Van Gerwen, who signed the post-Tour criterium contracts with Lance said: "It's terrible for the organiser in Heerlen, but Armstrong is quite right to go to Clinton. It's a winning scenario for everybody, except Heerlen."
Lance Armstrong will be in the Netherlands on Monday. On Monday night he will ride in Boxmeer, and on Wednesday in the Acht van Chaam. After this race he will go to via a private plane to the United States. He will come back on Saturday morning to Germany for the Grand Prix Breitling. On Monday (August 2) he is back in the Netherlands for the Draai van de Kaai in Roosendaal.
They also found a positive in the fact that the French riders did not win a stage. It meant that they were probably riding clean.
L'Humanité also talks about the French case saying that one has to go to the other jerseys to see the presence of the tri-colour. They were skeptical though: "An average speed of 40.273 km/h ... the less they dope themselves the faster they go. It is ironical."
Le Monde, which has been particulalry trenchant in its doping claims, also chose to concentrate on this aspect of the Tour. "Cycling still lacks transparency with respect to the doping issue. The group always prefers to regulate its own problems within the family."
For daily France-Soir said: "doping was the phantom companion in July for the riders." They had two words to describe the Tour - "Admiration and suspicion."
Le Figaro underlined that: "The American dominated all the 1999 Tour riders and we must see this in the context of the phantoms of doping and suspicion."
Finally, the Libération contrasted two contrasts: "Armstrongmania and Francophobia" and said that "Armstrong's doctors ridicule the French experts who have raised suspicions that Armstrong has been taking prohibited substances."
According to the right wing Algemeen Dagblad, Armstrong "was the best in all dimensions over the last 3 weeks. He beat the specialists in the ITT and in the mountains he showed that his metamorphis from a one-day rider to a tour rider was successful."
The popularist De Telegraaf said that: "Armstrong won the Tour with his supremacy. He is a man with a clean conscience, a man for whom only the best is acceptable, a man with an incredible confidence in his own capacities, a man who is a source of inspiration for the whole world."
The left wing Volkskrant said in relation to the debate about the role of the press during the 1999 Tour: "Lance Armstrong had to perform enormous efforts to win the 86th Tour ... but he also had to answer a gigantic number of questions." They also emphasised Armstrong's quote that "I won this Tour with a clear conscience."
The Trouw, a reform type newspaper, said: "that a tiny trace of corticoid was found in Armstrong's urine and Le Monde made an elephant out of a very small mouse. The French press is always chauvinistic but it seldom expresses its frustrations in such an awkward manner."
The Trouw continued: "Which kind of Tour have we covered. In spite of the fight against drugs by French authorities the average speed of the riders did not drop. In spite of the many medical controls no sinner was discovered. The doubt remains. Was this a clean race or a competition where the use of all kinds of performance enhancing products was masked thanks to other preparations?"
The Flemish daily, Het Laatste Nieuws said: "Objectively, there is no reason to question the cleanliness of Armstrong. The victory of the American is particularly beautiful, seemingly clean and completely amusing."
The French-speaking Le Soir agreed with the Flemish news. "His performance was exemplary as is his history." Also La Dernière Heure noted: "Besides the repented Zulle and Dufaux and Virenque, shameless in the climber's shirt, there is a hope in the belief that Armstrong won fairly the fastest Tour in history."
However, the doubt and scepticism also show through in the majority of the comments. Le Soir said: "The Tour of Revival was only the revival of Armstrong. At the end of the fastest Tour in history, there is a faint hope that the American was clean. But nothing is done these days which is above suspicion."
The Catholic daily La Libre Belgique said: "You said revival? For Jean-Marie Leblanc, the Tour came out of the tunnel. It will have to be seen whether thw whole of cycling can come clean. And it is clear when you see the convolutions of the UCI that there is still problems to come. It is as though the UCI is a sort of trade union who is aiming to defends at all costs the interests of the riders."
The paper is particularly critical of Hein Verbruggen, the president of the UCI: "In a little more than 10 years, this man has managed to concentrate all the power into his hands. Consequently, if a true change is desired he must stop keeping the dirty linen private or pass the job onto someone else."
They said that Armstrong's comeback after his fight against cancer and his entry into Paris as a victor will be an inspiration long after the Tour de France has finished. The top sport's paper, Gazetto dello Sport said: "It is the sporting performance of the century. It is already a difficult feat to win this race ... for a normal human being. But it must have been even more so for the Texan cowboy to come back from cancer and come into Paris as the winner."
