In Visitors, I invite one person each month to share perspectives on a sport, a sporting event, sporting aspects or any thing in between. This week, Craig Walsh, who had previewed the event, joins us again to review what was one the most controversial in history. If you would like to contribute for a future edition of Visitors, do not hesitate to e-mail me.

By Craig Walsh

The 2006 Tour de France started off with a controversial start, with Ivan Basso, Jan Ullrich, Francisco Mancebo, Oscar Sevilla, Alexandre Vinokourov and his Astana team (formerly Liberty Seguros), and the Comunidad Valenciana were not allowed to take part after they were linked with the Operation Puerto scandal. Vinokourov himself wasn’t implicated, but five of his team mates were implicated plus the team boss Manolo Saiz, so inline with UCI Pro Tour rules, twenty-two riders were not allowed to make the start line in Strasbourg. So instead of the 198 riders who were supposed to start, we had 176 riders. It promised the unexpected, as everybody’s predications went straight out the window, it was a case nobody knew what was going to happen next.

Ironically one rider making his comeback from a two year drugs for admitting to use EPO, Saunier Duval-Prodir’s David Miller of Scotland. Miller who had only got his racing license just five days before the start, went on to finish 17th in the 7km prologue, which was won by Norwegian sprinter Thor Hushovd of the Credit Agricole team. Hushovd, a favourite for the sprinter’s green jersey, pulled in the time trial of his life to take the win and to take his second maillot jaune (yellow jersey, Hushovd wore it for a day in 2004) in his career, just beating Discovery Channel’s George Hincapie.

Stage 1 took us from Strasbourg, out of town, through into nearby Germany, and back into France to finish in Strasbourg, a break got away but was reeled in by the chasing bunch, and in the ensuring sprint finish, there was a another surprise, with Tom Boonen’s lead-out train misfiring, and being forced to go too early, and in all the confusion, a French sprinter from Cofidis Jimmy Casper out foxed everybody to take the win. However there was drama as Hushovd was forced to go along the barriers, and cut his arm with a green cardboard hand (from sponsors PMU) which forced him to lose a lot of blood, but with the help of stitches he lived to fight another day. Hincapie took over the yellow jersey by virtue of the two second time bonus that was out on course.

Stages two and three were won by Robbie McEwen and T-Mobile’s Matthias Kessler. On stage two, Kessler tried a last minute break by was caught 500m from the line, and McEwen took the stage win. However, Kessler’s persistence paid off the next day when he attacked the final climb into Valkenburg, and held off the bunch. Kessler’s team-mate Michael Rogers of Australia was second. Boonen took over as the race leader. Stage three also lost one of it’s favourites in Spain’s Ajelandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) touched the wheels of a team-mate and fell and broke his collarbone. He was forced to abandon. Australia’s Stuart O’Grady (Team CSC) also had a crash and broke his vertebrae, he would ride sorely for the next several days but he did go onto finish the race.

Stage four was won by Robbie McEwen; his second of the race, but his train did not work on stage 5 as his lead out man Gert Steegmans misread the 500m to go sign for 400m, and McEwen was forced to go to early and Spanaid Oscar Freire (Rabobank0) took the win, Euskatel-Euskadi’s Inaki Isasi took third. Stage six, Steegmans got it right and delievered McEwen to his third stage win, by a couple of bicycle lengths. Onto stage seven and the first time trial into Rennes was won by T-Mobile’s Serhiy Honchar of the Ukraine, who trashed everybody bar Floyd Landis by about a minute. Honchar, a former world time-trial champion (in 2000) and a specialist against the watch, was surprisingly not taken as a favourite for the stage win, but proved everybody wrong to not only get the win, and to be the new race leader. Honchar who also lead the Giro d’Italia this year, became the first Ukrainian to lead the Tour de France. It was a bad day for American Levi Leipheimer, Iban Mayo, and Damiano Cunego all had the time trial from hell as the lost over 6 minutes each to all but end their GC hopes. Leipheimer’s best shot now would be stage wins. It was a sad day for CSC’s Bobby Julich of the USA, who was forced to abandon with a suspected broken hand when he crashed into a curb. CSC was now down to seven riders in the race.

