2006 Tour de France

2006 Tour de France
2006 UCI ProTour, race 17 of 27
Route of the 2006 Tour de France
Race details
Dates July 1–July 23, 2006
Stages 21
Distance 3,657.1 km (2,272 mi)
Winning time 89h 40' 27" (40.782 km/h or 25.341 mph)
Palmares
Winner  Óscar Pereiro (Spain) (Caisse d'Epargne–Illes Balears)
Second  Andreas Klöden (Germany) (T-Mobile Team)
Third  Carlos Sastre (Spain) (Team CSC)

Points  Robbie McEwen (Australia) (Davitamon–Lotto)
Mountains  Michael Rasmussen (Denmark) (Rabobank)
Youth  Damiano Cunego (Italy) (Lampre–Fondital)
Team T-Mobile Team

The 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. It was won by Óscar Pereiro following the disqualification of apparent winner Floyd Landis.

The Tour began with a prologue in Strasbourg, on the French-German border, and ended on Sunday July 23 in Paris. The distance of the course (run counterclockwise around France) was 3,657 km (2,272 mi).[1] The race was the third fastest in average speed. Along the way, the cyclists passed through six different countries including France, The Netherlands (a stop at Valkenburg in Stage 3), Belgium (at Huy, Stages 3 and 4), Luxembourg (at Esch-sur-Alzette, Stages 2 and 3), Germany (though not stopping there, Stage 1) and Spain (Pla-de-Beret, Stage 11). The presentation of the course was made by the new director of Le Tour, Christian Prudhomme. For the first time since the 1999 edition, there was no team time trial.

The event, as with some of the Tours of the late 1990s, was marred by doping scandals. Prior to the tour, numerous riders – including the two favourites Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso – were expelled from the Tour due to their link with the Operación Puerto doping case.

After the Tour, the apparent winner, Floyd Landis, was found to have failed a drug test after stage 17; Landis contested the result and demanded arbitration. On September 20, 2007, Landis was found guilty and suspended retroactive to January 30, 2007 and stripped of the 2006 Tour de France title making Óscar Pereiro the title holder.[2] Landis appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport which upheld the ban.

Drugs controversy before the Tour

In the most controversial scandal since the 1998 tour, thirteen riders were expelled from the tour on the eve of Strasbourg prologue to the 93rd edition stemming from a Spanish doping scandal. Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso, two favourites to win the race, were among those excluded from the Tour along with podium candidate Francisco Mancebo and Alberto Contador (who would return to win the following year, 2007). Alexander Vinokourov, another race favourite, was not linked to the doping scandal, but was forced to withdraw when the eligible riders on his Astana-Würth Team fell below the minimum starting requirement of six. Because of this and the retirement of then-seven-time consecutive winner Lance Armstrong, this year's Tour started without the top five riders from the 2005 edition. It was also the first Tour since 1999 that did not contain a past champion.

The initial doping controversy foreshadowed the contested outcome of the 2006 Tour involving the race leader Floyd Landis who was found guilty of doping.

The 2006 Tour de France

Participating teams

Initial results

American Floyd Landis was initially awarded the victory in the closest three-way finish in the race's history to date. Floyd's final time was 89h 39'30".

While Landis was a leading favorite even before the Spanish doping scandal came to light,[3] in an epic eight-minute loss of performance in Stage 16, it appeared he had lost all hope to finish on the podium, much less win.

But the following day, during Stage 17, Landis set a very high pace on the first climb of the day that no other rider could match. He then caught a breakaway group that had escaped earlier, passed them, and continued to the finish line solo, making up almost all of his deficit, ending up 30 seconds behind yellow jersey wearer Óscar Pereiro, which he made up with an extra minute in the final Stage 19 time trial.

However, a urine sample taken from Landis immediately after his Stage 17 win has twice tested positive for banned synthetic testosterone as well as a ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone nearly three times the limit allowed by World Anti-Doping Agency rules.[4] Landis indicated that he would appeal the test results with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.[5]

On September 20, 2007, Landis' doping accusation was upheld by an arbitration panel deciding between him and USADA and will be banned for two years. In response to this, International Cycling Union formally stripped him of his 2006 Tour de France title. Second place finisher Óscar Pereiro was officially declared the winner.[6] The only previous Tour de France winner to be disqualified was 1904 Tour de France winner Maurice Garin.

