Tour de France 1997, July 5-26

Stage 6, Le Blanc - Marennes, 217.5 kms:


  1. Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) TVM 	     5.58.09 (avs. 36,437 km)    
  2. Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (Ouz) LOT            
  3. Mario Traversoni (Ita) MER                    
  4. Nicola Minali (Ita) BAT                       
  5. Fridiric Moncassin (Fra) GAN                  
  6. Robbie McEwen (Aus) RAB                       
  7. Fabio Baldato (Ita) MAG                       
  8. Damien Nazon (Fra) FDJ                        
  9. Massimo Strazzer (Ita) ROS                    
 10. Frangois Simon (Fra) GAN                      
 11. Laurent Genty (Fra) BIG                       
 12. Mario Cipollini (Ita) SAE                     
 13. Christophe Moreau (Fra) FES                   
 14. Pascal Chanteur (Fra) CSO                     
 15. Christophe Mengin (Fra) FDJ                   
 16. Mirco Gualdi (Ita) PLT                        
 17. Henk Vogels (Aus) GAN                         
 18. Claude Lamour (Fra) MUT                       
 19. Laurent Pillon (Fra) MUT                      
 20. Ludovic Auger (Fra) BIG                       
 21. Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) LOT                      
 22. Cidric Vasseur (Fra) GAN                      
 23. Didier Rous (Fra) FES                         
 24. Gordon Fraser (Can) MUT                       
 25. Valentino Fois (Ita) MAP                      
 26. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) GAN                      
 27. Chris Boardman (G-B) GAN                      
 28. Andreo Tchmil (Ukr) LOT                       
 29. Abraham Olano (Spa) BAN                       
 30. Andrea Tafi (Ita) MAP                         
 31. Maximilian Sciandri (G-B) FDJ                 
 32. Bo Hamburger (Dan) TVM                        
 33. Davide Rebellin (Ita) FDJ                     
 34. George Hincapie (USA) USP                     
 35. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) CSO                       
 36. Frankie Andreu (USA) COF                      
 37. Peter Luttenberger (Aut) RAB                  
 38. Serguei Outschakov (Ukr) PLT                  
 39. Dariusz Baranowski (Pol) USP                  
 40. Gianluca Bortolami (Ita) FES                  
 41. Pascal Lino (Fra) BIG                         
 42. Orlando Rodrigues (Por) BAN                   
 43. Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) USP                  
 44. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONC                    
 45. Oskar Camenzind (Swi) MAP                     
 46. Richard Virenque (Fra) FES                    
 47. Stiphane Heulot (Fra) FDJ                     
 48. Jan Ullrich (Ger) TEL                         
 49. Rolf Sorensen (Dan) RAB                       
 50. Jose Angel Vidal (Spa) KEL                    
 51. Laurent Madouas (Fra) LOT                     
 52. Luca Colombo (Ita) BAT                        
 53. Fernando Escartin (Spa) KEL                   
 54. Francisco Benitez (Spa) KEL                   
 55. Jon Odriozola (Spa) BAT                       
 56. Tyler Hamilton (USA) USP                      
 57. Bobby Julich (USA) COF                        
 58. Andrea Peron (Ita) FDJ                        
 59. Manuel Beltran (Spa) BAN                      
 60. Laurent Dufaux (Swi) FES                      
 61. Marco Fincato (Ita) ROS                       
 62. Erik Dekker (Ned) RAB                         
 63. Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) USP                    
 64. Pavel Padrnos (Tch) ROS                       
 65. Bruno Cenghialta (Ita) BAT                    
 66. Bjarne Riis (Dan) TEL                         
 67. David Etxebarria (Spa) ONC                    
 68. Alexandre Gontchenkov (Rus) ROS               
 69. Thierry Bourguignon (Fra) BIG                 
 70. Luc Leblanc (Fra) PLT                         
 71. Anthony Morin (Fra) BIG                       
 72. Mauro Gianetti (Swi) FDJ                      
 73. Zenon Jaskula (Pol) MAP                       
 74. Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) PLT                    
 75. Michael Boogerd (Ned) RAB                     
 76. Peter Van Petegem (Bel) TVM                   
 77. Oscar Pellicioli (Ita) MER                    
 78. Laurent Desbiens (Fra) COF                    
 79. Peter Farazijn (Bel) LOT                      
 80. Alberto Elli (Ita) CSO                        
 81. Rolf Aldag (Ger) TEL                          
 82. Christian Henn (Ger) TEL                      
 83. Marco Artunghi (Ita) MER                      
 84. Girard Rui (Fra) GAN                          
 85. Udo Bolts (Ger) TEL                           
 86. Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) TVM                  
 87. Francesco Frattini (Ita) BAT                  
 88. Georg Totschnig (Aut) TEL                     
 89. Daniele Nardello (Ita) MAP                    
 90. Christophe Rinero (Fra) COF                   
 91. Pascal Hervi (Fra) FES                        
 92. Giuseppe Tartaggia (Ita) BAT                  
 93. Marco Zen (Ita) ROS                           
 94. Daniele Sgnaolin (Ita) ROS                    
 95. Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita) SAE                 
