Dauphine Libere - France

Stage 3 to Finish

  • Prologue to Stage 2

  • Stage 3

  • Stage 4

  • Stage 5

  • Stage 6

  • Stage 7 and Final GC

    • Stage 3, Saint-Maurice-de-Lignon--Tournon-sur-Rhone, July 5

     1. Gilles Bouvard (Fr, Collstrop) 		179km in 4.11.26
 2. Christian Henn (Ger, Telekom)
 3. Mariano Rojas (Sp, ONCE)   				both s.t. 
 4. Max Van Heeswijk (Neth, Motorola)   		+0.32 secs
 5. Frederic Moncassin (Fr, GAN)
 6. Jean-Claude Colotti (Fr, Agrigel-La Creuse-Fenioux)
 7. Laurent Brochard (Fr, Festina)
 8. Kaspars Ozers (Lat, Motorola)
 9. Emmanuel Magnien (Fr, Festina)
10. Claude Lamour (Fr, La Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne)   all s.t.

    Overall

     1. Arturas Kasputis (Lith, Petit-Casino-C'est votre equipe)  14.34.48
 2. Gilles Bouvard (Fr, Collstrop)         			+ 3.22
 3. Chris Boardman (GB, GAN)              			+ 3.30
 4. Mariano Rojas (Sp, ONCE                			+ 3.33
 5. Laurent Brochard (Fr, Festina)         			+ 3.41
 6. Miguel Indurain (Sp, Banesto)          			 s.t.
 7. Tony Rominger (Swi, Mapei)         				+ 3.43
 8. Christian Henn (Ger, Telekom)          			+ 3.44
 9. Melchor Mauri (Sp, ONCE)              			+ 3.47
10. Jean Claude Colotti (Fr, Agrigel-La Creuse-Fenioux)   	+ 3.48

    Stage 3 Report

    Gilles Bouvard (Fr, Collstrop) won today's third stage of the Dauphine Libere over 179km which included the 3rd cat Col du Rouvet (km49) and the 2nd cat cote du Pin (km122). Bouvard outsprinted Germany's Christian Henn (Telekom) and Spain's Mariano Rojas (ONCE). Max Van Heeswijk (Neth, Motorola) led in the peloton for fourth place at 32 secs. Arturas Kasputis (Lith, Petit Casino) retains the overall lead, but Bouvard takes over second place from Chris Boardman (GB, GAN) 3.22 behind Kasputis. Boardman is third at 3.30. Further back, Miguel Indurain (Sp, Banesto) is sixth at 3.41. Tomorrow's stage 4 ratchets up the challenge to the riders, with a 173km stage from Tain l'Hermitage finishing at the top of the hors categorie Mont Ventoux (1,909m) . At 49km, after the first climb of the day with climber's points (the 3rd cat col de Rouvey), Tony Rominger (Mapei-GB) led away four other riders: Laurent Jalabert, Inigo Cuesta and Neil Stephens (ONCE) and Chris Boardman (GAN). The break held steady at a few seconds for a while and then built to about a minute on the long descent into the Rhone valley. Cooperation didn't last long -- Jalabert took a long turn at the front and found himself clear of the rest of the break with only team-mate Stephens with him. Banesto recognised the danger of this classy break and Indurain put three team-mates at the front of the peloton to lead the chase. Jalabert and Stephens' lead never got above a minute and everything came together after the ONCEs had been away for 53km. Cedric Vasseur (GAN) and Aitor Garmendia (ONCE) then made a break (km109) which reached 1.40, falling to 42secs at the summit of the cote du Pin (km122). They were caught at km140, 40km from the finish. With 30km to go, Christian Henn (Telekom) got clear and was joined by Matiano Rojas (ONCE) and Gilles Bouvard (Collstrop) 6km from the finish. Bouvard took the sprint, 32 secs clear of the peloton.

    Stage 4, June 6

    Richard Virenque (Fr, Festina) won the fourth stage of the Dauphine Libere, 173km from Tain l'Hermitage to the summit of Mont Ventoux.

