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61st Vuelta a España - GT
Spain, August 26-September 17, 2006
Main Page Results Overall standings Stage Details Live report Previous Stage Next Stage
Stage 4 - August 29: Almendralejo - Cáceres, 142 km
Zabel grabs first Grand Tour sprint win since 2003 Vuelta
By Shane Stokes in Cáceres
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Today was the third road race stage of the Vuelta a España, and also the third day running that the sprint finish produced an unexpected result. That Erik Zabel was in the thick of the action will not surprise anyone, especially given his 11 second and 12 third places this season, but few would have predicted that he would turn back the clock so dramatically and beat younger sprinters with better recent form.
It was, as he said himself, a big relief to finally end the drought in a major race. Zabel won the first stage of the Bayern - Rundfahrt - Tour of Bavaria back in May, but as his post-stage comments attest, this is in a different league altogether.
“There is a special feeling about this victory because after a difficult season with many second and third places, to win here is very special,” the Milram rider said after the podium presentation. “It is also important because this is a new team for me. The victory is thanks to the work of my team-mates such as Velo, Petacchi, Poitschke, Ongarato and Sacchi, who helped me a lot.
“When I went to the team I had the mentality to help Petacchi for the season, but after his crash in the Giro I had to change my focus and try to win again. I finally have a victory so it is perfect.”
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Yesterday’s leg was the longest of this year’s Vuelta but Zabel’s win today came at the end of the shortest road stage, a 135 kilometre race from Almendralejo to Cáceres. Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) was second for the third day in a row, doubtlessly frustrated by yet another runner-up slot but, equally, glad to once again retain the race leader’s maillot oro. Third place went to Jean Patrick Nazon of the AG2R Prévoyance squad, while CSC’s Stuart O’Grady was a fast-finishing fourth. The latter drops from second to third, with Zabel equal on time but overtaking him due to his win today.
The stage saw yet another long distance attempt to break the bunch, with Relax-Gam’s Raúl García De Mateo starting his effort after just two kilometres, building a maximum lead of 6’33, staying away for 116 clicks but being gobbled up with ten kilometres remaining. The inevitable bunch sprint followed, with Zabel proving that there is life in them thar 36 year old legs yet. To underline that fact, he plans to finish the Vuelta and chase a big result in the worlds.
“I will do the world championships in Salzburg because I like to ride for my country there,” he stated. “The main objective of course in me coming to this Vuelta is because I love this race, but secondly it is because I still think it is the best preparation for the worlds. All going to plan, I will finish the Vuelta in Madrid, and then we have still a week to have a good rest and recover. I hope I will have good legs then, like I did in Zolder, Hamilton, Lisbon and, of course, Verona.
“I am feeling happy and am hoping that the worlds will work out alright. Maybe the course could be a little too hard for me, but I thought the same before Lisbon and I was fifth there. Okay, Di Luca and Bettini are perhaps the favourites for Salzburg, but maybe I can take my chance too.”
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As has been the case since the start of this race, the sun was burning down again once more today. The riders have been battling dehydration as a result, drinking up to 20 bottles during each stage. Several of them have said that this could increase tiredness levels and so tomorrow’s first day in the mountains will be of crucial importance. Stage five’s 178 kilometre ordeal is to the summit finish at the Estación de Esquí de Covatilla, a stage which Alejandro Valverde is looking forward to.
"Personally, I feel very well, physically and mentally. It is with great hopes that I will face the first mountains, and it will also be the first occasion to get an idea of the form of my rivals! The heat which accompanied us till now made these first stages harder and more difficult to manage than we expected them to be when we started from Málaga.
“I imagine that tomorrow there will be some riders which will be in difficulty because of those high temperatures. All that I hope is that it will not be me or one of my team-mates! I do not think that this fifth stage can definitively exclude one or more riders from the fight for the victory in Madrid. On the other hand, I believe that the ninth stage, the one that will finish at the top of the Cobertoria and which is the hardest of these three early mountain stages, will do it."
As a result, the general classification contenders will be growing increasingly nervous this evening. As Valverde says, an off day tomorrow may not necessarily be fatal to maillot oro hopes, but it would certainly make things a whole lot more difficult for that fight.
However, that all lies ahead. For now, it is the sprinters Zabel and Hushovd who hold centre stage.