Stage eight was one for the breakaway, the day before the first rest day, and it was with Frenchman Sylvain Calzati of AG2R broke off from the break he was in and took a comfortable stage win, he even had time to high-five his team boss on his way to the finish line as he was driving next to him in the team car. Calzati of Italian origins was the hero and the Judas of the day, with the stage win for France but he was supporting Italy in the World Cup final. Calzati even had the opportunity to play football (soccer) professionally; he chose the bike instead, which now looked like a great decision. Stage nine was again won by Oscar Freire who just beat McEwen on the line. It was to be the last day for the sprinters for a while, as the race started to turn towards the climbers, the overall favourites, the opportunists.

Stage ten was one for the opportunist, with Juan Miguel Mercado of Agritubel this time the winner. It was Mercado’s second Tour stage win, with his first coming for Quick Step back in 2004. Mercado beat Cyril Dessel of AG2R on the line; the two broke off to finish 7:23 over the main bunch. Dessel ended up with the yellow jersey and the King of the Mountain’s jersey, which would mean Mercado would wear the polka-dot jersey, since he was second in the competition (if a rider is second in a classification, like the points or mountains, and the guy in first leads the race, then the guy in second wears that jersey). Iban Mayo would end up losing 24:24 and would end up abandoning the next day on the road to Pla-de-Beret (Spain) on stage 11 which was won by Russian Dennis Menchov in a three man sprint between him, Leiphemier and Landis. Landis was the new wearer of the yellow jersey, while riders like Evans, Sastre, Kloden all lost valuable time. Dessel just lost his yellow jersey, but virtue of the 8 second time bonus gained by Landis.

Stage eleven was a disaster for Team Discovery with their main hopefuls losing time and ruining any chance of going for an 8th straight Tour win, and their problems wasn’t helped when Italian Paolo Savoldelli crashed into a fan after the stage when he was riding down the Pla-de-Beret back to the team bus and requiring stitches in his head which forced him to quit the next day on stage 12 and young Spaniard Benjamin Noval was quit. However they were was some joy as Ukrainian hopeful Yarosolav Popovych won in a four man breakaway. Stage thirteen was the turning point in the race as another break got clear, as it contained Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d’Epargne), Jens Voigt (CSC), Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas), Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis), and Andriy Grivko (Milram), but instead of been given 10 or 15 minutes, Phonak allowed the breakaway a 29:57 winning margin, and as since Pereiro was the highest placed rider 28 minutes down, was the new race leader, but Voigt won the stage. Pereiro, a former team mate of Landis, was the surprise leader of the race.

Pierrick Fedrigo of Bouygues Telecom was the winner of stage 14, the last stage before the second rest day into Gap, Fedrigo beat Salvatore Commesso (Lampre) in the sprint as the chasing bunch just missed out on catching them by a matter of seconds. The day was soured by a tragic crash that forced Rik Verbrugghe (Cofidis), and David Canada (Saunier Duval) to abandon as they both crashed over a road barrier as their tyres locked up in the melting tar on the road (the road temperature was very high which caused this to happen).

Stage 15 took us the famous alpine climb of l’Alpe d’Huez, and was where the race was to be at one of its defining points, and it was. Rising young Luxemburg star Frank Schlek of CSC was the victor, beating other breakaway companion Italian star Damiano Cunego – who won the Giro aged 22 – by eleven seconds, while Landis reclaimed the yellow jersey, as he was able to put time into Pereiro. Robbie McEwen’s nearest rival in the green jersey Belgian world champion Tom Boonen abandoned, making McEwen the green heresy winner provided he finished. However it went all went wrong for Landis on stage 16 which was won by Danish climbing star Michael Rasmussen of Rabobank – their fourth of the race – in a sole breakaway which all but wrapped his second consecutive King of the Mountains title. On the final climb to La Toussaire, CSC’s Carlos Sastre attacked 10 km out to try and get time back, which forced the others to follow him, but the sudden attack was too much for Landis who was soon dropped and would later lose ten minutes to Rasmussen. However there was one bizarre moment when Menchov attacked which contained Australia’s Michael Rogers, but T-Mobile leader Andreas Kloden had Italian team-mate Eddy Mazzoleni on the front of the chasing bunch to chase the Roger’s group down. It was a baffling decision to see a team chase down one of its riders. Pereiro was the new leader of the race with an eight minute advantage of Landis, who it seemed his chance were all gone.