Even though he performed brilliantly in terms of speed and stage wins the Gazetto concludes that: "The real pearl in Armstrong's story is nevertheless his victory in his battle for life ... congratulations Lance. "
Tuttosport described how: "The dream of Armstrong touched everyone on the Champs-Elysées, between the anthems and the applause, the spangled banners and flags."
While these papers were waxing lyrical about the performance by Lance Armstrong the Corriere dello Sport was more cautious in its evaluation. They concentrated on the doping angle. "It is difficult to speak about Armstrong, a single cyclist because of his dramatic history. That he is clean or not has only a secondary importance, given where he has come from. From a human point of view, he is the symbol of the hope, a symbol of joy in life. From a sporting point of view, he is just another athlete who must comply with the rules - if that is what he did, then he deserves the success which he has had. If not, he deserves understanding but certainly not approval. The doubts and suspicions are large but there is no proof.
And Corriere dello Sport continued: "However, there is much speculation - enough among us - such that we are reluctant to close our eyes and praise this performance. Too many times in the past, we have closed our eyes and applauded the performances of people who did not deserve the title of heroes."
In the sporting pages, the Frankfurt-based Frankfurter Rundschau said that the 1999 Tour: "was going to be an open Tour, rich in its competition and full of changes and suspense until the end. According to all the experts it had to be this way given the absence of the favourites and three former winners - Bjarne Riis, Jan Ullrich and Marco Pantani. Instead, exactly the oppposite occurred and Lance Armstrong dominated the race in the manner that Miguel Indurain stamped his name on it."
The leading article in Frankfurt's Allgemeine Zeitung stressed that the 1999 Tour nevertheless constitutes "the victory of hope ... but the Tour of Revival was also a Tour of doubt and suspicion ... but even so it was also a Tour of astonishment and admiration ... given that it had been dominated by Lance Armstrong who has been cured of his cancer".
Die Welt said: "The cycling Texan, already a winner over cancer thanks to several operations and doses of chemotherapy has won the 86th Tour de France. The Hollywood producer has already envisaged a film on Armstrong's life."
The Sueddeutsche Zeitung was very positive about the victory and said the 1999 Tour took the dimensions of a Hollywood film. The newspaper also applauded the achievement Erik Zabel, "in the green jersey for the fourth time and the first time this has been done in the history of the Tour."
The very popular daily newspaper the Bild Zeitung (circulation > 2 million) did not even give the Tour de France a headline on Monday. It showed some interest in Armstrong and Zabel on page 18 but began with the qualification that it was a "Tour without Jan Ullrich." and after a year of doping scandals the Tour left it "skeptical". But it did say that the Armstrong and Zabel were "large figures in the sport who swept all the doubts away."
93 riders started but only the 30 best in the morning mass start were allowed to compete the afternoon time trial.
Overall after Road Race and Time Trial:
