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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 6 - August 31: Zamora - León, 177 km
Thunder strikes on cloudless day in Léon
Norwegian gets his stage win
By Shane Stokes in Léon, with additional reporting from Hernan Alvarez
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If at first you don't succeed... After three second places, Thor Hushovd finally translated his considerable finishing speed into a fine victory on stage 6 of the Vuelta today, thundering in ahead of T-Mobile's André Greipel plus the Milram pairing of Erik Zabel and Alessandro Petacchi. The giant Norwegian solidified his lead on the points classification with the victory, which adds to two wins in the Tour de France earlier this season, as well as successes in Gent-Wevelgem plus stages of Tirreno Adriatico, the Tour of Catalunya and the Dauphine Libéré.
"I felt good today and was able to win the sprint," the 28 year old Credit Agricole rider stated afterwards. "When I had the jersey it was perhaps a little more difficult because I had to ride to defend that jersey and doing the intermediate sprints probably slows you a little for the final one. I was very, very motivated to win a stage here.
"I was able to use the Milram train to get ready for the sprint. I wasn't sure if Petacchi or Zabel was going to be their man for today. Petacchi went with about 200 metres to go but I took the wheel of the T-Mobile rider [Greipel], who did a very good sprint, and I was able to come by for the victory."
Hushovd has now won a stage, worn yellow and also holds the points jersey. Despite that, he said he is still hungry to do more. "It is true that I have already achieved my goals in this Vuelta and I can be happy. But I want to win more stages and that will be my goal on every day where there is a sprint."
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After today's kamikaze move du jour by French rider Mathieu Claude (Bouygues) was caught with just over 20 kilometres to go, the sprinters teams controlled things until the finish, with Liquigas, Milram and Saunier Duval doing most of the driving. David Millar showed his impressive Vuelta form with a massive turn just before the gallop started, but things didn't work out in the end for his team-mate Francisco José Ventoso, who placed tenth.
Zabel was once again right in the thick of things, but had to be content with third. "Today the team have done more good work," he said. "I was on the wheel of Petacchi with 250 metres to go and when he started, he was very fast. I preferred not to take his wheel in order not to help our rivals. I had gone on the left when Greipel and Hushovd started and I did the sprint behind them".
Petacchi's fourth place showed that he is on his way back after injury: "Today I worked for Zabel's sprint. I went with 220 metres to go because I thought I had Zabel behind me. After that I tried to continue on to the finish line as a test. I'm happy, but I am still lacking a lot of power. I hope to finish this Vuelta and to win a stage before the end."
There was no real change in the overall standings, with race leader Danilo di Luca coming home alongside all of the GC contenders. A small split in the peloton saw them lose five seconds to the first 34 riders, this latter number including Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana), but the latter remains a not-insignificant 2'27 down. The next big test for the Italian is tomorrow's summit finish to the Alto de el Morredero.
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The Caisse d'Epargne team have Alessandro Valverde in sixth place overall and their directeur sportif Eusebio Unzue is hoping for a good performance there. "It will be a second test for all the candidates for the overall win. But because the Morredero will be the only difficulty of the day I don't think that there will be big differences on the finishing line. It will however be very important to remain attentive in the first part of the stage because the wind could play an important role.
"I hope that Alejandro Valverde will be as good as he was yesterday in the stage of La Covatilla, and that, why not, he will even claim the stage victory."
Valverde's challenge will be backed by Xabier Zandio, who was one of today's early animators. "I am feeling very well", said the rider from Navarra. "Tomorrow I will try to stay as long as possible at Alejandro's side to help him as best I can. In the Covatilla I was disappointed with my performance. I can explain that by the fact that I took part in no races after the Tour de France. I notice that lack of competition in my legs but I am feeling better every day and I hope that tomorrow will confirm that fact."
Heat eases off
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Tomorrow's stage is once again expected to be run under cloudless skies. The heat has been a big factor in this race, but it was slightly cooler today. This may have helped Hushovd, who said this afternoon that high temperatures make things more difficult for his Norwegian frame.