 96. Marty Jemison (USA) USP                       
 97. Francesco Casagrande (Ita) SAE                
 98. Neil Stephens (Aus) FES                       
 99. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) MAP                 
100. Fabrice Gougot (Fra) CSO                      
101. Andrea Brognara (Ita) BAT                     
102. Andreo Teteriuk (Kzk) LOT                     
103. Marco Pantani (Ita) MER                       
104. Angelo Lecchi (Ita) MAG                       
105. Beat Zberg (Swi) MER                          
106. Patrick Jonker (Aus) RAB                      
107. Angel Casero (Spa) BAN                        
108. Viatcheslav Djavanian (Rus) ROS               
109. Jose Maria Jimenez (Spa) BAN                  
110. Santiago Blanco (Spa) BAN                     
111. Aitor Garmendia (Spa) ONC                     
112. Thierry Gouvenou (Fra) BIG                    
113. Tristan Hoffman (Ned) TVM                     
114. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) MAP                    
115. Rossano Brasi (Ita) PLT                       
116. Johan Museeuw (Bel) MAP                       
117. Torsten Schmidt (Ger) ROS                     
118. Servais Knaven (Ned) TVM                      
119. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) MAG                     
120. Jesper Skibby (Dan) TVM                       
121. Marc Wauters (Bel) LOT                        
122. Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) COF                    
123. Erik Zabel (Ger) TEL                          
124. Tom Steels (Bel) MAP                          
125. Kevin Livingston (USA) COF                    0.48 
126. Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) CSO                
127. Marino Alonso (Spa) BAN                       
128. Inigo Cuesta (Spa) ONC                        
129. Peter Meinert (Dan) USP                       
130. Javier Pascual (Spa) KEL                      
131. Roberto Conti (Ita) MER                       
132. Arturas Kasputis (Lit) CSO                    
133. David Delrieu (Fra) MUT                       
134. Fridiric Guesdon (Fra) FDJ                    
135. Stiphane Cueff (Fra) MUT                      
136. Jo Planckaert (Bel) LOT                       
137. Gianluca Valoti (Ita) PLT                     
138. Jean-Frangois Anti (Fra) MUT                  
139. Flavio Vanzella (Ita) FDJ                     
140. Francisco Cabello (Spa) KEL                   
141. Arnaud Pretot (Fra) GAN                       
142. Erik Breukink (Ned) RAB                       
143. Vitali Kokorine (Rus) ROS                     
144. Jose Luis Arrieta (Spa) BAN                   
145. Jean-Philippe Dojwa (Fra) MUT                 
146. Pascal Lance (Fra) BIG                        
147. Dario Frigo (Ita) SAE                         
148. Ivan Gotti (Ita) SAE                          
149. Inigo Chaurreau (Spa) PLT                     
150. Gerrit De Vries (Ned) PLT                     
151. Hernan Buenahora (Col) KEL                    
152. Jose de los Angeles (Spa) KEL                 
153. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) MAG                      
154. Mirco Crepaldi (Ita) PLT                      
155. Jaime Gonzalez (Col) KEL                      
156. Pascal Derami (Fra) USP                       
157. Michele Bartoli (Ita) MAG                     
158. Carlo Finco (Ita) MAG                         
159. Danny Nelissen (Ned) RAB                      
160. Evgueni Berzin (Rus) BAT                      
161. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) CSO                       
162. Benont Salmon (Fra) LOT                       
163. Eros Poli (Ita) GAN                           
164. Gilles Maignan (Fra) MUT                      
165. Dominique Rault (Fra) MUT                    all s.t. 
166. Marcelino Garcia (Spa) ONC                    1.31 
167. Javier Mauleon (Spa) ONC                      
168. Marco Saligari (Ita) CSO                      
169. Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) TEL                   
170. Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) ONC                   
171. Massimiliano Lelli (Ita) SAE                  
172. Giorgio Furlan (Ita) SAE                      
173. Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) SAE                    
174. Marcello Siboni (Ita) MER                     
175. Adriano Baffi (Ita) USP                       
176. Giusvan Piovaccari (Ita) MER                  
177. Massimo Podenzana (Ita) MER                   
178. Nicola Loda (Ita) MAG                         
179. Philipp Buschor (Swi) SAE                     
180. Miguel Arroyo (Mex) BIG                       
181. Joona Laukka (Fin) FES                        
182. Laurent Brochard (Fra) FES                    
183. Roberto Sierra (Spa) ONC                      
184. Jens Heppner (Ger) TEL                        
185. Laurent Roux (Fra) TVM                        
186. Cyril Saugrain (Fra) COF                      
187. Bart Voskamp (Ned) TVM                        
188. Leon Van Bon (Ned) RAB                        
189. Gianluca Pierobon (Ita) BAT                   5.38 
190. Luca Scinto (Ita) MAG                         
191. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) COF                    
192. Lauri Aus (Est) CSO 			   s.t.                          

