July
30 - Ninth Tour title sent home from Paris, Doubling up in successful
Tour, Evans does Australia proud, Belgium goes Green
July 29
- Powerful time trial nearly knocks over classification,
Close call leaves us wondering what if?, Discovery sees bright future for
Contador, Prudhomme ends doping rumours, Predictor-Lotto's mixed emotions,
Millar's hopes blown, Highs and lows for Luxembourg, Horner would ride for
it
July
28 - Casar gives French some good news, Evans nicks
spectator, Discovery believes in mentally tough Contador, "Contador couldn't
hold his wheel", New Tour doping case?, Sastre to face Zubeldia for fourth,
Merckx says farewell in final break, Boogerd committed to retiring, Tosatto's
'bella fuga', Willems laments failed break attempt
July
27 - Sprinter blasts onto the big stage, Spanish
hope takes first yellow, Evans not worrying about could-haves, Bruyneel confronts
Tour finale, Horner: the Tour is 'real life', Prudhomme critical of UCI, Leaderless,
Rabobank copes with anger
July
26 #2 - Rabobank explains Rasmussen sacking, Moreni
and Cofidis leave Tour after positive test, Valverde: "It never seems to end",
Soler emerges as Tour's bright spot, Haselbacher "couldn't believe it", Klöden
"disappointed", BMC rethinks Astana sponsorship, Amadio backs current anti-doping
system, Gianetti not impressed
July 25
#2 - Tour de France responds to Vinokourov disgrace,
Millar speaks out on Vinokourov, Astana hotel searched, News of Vino's test
ripple throughout the sport, More reactions, Blood transfusion confusion,
Teams unite to form 'silver lining', Non-doping controversy adds to rest day
stress
July 25
- Vinokourov positive for transfusion, Astana withdraws from Tour
July 24
- Vinokourov restores pride with second win in three days, Rabobank passes
the test, Disco relentless in pursuit of seconds, Kirchen happy with second,
Wegelius bets on Rasmussen, Barredo riding on empty, Merckx's "great experience"
in cycling
July 23
- Rasmussen rides strong against rivals, Spanish hope for Miguel Indurain's
successor, Cioni and Horner shepherd Evans to Cognac, Gerrans getting by,
Pippo passing Pyrénées, Coalition of Predictor and Rabobank?
July 22
- Rasmussen stuns field in TT, Phoenix from the ashes, Evans calls time trial
"very good", Predictor pleased with Evans' ride, Cancellara's crash, Contador
continues with consistency, Stage 13 post-race quotes
July
21 - Green tornado churns through Castres, Fédrigo's
long day up front, Kid Contador contests maillot blanc, Bruyneel's
Disco Strategy, Wegelius awaits Pyrénées
July
20 - First stage for man and country, Astana &
Vino back on track, Hincapie comments on Astana move, Evans hones in on TT,
No chasse-patate for Millar, Stage 11 post-race quotes, Schleck owes
one to Arvesen
July 18
- Demol Disco boys on the attack, Soler solos to special win, Riders reflect
on a memorable day, O'Grady on his accident, Carlström keeping a low profile,
Quickstep's Barredo waiting for Spanish run, Penalties all around
July
16 - The Chicken soars to race lead, Post-race quotes,
Bad day at T-Mobile office, Cormet de Roselend: always causing casualties
July
15 - Seven a lucky number for T-Mobile, Valverde
wants to drop Vino, Popovych has freedom, How the Australians fared, More
Tour reactions, Bottom drops out for Freire, Nuyens making it through Tour
July
14 -13 a new lucky number, Wiggins' long day, 13
not a lucky number, Dean plays Hushovd henchman, Bennati fighting back, Evans
survives first week, Stage six reactions, Pozzato to try again, Vande Velde
on Vino and Zabriskie
July 13- Pippo as promised, Vinokourov and Klöden injured, Cancellara
gets a bonus day, Boonen gives up the green, Medical report: bloody Thursday,
Stage five reactions, Hunter on stage hunt, The theory of bike racing
July 11- Stage 3 winner's story, Augé emulates Jacky Durand,
Pre-race chatter, Reactions to the stage into Compiègne, Sébastien
Joly diagnosed with cancer
July 10- Steegmans lights up stage one, Scare for Cancellara,
Crash hits big names, McEwen not feeling good, Quinziato the first domino,
Vansevenant enjoys his moment of glory, More bad luck for Cavendish, Freire
persists
July 8
#2 - Evans and Rogers with mixed reactions, McEwen
keeps tank topped, No song for Lancaster, Gerrans ready, Come on sprinters,
light my fire, Thomas tops Barloworld, Livingstone would welcome Tour back
July 8
- Pozzato Pronto: Filippo for Le Tour, Boonen for good prologue, Freire will
start, CSC Ready for Tour challenge
July 7
- Evans happy with build-up, T-Mobile: Rogers over injury problems, Livingstone's
Grand (Départ) vision, Medical checks and pre-race action, Millar time again?,
Open Tour departs London
July 6
- More Moreau: French Champion ready for Tour, Blow for Freire, 2007 Tour
by numbers, Zabriskie moving forward, Discovery "goes green"
Rest - the dictionary defines it as a "period or interval of inactivity,
repose, solitude, or tranquility". It seems, however, that in cycling the
definition is inversed - as the Tour de France's second of two rest days could
be described as chaotic, or turbulent - but certainly not inactive. The activities
that would unfold on July 24 were cracked wide open when French paper L'Equipedropped the
bombshell that a blood sample tested at the Châtenay-Malabry laboratory
from Astana's Alexandre Vinokourov had tested non-negative on the media outlet's
website.
Shortly after, French authorities came-a-knocking at Astana's team hotel -
the Palmeraie Hotel in Pau. As authorities settled into a rhythm for a day-long
search and questioning at the premises, media vans began to roll in cavalcades
toward the hotel. Astana's Marc Biver soon confirmed the dual stage winner's
non-negative sample in a press conference, which followed a brief official release
from the squad.
All eyes quickly turned to the Tour de France's director Christian Prudhomme
and ASO, the company which owns the Tour, president Patrice Clerc. The pair
have been clear on their anti-doping stance following the events of 2006, and
were quick to invite
the entire Astana squad to leave its prestigious Grand Tour - and offer
the Switzerland-registered ProTour team quickly accepted.
As Discovery
Channel laid about its hotel in a relatively calm environment, and Rabobank's
Michael Rasmussen found himself out of the doping spotlight for a change, Prudhomme
was quick to say he now has 'regrets' over granting the Kazakhstan-backed squad
a wildcard entry into this year's race.
Meanwhile, a few borders away in Italy, Alessandro Petacchi (Team Milram),
who was originally slated to contest the Tour, was delighted as the Italian
Cycling Federation's disciplinary committee cleared
him of suspicion of doping. The Italian National Olympic Committee has recommended
a 12 month ban for Petacchi after the rider recorded a non-negative sample from
the Giro d'Italia.
With action like that on the official 'rest day', its little wonder the remaining
151 riders are looking forward to returning to the Pyrénées for,
well, a rest.
