1st Tour du Languedoc-Roussillon - 2.1

France, May 19-23, 2004

Stage List Preview Start List

The Stages

Stage 1 - May 19: Maury - Port-Vendres, 167 km
Stage 2 - May 20: Port-Leucate - Narbonne, 188 km
Stage 3 - May 21: Ganges - Aigues-Mortes, 162 km
Stage 4 - May 22: Pont du Gard - Mende (Côte de la Croix-Neuve), 161 km
Stage 5 - May 23: Florac - Sète (Mont Saint-Clair), 203 km

Armstrong ready to challenge in the Tour du Languedoc-Roussillon

Out of the ashes of the Grand Prix du Midi Libre, which stopped two years ago for financial reasons, comes the Tour du Languedoc-Roussillon, a five day stage race in southeastern France that is essentially the same as its predecessor. Run by Tour de France organisers Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), the TdLR is also part of Lance Armstrong's Tour build up, and the US Postal-Berry Floor champion will be ready for the challenge.

The race is held over five stages between May 19-23 and does not include a time trial. However the generally hilly parcours contains two uphill finishes and should prove to be a worthy successor to the Midi Libre. Saturday's 161 km fourth stage from Pont du Gard to Mende finishes atop the Côte de la Croix-Neuve, a 1040m Cat. 1 climb, but there are also the Cat. 1 climbs of Col de la Croix de Berthel (1088m) and Cote de Molinès-Balsiège (1010m) preceding it. Sunday's 203 km stage from Florac to Sète finishes with two ascents of Mont Saint-Clair, which is only at 172m altitude but is rated as a Cat. 1 climb due to its proximity to the end of the race.

While Lance Armstrong is certainly the top favourite to "defend" his Midi Libre win of two years ago, attention should also be paid to David Millar (Cofidis), Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel), Laurent Brochard (Ag2r), Thomas Lövkvist (FDJeux.com), Christophe Moreau and Alexandre Botcharov (Credit Agricole).

Start list

US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor  T-Mobile Team
 
1 Lance Armstrong (USA)                     11 Mario Aerts (Bel)
2 José Azevedo (Por)                        12 Cadel Evans (Aus)
3 Manuel Beltran (Spa)                      13 Tomas Konecny (Cze)
4 Vjatceslav Ekimov (Rus)                   14 André Korff (Ger)
5 Benoit Joachim (Lux)                      15 Tobias Steinhauser (Ger)
6 Benjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa)             16 Serguei Yakovlev (Kaz)
7 Pavel Padrnos (Cze)
8 José Luis Rubiera (Spa)
 
Quick.Step-Davitamon                        Phonak Hearing Systems
 
21 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun)                     31 Oscar Camenzind (Swi)
22 Frédéric Amorison (Bel)                  32 Gonzalo Bayarri (Spa)
23 Davide Bramati (Ita)                     33 Cyril Dessel (Fra)
24 José Antonio Pecharroman (Spa)           34 Martin Elmiger (Swi)
25 Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel)                35 Nicolas Jalabert (Fra)
                                            36 Gregory Rast (Swi)
                                            37 Johann Tschopp (Swi)
                                            38 Alex Zuelle (Swi)
 
Euskaltel-Euskadi                           Cofidis, le credit par Telephone
 
41 Egoi Martinez (Spa)                      51 David Millar (GBr)
42 Gorka Arrizabalaga (Spa)                 52 Daniel Atienza (Spa)
43 Koldo Fernandez (Spa)                    53 Frédéric Bessy (Fra)
44 Iker Flores (Spa)                        54 Christophe Edaleine (Fra)
45 Dionisio Galparsoro (Spa)                55 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz)
46 Inaki Isasi (Spa)                        56 David Moncoutie (Fra)
47 Aketza Pena (Spa)                        57 Luis Perez-Rodriguez (Spa)
48 Aitor Silloniz (Spa)                     58 Guido Trentin (Ita)
 
Ag2R Prevoyance                             Brioches La Boulangere
 
61 Laurent Brochard (Fra)                   71 Didier Rous (Fra)
62 Inigo Chaurreau (Spa)                    72 Walter Beneteau (Fra)
63 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra)                    73 Anthony Charteau  (Fra)
64 Andy Flickinger (Fra)                    74 Maryan Hary (Fra)
65 Stephane Goubert (Fra)                   75 Laurent Lefevre (Fra)
66 Nicolas Portal (Fra)                     76 Mickael Pichon (Fra)
67 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr)                     77 Jérôme Pineau (Fra)
68 Christophe Oriol (Fra)                   78 Franck Renier (Fra)
 
FDJeux.com                                  MrBookmaker.com-Palmans
 
81 Sandy Casar (Fra)                        91 Angel Castresana (Spa)
82 Carlos Da Cruz (Fra)                     92 Johan Coenen (Bel)
83 Bernhard Eisel (Aut)                     93 Ben Day (Aus)
84 Frédéric Guesdon (Fra)                   94 Frédéric Gabriel (Fra)
85 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe)                    95 Philippe Koehler (Fra)
86 Christophe Mengin (Fra)                  96 Eddy Lembo (Fra)
87 Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra)                   97 Christoph Roodhooft (Bel)
88 Jérémy Roy (Fra)                         98 Peter Wuyts (Bel)
 
Credit Agricole                             R.A.G.T. Semences-MG Rover
 
101 Christophe Moreau (Fra)                 111 Christophe Rinero (Fra)
102 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus)               112 Jérôme Bernard (Fra)
103 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra)                  113 Sylvain Calzati (Fra)
104 Patrice Halgand (Fra)                   114 Frédéric Finot (Fra)
105 Thor Hushovd (Nor)                      115 Christophe Laurent (Fra)
106 Lilian Jegou (Fra)                      116 Ludovic Martin (Fra)
107 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz)                  117 Nicolas Reynaud (Fra)
108 Benoit Salmon (Fra)                     118 Eddy Seigneur (Fra)
 
Team Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli          Vlaanderen-T Interim
 
121 David George (RSA)                      131 Wim Van Huffel (Bel)
122 Francesco Bellotti (Ita)                132 Koen Barbe (Bel)
123 Ryan Cox (RSA)                          133 Steven Caethoven (Bel)
124 Enrico Degano (Ita)                     134 Pieter Mertens (Bel)
125 Darren Lill (RSA)                       135 Jef Peeters (Bel)
126 Gabriele Missaglia (Ita)                136 Wesley Van Der Linden (Ned)
127 Ivan Ravaioli (Ita)                     137 Frederik Veuchelen (Bel)
128 Eddy Serri (Ita)                        138 Frederik Willems (Bel)