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The Tour de France is the biggest race in the world. Everyone knows that. But today, as it celebrated the start of its centenary edition, I really found out first-hand how big it is. First off, there’s organization and the number of people. Although when you’re racing, you can’t really hear them. I saw them, but inside myself I was in a zone. The number of media here is another thing altogether. In the days leading up to the start there are so many interviews, so many questions. It all takes a bit out of you. It is clear to anyone who races the Tour how winning a stage can change your

Leipheimer took 12th, at 11 seconds

Only 6.5km long, the course for this time trial through the heart of Paris is in the shape of a squashed question mark. It starts at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, crosses the Seine River to make a short climb around the Chaillot Palace and then drops back to the river at the Place de l’Alma, just across the street from the Crazy Horse nightclub. The course then parallels the river to the Place de la Concorde, crosses the bridge and heads back on the Left Bank before heading south to the finish on the Avenue de la Motte- Picquet — across the Champ de Mars Park from the Eiffel Tower. 7/5/2003

The prologue to a major stage race always seems to be watched with more interest than all but the most difficult mountain stages. No one knows who will be riding well until this first little test gives its hints. But how accurate are these hints as to the form of a rider when it comes to pursuing the overall title? And how can we use the prologue as a crytstal ball to see what's to come? Well, despite all the talk of a prologue just being a little warm-up, and not really meaning much for a three-week tour, I think it's an excellent indicator of overall form. No, I don't think Brad McGee will

Jan is back... and riding green

Medical officials at the 90th edition of the Tour de France have declared that all 198 cyclists in the race are “fit to ride,” following hematocrit tests earlier this week, but some experts in the field of doping are not so sure that the results mean much. Since the infamous “Festina scandal” almost brought the Tour to its knees in 1998, cycling has been at the forefront of the fight against doping and tests extensively for the banned endurance-booster erythropoietin (EPO). Officially, the entire Tour peloton started the race clean Saturday after their hematocrit levels, or the volume of

Cervelo went all out for the Tour

PARIS -- After a long week of getting ready and all of the pre-race hype, the Centennial Tour de France got under way today. There usually comes a point when I'm anxious to get rolling, because, believe it or not, things almost always calm down after the race begins. This will be my seventh Tour de France, which is no small detail with my wife. Seven is her favorite number. She also likes that my race number is 71, which is the year I was born. I wouldn’t be surprised if she high-fived herself when she heard my start time for the prologue was 7 p.m. sharp. I’m waiting for her to remind me

Trek's Madone is named for a steep French climb

Jean Delatour... ready to ride

The trouble with a short prologue is that there is no room for error. After the 2003 Tour de France prologue, the top 20 riders are within 13 seconds of the leader, Bradley McGee, and 96 are within 30 seconds. For Lance Armstrong, his tendency to start time trials slowly proved to be his undoing, as he conceded more time in the first half of the prologue than he could retake in the second half. Lance is sitting in seventh place, five seconds behind principal rival Jan Ullrich and one second behind CSC team leader Tyler Hamilton. It is his lowest placing in a Tour de France prologue since

CicloSport's limited-edition USPS HAC 4

CSC is sporting new Zipps for the occasion

Although this opening stage of 168km around the Paris suburbs will likely be run at lightning speed, it will be a long day. Things begin at 11:40 a.m. outside the Stade de France (where France won soccer’s World Cup in 1998). There follows a formal 20km procession across the city center to Montgeron, where the actual stage will start at 1:15 p.m. outside the Auberge au Réveil- Matin, a small inn from which the original Tour began in 1903. The actual race loops south through the Forest of Fontainebleau, then north and east to the finish in Meaux. Three Cat. 4 climbs punctuate the middle part

The Orbea team edition ...

Hubba, hubba, hubba: Gold and carbon... bike jewelry at its best

This 204.5km route across rolling terrain northeast of Paris ends on similar roads as those raced every March on the opening stage of the Critérium International — which usually ends in a field sprint. After a flat opening alongside the Marne River, most of the action will take place at the time-bonus sprints in Jaulgonne (43km), Avançon (128km) and Amagne (149km), and the Cat. 4 hills at La Charmel (46km) and Longwé (169.5km). 7/7/2003 Start Time: 12:15:00PM7/7/2003 Estimated Finish Time: 5:24:00PM HISTORYThis is the first time a Tour stage has ended in Sedan, but neighboring Charleville

... and the one you can buy.

