preview: The Tour de France of 2002 started in Luxembourg on July 6, 2002, and ended in Paris on July 21. France was visited counter-clockwise, so the Pyrenees were there before the Alps. On average, the stages were shorter than in previous years, in an attempt to make illegal substances (doping) less necessary for the riders.
Great favourite is American Lance Armstrong, also winner in 1999, 2000 and 2001. The main opposition will probably come from the ONCE team with Joseba Beloki (3rd last year), Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (5th last year) and Marcos Serrano (9th last year), and from the Kelme riders Oscar Sevilla (7th last year, 2nd in last year's Vuelta) and Santiago Botero (8th last year). Other riders to keep in acount for a high place in the final rankings are Tyler Hamilton (2nd Giro 2002), Levi Leipheimer (3rd Vuelta 2001), Christophe Moreau (4th Tour 2000) and Armstrong's team mate Roberto Heras (4th Vuelta 2001). Important riders who are not present are Jan Ullrich (2nd last year, injury) and Gilberto Simomi (winner 2001 Giro, doping)
prologue (Luxembourg)
As usual, the Tour started with a prologue, a short time trial, this time one of 7 km. in Luxembourg. Armstrong won, which was not a surprise, since he is known as a very good time trialist. What was a surprise, was the second place of Frenchman Laurent Jalabert. Of the favourites, Moreau had a disappointing race, ending only 40th, 24 seconds behind Armstrong.
1. Lance Armstrong (USA) 2. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) 0.02 3. Raimondo Rumsas (Ltu) 0.03 4. Santiago Botero (Col) 0.04 5. David Millar (GBr) 0.05 6. Laurent Brochard (Fra) 0.06 7. Dario Frigo (Ita) 0.08 8. Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) 0.09 9. Joseba Beloki (Spa) 0.13 10. Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun)
stage 1 (Luxembourg-Luxembourg)
German sprinter Erik Zabel had his birthday today. He had good hopes of winning both the stage and the yellow jersey: He was 25 seconds behind Armstrong in the general classification, but winning the first intermediate sprint gained him 6 seconds, and winning the stage would have gained an extra 20 seconds bonus. If Zabel would not succeed, Jalabert would have had his chance: A third place in the first bonus sprint gained him 2 seconds, just enough to take the yellow.
However, either man could easily lose the yellow if an attacer would end before the peloton. Stéphane Berges, Christophe Mengin and Ludo Dierckxsens gave it a try, and had a maximum lead of 4'10". However, the peloton caught them back, and on a short but difficult climb another group with important riders like Armstrong and Botero got away. They were caught back as well, but Moreau lost contact with the peloton during the chase.
After yet another attack, the peloton came in full to the finish, Zabel's Telekom team preparing what they hoped would be a win for their leader. However, 1 km before the finish the unknown Swiss rider Rubens Bertogliati attacked, and surprisingly was able to hold out until the finish. Zabel won the spurt of the peloton, but Bertogliati gained both the stage and the yellow jersey. Moreau's poor start continued, he crashed twice and lost 3'20", and his chances seem over.
1. Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) 2. Erik Zabel (Ger) 3. Robbie McEwen (Aus) 4. Fabio Baldato (Ita) 5. Oscar Freire (Spa) 6. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) 7. Laurent Brochard (Fra) 8. Dario Frigo (Ita) 9. Jose Enrique Gutierrez (Spa) 10. Francois Simon (Fra)
general classification:
1. Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) 2. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) 0.03 3. Lance Armstrong (USA) 4. Raimondas Rumsas (Ltu) 0.06 5. Santiago Botero (Col) 0.07 6. David Millar (GBr) 0.08 7. Laurent Brochard (Fra) 0.09 8. Erik Zabel (Ger) 0.10 9. Dario Frigo (Ita) 0.11 10. Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) 0.12
points classification:
1. Erik Zabel (Ger) 36 2. Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) 35 3. Robbie McEwen (Aus) 26
Mountains classification:
1. Christophe Mengin (Fra) 22 2. Stéphane Berges (Fra) 16 3. Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel) 15
Jacky Durand, always known for his attacking style, often riding ahead of the peloton for a large part of the stage, did it again this time. He attacked after 3 km, and got Franck Renier with him. In the peloton, the third places in the bonus sprints (gaining 2 seconds) were fought. Jan Svorada took the first one before Zabel, protecting the interests of his team mate Bertogliati, but Zabel won the second and third, thus passing Bertogliati in the general classification.
The lead of Durand and Renier grew to a maximum of 11'10", but combined work by the Telekom (Zabel) and Lotto (McEwen) teams finally led to the two being nevertheless caught back. Hushovd tried to win 'Bertogliati-style', but also failed, and Robbie McEwen showed himself the strongest in the sprint. Zabel was second, but nevertheless very happy, since he took over the yellow jersey. Bertogliati, happy to have worn it for three days, is still not without honour: He now carries the white jersey of the best young rider.
1. Robbie McEwen (Aus) 2. Erik Zabel (Ger) 3. Baden Cooke (Aus) 4. Andrej Hauptman (Slo) 5. Fabio Baldato (Ita) 6. Paolo Bossoni (Ita) 7. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) 8. Francois Simon (Fra) 9. Jan Svorada (Cze) 10. Stuart O'Grady (Aus)
General classification:
1. Erik Zabel (Ger) 2. Robbie McEwen (Aus) 0.08 3. Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) 0.14 4. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) 0.17 5. Lance Armstrong (USA) 6. Raimondas Rumsas (Ltu) 0.20 7. Santiago Botero (Col) 0.21 8. David Millar (GBr) 0.22 9. Laurent Brochard (Fra) 0.23 10. Oscar Freire (Spa) 0.25
Points classification:
1. Erik Zabel (Ger) 96 2. Robbie McEwen (Aus) 91 3. Oscar Freire (Spa) 71
Mountains classification:
1. Christophe Mengin (Fra) 29 2. Stephane Berges (Fra) 26 3. Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel) 15
Stage 4 (Epernay-Château Thierry, team time trial)
The team time trial had been removed from the Tour some years earlier, but in 2001 it had been re-instated. This year's team time trial looked like it was going to be won by CSC Tiscali (Jalabert) in a close fight with ONCE (Beloki, Gonzalez de Galdeano), with US Postal (Armstrong) not far behind. However, the CSC Tiscali team had to wait when Sandstød had a puncture, and because of that fell to third place. In the general classification the result brought a large change, the first 14 places now being taken by ONCE and US Postal riders, with Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano in the yellow. Several of the main riders from the other teams already are over 2 minutes behind Gonzalez de Galdeano, Beloki and Armstrong.
1. ONCE-Eroski 2. US Postal Service 0.16 3. CSC-Tiscali 0.46 4. Fassa Bortolo 1.30 5. Cofidis 1.44 6. iBanesto.com 1.56 7. Domo-Farm Frites 2.12 8. Rabobank 2.16 9. Kelme-Costa Blanca 2.19 10. Lampre-Daikin 2.22
General classification:
1. Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) 2. Joseba Beloki (Spa) 0.04 3. Lance Armstrong (USA) 0.07 4. Jörg Jaksche (Ger) 0.12 5. Abraham Olano (Spa) 0.22 6. Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) 0.25 7. Isidro Nozal (Spa) 0.27 8. Jose Azevedo (Por) 0.28 9. George Hincapie (USA) 10. Marcos Serrano (Spa) 0.30