[N8 v2.0]

Welcome To The Coverage Of Stage 16!
The start of what is expected to be the pivotal stage of the 2004 Tour de France is scheduled for 2.00pm. The first rider to start the 15.5km time trial from Bourg-d'Oisans to L'Alpe d'Huez is Sebastian Joly. Riders start in reverse order of their position in the general classification.

The last rider to start will be the winner of stage 15, Lance Armstrong. The five-time Tour champion's departure time is 4.58pm or 9:58 Central Std Time.

 

[BikeGeek]

whoa!

 

[N8 v2.0]

Mommie...!

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

im scared

 

[N8 v2.0]

Tid-bits:

Today is the 24th time that the climb to L’Alpe d’Huez has been a part of the Tour de France’s itinerary. This is the first time that the stage to this ‘Hors Category’ has been a time trial. The five fastest times posted before the 16th stage of the 2004 are:

Marco Pantani (Italy) 37’35” – in 1997 (at the end of a 203.5km stage from Saint-Etienne)

Marco Pantani (Italy) 38’00” – in 1994 (although he was not the winner, this was ‘Il Pirata’s’ time up the climb at the end of the 224.5km stage from Valreas. The winner of the stage that year was Marco’s good friend, Roberto Conti)

Lance Armstrong (US) 38’01” – in 2001 (at the end of a 209km stage from Aix-les-Bains)

Marco Pantani (Italy) 38’04” – in 1995 (at the end of a 162.5km stage from La Plagne)

Iban Mayo (Spain) 39’06” – in 2003 (at the end of a 219km stage from Sallanches)

(Note: This time is taken for the 13.9km climb. Today’s time trial is 15.5km long with a flat early phase in the village of Bourg-d’Oisans.)



Can you imagine having to climb that in 37’35” at the end of a 126.5 mile race???

Sh!!!!!!!!!t..........

 

[jacksonpt]

Just heard there are 900,000 people lined up to watch the time trial

 

[Wumpus]

Ride up

 

[MMcG]

Holy Crap that climb looks scary tough

 

[N8 v2.0]

16:28 CEST

Armstrong is wished good luck by a friendly gendarme as he continues warming up.

Richard Virenque, in search of more polka dot points, is setting off now.

Now Moreau sprints off in what looks like a very small gear.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Someone asked about the level of effort being put in by Armstrong's domestiques today. Most of them will be taking it easy, as there's no point trashing themselves before tomorrow's tough Alpine stage. But Rubiera and Azevedo might go a bit harder to give Armstrong an idea of what time checks to aim for.

 

[N8 v2.0]

16:41 CEST
Chris points out re: Brochard that a well-executed mullet should have the effect of streamlining airflow around the head. We'll see.

Virenque obviously doesn't like riding in the saddle. Does he even have one on today?

Levi Leipheimer, sans cap, is on route now, riding a standard bike.

Oscar Sevilla (Phonak) is pedalling a ridiculous gear for a climber. He finds a lower one.


16:42 CEST
Thomas Voeckler (Brioches) is starting in an almost all-white skinsuit. Fortunately there are strategically placed black panels. Did I mention that it was over 30 degrees today? He'll be on the podium for sure in the white jersey.

 

[N8 v2.0]

16:48 CEST
Voeckler is making his way through the thick crowds at the foot of the climb. It's at least 6 deep here with more people standing further up the slopes. Many photos are being taken.

Jan Ullrich is stretching, ready to follow Jose Azevedo (USPS), who is now under way.

Armstrong to start in 10 minutes....

 

[N8 v2.0]

16:50 CEST
Jose Enrique Gutierrez (Phonak) sprints home in 42'45, which gives him fourth.

Jan Ullrich is focusing on the start ramp. He sets off with a big push on the gears, using TT bars for the first part of the course - one of the few riders to do so.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Top 5 TT Times (so far):

Finish 15.5 km

Santos Gonzales (PHO) 41.52
Giuseppe Guerini (TMO) 0.00
David Moncoutie (COF) 42.04
Marcos Serrano (LST) 0.45
Mikel Astarloza (A2R) 1.02

 

[Echo]

WHY THE F*CK DO I HAVE TO BE AT WORK WHILE THIS IS ON TV :mumble:

 

[N8 v2.0]

16:54 CEST

4 minutes till Lance...