    Stage 4, Tain l'Hermitage - Mont Ventoux 173 km:

     1. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina     		5.00.39 (34,525 km/h)
 2. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) Once           			 s.t.
 3. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Festina      			+ 1.01
 4. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto       			+ 1.07
 5. Stephane Heulot (Fra) Gan         			  	+ 1.21
 6. Laurent Dufaux (Sch) Festina        			+ 1.31
 7. Tony Rominger (Sch) Mapei-GB        			+ 2.16
 8. Armand De Las Cuevas (Fr, Petit-Casino-C'est votre equipe)  + 2.23
 9. Udo Bolts (Ger, Telekom)   					+ 2.38
10. Gilles Bouvard (Fr, Collstrop)    				+ 2.51
11. Laurent Madoaus (Fr, Motorola)  				+ 2.59
also
15. Chris Boardman (GB, GAN)  					+ 4.31

    Overall:

     1. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) Once       19.39.22
 2. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina      + 0.10
 3. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Festina      + 0.47
 4. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto       + 0.53
 5. Stephane Heulot (Fra) Gan           + 1.22
 6. Laurent Dufaux (Sch) Festina        + 1.33
 7. Tony Rominger (Sch) Mapei-GB        + 2.04.
 8. Bouvard      			+ 2.18
 9. Mariano Rojas (Sp, ONCE)     	+ 2:43
10. Laurent Madouas (Fr, Motorola)    	+ 2.52

also 14. Chris Boardman (GB, GAN)   	+ 4.06

    Stage 4 Report

    After 45km, a break of four got away: Laurent Genty and Gilles Talmant (Aubervilliers), Bruno Thibout (Motorola) and Kai Hundertmark (Telekom) and had built a lead of 5 minutes by Bedoin (approx km150) on the lower slopes of Mont Ventoux. They were pulled back when Richard Virenque (Festina) attacked in the first steep bends followed by Stephane Heulot (GAN), just as Chris Boardman (GAN) and Tony Rominger (Mapei-GB) began to lose touch. Boardman had told Heulot earlier that he wasn't feeling too well, and that he, Heulot, should take his chance. Laurent Jalabert came back on Virenque and Heulot with 13km of the 16km climb still to go. By 10km to the finish, the chase group of Miguel Indurain (Banesto), Laurent Brochard (Festina), Armand De Las Cuevas (Petit Casino), Laurent Madouas (Motorola), Lauren tDufaux (Festina) and Udo Bolts (Telekom) was 30 seconds down.

    At Chalet-Reynard, 6km from the summit, Jlabaert and Virenque had 15 seconds on Dufaux, who had joined Heulot, going backwards a bit, and 30 seconds on the Indurain group. The gap between Virenque-Jalabert and Indurain then grew to a minute with Indurain only accompanied by De Las Cuevas, Broachard and Dufaux. With 3km to go De Las Cuevas tried to break clear but was countered in the last kilometre by Brochard. Jalabert tried a last attack, but it was Virenque's that paid off.

    Stage 5, 42 ITT, Gigondas-Beaumes-de-Venise

    Miguel Indurain (Sp, Banesto) won the Stage 5 42km time trial from Gigondas to Beaumes-de-Venise, with a 51kph ride that took him 28 seconds ahead of second-placed Tony Rominger (Swi, Mapei-GB). Indurain pulled back 50 seconds on overall leader Laurent Jalabert (Fr, ONCE) who goes into tomorrow's hard stage with 3 seconds lead on second-placed Indurain. The penultimate stage tomorrow includes the cat 1 col d'Allos (2240m), the cat 1 col de Vars (2109m) and the hors categorie col d'Izoard (2360m).

    Results - Gigindas--Beaumes-de-Venise time trial, June 7

     1. Miguel Indurain (Sp, Banesto)  	      42.1km in 49.31
 2. Tony Rominger (Swi, Mapei-GB)       		+0.28 secs
 3. Chris Boardman (GB, GAN)          			+0.40
 4. Laurent Jalabert (Fr, ONCE)           		+0.50
 5. Laurent Brochard (Fr, Festina)        		+1.49
 6. Bjarne Riis (Den, Telekom)             		+1.53
 7. Mariano Rojas (Sp, ONCE)             		+1.58
 8. Francisque Teyssier (Fr, Aubervilliers 93-Peugeot)  +2.19
 9. Melchor Mauri (Sp, ONCE)            		+2.24
10. Christophe Moreau (Fr, Festina)     		+2.27