"The heat is the biggest problem for me. I suffer a lot in the sun. But this year I spent time in Australia which has the same heat as here. As well as that, I did the Tour de France and that was very, very hot. So I am maybe getting used to it. It can be a big problem for me, though."
Chris Horner said after the stage that things are changing and that it has been less of an inferno as the Vuelta heads north. "It's night and day, comparing today with the other stages," he said. "I mean, it is hot out there but it is nothing like what it was."
The Davitamon Lotto rider said that nobody really wants to race as yet. "Today was the same as the first three days, really. It was pretty boring the whole time. Of course, the finish was fast but these guys really just don't want to race. There is always a few out there but they just let the one or two go and go easy most of the day."
Discovery Channel's Michael Barry was on the podium today as part of the best team, and he also echoed Horner's comments. "The Vuelta has definitely been slower than it has been in past years," he said. "Part of that is due to the heat and also because there are fewer continental teams competing here now, so there aren't so many teams hoping to get into early breakaways. The racing is a little more controlled as a result. And with some big mountain stages coming up, all the teams with riders going for the overall are saving their energy for now."
That should start change tomorrow. As Unzue says, the race to Alto de el Morredero has just one climb but it will be another eyeballs-out effort to the top, and should provide further insights into the real contenders for the overall title.
How it unfolded
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Leon is a city with a long history. The first settlement in the area of the town was apparently in 74 AD as Roman Legion VII was based there. The current city cathedral started to be built in the 13th century in the French gothic style, and it is one of the oldest Spanish cathedrals.
There were five riders who didn't start today: Charles Wegelius (Liquigas) and Miguel Martin Perdiguero (Phonak) who abandoned the race during last stage. Also Freddy Bichot (Française des Jeux), Christophe Detilloux (Française des Jeux) and Robbie McEwen (Davitamon) who finished outside the time limit yesterday.
The stage started with attacks by Walter Beneteau (Bouygues Telecom), who tried a couple of times to get clear. But at km 10, it was his teammate Mathieu Claude who got the right gap. The distance between the lone breakaway and the main group grew as the French rider led by 5'47 at km 25 and 8'45 at km 32. At the first intermediate sprint (km 34), Claude was first and led by more than ten minutes over the peloton. Francisco Ventoso (Saunier Duval) was second and Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) third there.
The stage was rather calm and without much emotion. Volodymyr Dyudya (Milram) quit the race at km 66, leaving 182 riders still in the Vuelta. Claude led solo by 9'53 at km 95 but the peloton had the situation well under control. It's highly unlikely that a single rider can finish off his performance by claiming first in a flat this stage like this, but it does happen. Around km 100, the sprinters' teams began to work and start reducing the gap that was around eight and a half minutes at that point.
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The main group was getting near and it was chasing Mathieu Claude at 6'40 at km 114. The distance was gradually getting smaller and smaller and at km 130 it was only 3'22. Claude's adventure was about to end. Finally, with 21 km to go, the peloton swallowed the one-rider breakaway, just before the second and final intermediate sprint in Mansilla de las Mulas. Francisco Ventoso (Saunier Duval), Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) and David Millar (Saunier Duval) were the first three riders there, as Hushovd did not contest it.
The peloton had everything under control and was ready for the bunch sprint. The tempo was super fast - 90 km/h on the downhill run into Léon - and the Milram men wanted to help Erik Zabel win again in the Vuelta. T-Mobile, Française des Jeux and Lampre tried to put their sprinters up front, as Milram looked to have the perfect lead out train going in the last 2 km. Then David Millar (Saunier Duval) spoiled the party by doing a massive turn inside the final kilometre and a half for his sprinter Ventoso. When Millar pulled off at 600m to go, the Velo jumped with Petacchi and Zabel on his wheel. Petacchi hit out on the right at less than 250m to go, but Zabel chose the wheel of Greipel, who surged up the centre with Hushovd in tow. Eventually, Hushovd came around the Germans to win the stage, with Greipel second and Zabel and Petacchi third and fourth respectively.