GC after Stage 6

  
  1. Cidric Vasseur (Fra) GAN                 34 h 12.44  
  2. Erik Zabel (Ger) TEL                           2.09 
  3. Mario Cipollini (Ita) SAE                      2.15 
  4. Chris Boardman (G-B) GAN                       2.54 
  5. Jan Ullrich (Ger) TEL                          2.56 
  6. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) MAP                  3.00 
  7. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) GAN                       3.03 
  8. Fridiric Moncassin (Fra) GAN                   3.04 
  9. Abraham Olano (Spa) BAN                        3.04 
 10. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONC                     3.06 
 11. Pascal Lino (Fra) BIG                          3.19 
 12. Oskar Camenzind (Swi) MAP                      3.22 
 13. Peter Luttenberger (Aut) RAB                   3.23 
 14. Davide Rebellin (Ita) FDJ                      3.24 
 15. Daniele Nardello (Ita) MAP                     3.32 
 16. Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) USP                     3.35 
 17. Frankie Andreu (USA) COF                       3.38 
 18. Richard Virenque (Fra) FES                     3.38 
 19. David Etxebarria (Spa) ONC                     3.42 
 20. Laurent Madouas (Fra) LOT                      3.48 
 21. Georg Totschnig (Aut) TEL                      3.54 
 22. Bjarne Riis (Dan) TEL                          3.59 
 23. Bo Hamburger (Dan) TVM                         4.11 
 24. Laurent Dufaux (Swi) FES                       4.14 
 25. Alberto Elli (Ita) CSO                         4.17 
 26. Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) USP                   4.17 
 27. Mario Traversoni (Ita) MER                     4.21 
 28. Frangois Simon (Fra) GAN                       4.25 
 29. Nicola Minali (Ita) BAT                        4.26 
 30. Henk Vogels (Aus) GAN                          4.27 
 31. Michael Boogerd (Ned) RAB                      4.27 
 32. Francisco Benitez (Spa) KEL                    4.29 
 33. Fernando Escartin (Spa) KEL                    4.30 
 34. Stiphane Heulot (Fra) FDJ                      4.32 
 35. Evgueni Berzin (Rus) BAT                       4.56 
 36. Fabrice Gougot (Fra) CSO                       4.56 
 37. Bruno Cenghialta (Ita) BAT                     5.09 
 38. Alexandre Gontchenkov (Rus) ROS                5.11 
 39. Luc Leblanc (Fra) PLT                          5.15 
 40. Christophe Rinero (Fra) COF                    5.15 
 41. Marco Zen (Ita) ROS                            5.22 
 42. Andreo Tchmil (Ukr) LOT                        5.23 
 43. Adriano Baffi (Ita) USP                        5.25 
 44. Andrea Tafi (Ita) MAP                          5.27 
 45. Pascal Chanteur (Fra) CSO                      5.29 
 46. Andreo Teteriuk (Kzk) LOT                      5.30 
 47. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) MAP                     5.35 
 48. Peter Farazijn (Bel) LOT                       5.37 
 49. Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) PLT                     5.38 
 50. Maximilian Sciandri (G-B) FDJ                  5.39 
 51. Jon Odriozola (Spa) BAT                        5.50 
 52. Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) TVM                   5.54 
 53. Bobby Julich (USA) COF                         5.54 
 54. Arnaud Pretot (Fra) GAN                        5.54 
 55. Peter Meinert (Dan) USP                        5.57 
 56. Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) TVM                    6.06 
 57. Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita) SAE                  6.08 
 58. Laurent Brochard (Fra) FES                     6.11 
 59. Orlando Rodrigues (Por) BAN                    6.18 
 60. Stiphane Cueff (Fra) MUT                       6.19 
 61. Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) CSO                 6.20 
 62. Patrick Jonker (Aus) RAB                       6.23 
