elysées is the likely showdown betweenRobbie McEwen and Erik Zabel for the green jersey.That means that, like stage 17 through the Alps, we will see a stageof incessant attacks on the hilly roads of Friday’s stage. The attackson stage 17 were so numerous that Armstrong’s Postal

Results: Stage 17 - Thursday, July 25: Aime - ClusesOverall, points, KOM and other results below.(Editor's Note: - North American riders listed in bold;Riderson North American teams underlined)1. Dario Frigo (Ita), Tacconi Sport, 142 km in 4:02:27(35.141 kph)2. Mario Aerts (Bel), Lotto-Adecco, at 00:00.3. Giuseppe Guerini (Ita), Telekom, at 00:02.4. David Moncoutie (F), Cofidis, at 02:55.5. Thor Hushovd (Nor), Credit Agricole, at 02:58.6. Laurent Lefevre (F), Jean Delatour, at 02:58.7. Unai Osa (Sp), iBanesto.com, at 02:58.8. Marcos Serrano (Sp), ONCE, at 02:58.9. Jorg Jaksche (G), ONCE, at

VeloNews photographer Casey Gibson is at the Tour de France and is taking time to shoot not just the race, but also the scenes along the road and the activity just outside of the peloton.

Dario Frigo gave Italy its first Tour de France stage win since 2000 today by winning the last hard mountain stage of the race. Unlike the majority of the 2002 Tour de France climbing stages, today’s race finished at the bottom of a fast and technical descent. Descending in the Tour de France is nerve-wracking experience. The rider’s drop like stones down the Alps; at times they are descending at nearly 60mph. Physical fitness plays a role in how well a rider can descend these mountains. The more physically fit a rider is, the faster he can get down a mountain. A fatigued athlete makes

Dario Frigo gave Italy its first Tour de France stage win since 2000 today by winning the last hard mountain stage of the race. Unlike the majority of the 2002 Tour de France climbing stages, today’s race finished at the bottom of a fast and technical descent. Descending in the Tour de France is nerve-wracking experience. The rider’s drop like stones down the Alps; at times they are descending at nearly 60mph. Physical fitness plays a role in how well a rider can descend these mountains. The more physically fit a rider is, the faster he can get down a mountain. A fatigued athlete makes

The great escape

See? This is what happens when you Mess With Texas. It's not a pretty sight, is it?

Who said American fans wouldn't blend in at the Tour?

The boutique at the village departe.

The hair parlor at the village departe.

Postal's Dirk Demol

Lance fans at the start

A Lance fan on course. Didn't Graham shoot this guy, too?

Waiting at the finish

Ready to award the stage win...

... and to award the yellow jersey.

In Charge: Postal has come through the mountains in solid shape.

The steepest and most difficult mountains of the 2002 Tourde France delivered yet another long breakaway that held out to the endfor victory. Rabobank’s Michael Boogerd attacked on a descent towin his first Tour stage victory on a summit in Wednesday’s 16th stage.The big-toothed Dutch rider held off a late-stage charge by overall leaderLance Armstrong to take what he called the best moment of his professionalcareer. Just like Richard Virenque at Mont Ventoux, Boogerd’s escapegave him a nice cushion at the bottom of the beyond-category climb to LaPlagne, deep in the heart of the French

PRELIMINARY RESULTS 1. Michael Boogerd (Nl), RAB, 179.5km in 5:48:29. (30.905 kph) 2. Carlos Sastre (Sp), CST, at 1:25. 3. Lance Armstrong (USA), USP, at 01:25. 4. Joseba Beloki (Sp), ONE, at 02:02. 5. Raimondas Rumsas (Lit), LAM, at 02:02. 6. Levy Leipheimer (USA), RAB, at 02:10. 7. Ivan Basso (Ita), FAS, at 02:14. 8. Jose Azevedo (Por), ONE, at 02:14. 9. Santiago Botero (Col), KEL, at 02:23. 10. Roberto Heras (Sp), USP, at 02:25. 11. Francisco Mancebo (Sp), BAN, at 02:51. 12. Igor Gonzalez Galdeano (Sp), ONE, at 04:39. 13. David