Stage 7 – September 1: Leon-Alto de El Morredero, 154.2 km
A flattish stage with an uphill finish. There is only one climb at the end of the race: Alto de El Morredero (Cat. 1 – 1,750 m. above sea level) and there are two intermediate sprints: Toreno (660 m. – km 101) and Ponferrada (530 m. – km 124.7). It should be a day for a climber to shine in the last part of the day.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by AFP Photo
- Mathieu Claude (Bouygues Telecom) attacked after 10 kilometres and stayed away until 20 kilometres to go.
- The peloton pass by a pack of sheep during the sixth stage of the Vuelta.
- A elderly local cheers on the Vuelta peloton.
- Munchtime for Carlos Sastre (CSC).
- A last-minute lunge from Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole, R) seals the Norweigan his first stage victory of this year's Vuelta, beating André Greipel (T-Mobile Team, M) and Erik Zabel (Team Milram, L).
- Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) holds on tight as he crosses the line for his first stage victory.
- A happy Hushovd on the podium.
- Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) retains the leader's jersey.
Images by Shane Stokes/Cyclingnews.com
- Michael Barry (Discovery Channel) with the trophy for best team
- Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) signs a maillot oro
- Smiling...
- Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) at the end of stage 6.
- A podium girl holds the Cock of Leon. It's a local symbol.
- Vuelta organiser Victor Cordero on the podium.
- Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas), in the maillot oro for the second evening.
- Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) is interviewed for radio.
- Despite his position as race leader, Danilo Di Luca says that he does not expect to win the race. He is using it as preparation for the world championships, which most definitely is a target.
- Stage winner Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) talks to the media.
Images by Unipublic
- Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas)
- The peloton rolls through the Spanish countryside.
- An early break on stage 6.
- Stuart O'Grady (CSC) and Magnus Backstedt (Liquigas), at right.
- The peloton rolls into a village.
- Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole)
- The Euskaltel - Euskadi team are getting close to home turf.
- Euskaltel - Euskadi has three riders within two minutes of Di Luca.
- Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) tucked into the peloton.
- The peloton takes on some fuel.
- Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne)
- Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) in the leader's jersey.
- Dennis Menchov (Rabobank).
- Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) in the leader's jersey.
- Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) relaxing in the bunch.
- Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) in the leader's jersey.
- The Liquigas team controlling affairs for Di Luca.
- The Peloton with the obligatory shot of a galloping horse.
- José Miguel Elias (Relax-gam) in the mountains jersey.
- Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) edges out Zabel and Petacchi.
- Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) receives some flowers.
- Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne) signing autographs.
- Cyclocross style.
- Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) in the leader's jersey.
- Mathieu Claude (Bouygues Telecom) during his breakaway attempt.
- Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) in the points jersey.
- All breakaways were doomed to failure.
Results
1 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 4.09.10 (42.62 km/h) 2 André Greipel (Ger) T-Mobile Team 3 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram 4 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Team Milram 5 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 6 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Française des Jeux 7 Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas 8 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC 9 Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2R Prevoyance 10 Francisco José Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 11 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 12 Davide Vigano (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 13 René Haselbacher (Aut) Gerolsteiner 14 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank 15 Pieter Mertens (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 16 Uros Murn (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 17 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner 18 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 19 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Team 20 Rony Martias (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 21 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 22 Inaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 23 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Davitamon-Lotto 24 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) T-Mobile Team 25 Marco Velo (Ita) Team Milram 26 Ruggero Marzoli (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 27 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 28 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Lampre-Fondital 29 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 30 Luis Pérez (Spa) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 31 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 32 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana Team 33 Pablo Lastras (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 34 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 35 Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0.05 36 David Loosli (Swi) Lampre-Fondital 37 Nicki Sorensen (Den) Team CSC 38 Jorge García (Spa) Relax-Gam 39 Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 40 Bastiaan Giling (Ned) T-Mobile Team 41 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Astana Team 42 Mario De Sarraga (Spa) Relax-Gam 43 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 44 Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française des Jeux 45 Franck Renier (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 46 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Team 47 Juan José Cobo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 48 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 49 Thomas Ziegler (Ger) T-Mobile Team 50 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Credit Agricole 51 Nacor Burgos (Spa) Relax-Gam 52 José Miguel Elias (Spa) Relax-Gam 53 Theo Eltink (Ned) Rabobank 54 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 55 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) T-Mobile Team 56 David Navas (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 57 Manuel Beltran (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 58 Aaron Kemps (Aus) Astana Team 59 Anthony Geslin (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 60 Michael Barry (Can) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 61 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 62 Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 63 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 64 José Ange Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 65 Claudio Corioni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 66 Josep Jufre (Spa) Davitamon-Lotto 67 Bingen Fernández (Spa) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 68 Luis Fernández Oliveira (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 69 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 70 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC 71 Andrea Moletta (Ita) Gerolsteiner 72 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 73 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 74 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 75 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 76 David Cañada (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 77 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 78 Walter Beneteau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 79 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 80 Pierre Drancourt (Bel) Bouygues Telecom 81 Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 82 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 83 Steve Morabito (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 84 Alberto Ongarato (Ita) Team Milram 85 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 86 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 87 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 88 Aketza Peña (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 89 David Arroyo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 90 Markel Irizar (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 91 Scott Davis (Aus) T-Mobile Team 92 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 93 Mauricio Ardila (Col) Rabobank 94 Florian Stalder (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 95 David Millar (GBr) Saunier Duval-Prodir 96 Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner 97 Sébastien Joly (Fra) Française des Jeux 98 Fabien Patanchon (Fra) Française des Jeux 99 Ian Mcleod (RSA) Française des Jeux 100 Daniele Nardello (Ita) T-Mobile Team 101 Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 102 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Liquigas 103 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Team Milram 104 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Team CSC 105 Christopher Horner (USA) Davitamon-Lotto 106 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 107 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 108 Frédéric Finot (Fra) Française des Jeux 109 Stephan Schreck (Ger) T-Mobile Team 110 Iñigo Chaurreau (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 111 Benoît Joachim (Lux) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 112 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 113 Luis León Sánchez (Spa) Astana Team 114 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 115 Jesús Hernández (Spa) Relax-Gam 116 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre-Fondital 117 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 118 Daniel Moreno (Spa) Relax-Gam 119 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Bouygues Telecom 120 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Credit Agricole 121 Ángel Vallejo (Spa) Relax-Gam 122 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Phonak Hearing Systems 123 Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole 124 William Walker (Aus) Rabobank 125 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 126 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Credit Agricole 127 Eric Leblacher (Fra) Française des Jeux 128 Egoi Martinez (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 129 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 130 Serguei Yakovlev (Kaz) Astana Team 131 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 132 Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank 133 Raúl García De Mateo (Spa) Relax-Gam 134 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 135 Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Team CSC 136 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 137 Alberto Benítez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 138 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 139 Joan Horrach (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 140 Francesco Failli (Ita) Liquigas 141 Benoît Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole 142 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 143 Thierry Marichal (Bel) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 144 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Credit Agricole 145 Daniel Becke (Ger) Team Milram 146 Sergio Paulinho (Por) Astana Team 147 Iñigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 148 Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 149 Wim De Vocht (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 150 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 151 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 152 José Vicent Garcia Acosta (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 153 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team CSC 154 Bart Dockx (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 155 David George (RSA) Relax-Gam 156 Marcel Strauss (Swi) Gerolsteiner 157 Sven Montgomery (Swi) Gerolsteiner 158 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 159 Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner 160 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 161 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC 162 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 163 Steve Zampieri (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 164 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Team CSC 165 José Antonio Garrido (Spa) Quick Step-Innergetic 166 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 167 Christophe Kern (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 168 José Antonio Redondo (Spa) Astana Team 169 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step-Innergetic 170 Enrico Poitschke (Ger) Team Milram 171 Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.31 172 Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas 173 Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner 0.38 174 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Liquigas 0.41 175 Sebastian Siedler (Ger) Team Milram 1.01 176 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Liquigas 