How it unfolded
Caceres's origins as a village are very old as historians estimate the first settlement in that area dates back to 25 B.C. Once a Roman colony called Norbensis Caesarina, Caceres was declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site in 1986 based on the ancient history of the city, which is a mix of Roman, Islamic, Gothic and Renaissance styles.
After three stages, not a single rider has abandoned the 2006 Vuelta - all 189 riders who started in Malaga took the start in Almendralejo for the shortest of all this year's stages (following the longest of all stages yesterday).
The Relax team was willing to play their chances of appearing on today's highlights and had Raul Garcia de Mateo force a solo breakaway at the very beginning of the stage. The peloton let Garcia de Mateo build a gap of 6:24 by kilometer 38. At the first intermediate sprint in La Garrovilla (km 39), the Relax rider passed first solo and Thor Hushovd (second) and Stuart O'Grady (third) swept up the remaining points.
The peloton held a calm pace knowing the solo breakaway was unlikely to succeed. The greatest worry for most riders instead was the extreme heat they suffered for another day (the temperature was 40º Celsius at the time of the race).
At the second intermediate sprint, in Puebla de Obando (km 90), the lone leader had a scarce advantage of just 2:32. Like the first sprint, Hushovd took second and O'Grady third. At km 112 (23 km to go), the gap between the leader and the rest was just a little bit more of a minute and with ten kilometers to go, de Mateo was caught.
From there, the wind was a handicap for the men who wanted to attack the peloton. Markel Irizar (Euskaltel) made an unsuccessful effort with 8 km to go. Then Team Milram pulled for a big tempo with 3 km to go and controlled the final and decisive metres of the stage in order to help the evergreen Erik Zabel win for the first time in this Vuelta.
Jean Patrick Nazon got a good position in the bunch sprint but Zabel honored his team's efforts and prevailed over Hushovd and Nazon.
Stage 5 - August 30: Plasencia - Estación de Esquí La Covatilla (Béjar), 178 km
The first mountainous stage of this year's Vuelta. The journey will have four climbs: Puerto de Piornal (Cat. 1 - 1,270 m. above sea level - km 52.7), Puerto de Honduras (Cat. 1 - 1,440 m. - km 100.5), Alto de Lagunilla (Cat. 2 - 940 m. - km 136.5) and La Covatilla ski station (Cat. Special - 1,960 m. - km 178 finish). There are two intermediate sprints in Jaraiz de la Vera (km 31) and Cabezuela del Valle (km 79.8). It will be the first key stage of the race and the favorites for the final triumph will have the first test.
"It is the first time that such a big tour reaches the mountains so soon," Carlos Sastre said. "It is an uncertainty for all of us who are here in this Vuelta. It will be a fun stage; we will have real tension."
Oscar Pereiro agrees. "It will be the day when I will see what I came for in this Vuelta a España. So far they [his rivals] let me go quiet, relaxed. Tomorrow will be a crucial day for me."
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Shane Stokes/Cyclingnews.com
- Nice looking neutral support bikes at the race
- Unlike at the Tour de France, the service here is provided by Shimano
- Alejandro Valverde during one of many interviews
- Iban Mayo takes a coffee before the start
- Olympic champ Paolo Bettini has already nabbed a stage win
- Oscar Pereiro is a huge hit with the fans
- So too Valverde, here doing another interview
- Winning the Vuelta would make up for his Tour de France disappointment. He crashed out there with a broken collarbone
- Flexible and relaxed before the start
- Carlos Sastre shelters in the shade
- With this heat, the fountain looked inviting
- Mayo has a laugh
- He is back in good form after a poor Tour
- Chill out time for the Saunier Duval team
- So too for Chris Horner, who is here relaxing in the shade of an orange tree
- Interview time for Relax-Gam
- Horner after the stage
- A very satisfied Erik Zabel
- This is Zabel's biggest win in quite some time
- Thor Hushovd held onto yellow once again
Images by AFP Photo
- Germany's Erik Zabel (L) of Team Milram, Norway's Thor Hushovd (2L) of Credit Agricole, France's JP Nazon Jean Patrik (2R) of AG2R Prevoyance and Spanish Jose Verdoso (R) of Saunier Duval sprint to the finish line.
- Germany's Erik Zabel (L) of Team Milram, Norway's Thor Hushovd (2L) of Credit Agricole, France's JP Nazon Jean Patrik (2R) of AG2R Prevoyance and Spanish Jose Verdoso (R) of Saunier Duval sprint to the finish line.