Results: Stage 16 - Wednesday, July 24: Les Deux-Alpes - LaPlagneOverall, points, KOM and other results below.(Editor's Note: - North American riders listed in bold;Riderson North American teams underlined)1. Michael Boogerd (Ned), Rabobank, at 5:48:29 (30.905 kph, at2. Carlos Sastre (Sp), CSC-Tiscali, at 01:25.3. Lance Armstrong (USA), U.S. Postal, at 01:25.4. Joseba Beloki (Sp), ONCE, at 02:02.5. Raimondas Rumsas (Lit), Lampre, at 02:02.6. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Rabobank, at 02:10.7. Ivan Basso (I), Fassa Bortolo, at 02:14.8. Jose Azevedo (Por), ONCE, at 02:14.9. Santiago Botero (Col),

Following his one-year suspension for an elevated testosterone-epitestosterone ratio test result, the Navigators cycling team has released Kirk O’Bee from his contract effective immediately. O’Bee was tested in June of 2001 by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and showed an elevated ratio. The case had been undergoing review until O'Bee agreed to accept a one year suspension on July 18 of this year. While O’Bee has agreed to accept the suspension, his arrangement with USADA will allow him to offer evidence that the single test result was not the result of the use of anabolic steroids or any

On paper, today's stage looked flat out rugged. I knew we were going to be in for a long ride. For me personally, it was especially difficult on account of the fact that my summer cold has set in pretty deep. Add the heat, and you don't have to ask how I'm feeling right now. The team had a good day though. Although my early attempts to join a break were foiled yet again today, Laurent Jalabert was back in the thick of things attacking like he has been for this whole race. His group stayed away for a good portion of the stage and he was able to pick up a few more points in the king of the

If you see the Australian sprinter Baden Cooke wiggling his backside a little, don't fret. He is not trying to shake that booty. Everything had been going swimmingly well for the Tour debutant on the health stakes. Until, that is, he woke up on the rest day to discover he has developed a massive cyst on the left side of his rear end. It has come at a bad time for the former Mercury team rider: just four days before Cooke and his Fdjeux.com teammates launch their bid to win the final stage in Paris. To try and ease the pain while racing, Cooke has been cutting a whole the size of a silver

Michael Boogerd found the strength to flash that big toothy smile of his as he won the most difficult stage of the 2002 Tour de France. Moments later he looked like he was going to fall over. Boogerd has always been a very good all-around rider, able to win Classics and one-day races, small stages races and stages in three-week Tours. Today he claimed his first mountain stage in the Tour de France, and did you notice his teammate rode well too? Boogerd’s American teammate on Robobank, Levi Leipheimer is riding a very consistent Tour de France. He hasn’t ridden aggressively, instead he has

VeloNews photographer Casey Gibson is at the Tour de France and is taking time to shoot not just the race, but also the scenes along the road and the activity just outside of the peloton.

Jonathan Boyer, the first American to compete in the Tour de France, has been charged with 10 felony counts of child molestation in Monterey County, in California. According to a report in the Salinas Californian,Boyer, who first raced in the Tour in 1981, was arrested in May in Seaside, California, after a 16-year-old girl alleged that the 46-year-old Boyer had molested her for at least a year, beginning five years ago. Boyer posted $300,000 bail in the case and was released. Last week Boyer made his first court appearance in the case, where the presiding judge scheduled a preliminary

After attacking early on, Boogerd heldon to take the stage.

Boogerd struggled to hold off his pursuers over the last few kilometers.

Sastre and CSC-Tiscali Staff Member Piet DeMoor goof off on Rest Day #2

Up the Galibier

Merckx, Jalabert and the rest of the break.

O'Grady's hunt for points took him over some tough terrain.

Rumsas is solidly holding on to third

Four days to Paris

Rodriguez in trouble

The view from the start.

A more and more frequent sight this year

'Come on... he's got to be down there somewhere'

Carrying dry cleaning down the Galibier. No, we don't know why.

And at the Super Bowl, you have to pay for tickets. The Tour is free and no one spills beer on your lap.

Rodriguez struggles and eventually misses the time cut.

