News

Hello from Germany,Unfortunately today was not the beautiful summer weather we might have hoped for as the Tour came into our home countrytoday. Still, the crowds were huge and we could see them lining the roads in the distance as we crossed the Rhine into Germany. The reception was remarkable and I would, on behalf of the team, like to thank all of you who turned out to welcome the Tour, and specifically the Germans in the peloton, back home. It’s days like this that make the effort really worth it. The day was a bit hectic at times. Vino barely avoided a crash at one point today and the

Ullrich and Vino' out front early on

VeloNews: How have things been going since we last spoke? You sound as though you’re in pretty good spirits. Chris Horner: The racing has been going pretty well. The finish today was incredible. All the spectators that were there … you cannot imagine! All of Germany must have been out for it. VN: Even though it was wet, everyone came out? CH: Yeah, it was wet from the start to about 70km to go. It was pretty good after that. VN: It’s funny because when we spoke a few days ago, you said that with everyone fighting for position, you couldn’t imagine how the peloton could continue to ride

And McEwen out front when it mattered

In the three days since Discovery Channel won the team time trial at Blois, its riders have had a relatively easy time defending Lance Armstrong’s yellow jersey. After another stage that ended in a field sprint Friday, Armstrong talked about “riding a medium tempo” and “getting a lot of help” from the sprinters’ teams. That’s not going to be the case in any of the next five stages, starting with this weekend’s two days in the climbs of the Black Forest and Vosges mountains. Armstrong admitted Friday: “I don’t know these stages.” That’s unusual for the master of knowing all there is to know

McEwen decided it would be suicide to stay out all day. Wegmann thought it was worth the effort.

Stage 7 - Lunéville to Karlsruhe >228.5km

The road ahead: Stage 8- Pforzheim to Gerardmer, 231.5km

Boonen was feeling the weight of the green jersey today

Another tumble at the finish.

Wegemann led the peloton into Germany - but couldn't stay out front

Calzati took a hit, but carried on.

The Boss would like a sprint-free finish on Saturday

Welcome to Germany

Wet railroad tracks right after the border caused this one.

Robbie decided to wait this one out.

Course: The two early climbs may encourage some attacks, but the flat final half of this stage through the Rhine Valley virtually guarantees a bunch finish in Karlsruhe. History: The only time the Tour has visited this part of Germany was in 1987, when the race started in Berlin two years before the Wall fell. The third stage was in two parts: The short morning leg was won in a solo break by Belgian Herman Frison in nearby Pforzheim (where stage 8 begins), while the afternoon leg began in Karlsruhe. Favorites: The expected huge crowds lining the long (1.2km),wide finishing straight in the

Fast Freddy and his own personal 'fast' food

McEwen again,

Australian Robbie McEwen stole the show again at the Tour de France on Friday, both on and off the bike, as the great race headed into Germany. McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto) won't be seen in the fray of battle in the mountains coming up this weekend, but he did more than enough to leave a lasting impression on the 2005 Tour as it completed its first week. The two-time green jersey champion claimed his second stage win of the first week by outsprinting Swede Magnus Bäckstedt (Liquigas-Bianchi) and Austrian Bernhard Eisel (Française des Jeux) in a bunch sprint marred by another nasty crash in

Do the Germans like the Tour? Oh, ja, ja

The Specialized Tarmac SL

1. Robbie McEwen (Aus), Davitamon-Lotto, 5:03:45 2. Magnus Bäckstedt (Swe), Liquigas-Bianchi3. Bernhard Eisel (A), Francaise des Jeux4. Gerrit Glomser (A), Lampre5. Baden Cooke (Aus), Francaise des Jeux6. Fabian Cancellara (Swi), Fassa Bortolo7. Tom Boonen (B), Quickstep8. Gianluca Bortolami (I), Lampre9. Thor Hushovd (Nor), Credit Agricole10. Juan Antonio Flecha (Sp), Fassa Bortolo, all s.t. 11. O’grady Stuart (Aus), Cofidis12. Luciano Pagliarini (BRA), Liquigas-Bianchi13. Robert Förster (G), Gerolsteiner14. Nazon Jean-Patrick (F), Ag2r Prevoyance15. Philippe Gilbert (B), Francaise des

Whoopsadaisy . . .

