Prologue - 7.3 kms

Full Results

01 Jacky Durand (Fra, Castorama 142) 00:09:00 02 Thierry Laurent (Fra, Castorama 143) +2 03 Francis Moreau (Fra, GAN 87) +3 04 Laurent Brochard (Fra, Festina 53) +4 05 Arsenio Gonzalez (Spa, Mapei-GB 45) +4 06 Rolf Aldag (Ger, Telekom/ZG 201) +5 07 Frankie Andreu (US, Motorola 112) +5 08 Gabriele Colombo (Ita, Gewiss 15) +8 09 Steve Swart (NZ, Motorola 118) +8 10 Bruno Thibout (Fra, Castorama 149) +9 11 Yvon Ledanois (Fra, GAN 85) +13 12 Vicente Aparicio (Spa, Banesto 03) +13 13 Mariano Rojas (Spa, ONCE 67) +15 14 Pascal Lance (Fra, GAN 84) +16 15 Neil Stephens (Aus, ONCE 68) +16 16 Bruno Boscardin (Fra, Festina 52) +18 17 Javier Mauleon (Spa, Mapei-GB 46) +18 18 Giovanni Fidanza (Ita, Polti 95) +18 19 Thierry Marie (Fra, Castorama 146) +19 20 Eddy Bouwmans (Neth, Novell 162) +21 21 Ivan Gotti (Ita, Gewiss 17) +21 22 Arturas Kasputis (Lit, Chazal 187) +21 23 Melchor Mauri (Spa, ONCE 65) +22 24 Marco Milesi (Ita, Brescialat 197) +23 25 Christophe Mengin (Fra, Chazal 189) +23 26 Alex Zulle (Swi, ONCE 69) +23 27 Andrea Ferrigato (Ita, Telekom/ZG 204) +24 28 Laurent Jalabert (Fra, ONCE 61) +25 29 Antonio Politano (Ita, Mercatone/UNO 179) +26 30 Tony Rominger (Swi, Mapei-GB 41) +26 31 Sergei Outschakov (Rus, Polti 97) +28 32 Rossano Brasi (Ita, Polti 94) +29 33 Johan Bruyneel (Bel, ONCE 63) +29 34 Erik Breukink (Neth, ONCE 62) +30 35 Miguel Indurain (Spa, Banesto 01) +31 36 Giuseppe Citterio (Ita, Aki, 33) +31 37 Jose Ramon Uriarte (Spa, Banesto 09) +31 38 Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus, Novell 164) +32 39 Alessandro Bertolini (Ita, Carrera 23) +32 40 Federico Munoz (Col, Kelme 108) +32 41 Laurent Madouas (Fra, Castorama 144) +32 42 Alessio Galletti (Ita, Lampre 74) +33 43 Marc Sergeant (Bel, Lotto 138) +33 44 Davide Perona (Ita, Lampre 76) +33 45 Lance Armstrong (US, Motorola 113) +33 46 Dirk Baldinger (Ger, Polti 92) +33 47 Leonardo Sierra (Ven, Carrera 27) +34 48 Massimo Donati (Ita, Mercatone/UNO 172) +34 49 Udo Bolts (Ger, Telekom/ZG 202) +34 50 Davide Cassani (Ita, MG-Technogym 153) +34 51 Wilfried Peeters (Bel, Mapei-GB 48) +34 52 Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra, Festina 59) +35 53 Julio Cesar Aguirre (Col, Kelme 102) +35 54 Armand De Las Cuevas (Fra, Castorama 141) +36 55 Jim Van de Laer (Bel, TVM 128) +36 56 Eddy Seigneur (Fra, GAN 89) +36 57 Rosario Fina (Ita, Mercatone/UNO 174) +36 58 Claudio Chiappucci (Ita, Carrera 24) +37 59 Lars Michaelsen (Den, Festina 58) +37 60 Gianluca Gorini (Ita, Aki 35) +37 61 Pavel Tonkov (Rus, Lampre 79) +37 62 Tristan Hoffman (Neth, TVM 124) +37 63 Andrea Peron (Ita, Motorola 117) +37 64 Fernando Escartin (Spa, Mapei-GB 