87th Tour de France - Grand TourFrance, July 1 - 23, 2000Main page Course profile/start schedule Complete live reportStage 19 - July 21: Fribourg-En-Brisgau - Mulhouse, 58.5 kmStart time: 11:20 Welcome to stage 19 of the Tour de France, the final 58.5 km time trial starting from Fribourg, Germany and crossing the French border to finish in Mulhouse. The starting schedule is available by clicking on the link above, and most of the top riders will roll off at 15:30 - 16:00 CET as is usual. We'll keep you posted in the meantime. Many people, including Jean Ydes Donor, a top French cycling commentator and journalist are tipping Jan Ullrich to win on his home territory - some have even given him as much as a minute over Lance Armstrong. However, Lance will surely not go down without a fight and this time trial could be one of the most exciting in several years. In the village depart in the 'Statgarten' in downtown Fribourg, it's a beautiful day and everyone is happy. Germany has come out in full force to support the Tour de France, and all the riders (save for perhaps 10) are pretty relaxed. Tomorrow in the village there'll be a few grumbles though as the riders face the longest stage of the Tour, just one day out from Paris. 11:50 CET There are now 15 riders on the road, and the first two (Olivier Perraudeau and Damien Nazon) have gone through the first time check at Hartheim (km 20.5) in 27:18 and 26:03 respectively. Riders also out on the course include Tristan Hoffman (MCJ&J) and Robbie McEwen (Farm Frites), as well as big Swede Magnus Backstedt. The latter informed us yesterday that he'd had a bad knee for a lot of the Tour, and is really praying for Paris to come. Good luck Magnus! 12:10 CET There are now 25 riders on the road, and some more splits are coming through from Hartheim at the 20.5 km mark. At the moment, Farm Frites' Geert Van Bondt leads the way with a 25.15, two seconds in front of Serge Baguet. His average is 48.7 km/h. Splits - Hartheim (20.5 km) 1 Geert Van Bondt (Bel) Farm Frites 25.15 2 Serge Baguet (Bel) Lotto-Adecco 25.17 3 Franck Bouyer (Fra) Bonjour 25.43 4 Damien Nazon (Fra) Bonjour 26.03 5 Francisco Leon (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 26.08 6 Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) Team Polti 26.21 7 Olivier Perraudeau (Fra) Bonjour 27.18 12:31 CET The first few riders have passed through the second time check at Ottmarsheim (km 44), with Magnus Backstedt (CA) clocking the fastest at 52.53 (49.92 km/h). It should be a fast day today with 25 km/h tailwinds pushing the riders to Mulhouse. 13:09 CET The quickest rider so far is Farm Frites' Servais Knaven in 1.10.34 averaging 49.74 km/h for the 58.5 km course. He's just in front of Magnus Backstedt, who posted a 1.10.58. 13:31 CET Servais Knaven still holds the fastest time at 1.10.34, with 64 riders out on the course now. Winner of the prologue, David Millar (Cofidis) is about to start at 13:30. Czech rider, Pavel Padrnos (Saeco) has gone past the 20.5 km in 24:35, just 4 seconds slower than Knaven's time 13:46 CET Some slight changes in the leadboard now, as more riders come in. Lotto's Thierry Marichal has moved into third, but out on the course the news is that Fred Rodriguez has the second best time at Rixheim - km 52.5, and Gilles Maignan (Ag2r) has posted a faster time than Knaven at km 44 (52:19). 14:06 CET Ag2r's Gilles Maignan has come in with the quickest time, at 1.09.54 to break 50 km/h. He leads Knaven and Fred Rodriguez, who posted an excellent 1.10.44. There's still an hour and a half before the big guns start, but Britain's Dave Millar is out on the course now, and we should have his first split soon. 14:24 CET Erik Dekker, winner of three stages so far in the Tour this year has just posted the fastest time at Hartsheim (20.5 km). He clocked 24:13, two seconds faster than current leader Gilles Maginan at that point. Also riding well is US Postal's Cedric Vasseur, who is a little off Maignan's pace at the moment. 14:28 CET Make that David Millar, whose time has just come in for 20.5 kilometres (23.35) and 44.0 km (51.22). He is set to break Maignan's time for sure. 14:40 CET As David Millar nears the finish, looking to set the best time of the day, ONCE's Laurent Jalabert (remember him?) has gone through the 20.5 kilometre point in 23'49, 14 seconds slower than Millar. Rabobank's Marc Wauters also set a good time at that point, with 24'11. At Rixheim (km 52.5), Millar is 55 seconds in front of Maignan's time, clocking 1.02.52. 14:54 CET True to form, Cofidis' David Millar crosses with the fastest time to date, 57 seconds ahead of Ag2r's Gilles Maignan. Millar averaged nearly 51 km/h, and it may be some time before someone betters that. ONCE's Abraham Olano is out on the course now, but his teammate, Laurent Jalabert just finishes with a 1.08.48, 9 seconds faster than Millar. 15:02 CET The latest time checks: Abraham Olano is second fastest at 20.5 km, in 23'41. This is 6 seconds slower than Millar's time, but 8 seconds fast than current leader Jalabert. Erik Dekker has nearly finished, and is currently running 5th or 6th. 15:12 CET We're into the final hour now, and the riders are starting at 3 minute intervals. Jimenez has gone, and Boogerd just rolled off the start ramp. Only 17 riders left before all are out of the gate. Erik Dekker comes in at 1.10.49, good enough for 6th place. Olano has now passed 44 kilometres, and is 17 seconds behind teammate Laurent Jalabert at that point (who was in turn, 5 seconds behind Millar). 