    Overall

     1. Jalabert       				        20.29.43
 2. Indurain         					   +0.03 secs
 3. Rominger      					   +1.42
 4. Brochard        					   +1.46
 5. Richard Virenque (Fr, Festina)    		           +1.58
 6. Stephane Heulot (Fr, GAN))        		           +3.13
 7. Rojas                             			   +3.51
 8. Boardman                      			   +3.56
 9. Laurent Dufaux (Swi, Festina)      			   +4.42
10. Armand De Las Cuevas (Fr, Petit Casino-C'est v'equipe) +5.21

    Stage 6, Digne--Briancon, June 8

    Miguel Indurain (Sp, Banesto) won the 214km Stage 6 of the Dauphine Libere, leaving Laurent Jalabert (Fr, ONCE) trailing 2 minutes behind on overall classification. Second in the mountain stage was Laurent Madouas (Fr, Motorola) with Richard Virenque (Fr, Festina) third and Tony Rominger (Swi, Mapei-GB) fourth. Tomorrow's 7th and final stage is another climber's special, 174km from Briancon to Grenoble, taking in the 2nd cat col du Lauteret (2058m), the 1st cat col du Coq (1434m), the 2nd cat col de Porte (1386m), with a summit finish at the Fort de la Bastille at Grenoble. This last climb is apparently no mean one -- in 1977 one Bernard Hinault had to briefly "put his foot to the ground" going up it because of the steepness...

    Stage 6, Digne-les-Bains - Briancon 214 km:

     1. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto              5.59.37
 2. Laurent Madouas (Fra) Motorola                s.t.
 3. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina              + 0.05
 4. Tony Rominger (Sch) Mapei-GB                + 0.14
 5. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Artiach       + 0.17
 6. Luc Leblanc (Fra) Team Polti                + 0.24
 7. Chris Boardman (Eng) Gan                    + 1.47
 8. Stephane Heulot (Fra) Gan                     s.t.
 9. Pascal Chanteur (Fra) Petit-Casino            s.t.
10. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) Once                   s.t
11. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Gan                    + 2.11
12. Gilles Bouvard (Fra) Collstrop              + 3.58
13. Federico Echave (Spa) Mapei-GB              + 4.10
14. Christian Henn (Ger) Telekom                + 4.15
15. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Festina              + 4.18
16. Udo Bolts (Ger) Telekom                     + 4.22
17. Benoit Salmon (Fra) Collstrop               + 4.35
18. Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) Once                + 4.49
19. Thierry Laurent (Fra) Agrigel               + 5.17
20. Laurent Dufaux (Sch) Festina                + 5.22
.....
26. Bjarne Riis (Denmark)   Telekom   +10.22
........
65. Armand De Las Cuevas (France) Petit Casino-C'est +28.11
.....
72. Melchor Mauri (Spain) ONCE   +28.30
......
82. Nico Mattan (Belgium) Lotto  +43.24

    Overall

     1. Indurain  26.29.23
 2. Jalabert         +1.44
 3. Rominger      +1:53
 4. Virenque       +2:00
 5. Heulot           +4:57
 6. Boardman     +5:40
 7. Brochard       +6:01
 8. Madouas       +6:43
 9. Escartin         +7:20
10. Laurent Dufaux (Switzerland)   +10:01
also
16. Leblanc  +14.22
.....
23. Riis +23.18
........
33. De Las Cuevas   +33.29

    Stage 6 Report

    Just 2km from the start a break of five got away -- Federico Echave (Mapei-GB), Cyril Saugrain (Aubervilliers), Jean-Luc Masdupuy (Agrigel), Sebastian Medan (Collstrop) and Christian Henn (Telekom). Echave was the last of these to be caught, on the way up the third and last big climb, the Izoard (around km170). Echave was caught first by Laurent Madouas (Motorola) who counter-attacked on his own. Behind, Miguel Indurain (Banesto) lunched an attack 7km from the summit that only Luc Leblanc (Team Polti), Richard Virenque (Festina), Laurent Jalabert (ONCE) and Fernando Escartin (Kelme-Artiach) could live with.