44) +38 65 Marc Wauters (Bel, Novell 169) +38 66 Carlo Bomans (Bel, Mapei-GB 42) +39 67 Didier Rous (Fra, GAN 88) +39 68 Silvio Martinello (Ita, Mercatone/UNO 176) +39 69 Marcello Siboni (Ita, Carrera 26) +39 70 Pascal Herve (Fra, Festina 55) +40 71 Christophe Capelle (Fra, GAN 82) +41 72 Rudy Verdonck (Bel, Lotto 139) +41 73 Bjarne Riis (Den, Gewiss 18) +41 74 Franco Vona (Ita, MG-Technogym 159) +41 75 Laurent Dufaux (Fra, Festina 54) +41 76 Nicola Loda (Ita, MG-Technogym 156) +42 77 Alexander Gontchenkov (Ukr, Lampre 75) +42 78 Enrico Zaina (Ita, Carrera 28) +42 79 Leon Van Bon (Neth, Novell 168) +42 80 Steve Bauer (Can, Motorola 114) +43 81 Stefano Colage (Ita, Telekom/ZG 203) +43 82 Kaspar Ozers (Latvia, Motorola 116) +43 83 Wladimir Belli (Ita, Lampre 72) +43 84 Gilles Talmant (Fra, Castorama 148) +43 85 Francisco Cabello (Spa, Kelme 104) +43 86 Erik Dekker (Neth, Novell 163) +44 87 Giovanni Lombardi (Ita, Polti 96) +44 88 Jelle Nijdam (Neth, TVM 125) +44 89 Maurizio Fondriest (Ita, Lampre 71) +44 90 Zenon Jaskula (Pol, Aki 31) +44 91 Denis Zanette (Ita, Aki 39) +45 92 Herminio Diaz Zabala (Spa, ONCE 64) +45 93 Frans Maassen (Neth, Novell 165) +46 94 Francesco Frattini (Ita, Gewiss 16) +46 95 Mario Cipollini (Ita, Mercatone/UNO 171) +46 96 Fabio Baldato (Ita, MG-Technogym 152) +47 97 Bruno Cenghialta (Ita, Gewiss 14) +47 98 Andrea Tafi (Ita, Mapei-GB 49) +47 99 Bo Hamburger (Den, TVM 123) +48 100 Wilfried Nelissen (Bel, Lotto 137) +49 101 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est, Chazal 188) +49 102 Jean-Francois Bernard (Fra, Chazal 181) +49 103 Sean Yates(GB, Motorola 119) +49 104 Luis Maria Diaz de Otazu (Spa, ONCE 66) +49 105 Marco Pantani (Ita, Carrera 21) +50 106 Beat Zberg (Swi, Carrera 29) +50 107 Mario Scirea (Ita, Polti 99) +51 108 Francois Simon (Fra, Castorama 147) +51 109 Roberto Petito (Ita, Mercatone/UNO 177) +51 110 Fabian Jeker (Swi, Festina 57) +51 111 Roberto Conti (Ita, Lampre 73) +52 112 Olaf Ludwig (Ger, Telekom/ZG 206) +52 113 Maximilian Sciandri (GB, MG-Technogym 157) +52 114 Alberto Elli (Ita, MG-Technogym 154) +53 115 Angel Yesid Camargo (Col, Kelme 105) +53 116 Erik Zabel (Ger, Telekom/ZG 209) +53 117 Hector Manuel Castano (Col, Kelme 106) +53 118 Gianluca Bortolami (Ita, Mapei-GB 43) +54 119 Jens Heppner (Ger, Telekom/ZG 205) +54 120 Rolf Jaermann (Swi, MG-Technogym 155) +54 121 Alvaro Mejia (Col, Motorola 111) +55 122 Frederic Moncassin (Fra, Novell 166) +55 123 Fausto Dotti (Ita, Brescialat 192) +55 124 Guido Bontempi (Ita, Gewiss 12) +55 125 Fabio Casartelli (Ita, Motorola 115) +56 126 Hernan Buenahora (Col, Kelme 103) +56 127 Mario Chiesa (Ita, Carrera 25) +56 128 Dario Bottaro (Ita, Gewiss 