42nd Tour de l'Avenir - 2.1

France, September 1-10, 2005

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Images by Jean-Francois Quenet

Bradley Wiggins has done a wonderful job with Saul Raisin and Jesus Del Nero on his wheel.
Great win for the Olympic champion.
Some joy in the Crédit Agricole camp.
First road race victory for Bradley Wiggins in Aurillac.
Lars Ytting Bak (CSC) is getting used to the yellow jersey.
One more lion for the smiling Dane.
Saul Raisin looks brilliant with the polka dot jersey.

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Images by Jean-Francois Quenet

Assan Bazayev leads a quite impressive CAPEC team from Kazakhstan.
Aussie meeting with Aaron Kemps, William Walker and Mark Renshaw.
Koen de Kort shows the way to his former team-mate at Rabobank Kai Reus.
Unexpected win for Alexander Gottfried.
French amateur national champion Rémi Pauriol was active in the break.
Third time sprinting for the win since the start of the Tour de l'Avenir, Sébastien Duret, 2nd, lost again.
Andy Schleck is Lars Bak's right hand man on the climbs.
Yes, Alexander you've really won !
Lars Bak (CSC) becomes familiar with the Crédit Lyonnais podium girls.
Winner in Guéret, Jesus Del Nero now leads the points competition.
Rémi Di Gregorio is the new king of the mountains.

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Images by Jean-Francois Quenet

Bradley Wiggins was a little bit disappointed with no stage win in the time trial
Lars Bak was the author of an impressive ride despite the rain
Take this yellow jersey off, mate... it's over for Borut Bozic
Christian Müller must inform the whole world about his great ride at l'Avenir
Mutual congratulations
Riding solo, celebrating solo on a big podium!
Bak is back... in yellow
Stage and GC - a big day for CSC

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Jean-Francois Quenet

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Régis Garnier/www.velofotopro.fr.st

Images by Jean-Francois Quenet

Frenchman Eric Berthou was fourth in Sassay with a very convincing performance; it might help him find a team for next year
Borut Bozic (Perutnina Ptuj) is a fast man
Lars Bak loses the yellow jersey but he's the main beneficiary of the 20-rider breakaway
A happy stage winner in Sassay - Borut Bozic
Borut Bozic (Perutnina Ptuj) is also the new race leader
Bozic also took the green jersey from Tyler Farrar

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Images by Jean-Francois Quenet

Ronny Martias (Bouygues Telecom) won two hot spot sprints while five men were away
French amateur champion Rémi Pauriol was involved in a crash within 3km to go
American winner Tyler Farrar welcomed on stage by the Badger
A flamboyant winner : Tyler Farrar
Lars Ytting Bak remains the race leader thanks to Team CSC's good work.
Tyler Farrar (US national team) now leads the points classification

Images by Régis Garnier/www.velofotopro.fr.st

Jésus Del Nero (Orbea) finished 3 on the stage 1.
William Frischkorn (TIAA CREF)
Team CSC is presented to the crowd with the yellow jersey.
Olivier Kaisen (RAGT) with his parents at the start.
The escape of the day with Habeaux, Kolessov, Dalibard, Martias and Deignan.
The peloton led by CSC's riders in pursuit of the break and defence of the jersey.
Martias and Deignan ride in the break
The peloton passes through a village
Tyler Farrar (US national team) wins stage 2.
Stuart Gillespie (TIAA-CREF) was one of the victims of a crash today.
Tyler Farrar celebrates his stage win. The young American will join Cofidis in 2006.
Lars Bak is again the leader.
Tyler Farrar is the new green jersey.
Lars Bak does his best "you talkin' ta me?"
Lars Bak and his team director Scott Sunderland.
Tyler Farrar - happy with his win.
Tyler Farrar phones home.

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Images by Régis Garnier/www.velofotopro.fr.st

Relaxed on the start line...
A sea of colour at the start of stage 1
Olivier Bonnaire (Bouygues Telecom) leads the peloton during the early part of the stage
Stage 1 was a 12km circuit ridden 12 times
The first serious escape of the day was led by Marc de Maar (Rabobank III)
Love that Euro rain... in summer
There were plenty of attacks during this simpler first stage
A group of 8 riders went clear during the final laps - with them was eventual winner Lars Bak
The Francaise des Jeux riders with Gerard and Di Grégorio heading the charge leads the peloton to help get their sprinter Mark Renshaw to the line
Danish champion Lars Bak wins stage 1 in Argentré du Plessis
A crash in teh closing moments left William Walker (Rabo III) stranded in the middle of the road
William Walker (Rabobank III) with a bit of blood, courtesy of his earlier crash
Health Blackgrove was involved in the crash also
Lars Bak (CSC) on the podium
Lars Bak (CSC) enjoys yellow on the opening day
Look straight into the camera Lars... that's it!

Images by Jean-Francois Quenet

Bretagne-Jean Floc'h's new signing Piotr Zielinski of Poland won the amateur GP Plouay on Saturday just before turning professional
Saul Raisin and Andy Schleck, two of the hot favourites for this year's Tour de l'Avenir meeting on the start line
Ben Johnson of Agritubel was involved in a big crash after breaking clear during the final ten kilometres
William Walker (Rabobank III) didn't look as bad as his bike after the crash
A broken shoulder for Jean Mespoulède of the French national team
Miss Bretagne looks happy with Lars Bak being the first stage winner
The first yellow jersey of the tour goes to Lars Bak
Bak in business