1. Stefan Richner (Elite 2) Boswil 1.10.08 2. Daniel Paradis (Continentale) 1.50 3. Daniel Schnider (Post Swiss) 2.56 4. Hugo Jenni (Elite 2) 3.50 5. Daniel Von Flüe (Ericsson-Villiger) 4.28 6. Christian Heule (Ericsson-Villiger) 5.05 7. Pascal Cattin (Elite 2) 5.09 8. Markus Binkert (Elite 2) 5.27 9. Ueli Staub (Elite 2) 5.58 10. Stefan Rütimann (Vini Caldirola) 6.11 * 11. Roger Devittori (E 2/1 Master) 6.27 12. Xavier Pache (E 2/1 U-23) 6.36 13. Patrick Fleury (E 2/2 U-23) 6.40 14. David Ruckstuhl (E 2/3 U-23) 6.40 15. Pirmin Adler (E 2/4 U-23) 6.59 16. Lukas Zumsteg (Ericsson-Villiger) 7.24 17. Hanskurt Brand (Continentale) 7.31 18. Cédric Fragnière (Elite 2) 7.41 19. Milovan Stanic (E 2/5 U-23) 7.57 20. Daniel Aeschlimann (Ericsson-Villiger) 7.59 21. Marc Müller (E 2/6 U-23) 8.03 22. Remo Amsler (E 2/7 U-23) 8.28 23. Roland Gander (Elite 2) 8.48 24. Bertrand Bourguet (E 2/8 U- 23) 8.50 25. Michael Lingua (Elite 2) 8.59 26. Daniel Strassmann (E 2/9 U-23) 9.07 27. Marco Roth (E 2/10 U-23) 9.12 28. Markus Schraner (E 2/11 U-23) 9.38 29. Pascal Feierabend (E 2/12 U-23) 9.54 30. Robert Steffen (Elite 2) 10.32 * His 1st Pro-Race
Mass Start, St. Niklausen-Melchsee-Frutt, 15.5 kms:
1. Richner 44.12 2. Paradis 0.46 3. Schnider 1.38 4. Jenni 1.43 5. Heule 2.04 6. Von Flüe 2.07 7. Binkert 2.45 8. Cattin 2.54 9. Fleury 1.55 10. Staub 2.59
Time Trial, Stöckalp-Melchsee-Frutt, 6.6 kms:
1. Richner 25.56 2. Paradis 1.04 3. Schnider 1.18 4. Jenni 2.07 5. Heule 2.04 6. Von Flüe 2.07 7. Binkert 2.45 8. Cattin 2.54 9. Fleury 2.55 10. Staub 2.59
Dutch Track Championships, Alkmaar: Men's 4000m Pursuit: 1. Zuijderwijk 4.48,34 2. Van Schalen 4.53,10 3. Slippens 4.47,46 4. Mouris 4.51,82 Men's Points Score: 1. Zuijderwijk 11 2. Den Braber 43 (+2) 3. Van Bon 30 (+2) 4. Van der Wolf 26 (+2) 5. Pels 17 (+2) Netherlands, GP Boekel: Prologue, 4.7 kms: 1. Leontien Van Moorsel (Rotterdam) 6.13.05 2. Edith Klep (Wageningen) 6.32.80 3. Yvonne Brunen (Swifterbant) 6.33.40 Stage 1, 70 kms: 1. Leontien Van Moorsel (Rotterdam) 1.41.10 2. Debby Mansveld (Gasselternijveen) 3. Mirella van Melis (Breda) s.t. Stage 2, 112 kms: 1. Leontien Van Moorsel (Rotterdam) 2.57.48 2. Mirella van Melis (Breda) 3. Yvonne Brunen (Swifterbant) s.t. Final Standings: 1. Leontien Van Moorsel (Rotterdam) 4.37.42 2. Yvonne Brunen (Swifterbant) 0.33 3. Debby Mansveld (Gasselternijveen) 0.36
Now Before 1 ( 1) Laurent Jalabert 2,825 2 (12) Lance Armstrong 2,321 3 ( 2) Michele Bartoli 2,249 4 ( 6) Abraham Olano 1,982 5 ( 4) Davide Rebellin 1,834 6 ( 3) Michael Boogerd 1,636 7 ( 8) Oscar Camenzind 1,621 8 (14) Fernando Escartin 1,553 9 ( 7) Frank Vandenbroucke 1,548 10 (13) Wladimir Belli 1,416 11 (27) Jann Kirsipuu 1,404 12 ( 9) Andrea Tafi 1,331 13 (10) Roberto Hernandez Heras 1,300 14 (11) Peter Van Petegem 1,285 15 (17) José Maria Jimenez Sastre 1,167
Emery, who had finished 10th and fifth at the past two World Road Cycling Championships in the individual time trial, posted a winning time of 37:39.840 over the 17.4-mile race course. The victory also enabled Emery, who began cycling at age 27, to add another spot for the United States at the 1999 World Road Cycling Championships (Oct. 4-10 in Treviso and Verona, Italy), as well as earning herself a spot on that squad.
"This was an automatic qualifier for the worlds, and I have been concentrating on this event following a disappointing national championships (second place), " said Emery, 35. "I hate starting in the first position, but with a two-minute interval there were no doubts in my mind that I could contend. I have been concentrating on the time trial, and I am ecstatic about winning this event. This is one of the highlights of my career."
Emery began riding at the age of 27 after realizing that riding her three-speed bicycle back and forth to work in New York City was the best part of her day.
" I started riding with the New York Bicycle Club and here I am. I won the national time trial championship in 1997 and I continue to develop as a cyclist. My biggest breakthrough was the day I realized that I am an athlete. It gave me a great deal of confidence and I am looking forward to the World Championships.