 63. Marco Pantani (Ita) MER                        6.27 
 64. Francesco Casagrande (Ita) SAE                 6.32 
 65. Marty Jemison (USA) USP                        6.34 
 66. Daniele Sgnaolin (Ita) ROS                     6.41 
 67. Jens Heppner (Ger) TEL                         6.46 
 68. Christophe Mengin (Fra) FDJ                    6.54 
 69. Manuel Beltran (Spa) BAN                       7.05 
 70. Didier Rous (Fra) FES                          7.09 
 71. Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) ONC                    7.10 
 72. Giuseppe Tartaggia (Ita) BAT                   7.13 
 73. Nicola Loda (Ita) MAG                          7.14 
 74. Santiago Blanco (Spa) BAN                      7.19 
 75. Mirco Crepaldi (Ita) PLT                       7.21 
 76. Tyler Hamilton (USA) USP                       7.24 
 77. Hernan Buenahora (Col) KEL                     7.24 
 78. Jose Maria Jimenez (Spa) BAN                   7.35 
 79. Girard Rui (Fra) GAN                           7.35 
 80. Angel Casero (Spa) BAN                         7.36 
 81. Aitor Garmendia (Spa) ONC                      7.38 
 82. Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) TEL                    7.42 
 83. Joona Laukka (Fin) FES                         7.42 
 84. Roberto Conti (Ita) MER                        7.48 
 85. Erik Breukink (Ned) RAB                        7.56 
 86. Francisco Cabello (Spa) KEL                    7.56 
 87. Johan Museeuw (Bel) MAP                        8.03 
 88. Javier Pascual (Spa) KEL                       8.06 
 89. Oscar Pellicioli (Ita) MER                     8.07 
 90. David Delrieu (Fra) MUT                        8.13 
 91. Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) COF                     8.17 
 92. Andrea Peron (Ita) FDJ                         8.22 
 93. Jaime Gonzalez (Col) KEL                       8.24 
 94. Zenon Jaskula (Pol) MAP                        8.34 
 95. Beat Zberg (Swi) MER                           8.47 
 96. Flavio Vanzella (Ita) FDJ                      8.47 
 97. Anthony Morin (Fra) BIG                        8.49 
 98. Jose de los Angeles (Spa) KEL                  8.54 
 99. Thierry Bourguignon (Fra) BIG                  8.55 
100. Tristan Hoffman (Ned) TVM                      8.55 
101. Marino Alonso (Spa) BAN                        9.00 
102. Serguei Outschakov (Ukr) PLT                   9.01 
103. Arturas Kasputis (Lit) CSO                     9.01 
104. Tom Steels (Bel) MAP                           9.02 
105. Vitali Kokorine (Rus) ROS                      9.02 
106. Gilles Maignan (Fra) MUT                       9.10 
107. Ivan Gotti (Ita) SAE                           9.14 
108. Massimo Podenzana (Ita) MER                    9.15 
109. Benont Salmon (Fra) LOT                        9.19 
110. Marcello Siboni (Ita) MER                      9.23 
111. Dariusz Baranowski (Pol) USP                   9.24 
112. Mauro Gianetti (Swi) FDJ                       9.25 
113. Jose Angel Vidal (Spa) KEL                     9.25 
114. Dominique Rault (Fra) MUT                      9.28 
115. Pascal Hervi (Fra) FES                         9.29 
116. Valentino Fois (Ita) MAP                       9.31 
117. Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) LOT                       9.31 
118. Jean-Frangois Anti (Fra) MUT                   9.40 
119. Robbie McEwen (Aus) RAB                        9.46 
120. Inigo Chaurreau (Spa) PLT                      9.47 
121. Claude Lamour (Fra) MUT                        9.47 
122. Inigo Cuesta (Spa) ONC                         9.51 
123. Pascal Lance (Fra) BIG                         9.57 
124. Marco Saligari (Ita) CSO                       9.58 
125. Gerrit De Vries (Ned) PLT                      9.59 
126. Massimiliano Lelli (Ita) SAE                  10.01 
127. Marco Artunghi (Ita) MER                      10.02 
128. Laurent Roux (Fra) TVM                        10.05 