The longest stage in the Tour de France wasn’t the longest day on the bike.That honor goes to last Friday’s stage to Plateau de Beille that lastedfor almost seven hours. The peloton was in a hurry to finish the seven rated climbs in Tuesday’shot 226km stage 15, a day that looked harder in the road book than it didon the road. They just made it through in less than six hours. A seven-man breakaway pulled off the front with about 150km to go andnever looked back over the rural, rolling roads that took the Tour throughsome of the most spectacular scenery so far in this year’s race. Santiago

PRELIMINARY STAGE RESULTS: 1. Santiago Botero (Col), KEL, 226.5 km in 5:55:16. (38.253 kph) 2. Mario Aerts (Bel), LOT, at  01:51. 3. Axel Merckx (Bel), DFF, at 02:30. 4. Emmanuel Magnien (Fra), BJR, at 04:22. 5. Sandy Casar (Fra), FDJ, at 04:28. 6. Vicente Garcia-Acosta (Sp), BAN, at 05:15. 7. Raimondas Rumsas (Lit), LAM, at 06:41. 8. Joseba Beloki (Sp), ONE, at 06:41. 9. Lance Armstrong (USA), USP, at 06:41. 10. Francisco Mancebo (Sp), BAN, at 06:46. 11. Roberto Heras (Sp), USP, at 06:47. 12. Ivan Basso (Ita), FAS, at

Germany's 1997 Tour de France champion Jan Ullrich was banned for six months by the German Cycling Federation (BDR) on Tuesday after testing positive for amphetamines. The 28-year-old Olympic champion, who rides for the Telekom team, tested positive in an out-of-competition test on June 12 at a Bavarian rehabilitation clinic where he was recovering after a knee operation. The injury had already ruled him out of this year's Tour de France. The ban begins on Wednesday and will run until March 23 to take into account the two winter months. Three days after revelations of the positive

Results - Stage 15 - Tuesday, July 23: Vaison-la-Romaine - LesDeux-Alpe(Editor's Note: - North American riders listed in bold;Riders on North American teams underlined)1. Santiago Botero (Col), Kelme-Costa Blanca, at 5:55:16 (38.253 kph)2. Mario Aerts (B), Lotto-Adecco, at 1:513. Axel Merckx (B), Domo-Farm Frites, at 02:30.4. Emmanuel Magnien (F), Bonjour, at 04:22.5. Sandy Casar (F), FDJeux.com, at 04:28.6. Vicente Garcia-Acosta (Sp), iBanesto.com, at 05:15.7. Raimondas Rumsas (Lit), Lampre-Daikin, at 06:41.8. Joseba Beloki (Sp), ONCE, at 06:41.9. Lance Armstrong (USA), U.S. Postal, at

The Tour de France needs it fans. They are the source of its popularity. But there are some fans out there that the race can really do without. Always has. Just ask Lance Armstrong. He has already said what he thinks of those who jeered him all the way to the top of Mont Ventoux on stage 14. Go back in time and ask Eddy Merckx. In 1975, while leading the Tour on stage 14 to the Puy de Dôme, he found himself at the receiving end of a mighty wack in the kidneys from a roadside fan. Well, maybe not a fan. Merckx still believes the attack cost him the overall victory, which that year went to

Rob,Yes, I asked to have my contract cut short, but it's not quite as dramatic as OLN made it sound, I suppose I'm still racing with Crédit Agricole till the end of 2002 … or at least getting paid by them. I just asked to be released for 2003, simply because it just wasn't working for me. I had lost my fire to be a pro in Europe, and as you've seen first hand in the Dauphiné, it's just too hard to do it strictly for the money. Rob, I reached my full potential over there, contrary to what some of my own very optimistic friends and fans will say, and in some ways exceeded what I thought was

VeloNews photographer Casey Gibson is at the Tour de France and is taking time to shoot not just the race, but also the scenes along the road and the activity just outside of the peloton.

The day after a rest day is a dangerous stage. In some ways rest days can be as much harm as good. Some riders don’t handle disruptions in the rhythm of racing very well, others recuperate to the point they can rip people’s legs off on the next stage. Santiago Botero had a rough day on the Mont Ventoux, but the rest day was all he needed to breathe new life into his legs for a great stage win today. Botero was allowed some freedom because his troubles on the Ventoux put him 18 minutes down on Armstrong in the GC. Since he was no longer perceived as a primary threat to the yellow jersey,

The breakaway formed at 65km

Still in yellow. Still in control.

Blue protects yellow.

Orca is back. The team stickers, by the way, are free at your local Post Office..

Functional fashion -- check the next photo

She swears she rode up L'Alpe d'Huez with these things.

Passing the orchard

The doc'

World-famous cycling Photographer Graham Watson in the flesh