Postal's cockpit

At 167.5km, this is the shortest stage of the opening week. The rolling terrain may encourage attacks, but with a fast, straight run in to St. Dizier, it will almost certainly end in a mass sprint— and perhaps in a Tour road stage record speed to top the 50.355 kph (31.289 mph) set by Mario Cipollini at Blois in 1999. 7/8/2003 Start Time: 1:17:00pm7/8/2003 Estimated Finish Time: 5:22:00pm HISTORYThis is the first time that St. Dizier, a town of 35,000, has been included on the Tour route. Besides the novelty of seeing the world’s biggest bike race, the crowds will be rooting for one of the

2004 Dura-Ace

The course for this 69km team time trial is similar to last year’s between Épernay and Château-Thierry, with an early climb followed by undulating roads and a fast, flat finish. 7/9/2003 Start Time: 2:00:00pm7/9/2003 Estimated Finish Time: 5:08:00pm HISTORYTeam time trials were first seen at the Tour 76 years ago, but they were far different from today’s specialized affairs. In fact, all of the flat stages at the 1927 Tour were team time trials, some as long as 360km. The reason was that race organizer Henri Desgrange was unhappy with the slow pace and predictable finishes of the flatter

There are 10

When the gang at Team Saeco sends out a press release, it’s not just a piece of puff pastry – there’s usually some real meat for anyone hungry for news about the squad. And the following question-and-answer session with team leader Gilberto Simoni shows that the Spaniards aren’t the only ones talking a good game at this year’s Tour. – Editor Q: The Tour has been defined as more than just a sporting event and even more than a show. It has been defined as a mental state. Do you agree? Do you feel it in that way? A: Some riders have much more experience of the Tour than I have, but I agree

Fred Rodriguez

The Tour de France really begins the night before the prologue with the opening ceremonies. Tonight's was held in front of the Hotel de Ville in Paris.

Johan Bruyneel and Lance

McGee

Jean-Marie Lebanc and Bernard Hinault

Jan Ullrich has his eyes on L'Alpe d'Huez this year.

Franco-American unity at the Hotel de Ville.

Big crowds welcome Tour 2003

Kelme

Levi Leipheimer

Tyler Hamilton

Tyler 2

1996 Tour winner Bjarne Riis

The 1998 Tour de France winner, Marco Pantani, has returned home after spending two weeks in a clinic specializing in nervous disorders, drug addiction and alcoholism. Romano Cenni, owner of Pantani's Mercatone Uno team, said he was delighted by the progress made by the cyclist, who left the Villa Parco dei Tigli private hospital near Padova on Thursday night. "They told me that he had left, that he was well and that he could soon start training on the bike. It seems to me like marvelous news," Cenni told the Gazzetta dello Sport. "They informed me that he has made great progress. He has

The odds-on favorite

Even though I’ve been to the Tour de France many times over the years, there’s more excitement around the start this year than ever before. The 100th anniversary of the Tour, with the prologue in Paris, is bringing cycling fans and the sport’s past luminaries out in droves. For Lance Armstrong, however, it is important to stay focused on the task at hand: starting the 2003 Tour de France with a powerful statement of his intention to win again. On the first day of the Tour, riders only race for 6.5km, but they are among the most important kilometers in the entire race. The prologue is the

Lance Armstrong is the odds-on favorite to take a fifth Tour de France, but he’s not expected to win Saturday’s opening time trial. He did win the prologue last year and in 1999, but both of those stages were on hilly courses that suited the Texan’s power-based strengths. That won’t be the case in Paris, where most of the 6.5km course is on long, straight, flat city streets. The only hill is just half-a-kilometer long, and comes right at the start. Armstrong will be trying to win, of course. He knows that even more than being a race between specialists, the prologue is a battle of prestige

Hall inductees pose in front of Tony's.

Don Cook at the grand re-opening.

Don Cook scaled a pine tree to snap the group-ride shot.

Wildflowers everywhere.

Ready to rumble, Armstrong on his way to meet the press

Armstrong gets in a quiet training ride on Thursday

Rodriguez says he is starting this Tour healthier than his last two.

Tanned...

rested...

...and ready.