- Norway's Thor Hushovd of team Credit Agricole puts on the race leader's gold jersey after the fourth stage of the Tour of Spain between Almendranejo and Caceres, 29 August 2006. Erik Zabel won the tight sprint ahead of Hushovd and France's Nazon taking third place
- Germany's Erik Zabel of team Milram celebrates on the podium after winning the fourth stage of the Tour of Spain between Almendranejo and Caceres, 29 August 2006. Zabel won the tight sprint ahead of Norway's Thor Hushovd and France's Nazon taking third place
- Spain's Raul Garcia of team Relax-gam leads the pack during the fourth stage of the Tour of Spain between Almendranejo and Caceres, 29 August 2006. Germany's Erik Zabel won the stage ahead of Norway's Thor Hushovd and France's Nazon taking third place
- The pack rides during the fourth stage of the Tour of Spain between Almendranejo and Caceres, 29 August 2006. Germany's Erik Zabel won the stage ahead of Norway's Thor Hushovd and France's Nazon taking third place
Images by Unipublic
- The peloton on the move
- Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole), pleased to be in yellow
- Daniel Moreno (Relax-Gam) getting a wheel change
- At the start
- A little advice - probably something like "keep cool and race hard"
- Theo Eltink (Rabobank), fetching bottles
- Hushovd tucked safely between teammates
- Robby McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto), resting in the shade
- Any spot with shade was in hot demand
- Laszlo Bodrogi (Credit Agricole); calm before the storm
- Temperatures rose to over 40-degrees during Tuesday's stage
- Credit Agricole takes care of the race leader and set tempo in the pack
- Erik Zabel (Team Milram), beats Thor Husovd by a sliver of a wheel for the stage win
- The peloton chatters nervously before what they knew would be a hot day on the bike
- The group rolls out
- Danilo Napolitano
- The arid Spanish countryside reflected the hot summer sun
- Hushovd remains in Gold
- Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto)
- Raúl García De Mateo Relax-Gam
- Southwestern Spain
- Erik Zabel (Team Milram) at the top of the podium
- Erik Zabel (Team Milram)
Results
1 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram 3.24.46 2 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 3 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 4 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC 5 Francisco José Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 6 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Française des Jeux 7 André Greipel (Ger) T-Mobile Team 8 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 9 Robbie Mcewen (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto 10 Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas 11 Inaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 12 Mario De Sarraga (Spa) Relax-Gam 13 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Team 14 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 15 Uros Murn (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 16 Sebastian Siedler (Ger) Team Milram 17 Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner 18 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Bouygues Telecom 19 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank 20 Aaron Kemps (Aus) Astana Team 21 Rony Martias (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 22 Marco Velo (Ita) Team Milram 23 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 24 Franck Renier (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 25 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 26 Pablo Lastras (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 27 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 28 Ángel Gómez Gómez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 29 Juan José Cobo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 30 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Liquigas 31 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner 32 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 33 José Miguel Elias (Spa) Relax-Gam 34 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Davitamon-Lotto 35 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Team Milram 36 Walter Beneteau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 37 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 38 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 39 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 40 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 41 Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française des Jeux 42 Bastiaan Giling (Ned) T-Mobile Team 43 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 44 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Liquigas 45 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team CSC 46 Michael Barry (Can) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 47 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 48 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Credit Agricole 49 Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2R Prevoyance 50 Steve Morabito (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 51 Frédéric Finot (Fra) Française des Jeux 52 David Cañada (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 53 Francesco Failli (Ita) Liquigas 54 Andrea Moletta (Ita) Gerolsteiner 55 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 56 José Ange Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 57 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 58 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Team CSC 59 Ruggero Marzoli (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 60 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 61 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Credit Agricole 62 Mathieu Claude (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 63 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 64 Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 65 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 66 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 67 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 68 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 69 Nacor Burgos (Spa) Relax-Gam 70 Theo Eltink (Ned) Rabobank 71 Anthony Geslin (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 72 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 73 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Team 74 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 75 Luis León Sánchez (Spa) Astana Team 76 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) T-Mobile Team 77 Luis Pérez (Spa) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 78 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Lampre-Fondital 79 Nicki Sorensen (Den) Team CSC 80 Benoît Joachim (Lux) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 81 Jesús Hernández (Spa) Relax-Gam 82 Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) Phonak Hearing Systems 83 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC 84 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) T-Mobile Team 85 David Millar (GBr) Saunier Duval-Prodir 86 Egoi Martinez (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 87 Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 