Stages

Stage results[7][8]
Stage Route Distance Type Date
P Strasbourg 7.1 km Individual time trial Saturday, July 1
1 StrasbourgStrasbourg 184.5 km Flat stage Sunday, July 2
2 ObernaiEsch-sur-Alzette 228.5 km Flat stage Monday, July 3
3 Esch-sur-AlzetteValkenburg 216.5 km Hilly stage Tuesday, July 4
4 HuySaint-Quentin 207.0 km Flat stage Wednesday, July 5
5 BeauvaisCaen 225.0 km Flat stage Thursday, July 6
6 LisieuxVitré 189.0 km Flat stage Friday, July 7
7 Saint GrégoireRennes 52.0 km Individual time trial Saturday, July 8
8 Saint-Méen-le-GrandLorient 181.0 km Flat stage Sunday, July 9
Rest day Monday, July 10
9 BordeauxDax 169.5 km Flat stage Tuesday, July 11
10 Cambo-les-BainsPau 190.5 km Mountain stage Wednesday, July 12
11 TarbesVal d'Aran/Pla-de-Beret 206.5 km Mountain stage Thursday, July 13
12 LuchonCarcassonne 211.5 km Hilly stage Friday, July 14
13 BéziersMontélimar 230.0 km Flat stage Saturday, July 15
14 MontélimarGap 180.5 km Hilly stage Sunday, July 16
Rest day Monday, July 17
15 GapAlpe d'Huez 187.0 km Mountain stage Tuesday, July 18
16 Le Bourg-d'OisansLa Toussuire 182.0 km Mountain stage Wednesday, July 19
17 Saint-Jean-de-MaurienneMorzine 200.5 km Mountain stage Thursday, July 20
18 MorzineMâcon 197.0 km Flat stage Friday, July 21
19 Le CreusotMontceau-les-Mines 57.0 km Individual time trial Saturday, July 22
20 Antony/Parc de Sceaux - Paris (Champs-Élysées) 154.5 km Flat stage Sunday, July 23
Total 3,639 km

Classification leadership

Stage Winner General classification
Yellow jersey
Points classification
Green jersey
Mountains classification
Polkadot jersey
Young rider classification
White jersey
Team classification
Jersey with yellow number
Combativity award
Jersey with red number
P Thor Hushovd Thor Hushovd Thor Hushovd N/A Joost Posthuma Discovery Channel N/A
1 Jimmy Casper George Hincapie Jimmy Casper Fabian Wegmann Benoît Vaugrenard Walter Bénéteau
2 Robbie McEwen Thor Hushovd Robbie McEwen David de la Fuente David de la Fuente
3 Matthias Kessler Tom Boonen Tom Boonen Jérôme Pineau Markus Fothen José Luis Arrieta
4 Robbie McEwen Robbie McEwen Egoi Martínez
5 Óscar Freire Samuel Dumoulin
6 Robbie McEwen Benoît Vaugrenard Anthony Geslin
7 Serhiy Honchar Serhiy Honchar Markus Fothen T-Mobile Team N/A
8 Sylvain Calzati Sylvain Calzati
9 Óscar Freire Christian Knees
10 Juan Miguel Mercado Cyril Dessel Cyril Dessel AG2R Prévoyance Juan Miguel Mercado
11 Denis Menchov Floyd Landis David de la Fuente T-Mobile Team David de la Fuente
12 Yaroslav Popovych Daniele Bennati
13 Jens Voigt Óscar Pereiro Team CSC Jens Voigt
14 Pierrick Fédrigo Salvatore Commesso
15 Fränk Schleck Floyd Landis Stefano Garzelli
16 Michael Rasmussen Óscar Pereiro Michael Rasmussen Michael Rasmussen
17 Floyd Landis Carlos Sastre Damiano Cunego T-Mobile Team Floyd Landis
18 Matteo Tosatto Levi Leipheimer
19 Serhiy Honchar N/A
20 Thor Hushovd Aitor Hernández
Final Floyd Landis
Óscar Pereiro
Robbie McEwen Michael Rasmussen Damiano Cunego T-Mobile Team David de la Fuente
Jersey wearers when one rider is leading two or more competitions
Other notes

Results

General classification

Final general classification (1–10)[7]
Rank Name Team Time
DSQ  Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak 89h 39' 30"
1  Óscar Pereiro (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne 89h 40' 27"
2  Andreas Klöden (GER) T-Mobile +0' 32"
3  Carlos Sastre (ESP) Team CSC +2' 16"
4  Cadel Evans (AUS) Davitamon-Lotto +4' 11"
5  Denis Menchov (RUS) Rabobank +6' 09"
6  Cyril Dessel (FRA) Ag2r +7' 44"
7  Christophe Moreau (FRA) Ag2r +8' 40"
8  Haimar Zubeldia (ESP) Euskaltel +11' 08"
9  Michael Rogers (AUS) T-Mobile +14' 10"
10  Fränk Schleck (LUX) Team CSC +16' 49"

Points classification

RankRiderTeamPoints
1 Robbie McEwen (AUS)Davitamon–Lotto 288
2 Erik Zabel (GER)Team Milram 199
3 Thor Hushovd (NOR)Crédit Agricole 195
4 Bernhard Eisel (AUT)Française des Jeux 176
5 Luca Paolini (ITA)Liquigas 174
6 Iñaki Isasi (ESP)Euskaltel–Euskadi 130
7 Francisco Ventoso (ESP)Saunier Duval–Prodir 128
8 Cristian Moreni (ITA)Cofidis 116
9 Jimmy Casper (FRA)Cofidis 98
10 Óscar Pereiro (ESP)Caisse d'Epargne–Illes Balears 88