129. Jo Planckaert (Bel) LOT                       10.07 
130. Laurent Genty (Fra) BIG                       10.18 
131. Christophe Moreau (Fra) FES                   10.23 
132. Javier Mauleon (Spa) ONC                      10.36 
133. Kevin Livingston (USA) COF                    10.37 
134. Gianluca Valoti (Ita) PLT                     11.03 
135. George Hincapie (USA) USP                     11.09 
136. Giusvan Piovaccari (Ita) MER                  11.19 
137. Rolf Sorensen (Dan) RAB                       11.21 
138. Gianluca Bortolami (Ita) FES                  11.21 
139. Christian Henn (Ger) TEL                      11.26 
140. Erik Dekker (Ned) RAB                         11.32 
141. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) CSO                       11.38 
142. Udo Bolts (Ger) TEL                           11.44 
143. Jean-Philippe Dojwa (Fra) MUT                 11.46 
144. Fabio Baldato (Ita) MAG                       11.46 
145. Rossano Brasi (Ita) PLT                       11.55 
146. Marco Fincato (Ita) ROS                       12.12 
147. Mirco Gualdi (Ita) PLT                        12.38 
148. Francesco Frattini (Ita) BAT                  12.38 
149. Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (Ouz) LOT            12.39 
150. Eros Poli (Ita) GAN                           12.43 
151. Rolf Aldag (Ger) TEL                          12.55 
152. Pascal Derami (Fra) USP                       13.11 
153. Servais Knaven (Ned) TVM                      13.19 
154. Leon Van Bon (Ned) RAB                        13.43 
155. Pavel Padrnos (Tch) ROS                       13.43 
156. Neil Stephens (Aus) FES                       13.50 
157. Angelo Lecchi (Ita) MAG                       13.51 
158. Miguel Arroyo (Mex) BIG                       13.52 
159. Peter Van Petegem (Bel) TVM                   13.53 
160. Viatcheslav Djavanian (Rus) ROS               13.55 
161. Fridiric Guesdon (Fra) FDJ                    13.56 
162. Jesper Skibby (Dan) TVM                       14.01 
163. Danny Nelissen (Ned) RAB                      14.11 
164. Dario Frigo (Ita) SAE                         14.19 
165. Giorgio Furlan (Ita) SAE                      14.20 
166. Laurent Desbiens (Fra) COF                    14.33 
167. Roberto Sierra (Spa) ONC                      14.58 
168. Carlo Finco (Ita) MAG                         15.04 
169. Lauri Aus (Est) CSO                           15.16 
170. Bart Voskamp (Ned) TVM                        15.20 
171. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) MAG                      15.31 
172. Cyril Saugrain (Fra) COF                      16.53 
173. Andrea Brognara (Ita) BAT                     18.17 
174. Gordon Fraser (Can) MUT                       18.50 
175. Marcelino Garcia (Spa) ONC                    18.52 
176. Massimo Strazzer (Ita) ROS                    19.34 
177. Laurent Pillon (Fra) MUT                      19.51 
178. Marc Wauters (Bel) LOT                        20.00 
179. Philipp Buschor (Swi) SAE                     20.06 
180. Michele Bartoli (Ita) MAG                     20.20 
181. Jose Luis Arrieta (Spa) BAN                   21.17 
182. Luca Scinto (Ita) MAG                         22.34 
183. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) MAG                     23.17 
184. Thierry Gouvenou (Fra) BIG                    24.09 
185. Luca Colombo (Ita) BAT                        24.26 
186. Torsten Schmidt (Ger) ROS                     25.54 
187. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) CSO                       26.25 
188. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) COF                    30.55 
189. Damien Nazon (Fra) FDJ                        32.31 
190. Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) SAE                    38.47 
191. Gianluca Pierobon (Ita) BAT                   40.30 
192. Ludovic Auger (Fra) BIG                       47.51 