A glimpse of the carbon cockpit

When Fred Rodriguez needs a lift at the end of a long day in the trenches of the Tour de France, he reaches into the back pocket of his Davitamon-Lotto jersey and pulls out a little cup of coffee. No, he doesn’t have a coffee-maker back there. Instead, he grabs an energy gel bearing a shot of his own band of “Fast Freddy” coffee. “I can’t carry a cup of coffee in the race, so now I have something to take in the last part of the race to give me a last boost of energy,” Rodriguez said. “I usually have one or two near the end of a stage.” Rodriguez said he met with Clif Bar officials to

I'll just lie here for a bit - you guys go on without me

Oversized spindle and bottom bracket

After a week in the saddle, and four days in the yellow jersey, Lance Armstrong says the Tour de France is only now getting set to start. After wrapping up stage 7 in Karlsruhe, Germany, won by Robbie McEwen (Davitamon), the six-time Tour champion said he feels none of the pressure he did last year when he was bidding to secure a record-breaking sixth victory. "In terms of pressure it's nothing compared to last year, so I'm a little relieved I don't have the pressure of winning the sixth Tour that people said couldn't be done,” said Armstrong. “It feels different this year.

Freddy and Vino' test the front of the bunch

Carbon crank

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor hordes of German fans can keep Casey Gibson from his appointed rounds. Our boy was with the Tour as it crossed from France into Germany on Friday; here's what he saw along the way.

The ever-shy Horner reluctantly grants an interview

The noise reached record levels in Karlsruhe at around 5:30 local time Friday, as a huge crowd of happy Germans cheered the man stepping up to the podium of the Tour de France. It was not stage winner Robbie McEwen this crowd was cheering. Nor was it Lance Armstrong in the yellow jersey, nor Tom Boonen in green. No, the assembled crowd at the Karlsruhe fairgrounds had been following the progress of their hero throughout the day. It was Gerolsteiner's Fabian Wegmann. Wegmann stepped onto the Tour podium to have the polka dot jersey of the Tour’s best climber put on his shoulders,

Lance at lunch

Oh the heartbreak

Vinokourov in the final corner, driving for the line and precious seconds on Armstrong

The break

Stage 6 - Troy to Nancy > 199km

Course: Still heading east, this 199km stage finally has someterrain conducive to long breakaways. The day’s four Cat. 4 climbs areevenly spaced, but there are plenty of undulations in between, particularlyin the 40km before the final, and longest, hill — the Côte de Maron— which comes just before the finish. History: There have been 13 stage finishes at Nancy in the past100 years, including wins for Tour champs Fausto Coppi, Louison Bobet,Joop Zoetemelk and Bernard Hinault. The last visit was in 1988, when abreak on the climb before Nancy produced a stage win for German Rolf Gölz(now a

Lucky and liking it

Angel-faced Didi Thurau briefly ruled the '77 Tour

Most people have figured out by now that Tom Boonen and Robbie McEwen are the hottest two sprinters at this year’s Tour de France, and that’s why their Quick Step and Davitamon-Lotto have done the bulk of the work on the three road stages to date, chasing down each day’s main breakaway with respectively 12km, 2km and 11km to go. That picture could change on Thursday because stage 6 from Troyes to Nancy is the hilliest one yet. Still heading east (with the wind), this 199km stage finally has some terrain conducive to long breakaways. The day’s four Cat. 4 climbs are evenly spaced, but there

Kirsippu and Mengin

If you put Boonen and McEwen each on his own Laufmaschine, who would you bet your money on?

Wet roads, tight corners and a nervous peloton are always a recipe for disaster. Add a gang of hard-charging sprinters anxious to reel in a breakaway, and you’ll come up with the crash-derby finish to Thursday’s 199km Tour de France stage 6 from Troyes to Nancy. It was a veritable otter slide on the rain-soaked final right-hander 700 meters from the finish line as a score of riders slipped, skidded and piled into the metal barriers. “It was like ice on that corner, there was nothing you could do,” said Fred Rodriguez (Davitamon-Lotto) who ended the day with a nasty scrape on his right knee.

Mengin jumps

Ag2R's unmarked Reynolds carbon clinchers

1. Lorenzo Bernucci (I), Fassa Bortolo, 4:12:52 2. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz), T-Mobile, 00:003. Robert Förster (G), Gerolsteiner, 00:074. Angelo Furlan (I), Domina Vacanze, 00:075. Thor Hushovd (Nor), Credit Agricole, 00:076. Kim Kirchen (Lux), Fassa Bortolo, 00:077. Gianluca Bortolami (I), Lampre, 00:078. Egoi Martinez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 00:079. Gerrit Glomser (A), Lampre, 00:0710. Arvesen Kurt-Asle (Nor), CSC, 00:07 11. Laurent Brochard (F), Bouygues Telecom, 00:0712. Jérome Pineau (F), Bouygues Telecom, 00:0713. Massimo Giunti (I), Fassa Bortolo, 00:0714. Oscar Pereiro Sio (Sp),