    A couple of kilometres further on Jalabert lost contact and at the summit of the Izoard (20km to the finish) Indurain had 20 seconds on Leblanc and Escartin, 30 seconds on Madouas, 50 seconds on Rominger and Virenque and 2.10 on Jalabert, and Chris Boardman and Stephane Heulot (GAN). On the descent where a storm that had been threatening started chucking down rain, a cautious Indurain was dropped by Madouas and Virenque, but he got back up to them on the stiff climb of the Gargouille about a kilometre to the finish. Madouas attempted some attacks, but in vain, and Indurain took the stage.

    Stage 7, Briancon - Grenoble 174 km:

     1. Luc Leblanc (Fra) Team Polti               4.27.54
 2. Tony Rominger (Sch) Mapei-GB                  s.t.
 3. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Artiach         s.t.
 4. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina              + 0.04
 5. Stephane Heulot (Fra) Gan                   + 0.24
 6. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto               + 0.32
 7. Chris Boardman (Eng) Gan                    + 0.41
 8. Udo Bolts (Ger) Telekom                     + 0.46
 9. Gilles Bouvard (Fra) Collstrop              + 0.56
10. Benoit Salmon (Fra) Collstrop               + 1.30
11. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Festina              + 1.54
12. Laurent Dufaux (Sch) Festina                + 2.08
13. Pascal Chanteur (Fra) Petit-Casino          + 2.11
14. Laurent Madouas (Fra) Motorola              + 2.13
15. Mirko Gualdi (Ita) Team Polti               + 2.40
16. Federico Echave (Spa) Mapei-GB              + 2.59
17. Joaquim Castelblanco (Col) Kelme-Artiach    + 3.09
18. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Gan                    + 3.12
19. Francisque Teyssier (Fra) Aubervilliers     + 3.34
20. Aitor Garmendia (Spa) Once                  + 3.44

(Abandon Laurent Jalabert)

    Stage 7 Report

    Laurent Jalabert abandoned either on or after the 1st cat col du Coq (as did Bjarne Riis) after being dropped when Miguel Indurain attacked,

    Final overall

     1. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto             30.57.49
 2. Tony Rominger (Sch) Mapei-GB                + 1.21
 3. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina              + 1.32
 4. Stephane Heulot (Fra) Gan                   + 4.49
 5. Chris Boardman (Eng) Gan                    + 5.49
 6. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Artiach       + 6.48
 7. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Festina              + 7.23
 8. Laurent Madouas (Fra) Motorola              + 8.24
 9. Udo Bolts (Ger) Telekom                     +10.19
10. Laurent Dufaux (Sch) Festina                +11.37
11. Gilles Bouvard (Fra) Collstrop              +11.57
12. Luc Leblanc (Fra) Team Polti                +13.50
13. Pascal Chanteur (Fra) Petit-Casino          +14.04
14. Federico Echave (Spa) Mapei-GB              +15.25
15. Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) Once                +15.44
16. Benoit Salmon (Fra) Collstrop               +16.15
17. Francisque Teyssier (Fra) Aubervilliers     +20.27
18. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Gan                    +22.33
19. Santiago Blanco Gil (Spa) Banesto           +24.48
20. Christian Henn (Ger) Telekom                +27.44

    Stage 7 Report

    Some initial attacks, notably from Thierry Gouvenou (Aubervilliers) and Laurent Madouas (Motorola) having petered out, the race took fire when Miguel Indurain (Banesto) put the pressure on in the col du Coq (km120) drawing clear from the peloton, in this order, Richard Virenque (Festina), Indurain himself, Tony Rominger (Mapei-GB), Stephane Heulot (GAN), Fernando Escartin (Kelme), Udo Bolts (Telekom) and Luc Leblanc (Polti).

    Decisively dropped with 8km to the summit, Jalabert abandoned 2.5km from the top (just after Bjarne Riis had done the same) by when he was 3.50 down on the Indurain group. On the col de Porte Virenque went in front of Indurain to assure himself of the climber's jersey. On the descent Indurain punctured without any serious consequence.

    In the sharp climb up to the Bastille in Grenoble, Leblanc escaped 1,500m from the line to take the stage. Going up tot the podium, Indurain took second-placed Rominger by the shoulder. "The old guys aren't dead yet, eh?" he said. I presume this was said in Spanish. In French it was rendered as <>.