Reports on the Controversies surrounding Stage 6

Belgian Tom Steels and Djamolidine Abdoujaparov of Uzbeikistan were disqualified from the Tour de France on a day of high drama which also saw German Erik Zabel stripped of victory after winning Friday's sixth stage.

Steels was expelled for ``violent behaviour'' after he threw his bottle at Frenchman Frederic Moncassin at the finish.

Hours later, Uzbek Djamolidine Abdoujaparov was disqualified for failing a dope test.

And Zabel was relegated from first to last place in the 215.5 kms stage which ran from Le Blanc to the oyster port of Marennes in western France for ``dangerous tactics.'' The only consolation for the German was that he was not disqualified from the race.

The stage was awarded to Jeroen Blijlevens of the Netherlands.

Cedric Vasseur of France remained in the overall lead.

The two most serious offences were committed by Steels and Abdouaparov.

Steels' Mapei team appealed against the Belgian's disqualification which followed an incident at the finish when he threw his water bottle at the Frenchman.

Abdoujaparov, a former winner of the Tour points standings was disqualified from the race for failing a test at the end of the second stage between St Valery-en-Caux and Vire last Monday.

Organisers did not immediately say what substance was found in the rider's urine but his Lotto team director Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke said two banned products had been detected.

Vandenbroucke added that a member of his staff had given Abdoujaparov the banned substance and had been sacked.

``It's my first doping case in nine years as a team director. This is very annoying especially as two products have been found,'' he said.

``We don't know where the first one comes from but the second was given by a member of my staff whom I sacked immediately.

``I cannot accept people acting behind my back.''

Zabel, the winner of Tuesday's stage in Plumelec, appeared to have won the stage in impressive fashion, surging through in the last 300 metres, but after studying the finish on video the organisers decided Zabel was guilty of ``irregular sprinting.''

They also fined the Telekom rider, winner of the points standings last year, a token 200 Swiss francs ($140).

Telekom manager Rudy Pevenage said his team had appealed against the decision.

``We're very surprised by this decision because our rider was alone in the last 250 metres and stayed in line throughout the sprint,'' he said.

The judgment against Zabel at first lifted Abdoujaparov from third to second place before it was announced he had been disqualified.

Vasseur, winner of Thursday's stage after the only succesful breakaway of this Tour, retained the overall leader's yellow jersey but also had a big scare as crashes again marred the race.

He was held up in the second pile-up of the day but managed to catch the leading bunch with the help of his team mates.

``It was a little fright,'' the GAN rider said.

But it was overwhelmed by the thrill of a lifetime.

``To ride with the yellow jersey on your back is even more exciting than winning it,'' he said.

``I did not ride a mile without hearing people shout my name. I will never forget it. It was wonderful.''

The strong wind on the Atlantic coastline of western France may explain the falls, which spared hardly anyone.

Russian Yevgeni Berzin, winner of the Giro in 1995 and who wore the yellow jersey for a while last year, was involved in one of the crashes and gave up with a broken collarbone.

He was the third race favourite to quit with the same injury after Swiss riders Alex Zuelle and Tony Rominger were injured earlier this week.

On Saturday the Tour will reach Bordeaux for a record 75th time. Sprinters have generally won in the famous wine city.

Berzin injured

Russian cyclist Eugeni Berzin, from Team Batik, has been taken to a hospital in Rochefort where he will be x-rayed to check the extent of the fracture of the right clavicle. Berzin was involved in a crash in the last kilometers and although he crossed the finish line, he was immediately taken to the hospital. Already belonging to the 'broken clavicle club' at this Tour de France: Alex Zuelle, Toni Rominger, Vicente Acosta Garcia and now Berzin.

The race doctors were quite busy, with visits during the race by German, Heppner with a bruised right hand and Dutchman, Van Bon with the same injury. Also Casero, Poland's Loda, Frenchmen Desbiens, Gaumont & Rinero, Italians Cipollini & Pierobon and Fraser, due to injuries incurred in accidents. Another one that crashed was Ivan Gotti, who also visited the Rochefort Hospital to get checked out, he has a back problem and swelling of the feet, although this won't prevent him from continuing to race.