But what a day makes, and more importantly what some whiskey and beer can do the night before stage 17, because Landis broke clear with 130 km in an outrageous bid to gain back time, and surprisingly he was given enough freedom, Landis soon caught the day’s breakaway, and proceeded to eliminate all bar one, German Patrik Sinkewitz of T-Mobile, who had a nice day following his wheel (Sinkewitz wasn’t going to do any work because Landis is a main rival for his boss Kloden, so therefore Sinkewitz wanted Landis to tire and therefore the break would be caught), only for Landis to not tire and ride as strongly as ever only he got rid of Sinkewitz on the final climb of Joux Plane and rode away from him and finished alone in the town of Morzine. Sastre made an another attack on the Jeux Plane where he would finish second to Landis, while Pereiro’s group would finish 7:59 back and he just held onto his race lead by 11 seconds over Sastre, and 21 seconds over Landis. It was going down to the wire.

The next day was a day off for everybody, and another break was successful which was won by Italian sprinter Matteo Tosatto of the Quick Step, Tosatto who is has been a lead out sprinter for his entire career was given the chance for some personal glory, and he took it with his sprint being too much for fellow Italian Christian Moreni of Cofidis. It was Tosatto’s first ever Tour de France stage win, and Quick Step’s first win the in the race, even though Boonen wore yellow.

Onto Stage 19 and the final time trial would determine who would be the new winner of the Tour de France. Landis who is the superior against the clock against Sastre and Pereiro, were required to the time trials of their lives and Pereiro did. Despite losing the race and the lead to Landis, Pereiro fought and fought and gave it his all, and would secure his second spot on the podium in Paris. It was another T-Mobile one-two as Honchar won his second time trial, while Kloden rode brilliantly to finish second and overtake Sastre and finish third in the overall classification, Sastre had a poor time trial, succumbed to the pressure and would have to settle for fourth. Australia’s Cadel Evans also of Davitimon-Lotto finished fifth while his fellow Australian Rogers would finish tenth. In the Best Young Rider competition, Damiano Cunego, a noted poor time trial had the time trial of his life to beat German Marcus Fothen to win the BYR award.

Onto stage 20 which finished in the Champs-Elyees in Paris, and it was Hushovd took his second stage win of the race and for Credit Agricole. It was a familiar pattern for Hushovd who won stages on the first and last stages of this year’s Tour. Landis was confirmed as the 2006 Tour de France winner. Not many were prepared for the controversy which followed though.

Overall Classification:
1. Floyd Landis - Phonak
2. Oscar Pereiro Sio – Caisse d’Epargne – Illes Balaers
3. Andreas Kloden – T-Mobile

Point’s competition:
1. Robbie McEwen – Davitimon-Lotto

King of the Mountains:
2. Michael Rasmussen – Rabobank (should be 1st)

Best Young Rider:
3. Damiano Cunego – Lampre Fondital (should be 1st

Best Team:
4. T-Mobile (should be 1st)

Most Aggressive (rider who attacks a lot in the race):
5. David De La Fuente – Saunier Duval-Prodir (should be 1st)

Team ratings:

Phonak – N/A - Won the Tour and took out the stage through a big breakaway by Landis after losing so much time the next day. However, this is all in doubt after Landis’ positive test for testosterone, I can’t give them a rating until he is proven innocent or guilty.
Stage wins: Floyd Landis (Stage 17)

Caisse d’Epargne – A- - After losing leader Ajelandro Valverde on stage three with a broken collarbone, but after Oscar Pereiro lost so much time in the Pyrennes, but gained it back in the big break on stage 13, but he held himself brilliantly in the Alps and in the final time trial, where he only lost 59 seconds to Landis, which is a great ride considering he is not a great time trialist.
Stage wins: None
T-Mobile – B+ - After losing Jan Ullrich and Oscar Sevilla before the start, they did bounce back to win three stages, two riders in the top ten, and the best team.
Stage wins: Matthias Kessler (stage 3), Serhiy Honchar (Stage 7 and 19)

Davitimon-Lotto – A - Three stages to McEwen, the green jersey as well and Cadel Evans finish fifth over all.
Stage wins: Robbie McEwen (Stage 2, 4, 6)

Discovery Channel – C+ - It was a reality check without Armstrong, but they saved face with a stage win to Yaroslav Popovych. Their three team leaders, Popovych, Hincapie, and Savoldelli were not able to rise to the level that was required and struggled. They lost Savoldelli through an unfortunate accident when he crashed with a spectator.
Stage wins: Yaroslav Popovych (Stage 12)