13) +56 129 Paolo Lanfranchi (Ita, Brescialat 194) +57 130 Mauro Radaelli (Ita, Brescialat 199) +58 131 Georg Totschnig (Austria, Polti 91) +58 132 Angel Edo (Spa, Kelme 107) +58 133 Andrei Tchmil (Mol, Lotto, 131) +58 134 Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita, Mercatone/UNO 173) +58 135 Vladimir Pulnikov (Ukr, Telekom/ZG 207) +58 136 Gianni Bugno (Ita, MG-Technogym 151) +59 137 Jeroen Blijlevens (Neth, TVM 122) +59 138 Marco Serpellini (Ita, 77) +59 139 Flavio Vanzella (Ita, MG-Technogym 158) +59 140 Jose Angel Vidal (Spa, Kelme 109) +1.00 141 Herman Frison (Bel, Lotto 135) +1.01 142 Jan Svorada (Slov, Lampre 78) +1.01 143 Richard Virenque (Fra, Festina 51) +1.02 144 Massimo Podenzana (Ita, Brescialat 191) +1.03 145 Stephen Hodge (Aus, Festina 56) +1.03 146 Mauro Bettin (Ita, Aki 32) +1.03 147 Gerard Rue (Fra, Banesto 08) +1.03 148 Eric Vandaerarden (Bel, Brescialat 193) +1.03 149 Djamolidin Abdujaparov (Uzbek, Novell 161) +1.04 150 Arvis Piziks (Lith, Novell 167) +1.05 151 Rene Foucachon (Fra, Aki 34) +1.05 152 Nelson Rodriguez (Col, Telekom/ZG 208) +1.05 153 Dimitri Konichev (Rus, Aki 36) +1.06 154 Peter Farazijn (Bel, Lotto 134) +1.06 155 Thomas Davy (Fra, Banesto 04) +1.06 156 Ramon Gonzalez-Arrieta (Spa, Banesto 06) +1.07 157 Evgeni Berzin (Rus, Gewiss 11) +1.07 158 Aitor Garmendia (Spa, Banesto 05) +1.07 159 Carmelo Miranda (Spa, Banesto 07) +1.07 160 Eros Poli (Ita, Mercatone/UNO 178) +1.08 161 Johan Museeuw (Bel, Mapei-GB 47) +1.09 162 Jesper Skibby (Den, TVM 127) +1.09 163 Sammie Moreels (Bel, Lotto 136) +1.10 164 Dante Rezze (Fra, Aki 37) +1.10 165 Maarten Den Bakker (Neth, TVM 121) +1.10 166 Francois Lemarchand (Fra, GAN 86) +1.10 167 Hendrik Redant (Bel, TVM 126) +1.11 168 Emmanuel Magnien (Fra, Castorama 145) +1.12 169 Gilles Bouvard (Fra, Chazal 184) +1.13 170 Gilberto Simoni (Ita, Aki 38) +1.14 171 Oscar Pellicioli (Ita, Polti 98) +1.14 172 Mario Manzoni (Ita, Brescialat 196) +1.15 173 Bart Voskamp (Neth, TVM 129) +1.16 174 Massimiliano Lelli (Ita, Mercatone/UNO 175) +1.16 175 Gilles Delion (Fra, Chazal 186) +1.17 176 Angelo Lecchi (Ita, Brescialat, 195) +1.18 177 Giancarlo Perini (Ita, Brescialat 198) +1.18 178 Eric Boyer (Fra, Polti 93) +1.20 179 Thierry Gouvenou (Fra, GAN 83) +1.21 180 Mario de Clercq (Bel, Lotto 132) +1.23 181 Bruno Cornillet (Fra, Chazal 185) +1.23 182 Alberto Volpi (Ita, Gewiss 19) +1.26 183 Peter de Clercq (Bel, Lotto 133) +1.31 184 Laudelino Cubino (Spa, Kelme 101) +1.35 185 Miguel Arroyo (Mex, Chazal 182) +1.36 186 Jean-Pierre Bourgeot (Fra, Chazal 183) +1.39 187 Marino Alonso (Spa, Banesto 02) +1.57 188 Sergio Barbero (Ita, Carrera 22) +2.24 Abandoned: Chris Boardman (GB, GAN 81)