88 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 89 Manuel Beltran (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 90 Daniel Moreno (Spa) Relax-Gam 91 Joan Horrach (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 92 Fabien Patanchon (Fra) Française des Jeux 93 Davide Vigano (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 94 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 95 Mauricio Ardila (Col) Rabobank 96 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 97 Daniele Nardello (Ita) T-Mobile Team 98 Scott Davis (Aus) T-Mobile Team 99 David Navas (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 100 Alberto Benítez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 101 Serguei Yakovlev (Kaz) Astana Team 102 Thomas Ziegler (Ger) T-Mobile Team 103 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 104 Florian Stalder (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 105 Luis Fernández Oliveira (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 106 Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 107 David Arroyo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 108 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 109 David Loosli (Swi) Lampre-Fondital 110 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 111 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 112 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 113 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana Team 114 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Phonak Hearing Systems 115 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 116 Christophe Detilloux (Bel) Française des Jeux 117 Sven Montgomery (Swi) Gerolsteiner 118 Aketza Peña (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 119 Pieter Mertens (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 120 Iñigo Chaurreau (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 121 Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner 122 Ian Mcleod (RSA) Française des Jeux 123 Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank 124 André Korff (Ger) T-Mobile Team 125 René Haselbacher (Aut) Gerolsteiner 126 Pierre Drancourt (Bel) Bouygues Telecom 127 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 128 Josep Jufre (Spa) Davitamon-Lotto 129 Sergio Paulinho (Por) Astana Team 130 David George (RSA) Relax-Gam 131 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 132 Miguel A. Martín Perdiguero (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 133 Bingen Fernández (Spa) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 134 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Team Milram 135 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Liquigas 136 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre-Fondital 137 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 138 Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas 139 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step-Innergetic 140 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 141 Benoît Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole 142 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Credit Agricole 143 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC 144 Daniel Becke (Ger) Team Milram 145 Charles Wegelius (GBr) Liquigas 146 Dario Andriotto (Ita) Liquigas 147 Iñigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 148 Ángel Vallejo (Spa) Relax-Gam 149 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 150 Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Team CSC 151 Jorge García (Spa) Relax-Gam 152 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Team CSC 153 Sébastien Joly (Fra) Française des Jeux 154 Markel Irizar (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 155 Eric Leblacher (Fra) Française des Jeux 156 Bart Dockx (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 157 Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner 158 Stephan Schreck (Ger) T-Mobile Team 159 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 160 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 161 Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 162 Enrico Poitschke (Ger) Team Milram 163 William Walker (Aus) Rabobank 164 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Credit Agricole 165 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 166 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 167 Thierry Marichal (Bel) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 168 José Vicent Garcia Acosta (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 169 José Antonio Garrido (Spa) Quick Step-Innergetic 170 Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 171 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Astana Team 172 José Antonio Redondo (Spa) Astana Team 173 Steve Zampieri (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 174 Freddy Bichot (Fra) Française des Jeux 175 Marcel Strauss (Swi) Gerolsteiner 176 Claudio Corioni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 177 Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 178 Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 179 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 180 Christophe Kern (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 181 Volodymyr Dyudya (Ukr) Team Milram 0.54 182 Alberto Ongarato (Ita) Team Milram 1.15 183 Christopher Horner (USA) Davitamon-Lotto 184 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 185 Wim De Vocht (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 3.03 186 Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole 3.19 187 Raúl García De Mateo (Spa) Relax-Gam 4.12 188 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Credit Agricole 5.42 189 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Credit Agricole Points 1 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram 25 pts 2 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 20 3 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 16 4 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC 14 5 Francisco José Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 12 6 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Française des Jeux 10 7 André Greipel (Ger) T-Mobile Team 9 8 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 8 9 Robbie Mcewen (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto 7 10 Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas 6 11 Inaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 5 12 Mario De Sarraga (Spa) Relax-Gam 4 13 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Team 3 14 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 2 15 Uros Murn (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 1 Sprints La Garrovilla, km 39 1 Raúl García De Mateo (Spa) Relax-Gam 4 pts 2 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 2 3 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC 1 Puebla de Obando, km 90 1 Raúl García De Mateo (Spa) Relax-Gam 4 pts 2 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 2 3 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC 1 Teams 1 Team Milram 10.14.18 2 Saunier Duval - Prodir 3 Bouygues Telecom 4 Ag2r Prevoyance 5 Liquigas 6 Phonak Hearing Systems 7 Team CSC 8 Française des Jeux 9 Gerolsteiner 10 Astana 11 Credit