Armstrong didn't care for today's stage

Gerolsteiner takes a broad stance in the TTT

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recallof the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalledproducts immediately unless otherwise instructed.Name of product: 2003 Rolf Prima Vigor and Elan Bicycle Wheels(rear wheel only)Units: About 870Manufacturer: Rolf Prima Inc., of Eugene, Ore.Hazard: The rear wheel freehub mechanism can malfunction causingno resistance when pedaling. The bicycle rider could lose balance, falland suffer injuries.Incidents/Injuries: No injuries

Stage 6 - Troy to Nancy > 199km

This could be the start of something ... no, let's not make that joke, please

Former cycling great Rudi Altig has added to the pressure on Jan Ullrich by saying the German is uncommitted in his bid to win back the Tour de France yellow jersey. Ullrich, 31, has come runner-up five times in the Tour de France - which he won in 1997 - and three of those have come behind American Lance Armstrong. Armstrong currently leads the race with more than a minute's advantage over Ullrich ahead of two crucial medium mountain stages this weekend, where the German could - if he's ambitious - try to attack the 33-year-old Texan and upset his plans for a seventh consecutive

Stage 6 - Troy to Nancy > 199km

PRO wheels

Course: Still heading east, this 199km stage finally has someterrain conducive to long breakaways. The day’s four Cat. 4 climbs areevenly spaced, but there are plenty of undulations in between, particularlyin the 40km before the final, and longest, hill — the Côte de Maron— which comes just before the finish. History: There have been 13 stage finishes at Nancy in the past100 years, including wins for Tour champs Fausto Coppi, Louison Bobet,Joop Zoetemelk and Bernard Hinault. The last visit was in 1988, when abreak on the climb before Nancy produced a stage win for German Rolf Gölz(now a

Lance gets weighed in with champagne at the start.

Okay, who slipped the Lawrence Welk into my iPod's playlist?

Our man Casey Gibson, ever the master of understatement, noted after Thursday's soggy stage to Nancy: "Rain makes things a little exciting at the end, eh?" No kidding – especially if you're Christophe Mengin (Française des Jeux), who was lookin' good until that final corner. Happily, Casey kept upright, and here's the upshot.

Boonen and McEwen roll in together after Mengin laid it down

London bombings won’t change Tour securityNews of the terrorist bomb attacks in London shocked the Tour de France entourage - as it did the world. In memory of those killed and injured, the peloton will observe a minute's silence before the start of Friday's seventh stage, the 228.5km leg from Lunéville to Karlsruhe in Germany. While the terrorist alert level in France was escalated to the red on Thursday, it appears that security at the Tour de France is already quite high and there is little the Tour can do to make it tighter. While representatives of the Garde Republicaine

Lance on the front of the peloton early in the race, just outside Troyes

“Die Tour Kommt!” (The Tour is coming!) is the message that has been plastered across billboards in the German city of Karlsruhe for the past several months. Expect most of the city’s 300,000 people to be at the roadside Friday afternoon, along with perhaps three times that number from neighboring cities in the heavily populated valley of the Rhine. The last two times that a Tour de France stage finished in Germany (Saarbrücken in 2003 and Freiburg in 2000), crowd numbers were astronomical. They will be just as big on Friday when the final 40km of the stage are run on German roads, with the

Lance attacks and Vinokorov follows

That a bicycle race can bring out millions of fans to line rural roads and jam up the boulevards of a finishing town is actually a relatively recent phenomenon in Germany. Cycling enthusiasm did spike – albeit briefly – in Germany when Didi Thurau, the "angel face" from Frankfurt, wore the maillot jaune for 15 days in the 1977 Tour de France. But German interest faded as Thurau’s career derailed through doping scandals and fans saw a remarkable talent wasted on too much racing for quick money. Instead, in the 1980s and ‘90s, Germans returned to what they knew best: soccer. But the passion –

Floyd rolls into the start, looking relaxed and cool

Well that was quite a finish in Nancy, eh? Thankfully, I missed the mess at the last turn… mostly because I got dropped on the last climb, got back on the descent and decided I didn’t have the legs to contest the sprint anyway, so I stayed back a little, think it was smarter to stay out of that last turn on wet roads. Looking at the book this morning, you could just see that thing would be trouble in wet weather… especially with that crosswalk and all that white paint right on the turn. That stuff always makes things touch-and-go. As soon as it’s raining, it doesn’t really matter if you’re

Mengin on a descent in the rain

Stage 6 - Troy to Nancy > 199km

Peloton in fields near Troyes

Survivor: Bernucci celebrates his luck... and his first win as a professional

Bernucci charges through the final corner with the first win of his career

McEwen pips a fading Boonen at the line...

Three amigos: Hincapie, Armstrong and Basso

Armstrong adds another jersey to his collection

Despite the aches of Tuesday's crash (and the loss of the yellow jersey) Zabriskie manages a smile