"Lance Armstrong was very inspirational to all of our team, and it will be a boom for the sport of cycling in this country. It is amazing to realize what a comeback Lance has made in life, let alone winning the Tour de France. This is a very special day for the sport of cycling in this country."
Emery returns to action on August 4 in the women's road race. However, she will compete in the Tour de' Toona later this week in Altoona, Pa.
Mari Holden of Colorado Springs captured the bronze medal in her Pan Am debut. Holden finished 55.23 seconds behind Emery, while Canada's Lyne Bessette earned the silver medal with a time of 37:59.760.
"It was hard to day to race due to the wind, but I am very happy to win a medal in my first Pan Am Games," said Holden, the two-time defending national time trial champion. "It was a difficult course, and the winds affected everyone. I am really excited for Elizabeth. She has become an outstanding time trialist.
Holden next competes at the Tour de Feminine, the women's version of the Tour de France. The two-week race begins on August 7.
In the men's race, Canada's Eric Wohlberg captured the gold medal with a time of 1:07.30.91 over the 34.5-mile race. Levi Leipheimer of Windsor, Calif. finished with the silver medal (1:08:02.25), while Brazil's Marcio May earned the bronze (1:09:38.90). The other U.S. cyclist, Dylan Casey of Mountain View, Calif., finished fourth, one minute and seven seconds behind May in the battle for the bronze medal. Casey is a teammate of Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong as members of the U.S. Postal Service team.
"Eric did not surprise me, because he is an outstanding cyclist and racing in his home country was a bonus," said Leipheimer, who won his first-ever national time trial last month in Cincinnati. "This is has been a great opportunity for me to show my talents, and I wish I could have won but I am very excited to win the silver medal.
"Watching Lance has been inspirational. He is one of the greatest athletes ever. He has been so tough, and never said die literally. He has given off a positive energy that you can feel here in Canada. I could see it in Dylan's eyes. The U.S. Postal Service team will benefit. American cycling will benefit. This is the rebirth that the sport of cycling in the United States needed, and I am very excited about the future of this sport."
"I was a little concerned about the power in my legs after taking off the first week of July and then coming back," said Casey. "My goal was to place among the top five in this event, so I am pleased with my finish. It was a tough course, and I could feel myself losing some power in the second lap of the race. My primary purpose at the Pan American Games is to qualify in the individual pursuit (track cycling event) for the World Championships.
"This was my first season in Europe and I have gained a great deal of experience from the U.S. Postal Team. It was a big adjustment with the different level of cycling, style of racing and the change in lifestyle. I have learned to make some adjustments that will make me a better cyclist. Riding with Lance and the rest of the U.S. Postal Service team will make me a better cyclist this year and in following years.
"Winning the Tour is so incredible for Lance, for the team and for the sport of cycling in general. It has brought attention to a great individual in Lance Armstrong and allowed cycling to receive the attention it deserves.
"Lance's performance at the Tour provided the world with the drama and romance that is so prevalent in the sport. USA Cycling is on a roll and the Americans are coming to the front of the sport and showing that we are a force in the world of cycling. With Lance's victory, we have gained a tremendous amount of world respect and attention.
"Lance and my teammates compare him winning the Tour de France on an American team to a French football team winning the Super Bowl. This is an incredible accomplishment for both Lance and the U.S. Postal Service, the first U.S. team to have a winner in the Tour. It is hard to fathom this victory. It just proves that you can accomplish anything when you set your mind to it. I am honored to be part of this historic moment and proud to be an American.
Casey competes in the track cycling competition Wednesday, and then ventures back to Europe to compete in the Tour of Spain in late August.
Women's Individual Time Trial: 1. Elizabeth Emery (USA) 37.39.840 2. Lyne Bessette (Can) 37.59.760 3. Mari Holden (USA) 38.35.070 4. Clara Hughes (Can) 39.22.270 5. M. Kaila Vergara (ElS) 40.06.410 Men's Individual Time Trial: 1. Eric Wohlberg (Can) 1.07.30.91 2. Levi Leipheimer (USA) 1.08.02.25 3. Marcio May (Bra) 1.09.38.90 4. Dylan Casey (USA) 1.10.45.90 5. Victor Pena Grisales (Col) 1.11.23.32Thanks to Rich Wanninger, USCF