Agricole 12 Euskaltel - Euskadi 13 Relax - GAM 14 T- Mobile TeaO 15 Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 16 Quick Step - Innergetic 17 Lampre - Fondital 18 Rabobank 19 Caisse D'Epargne - Illes Balears 20 Davitamon - Lotto 21 Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team General classification after stage 4 1 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 13.34.59 2 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram 0.27 3 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC 4 Francisco José Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 0.32 5 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 0.34 6 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC 0.39 7 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team CSC 8 Nicki Sorensen (Den) Team CSC 9 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Team CSC 10 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 11 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Team CSC 12 Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Team CSC 13 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 0.40 14 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC 0.43 15 Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas 0.44 16 Pablo Lastras (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 0.46 17 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 18 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 19 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 20 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 21 José Vicent Garcia Acosta (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 22 Marco Velo (Ita) Team Milram 0.47 23 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Team Milram 24 Daniel Becke (Ger) Team Milram 25 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Liquigas 0.48 26 Michael Barry (Can) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 27 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 28 Egoi Martinez (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 29 Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 30 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 31 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 32 Manuel Beltran (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 33 Benoît Joachim (Lux) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 34 Joan Horrach (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 0.49 35 André Greipel (Ger) T-Mobile Team 0.50 36 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) T-Mobile Team 37 Bastiaan Giling (Ned) T-Mobile Team 38 Thomas Ziegler (Ger) T-Mobile Team 39 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) T-Mobile Team 40 André Korff (Ger) T-Mobile Team 41 Scott Davis (Aus) T-Mobile Team 42 Daniele Nardello (Ita) T-Mobile Team 43 Stephan Schreck (Ger) T-Mobile Team 44 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Team 0.51 45 Aaron Kemps (Aus) Astana Team 46 Serguei Yakovlev (Kaz) Astana Team 47 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana Team 48 Luis León Sánchez (Spa) Astana Team 49 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Team 50 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Astana Team 51 Sergio Paulinho (Por) Astana Team 52 José Antonio Redondo (Spa) Astana Team 53 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Credit Agricole 0.52 54 José Ange Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 55 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Liquigas 56 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Credit Agricole 57 Juan José Cobo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 58 David Millar (GBr) Saunier Duval-Prodir 59 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Credit Agricole 60 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 61 David Cañada (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 62 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Liquigas 63 Benoît Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole 64 Charles Wegelius (GBr) Liquigas 65 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 66 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 0.54 67 Davide Vigano (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 68 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 69 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 70 Alberto Benítez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 71 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 72 Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 73 José Antonio Garrido (Spa) Quick Step-Innergetic 74 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.55 75 Inaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0.57 76 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank 77 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 78 Mauricio Ardila (Col) Rabobank 79 Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 80 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 81 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 82 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 83 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 84 Theo Eltink (Ned) Rabobank 85 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 86 Markel Irizar (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 87 Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank 88 William Walker (Aus) Rabobank 89 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 90 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 91 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 92 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 0.58 93 René Haselbacher (Aut) Gerolsteiner 94 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner 95 Andrea Moletta (Ita) Gerolsteiner 96 Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner 97 Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner 98 Sven Montgomery (Swi) Gerolsteiner 99 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 1.00 100 Ruggero Marzoli (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 101 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Lampre-Fondital 102 David Loosli (Swi) Lampre-Fondital 103 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre-Fondital 104 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 105 Francesco Failli (Ita) Liquigas 1.01 106 Iñigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 107 Dario Andriotto (Ita) Liquigas 108 Rony Martias (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 1.03 109 Franck Renier (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 110 Walter Beneteau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 111 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 112 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Bouygues Telecom 113 Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 114 Anthony Geslin (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 115 Robbie Mcewen (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto 1.04 116 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Davitamon-Lotto 117 Christopher Horner (USA) Davitamon-Lotto 118 Pieter Mertens (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 119 Josep Jufre (Spa) Davitamon-Lotto 120 Pierre Drancourt (Bel) Bouygues Telecom 1.05 121 Uros Murn (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 1.06 122 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 123 Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2R Prevoyance 124 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 125 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 126 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 127 David Navas (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 128 Miguel A. Martín Perdiguero (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 129 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Phonak Hearing Systems 130 Luis Fernández Oliveira (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 131 Steve Morabito (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 132 Florian Stalder (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 133 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 134 Iñigo Chaurreau (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 135 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 136 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Française des Jeux 1.07 137 Christophe Detilloux (Bel) Française des Jeux 138 Frédéric Finot (Fra) Française des Jeux 139 Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française des Jeux 140 Eric Leblacher (Fra) Française des Jeux 141 Sébastien Joly (Fra) Française des Jeux 142 Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) Phonak Hearing Systems 1.08 143 Aketza Peña (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 144 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 1.09 145 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 146 Luis Pérez (Spa) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 147 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 148 Bingen Fernández (Spa) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 149 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 150 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 1.12 151 Claudio Corioni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 152 Fabien Patanchon (Fra) Française des Jeux 1.13 153 Freddy Bichot (Fra) Française des Jeux 1.15 154 Nacor Burgos (Spa) Relax-Gam 1.16 155 José Miguel Elias (Spa) Relax-Gam 156 Jorge García (Spa) Relax-Gam 157 Daniel Moreno (Spa) Relax-Gam 158 Jesús Hernández (Spa) Relax-Gam 159 Ángel Vallejo (Spa) Relax-Gam 160 Ian Mcleod (RSA) Française des Jeux 1.17 161 Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner 1.19 162 Ángel Gómez Gómez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 1.20 163 Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas 164 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step-Innergetic 1.33 165 Steve Zampieri (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 1.41 166 David George (RSA) Relax-Gam 1.47 167 Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 1.53 168 Mathieu Claude (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 1.59 169 Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 2.01 170 David Arroyo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 2.02 171 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Team Milram 2.03 172 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 2.31 173 Alberto Ongarato (Ita) Team Milram 2.38 174 Volodymyr Dyudya (Ukr) Team Milram 2.39 175 Sebastian Siedler (Ger) Team Milram 2.49 176 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 3.29 177 Thierry Marichal (Bel) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 3.54 178 Wim De Vocht (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 4.18 179 Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 4.23 180 Christophe Kern (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 4.34 181 Bart Dockx (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 4.36 182 Raúl García De Mateo (Spa) Relax-Gam 5.16 183 Marcel Strauss (Swi) Gerolsteiner 5.31 184 Mario De Sarraga (Spa) Relax-Gam 7.43 185 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Credit Agricole 11.36 186 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Credit Agricole 13.38 187 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Credit Agricole 15.39 188 Enrico Poitschke (Ger) Team Milram 18.01 189 Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole 21.00 Points classification 1 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 68 pts 2 Francisco José Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 47 3 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram 45 4 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 35 5 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC 35 6 Robbie Mcewen (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto 33 7 Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas 31 8 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 29 9 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Française des Jeux 18 10 Inaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 14 11 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 14 12 Uros Murn (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 13 13 Mario De Sarraga (Spa) Relax-Gam 12 14 André Greipel (Ger) T-Mobile Team 9 15 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 8 16 Raúl García De Mateo (Spa) Relax-Gam 8 17 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank 8 18 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Team 7 19 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 7 20 Claudio Corioni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 6 21 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 5 22 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner 4 23 Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 3 24 René Haselbacher (Aut) Gerolsteiner 3 25 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 3 26 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Liquigas 2 27 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 1 Mountains classification 1 Mario De Sarraga (Spa) Relax-Gam 18 pts 2 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 6 3 Benoît Joachim (Lux) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 6 4 José Antonio Garrido (Spa) Quick Step-Innergetic 6 5 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 5 6 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 4 7 Jorge García (Spa) Relax-Gam 4 8 Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 2 9 Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole 1 All-rounder classification 1 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 30 pts 2 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 102 3 Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 144 4 Mario De Sarraga (Spa) Relax-Gam 198 Team classification 1 Team CSC 40.31.42 2 Caisse D'Epargne - Illes Balears 0.07 3 Team Milram 0.08 4 Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.09 5 T- Mobile Team 0.11 6 Astana 0.12 7 Saunier Duval - Prodir 0.13 8 Liquigas 9 Credit Agricole 10 Quick Step - Innergetic 0.15 11 Euskaltel - Euskadi 0.18 12 Rabobank 13 Gerolsteiner 0.19 14 Lampre - Fondital 0.21 15 Bouygues Telecom 0.24 16 Davitamon - Lotto 0.25 17 Ag2r Prevoyance 0.27 18 Phonak Hearing Systems 19 Française des Jeux 0.28 20 Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 0.30 21 Relax - GAM 0.37
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