1.15 177 Dario Andriotto (Ita) Liquigas 178 Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 1.16 179 Ángel Gómez Gómez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 1.33 180 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Credit Agricole 1.53 181 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Credit Agricole 5.04 182 Mathieu Claude (Fra) Bouygues Telecom Points 1 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 25 pts 2 André Greipel (Ger) T-Mobile Team 20 3 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram 16 4 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Team Milram 14 5 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 12 6 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Française des Jeux 10 7 Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas 9 8 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC 8 9 Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2R Prevoyance 7 10 Francisco José Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 6 11 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 5 12 Davide Vigano (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 4 13 René Haselbacher (Aut) Gerolsteiner 3 14 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank 2 15 Pieter Mertens (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 1 Sprints Villarín de Campos, km 34 1 Mathieu Claude (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 4 pts 2 Francisco José Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 2 3 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 1 Mansilla de las Mulas, km 156,5 1 Francisco José Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 4 pts 2 Luis León Sánchez (Spa) Astana Team 2 3 David Millar (GBr) Saunier Duval-Prodir 1 Teams 1 Team Milram 12.27.30 2 Lampre - Fondital 3 Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 4 T- Mobile Team 0.05 5 Quick Step - Innergetic 6 Euskaltel - Euskadi 7 Ag2r Prevoyance 8 Astana 9 Phonak Hearing Systems 10 Gerolsteiner 11 Davitamon - Lotto 12 Team CSC 0.10 13 Saunier Duval - Prodir 14 Bouygues Telecom 15 Française des Jeux 16 Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 17 Rabobank 18 Liquigas 19 Credit Agricole 20 Caisse D'Epargne - Illes Balears 21 Relax - GAM 0.15 General classification after stage 6 1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 22.47.11 2 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.04 3 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Team 0.18 4 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 0.29 5 José Ange Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 0.35 6 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 0.36 7 Manuel Beltran (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.55 8 Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.58 9 Ruggero Marzoli (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 0.59 10 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) T-Mobile Team 1.00 11 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.04 12 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 1.29 13 Sergio Paulinho (Por) Astana Team 1.54 14 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Phonak Hearing Systems 2.06 15 Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2.09 16 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 17 Jesús Hernández (Spa) Relax-Gam 2.11 18 Josep Jufre (Spa) Davitamon-Lotto 2.16 19 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana Team 2.27 20 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre-Fondital 2.43 21 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 2.46 22 Juan José Cobo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 2.52 23 David Millar (GBr) Saunier Duval-Prodir 3.10 24 David Arroyo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 3.24 25 Sébastien Joly (Fra) Française des Jeux 3.31 26 Luis Pérez (Spa) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 3.35 27 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 3.53 28 Serguei Yakovlev (Kaz) Astana Team 3.56 29 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Lampre-Fondital 4.00 30 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 4.02 31 Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank 32 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 4.19 33 Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Team CSC 4.21 34 Daniel Becke (Ger) Team Milram 4.32 35 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 4.42 36 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Astana Team 37 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 4.45 38 Mauricio Ardila (Col) Rabobank 4.48 39 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 5.09 40 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 5.10 41 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 5.46 42 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 5.52 43 Egoi Martinez (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 5.54 44 Theo Eltink (Ned) Rabobank 6.03 45 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 46 Christopher Horner (USA) Davitamon-Lotto 6.10 47 Iñigo Chaurreau (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 6.12 48 José Miguel Elias (Spa) Relax-Gam 6.22 49 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 6.35 50 Nicki Sorensen (Den) Team CSC 7.03 51 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Credit Agricole 7.16 52 Benoît Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole 7.42 53 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 7.53 54 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team CSC 8.32 55 Andrea Moletta (Ita) Gerolsteiner 8.52 56 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram 8.57 57 Ángel Vallejo (Spa) Relax-Gam 9.09 58 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) T-Mobile Team 9.28 59 Luis León Sánchez (Spa) Astana Team 9.30 60 Michael Barry (Can) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 9.41 61 Daniele Nardello (Ita) T-Mobile Team 9.43 62 Raúl García De Mateo (Spa) Relax-Gam 9.46 63 Benoît Joachim (Lux) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 11.49 64 Thierry Marichal (Bel) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 12.37 65 Eric Leblacher (Fra) Française des Jeux 12.46 66 Pablo Lastras (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 13.02 67 Joan Horrach (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 13.10 68 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 13.12 69 José Antonio Garrido (Spa) Quick Step-Innergetic 13.15 70 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 13.18 71 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 72 Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner 13.19 73 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 13.27 74 Luis Fernández Oliveira (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 75 Steve Morabito (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 