15:17 CET Tyler Hamilton, who started at 14:44 has set the best time at the 20.5 kilometre mark: 23'19, which was 16 seconds better than Millar at that point and 30 seconds faster than JaJa. Breaking the wind for Armstrong perhaps? Bobby Julich arrives in a creditable 1'11'36, good enough for 9th spot. 15:33 CET Marco Velo (Mercatone Uno) comes in with a 1:09:29, as Pascal Herve, Daniele Nardello and Manuel Beltran all exit the start gate. Next off at 15:36 is Francesco Mancebo (Banesto), followed by Escartin. Abraham Olano is still lying fourth after the last time check at 52.5 km. He is 39 seconds behind Jalabert at this point. 15:37 CET Tyler Hamilton is still the fastest so far: at 44 kilometres, he clocked 50:45, which was 37 seconds better than Millar at that point. 15:48 CET Abraham Olano comes into fourth place, with a 1'09'37. His teammate, David Caņada finishes just behind, in 6th. ONCE are looking good at the moment with 3 of the top 10, but the big hitters are still to come. Christophe Moreau has just started, and he will be chasing Santi Botero and Fernando Escartin. If he rides well today, he may end up in the top 4 again. 16:07 CET Tyler Hamilton sets the new standard at 1'08'02, 46 seconds faster than Laurent Jalabert, an average of 51.592 km/h. All riders are now out. The final four: Richard Virenque, Joseba Beloki, Jan Ullrich and Lance Armstrong. A huge roar goes up from the parochial crowd as world time trial champ, Jan Ullrich sets off. This will be a battle of the giants. 16:16 CET There is nothing given in the first 11 kilometres between Armstrong and Ullrich, as they are equal on time. At 20.5 kilometres, Richard Virenque goes through in 18th, 1'10 seconds behind Christophe Moreau, who has now the fastest at that point. His fifth place is looking very shaky. 16:22 CET Jan Ullrich has gone through the 20.5 kilometre point in 22'19, that's a whole minute faster than Hamilton! 16:27 CET Armstrong is flying though, and he goes through 5 seconds faster than the German. Others: Moreau at 47 seconds, Hamilton at 1'05 and Botero at 1'16. 16:33 CET The World Champion, Jan Ullrich is behind Armstrong now by 10 seconds after 27 kilometres. Armstrong is riding in a completely yellow outfit, with a rear disc and a deep-dish front wheel. Guido Trentin has posted a 1'09'17 to finish 4th to date. 16:38 CET Daniele Nardello looks to be heading for a fast time, as does Santi Botero. After 44 kilometres, Nardello was 36 seconds off the pace of Hamilton, and Botero 32. But Christophe Moreau is absolutely flying! His 44 km split was 50'03, 42 seconds better than Hamilton. Jan Ullrich is continuing to lose ground on Lance Armstrong - the latest gap was 14 seconds. 16:41 CET Joseba Beloki's third place looks to be in danger, as he was 1 minute behind Moreau after 20.5 kilometres, and 1'47 down on Armstrong. Even Roberto Heras and Fernando Escartin were in front of him at that point. Nardello finishes in 1'08'58 for fourth place so far. 16:48 CET At kilometre 38, it looks as though Jan Ullrich is defeated. Lance is up by 55 seconds and gaining... Meanwhile, Roberto Heras came through at 44 km nearly 2 minutes behind Moreau; Virenque was even further off at 2'48. Now, Moreau just has to depose his teammate Beloki for a podium spot. The Spaniard is fighting back though, and is only 1'16 behind Moreau (he can lose 1'44). 16:52 CET Ullrich is fighting back now! At 44 km, the splits are as follows: 1. Armstrong 48'23 2. Ullrich at 0'25 3. Moreau at 1'40 4. Hamilton at 2'22 5. Botero at 2'54. Armstrong's average is 54.56 km/h at this point! Possibly going for the record fastest in a time trial? 16:58 CET Christophe Moreau comes through with the fastest finishing time so far: 1'07'12 (52.219 km/h). At 10 km to go, Lance still leads Ullrich by 27 seconds. 17:04 CET Ullrich catches Beloki at the finish for a 1'05'26, three minutes in front of the Spaniard. However, Beloki manages to hold onto his 3rd GC place. Lance is coming up now, and is in the final straight, 1'05'01.18 - he gets it. Final standings: 1 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service 1.05.01 (53.98 km/h) 2 Jan Ullrich (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 0.25 3 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Festina 2.12 4 Tyler Hamilton (USA) US Postal Service 3.01 5 Joseba Beloki (Spa) Festina 3.26 6 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) O.N.C.E.-Deutsche Bank 3.47 7 David Millar (GBr) Cofidis 3.56 8 Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 3.57 9 Santiago Botero (Col) Kelme-Costa Blanca 3.59 10 Guido Trentin (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Sidermec 4.16 General classification after stage 19: 1 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service 83.06.19 2 Jan Ullrich (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 6.02 3 Joseba Beloki (Spa) Festina 10.04 4 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Festina 10.34 5 Roberto Heras (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 11.50 6 Richard Virenque (Fra) Team Polti 13.26 7 Santiago Botero (Col) Kelme-Costa Blanca 14.18 8 Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 17.21 9 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Banesto 18.09 10 Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 18.25 |