Rabobank – A- - Won four stages, two to Fereire, One to Menchov and Rasmussen, 6th overall with Menchov who will start next year as a big favourite, and the King of Mountains with Rasmussen, who disproved stories that he is a not a team player by working hard for Menchov on Pla-da-Beret and Michael Boogerd’s hard work for Menchov didn’t go unnoticed. It was sad though that Fereire and Erik Dekker did not finish.
Stage wins: Oscar Fereire (Stage 5, 9), Dennis Menchov (Stage 11), Michael Rasmussen (Stage 16)

AG2R-Prevoyance – B – Lost Mancebo before the start, won a stage with Sylvain Calzati, wore yellow for a day with Cyril Dessel as well as leading the King of the Mountains. Dessel and Christophe Moreau both finished in the top 10 overall. For a team once considered second rate, they disproved that notion.
Stage wins: Sylvain Calzati (Stage 8)

Bouygues Telecom – C – Won a stage for the first time and was frequent in the breakaways.
Stage wins: Perrick Fedrigo (Stage 14)

Quick-Step-Innergetic – C – Disappointing Tour for them, Boonen unable to win them a stage, but he did wear yellow but later abandoned. Tosatto saved faced with his stage win.
Stage wins: Matteo Tosatto (Stage 18)

Cofidis – C+ - Jimmy Casper gave them a major boost by winning the opening sprint stage, and was involved in the breakaways, although Bradley Wiggins failed to shine in the prologue, Sylvain Chavanel flopped completely, and no lone break by David Moncoutie and Rik Vergbrugghe’s crash was really unfortunate.

Credit Agricole – B+ - Thor Hushovd showed how valuable he is to them by winning two stages, and wearing the yellow jersey twice and nearly winning a few others. His team worked hard for him, but unfortunately he wasn’t able to win the green jersey when he was disqualified on Stage 4 when he was judged to have impeded FDJ sprinter Bernhard Eisel.
Stage wins: Thor Hushovd (Prolouge, Stage 20)
Agritubel – B – Were let as wild cards and did even better then expected with a stage win by Mercado and constantly sending guys in the breakaways. They have likely to have secured their spot for next year.
Stage wins: Juan Miguel Mercado (Stage 10)

Lampre-Fondital – B- - Damiano Cunego in his debut Tour rode brilliantly in the Alps and deservedly won the BYR jersey, and he will probably go onto win it. All was missing was a stage win by him or Daniele Bennati.
Stage wins: Nil

Euskatel-Euskadi – C- - 2006 saw the return to form for climber Haimar Zubeldia, who finished 9th after finish 5th in 2003, but had been out of form since. Promising sprinter/climber Inaki Isasi had a good Tour by finishing 3rd in Stage 5 and was frequently in breaks, including the tough stage to Pau. Euskatel also sent guys in breakaways but no stage wins. Team leader and the star of the 2003 Tour Iban Mayo was a disappointment once again. Perhaps a change of team and race program would be best for Mayo.
Stage wins: Nil

Liguigas – D – Leader Danilo di Luca abandoned early on with illness, Stefano Garzelli, failed to fire, Big Magnus Backstedt abandoned mid way through the race, and sprinter Luca Paolini wasn’t able to win them a stage. If they didn’t have to take part, it is likely they wouldn’t.
Stage wins: Nil

Gerolsteiner – C – Disappointing race in that a lot was expected from Levi Leipheimer, but one bad time trial, and he finished 16th in the race, while Marcus Fothen showed his potential as a future star of the race, as did Fabian Wegmann who was active in early breaks and wearing the King of the Mountains jersey.
Stage wins: Nil

Team Milram – D – but A for effort from Erik Zabel in the sprints, but age has caught up with old Erik who’s sprint was as good as once was, and were not able to get a stage win.
Stage wins: Nil

Saunier Duval – C- - David De La Fuente won the most aggressive rider award, by his constant activity in breakaways and he got them some exposure by wearing the King of the Mountains jersey early in the race, and by appearing on the podium in Paris, albeit a minor award, but good for the sponsors. David Millar had a solid race, while Gilberto Simoni was hardly interested.
Stage wins: Nil

Francaise Des Jeux – D- – Didn’t look like getting a stage win, while Philippe Gilbert and Sandy Casar both suffered with injuries in crashes in the start.
Stage wins: Nil

This entry was posted on Monday, August 7th, 2006 at 10:32 pm and is filed under Cycling. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.