Ullrich stays on the bars as he starts climbing, but is sitting towards the back of them. He gets a shove from a spectator, and momentarily loses his balance. But he keeps going. The fans are particularly wild near the bottom.

Mancebo is under way. Now Kloden sets off.

 

[N8 v2.0]

16:56 CEST
Armstrong is now signing on, ready to set off after Basso, who is about to leave. Armstrong has no bar extenders on, opting for a standard bike.

Ullrich is still on the bars. It is more aero.

 

[N8 v2.0]

16:58 CEST
Ullrich was 1 second slower than Cancellara at the 1.5 km check, while Mancebo was 13 seconds back.

Lance is about to go. He's wired for sound, and Sheryl Crow looks nervous in the car. The maillot jaune sets off!

 

[N8 v2.0]

16:59 CEST
Ullrich is staying on the bars as much as possible, occasionally sitting on the hoods.

Armstrong is flying along the first flat part, cheered on loudly. The crowds go wild.

Ivan Basso is now on the climb, making his way through the thick crowds.

 

[N8 v2.0]

17 H 00 - Basso Parts The Crowds...
The rider who is 2nd overall after 15 stage is riding into a wall of spectators.

The crowds are enormous on the early slopes of the climb to L'Alpe d'Huez. It's almost impossible for Ivan Basso to see the road but the crowd is parting just as he arrives.

The same goes for Armstrong. There have been no reports of crashes yet in the 16th stage

17:02 CEST
Ullrich is two seconds quicker than Armstrong after 1.5 km, and three seconds better than Basso. But he had the aero advantage.

Karpets is flying home now, but is just outside Santos Gonzalez' time in 41'56. Karpets also had small bar extenders on.

 

[N8 v2.0]

17:02 CEST
Armstrong is taking the middle road up the climb, nearly killing a few fans that are running on the road. It's really wild here. He's getting tapped/hit too.

 

[N8 v2.0]

17 H 01 - Armstrong 4" Behind At 1st Check
At the 1.5km mark, Armstrong is 4" behind Cancellara's time, which means that Ullrich gained 3" before the first time check... it's hardly an indication of what we can expect at the end of the stage.

 

[MMcG]

17:00 GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!! Camera-toting fans, filling the road, pulling back like the Red Sea at the last possible moment... Ivan Basso is navigating this chaos now and Armstrong is about to get into it...

16:59 CHAOS...!!! Fans scuttling all over this climb (estimates say between 500,000 and 900,000 people are here to watch), flags from every possible nation -- but a lot of Stars-and-Stripes for Armstrong -- names of favourite racers painted across the road... The roar of the crowd is constant and deafening.

This sounds nuts! Crazy friggin fans - get out of the friggin way!

 

[N8 v2.0]

17:04 CEST
Amrstrong is undeterred, but probably a bit nervous with these enormous crowds so close.

Ullrich has reached 10 km to go, and is still on the aero bars. Will it be faster? We'll see. Pantani used to climb on the drops, after all.

 

[N8 v2.0]

17:05 CEST
Armstrong is getting a mixture of cheers and boos, depending on the nationality of the fans. But he's in a good rhythm, pedalling fast as is his wont. Unlike Ullrich and many others, he's wearing a reversed cap.

17:06 CEST
Ullrich doesn't look any less comfortable on the bar extenders than he does normallly. i.e. he looks like he's suffering like a dog.

Basso is looking great, while Mancebo is struggling a bit in a big gear.

 

[N8 v2.0]

17:07 CEST
Amrstrong passes an Australian contingent, flags held high. The crowds are thinning a bit as he moves up the climb, he not by much. Watch those flags!

 

[N8 v2.0]

17 H 04 - 10km To Go For Ullrich
As Ullrich rode under the 10km to go banner he is locked into his aerobars. The T-Mobile team leader is prone to climbing in the saddle. It's a complete contrast to the way that Armstrong rides. The rider in the yellow jersey is being led by two motorbikes which are parting the crowd just ahead of him.