Clean car, fresh stickers

Hi Bob;I have been working in a bicycle shop for the last three years. Lastweek my manager walked up and said it was my last day. He gave no explanation,no written reason.Don’t they have to give me warnings before terminating me?Thanks in advanceTim SPortland, ORTim;When in doubt, go to an expert. In this case, I consulted with Oregonemployment lawyer, Liz Farrell, an excellent attorney (and pretty goodex-wife!). Her response follows:Oregon is what is called an "at-will employment" state (versus a "cause"state). At-will employment means that your employer may take whatever adverseemployment

“I can’t think of a better way to spend July,” quips Armstrong.

Rodriguez wants to win a stage.

For those of you keeping track of the Tour de France at work, we’re giving you another window to hide when the boss walks in. Beginning with Saturday’s prologue time trial in Paris, VeloNews.com, in cooperation with AFP and Art Movies Inc., will be offering an Interactive FlashVersion of Tour coverage to supplement our exsisting coverage of the Tour de France. Rest assured, that the graphics and bells and whistles are in addition to VeloNews.com's already strong coverage. We'll begin every day with live reports from the road by John Wilcockson, Andrew Hood and Rupert Guinness. As soon as

test

Rogers at the Tour of Germany

Dear VeloNews;If the Olympic Games hadn't developed at the beginning of the 20th century - during the heyday of bicycle racing - track events probably wouldn't have been included at their current level, ayway. At this point in history, outside of Europe, track cycling remains a marginal sport, at best. What gets cut isn't too tough to call. The IOC defers to the UCI, and we all know Hein Verbruggen's devotion to the almighty TV audience. Events have to be short, exciting and easily comprehensible to the non-cyclist. The five women's events (match sprint, 500-meter time trial, Keirin,

Well, it’s officially July, and I think we all know what that means. Yep, that’s right, in a matter of weeks I’ll be moving into a stylin’ new loft in downtown Boulder, Colorado, courtesy of the county’s affordable housing program. Okay, I admit it. July probably means something else to most of you. By now most of you have probably figured out which TV you’ll be spending your July mornings in front of. Me, I’ll be watching right here in the conference room of VeloNews global headquarters. Come to think of it, in the spirit of the upcoming Tour de Lance maybe I should have Comcast drop by

Four days after suffering one of the worst crashes you’ll see in a downhill race, ITS-Santa Cruz rider John Waddell remains unconscious in a Quebec City hospital. But according to Waddell’s team director Derin Stockton, the 22-year-old Aussie rider is getting a little better each day and a full recovery is very likely. “After the crash they did a CAT scan right away and all the signs were good,” said Stockton, who stayed behind to look after his rider while the rest of the pro gravity circuit moved on from Mont-Ste-Anne to Grouse Mountain in preparation for the next stop of the World Cup

It is hard to believe that it’s been ten years since consummate professional Sally Zack suddenly left cycling at the zenith of her career to take on a a completely new challenge by becoming a cross-country ski racer. Of course, when one becomes acquainted with all of her achievements in so many cycling disciplines and reads of her passion to continue to “live, love and learn” from the back of her 1992 Shaklee cycling card you begin to understand the restless nature of this woman. You may also understand why it took us a few weeks of serious looking to track her down. We found her and the

Jan gets a boost before the Tour

Does she live near Boulder??????

Waddell

Zack of the North

Liége-Bastogne-Liége was a big boost

Telekom’s Giuseppe Guerini earned his team’s first stage win at this year’sTour de France as he soloed to victory in the final kilometers of the famousclimb to L'Alpe d'Huez. But the 29-year-old Italian’s moment in the sunwas almost … almost ended when an enthusiastic fan stepped into the roadwith hopes of recording the moment for posterity. Happily, Guerini emerged only shaken from his close encounter of the weirdest kind, to win the Tour’s most famous alpine stage. Finishing in fifth place, just 25 seconds behind the day’s winner, the U.S. Postal Service’s Lance Armstrong not only

It started as kids’ alternative to moto cross and, 40 years later, it stands on the threshold of becoming an Olympic sport. According to an announcement released by the International Olympic Committee on Monday, BMX is now slated to join the Olympic program in 2008 in Beijing, replacing two yet-to-be-named track events that will be pulled. According to IOC president, Jacques Rogge, one women's and one men's BMX race will be added. Rogge called BMX a ``new, spectacular event.'' ``We believe that this introduction will definitely enhance the Olympic program,'' he said. The two new races