76 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 13.30 77 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 13.33 78 Daniel Moreno (Spa) Relax-Gam 14.07 79 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Team CSC 14.59 80 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Liquigas 15.18 81 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 16.19 82 Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) Phonak Hearing Systems 16.50 83 David George (RSA) Relax-Gam 17.10 84 Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 17.14 85 Alberto Benítez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 18.01 86 Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas 20.23 87 Iñigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 20.26 88 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 20.55 89 Scott Davis (Aus) T-Mobile Team 21.11 90 Inaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 21.13 91 Sven Montgomery (Swi) Gerolsteiner 21.19 92 Francisco José Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 21.55 93 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Team 22.24 94 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 22.27 95 Stephan Schreck (Ger) T-Mobile Team 22.28 96 José Antonio Redondo (Spa) Astana Team 22.29 97 David Cañada (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 22.30 98 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Bouygues Telecom 22.37 99 Pieter Mertens (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 100 Walter Beneteau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 22.41 101 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 22.44 102 Ian Mcleod (RSA) Française des Jeux 23.05 103 William Walker (Aus) Rabobank 23.15 104 Anthony Geslin (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 23.42 105 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Liquigas 25.15 106 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 25.45 107 Ángel Gómez Gómez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 26.06 108 Bart Dockx (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 26.14 109 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 27.00 110 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC 27.49 111 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC 28.06 112 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Team CSC 113 Marco Velo (Ita) Team Milram 28.09 114 André Greipel (Ger) T-Mobile Team 28.10 115 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC 116 José Vicent Garcia Acosta (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 28.13 117 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Team Milram 28.14 118 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Credit Agricole 28.15 119 Davide Vigano (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 28.16 120 Bastiaan Giling (Ned) T-Mobile Team 28.17 121 Thomas Ziegler (Ger) T-Mobile Team 122 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank 28.19 123 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 124 René Haselbacher (Aut) Gerolsteiner 28.20 125 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner 126 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 28.21 127 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 128 Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 129 Markel Irizar (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 28.24 130 Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner 28.25 131 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Davitamon-Lotto 28.26 132 David Loosli (Swi) Lampre-Fondital 28.27 133 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 134 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 28.28 135 Uros Murn (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 136 Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2R Prevoyance 137 Francesco Failli (Ita) Liquigas 138 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Française des Jeux 28.29 139 Franck Renier (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 28.30 140 Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 141 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 28.31 142 Pierre Drancourt (Bel) Bouygues Telecom 28.32 143 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 28.33 144 Florian Stalder (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 145 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 146 Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française des Jeux 28.34 147 Frédéric Finot (Fra) Française des Jeux 148 Aketza Peña (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 28.35 149 Bingen Fernández (Spa) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 28.36 150 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 151 Aaron Kemps (Aus) Astana Team 28.37 152 Claudio Corioni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 28.39 153 Nacor Burgos (Spa) Relax-Gam 28.43 154 Jorge García (Spa) Relax-Gam 155 Fabien Patanchon (Fra) Française des Jeux 28.50 156 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 28.51 157 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Liquigas 158 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step-Innergetic 29.00 159 Steve Zampieri (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 29.08 160 Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas 29.13 161 Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner 29.19 162 Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 29.20 163 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Team Milram 29.25 164 Dario Andriotto (Ita) Liquigas 29.38 165 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 29.58 166 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Credit Agricole 30.02 167 Alberto Ongarato (Ita) Team Milram 30.05 168 Rony Martias (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 30.44 169 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 30.56 170 Sebastian Siedler (Ger) Team Milram 31.12 171 David Navas (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 31.32 172 Wim De Vocht (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 31.45 173 Christophe Kern (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 32.01 174 Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 33.11 175 Mathieu Claude (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 34.19 176 Mario De Sarraga (Spa) Relax-Gam 35.20 177 Marcel Strauss (Swi) Gerolsteiner 36.24 178 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Credit Agricole 37.17 179 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Credit Agricole 42.53 180 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Credit Agricole 44.02 181 Enrico Poitschke (Ger) Team Milram 45.28 182 Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole 48.27 Points classification 1 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 94 pts 2 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram 61 3 Francisco José Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 59 4 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC 43 5 Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas 40 6 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 35 7 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 29 8 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Française des Jeux 28 9 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 25 10 André Greipel (Ger) T-Mobile Team 24 11 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 21 12 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 20 13 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Team 16 14 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Team Milram 14 15 Inaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 14 16 José Ange Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 14 17 Uros Murn (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 13 18 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 12 19 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 12 20 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank 10 21 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 10 22 Ruggero Marzoli (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 9 23 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 8 24 Raúl García De Mateo (Spa) Relax-Gam 8 25 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 8 26 Mario De Sarraga (Spa) Relax-Gam 7 27 Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2R Prevoyance 7 28 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Team 7 29 Manuel Beltran (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 7 30 René Haselbacher (Aut) Gerolsteiner 6 31 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) T-Mobile Team 6 32 Claudio Corioni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 6 33 Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 5 34 Daniel Becke (Ger) Team Milram 4 35 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 4 36 Mathieu Claude (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 4 37 Davide Vigano (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 4 38 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner 4 39 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 4 40 Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 3 41 Jesús Hernández (Spa) Relax-Gam 3 42 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 3 43 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Credit Agricole 2 44 Luis León Sánchez (Spa) Astana Team 2 45 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Bouygues Telecom 2 46 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Phonak Hearing Systems 2 47 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Liquigas 2 48 Pieter Mertens (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 1 49 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 1 50 David Millar (GBr) Saunier Duval-Prodir 1 51 Eric Leblacher (Fra) Française des Jeux 1 52 Sergio Paulinho (Por) Astana Team 1 53 Ángel Gómez Gómez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 1 Mountains classification 1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 30 pts 2 José Miguel Elias (Spa) Relax-Gam 26 3 Benoît Joachim (Lux) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 26 4 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 25 5 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Credit Agricole 25 6 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Team 20 7 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 19 8 Mario De Sarraga (Spa) Relax-Gam 18 9 Ángel Vallejo (Spa) Relax-Gam 16 10 José Ange Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 16 11 Sergio Paulinho (Por) Astana Team 15 12 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 12 13 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Bouygues Telecom 12 14 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 10 15 Ruggero Marzoli (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 8 16 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 7 17 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 6 18 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 6 19 David Arroyo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 6 20 José Antonio Garrido (Spa) Quick Step-Innergetic 6 21 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 5 22 Manuel Beltran (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 4 23 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 4 24 Jorge García (Spa) Relax-Gam 4 25 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) T-Mobile Team 3 26 Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 2 27 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 2 28 Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner 2 29 Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 2 30 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 1 31 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) AG2R Prevoyance 1 32 Iñigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1 33 Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole 1 Combination classification 1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 11 pts 2 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 18 3 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Team 22 4 José Ange Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 31 5 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 34 6 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 41 7 Ruggero Marzoli (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 46 8 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 54 9 Manuel Beltran (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 58 10 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) T-Mobile Team 66 11 Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 67 12 Sergio Paulinho (Por) Astana Team 76 13 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 81 14 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 81 15 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 130 16 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Bouygues Telecom 156 17 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 192 18 Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 209 19 Mario De Sarraga (Spa) Relax-Gam 210 Teams classification 1 Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 68.08.07 2 Astana 2.32 3 Saunier Duval - Prodir 2.39 4 Euskaltel - Euskadi 2.50 5 Caisse D'Epargne - Illes Balears 3.25 6 Lampre - Fondital 5.09 7 Team CSC 10.02 8 Rabobank 10.25 9 Relax - GAM 11.19 10 T- Mobile Team 17.58 11 Gerolsteiner 22.15 12 Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 24.01 13 Phonak Hearing Systems 26.10 14 Davitamon - Lotto 28.22 15 Ag2r Prevoyance 33.08 16 Liquigas 33.57 17 Credit Agricole 35.11 18 Française des Jeux 36.27 19 Quick Step - Innergetic 36.49 20 Team Milram 40.05 21 Bouygues Telecom 47.53