17:08 CEST
Basso - also with bar extenders but not using them - is riding a slightly bigger gear than Armstrong. He's still looking supple, and is obviously giving it full gas.

 

[N8 v2.0]

17:09 CEST
Basso has lost 20 seconds to Armstrong so far, which is not a great surprise. Armstrong should strengthen his lead in the GC tonight.

 

[N8 v2.0]

17:10 CEST
Ullrich, still on the bar extenders, is being cheered on as he gets to halfway. His arms are pointing downwards, like his normal TT position. We'll see if it works. He takes a drink and nearly cleans up a mad German fan with a flag.

 

[N8 v2.0]

17 H 09 - Lance Throws His Hat Off...
The rider in the yellow jersey has just thrown his cap into the crowd. The conditions for the last riders to start the stage are much cooler. It was hot at the start of the stage, but the temperature now is about 23-25 degrees Celsius. It was sunny early today but a light cover of cloud has moved in.



17 H 10 - 10km To Go For Basso...
Ivan Basso is less than 10km from the finish of the stage. The scenes on the road today are terrifying. The fans are so enthusiastic that they're becoming dangerous... but, repeating, there have been no reports of any accidents.



17 H 11 - Basso Also Riding With Aerobars...
Basso and Ullrich are two of the riders using aerobars for today's time trial.

 

[N8 v2.0]

17:14 CEST
Christophe Moreau (CA) comes home strongly, but is over a minute slower than Santos Gonzalez in 43'06, which is 12th best to date.

Ullrich comes past 9.5 km in a time of 24'07, taking 33 seconds out of Azevedo!

 

[N8 v2.0]

17:15 CEST
After the 9.5 km mark, there's barriers so Ullrich doesn't have to contend with the wild fans unless he rides to close...

Armstrong is still looking like the man to beat, pedalling incredibly fast now. Basso is suffering.

Kloden is also looking good, following Mancebo and Ullrich.

 

[N8 v2.0]

17:18 CEST
Here comes Oscar Pereiro, who has caught by Rasmussen and finishes in 42'47. That means Rasmussen is 2 minutes slower.

Mancebo comes past the 9.5 km check in 25'48 - he's lost 4th place on GC to Ullrich already. Ullrich did 24'07.

 

[N8 v2.0]

17:18 CEST
Kloden is riding much better than Mancebo, and is past 9.5 km in 24'35, which is second best behind the flying Ullrich.

 

[N8 v2.0]

17:19 CEST
Gibo Simoni sprints home in a time of 43'21, 15th fastest. But he's still fighting.

Kloden looks very comfortable, working hard. What can Basso do?

 

[N8 v2.0]

17:21 CEST
Carlos Sastre (CSC) finishes his time in 42'08, which puts him in fifth. Still Santos Gonzalez with the best time of 41'52.

Basso is past the 9.5 km check in a time of 24'43, 4th best. Ullrich is already 36 seconds quicker.

 

[Echo]

Oh man - Armstrong comes through at 23:28 - 40 seconds faster than Ullrich's and more than a minute better than Basso

 

[N8 v2.0]

17 H 22 - The Final Top Five At 9.5km
After Lance passed the 2nd time check, the top five is:
1. ARMSTRONG (USA, USP) 23'28"
2. ULLRICH (GER, TMO) at 40"
3. KLÖDEN (GER, TMO) at 01' 07"
4. AZEVEDO (POR, USP) at 01' 12"
5. BASSO (ITA, CSC) at 01' 15"

 

[N8 v2.0]

17 H 26 - Ullrich 2km From The Finish...
Ullrich is now less than 2km from the finish of stage 16.

 

[N8 v2.0]

17 H 28 - 4km To Go For Armstrong
The deficit of Basso to Armstrong in today's stage has the Italian over three minutes behind in the general classification. Lance now has his two-minute man in his sights. Basso is about to be caught by the rider in the yellow jersey...

17 H 29 - Azevedo Sets The Fastest Time
Azevedo has ridden today's stage at an average of 22.45km/h. He leads Santos Gonzalez by 25".


17 H 30 - Ullrich's Final Time
At the finish of the stage, Ullrich has recorded a time of 40'42.49 - 22.85km/h.