Notes: Luis Maria Diaz de Otazu replaced Oliverio Rincon on the ONCE team; Eric Vandaeraerden replaced Luca Gelfi on the Brescialat team.

News and Reports

Chris Boardman crashed out and did not finish. Plainly -- and misguidedly -- determined to win despite the appalling wet conditions he rode his Lotus time trial bike. He was clocked at 75kph down a hill just before he crashed on a bend and went into the barriers. He apparently attempted to remount but was unable to ride on and is thought to have a broken collarbone.

Later reports indicated he has a broken left ankle and broken right arm.

The first four positions listed in my last posting remain the final overall top four finishers, with Durand first in 9 minutes dead. Indurain rode his normal road bike to a respectable 9.31 to finish 35th, Zulle came in in 9.24 and Rominger in 9.26. The biggest loser of the favourites was Evgeny Berzin whose time was over 10 minutes.

   * Lightning, high winds and driving rain turned the first night Tour
     race into a disaster for one of the Britain's favorites.
   * "I've never seen anything like it," said prologue specialist Thiery
     Marie (France).
   * Boardman went all out in the rain. He crashed into the railings on a
     slow corner. He is out of The Tour on the opening day after he won
     last year's prologue.
   * Boardman attempted to regain his bike, but was stopped and led away by
     team director Roger Legeay
   * Boardman was favored to win the 4.5-mile prologue.
   * The stage had been scheduled so Boardman's expected victory could be
     viewed live on prime-time TV in Britain.
   * In last year's prologue, Boardman's average speed of 34.27mph was a
     record for any stage since the inaugural Tour was held in 1903.
   * The three top finishers were early starters and profited from the dry
     roads.
   * Tony Rominger Miguel Indurain were unwilling to take risks and finished
     well down in the provisional standings.
   * Indurain played safe and even declined to use his special time trial
     for fear of falling.
   * Frenchmen finished 1-2-3 on the opening day of the Tour.
   * "What a surprise," Durand said. "When I saw the rain coming, I started
     believing in my chances."
   * "It's too bad for him," Durand said. "I would have preferred to see
     him win, rather than see that."
The Sprinters' Get Their Turn
   * Along with the recognition of the yellow jersey, there is also great
     competition for the green jersey, the jersey of the Tour's fastest
     sprinter.
   * "I want to enter Paris wearing green," says Cippolini, one of
     sprinting's dominant forces.
   * But will his primarly competitor again be Abdoujaparov, who won last
     year's three of the last four green jerseys?
   * For each finish, racers accrue up to 35 points for the winner, then
     decreasing to 1 for the 25th finisher.
   * Sprint points are awarded even if the stage win is already taken.
   * The green jersey scoring system awards fewer points for mountain stages
     and time trials.
   * "In a sprint finish, I'm never scared. A sprinter who is scared might
     as well go fishing," says Wilfried Nelissen (Belgium).
   * Remembering last year's awful crash and looking to this year's first mass
     sprint finish, Nelissen said, "If it is going to finish with a sprint
     Sunday, it'll be tough not to think of Armentieres. It is
     going to be the most dangerous sprint of the season. Everyone will
     be there."
   * What creates the greatest grudges among sprinters? Answer: Not holding a
     line when sprinting.
   * Grudges are long held. Baffi caused injury to Cipollini last year during
     a sprint finish in the Vuelta. "I haven't spoken to him since. There is
     nothing to say," Cippolini said.
   * Eddy Merckx, not a sprinting specialist as are many of today's riders,
     won three green jerseys during his tenure from 1969 to 1974.

Minute by Minute Account - French Time - July 1

10:15 PM - FOUR FRENCHMEN LEAD AFTER THE PROLOGUE

French pride was boosted after the prologue, with Jacky Durand of Castorama winning the leader's yellow jersey. Trailing him were three of his compatriots:

* -Thierry Laurent of Castorama came in second * -Francis Moreau of Gan was third * -Laurent Brochard of Festina finished fourth

9:58 PM - Outsider Wins the Prologue

Frenchman Jacky Durand of Castorama won the 7.3 km prologue, clocking in at just over 9 minutes. "It's unbelievable," he said. "We were hoping for good results, but this is great." He had the best time of the first group of riders lucky enough to set off before a storm broke. Spanish favorite Miguel Indurain, of Banesto, trailed Durand by 30 seconds.

9:33 PM - Time Trialists Chris Boardman Falls

British cyclist Chris Boardman of Gan crashed into the barrier while racing all out on the slippery routes of Saint-Brieuc. He held his ankle after the fall and looked as if he was in pain, but got back on his bike. However a few seconds later he got off and was carried to a waiting car.

8:39 PM - Rain Continues to Dim Chances of Champions

Heavy rain continued to pour down in Saint-Brieuc, clouding the prospects of the best sprinters. Favorites Spaniard Miguel Indurain and Briton Chris Boardman, who've won the prologue in the past, are among the last riders to take off on the slippery 7.3 km race course. Frenchman Jacky Durand still has the lead, at just over 9 minutes.

7:23 PM - Frenchman Takes Early Lead

After the first hour of racing, Frenchman Jacky Duran was leading the short opening prologue. He finished the 7.3 km course in nine minutes. Durand races for the Castorama team and won the Cahors stage last year. Favorites Miguel Indurain and Tony Rominger compete later in the evening. Heavy rainshowers threaten to make their going difficult.

6:58 PM - One of the Top Climbers Drops Out

Colombian racer Oliverio Rincon from the ONCE team was forced to drop out of the Tour because of a severe skin rash. Rincon, who's taken part in two Tours in the past, was considered to be one of the best riders in the pack. He did not take part in the prologue, but was replaced by Spaniard Luis Maria Diaz.

6:42 PM - The Prologue Starts in Western France

The first racers sped off the starting block in the 7.3 km-long prologue in the town of Saint-Brieuc on the Brittany coast. The start time -- at just after 6 p.m. in France

6:01 PM - All Eyes on Indurain at the Start of the Prologue

Millions of cycling enthusiasts worldwide are fixed on Spanish star Miguel Indurain at the start of the 82nd Tour de France. Indurain, who's won the last four races, finished second in the prologue last year and first in 1992 and 1993. But the early evening start, at just after 6 p.m. local time in Saint-Brieuc in western France, could hamper his results this year.