Mountains classification

RankRiderTeamPoints
1 Michael Rasmussen (DEN)Rabobank 166
2 David de la Fuente (ESP)Saunier Duval–Prodir 113
3 Carlos Sastre (ESP)Team CSC 99
4 Fränk Schleck (LUX)Team CSC 96
5 Michael Boogerd (NED)Rabobank 93
6 Damiano Cunego (ITA)Lampre–Fondital 80
7 Cyril Dessel (FRA)AG2R Prévoyance 72
DSQ Levi Leipheimer (USA)Team Gerolsteiner 66
9 Andreas Klöden (GER)T-Mobile Team 64
10 Óscar Pereiro (ESP)Caisse d'Epargne–Illes Balears 63

Young rider classification

RankRiderTeamTime
1 Damiano Cunego (ITA)Lampre–Fondital 89h 58' 49"
2 Markus Fothen (GER)Team Gerolsteiner + 38"
3 Matthieu Sprick (FRA)Bouygues Télécom + 1h 29' 12"
4 David de la Fuente (ESP)Saunier Duval–Prodir + 1h 36' 00"
5 Moisés Dueñas (ESP)Agritubel + 1h 48' 40"
6 Thomas Lövkvist (SWE)Française des Jeux + 1h 52' 54"
7 Francisco Ventoso (ESP)Saunier Duval–Prodir + 2h 22' 03"
8 Joost Posthuma (NED)Rabobank + 2h 32' 41"
9 Benoît Vaugrenard (FRA)Française des Jeux + 2h 33' 12"
10 Pieter Weening (NED)Rabobank + 2h 36' 44"

Team classification

T-Mobile on a Team Time Trial
RankTeamTime
1T-Mobile Team 269h 08' 46"
2 Team CSC + 17' 04"
3 Rabobank+ 23' 26"
4 AG2R Prévoyance+ 33' 19"
5 Caisse d'Epargne–Illes Balears + 56' 53"
6 Lampre–Fondital + 57' 37"
7 Team Gerolsteiner + 1h 45' 25"
8 Discovery Channel + 2h 19' 17"
9 Euskaltel–Euskadi + 2h 26' 38"
10 Phonak Hearing Systems + 2h 49' 06"*

Teams and riders

Pre-race favourites

After the retirement of then seven-time winner Lance Armstrong, the main contenders for the overall win were expected to be Ivan Basso from Team CSC, the 2005 runner-up; and Jan Ullrich from T-Mobile Team, the third man on the podium in 2005, winner in 1997, and the only previous winner still racing. However, both Ullrich and Basso were suspended by their teams on June 30 after UCI told T-Mobile and Team CSC that the riders were involved in the anti-doping investigation in Spain.[10]

Francisco Mancebo of the French team AG2R Prévoyance, who finished fourth last year and sixth the year before, was also suspended by his team, and subsequently announced his retirement. Alexander Vinokourov would have been the only returning rider with a top-five finish from last year's race. However, his team, Astana–Würth, was forced to pull out of the race because they would not be able to start with the minimum of six riders.

As a result of the drug scandal, many believed Spaniard Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Épargne), or the Americans Floyd Landis (Phonak), Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner), or Australian Cadel Evans (Davitamon-Lotto) would probably win the race.[11]

The main contenders for the podium were those who placed well on GC last year, especially if they have had notable results since:

Team Rider Notes
AG2R Prévoyance France Christophe Moreau 11th 2005, 4th 2000; 2nd 2006 Dauphiné Libéré
Caisse d'Epargne–Illes Balears Spain Óscar Pereiro 10th 2005, "Most combative" 2005;[12] 14th 2006 Dauphiné Libéré
Caisse d'Epargne–Illes Balears Spain Alejandro Valverde DNF 2005; 3rd 2003 Vuelta a España; 1st 2006 Liège-Bastogne-Liège; 1st 2006 La Flèche Wallonne
Discovery Channel Portugal José Azevedo 5th 2004; 6th 2002; 4th 2006 Dauphiné Libéré; 5th 2001 Giro d'Italia
Discovery Channel United States George Hincapie 14th 2005; 33rd 2004; 10th 2006 Dauphiné Libéré; only teammate to join Armstrong in all seven victories.
Discovery Channel Ukraine Yaroslav Popovych 12th 2005, 2005 maillot blanc; 40th 2006 Dauphiné Libéré
Euskaltel–Euskadi Spain Iban Mayo 60th 2005; 6th 2003; 15th 2006 Dauphiné Libéré; 1st 2004 Dauphiné Libéré
Team Gerolsteiner United States Levi Leipheimer 6th 2005; 1st 2006 Dauphiné Libéré; 1st 2005 Tour of Germany
Lampre–Fondital Italy Damiano Cunego 4th 2006 Giro d'Italia; 1st 2004 Giro d'Italia
Phonak Hearing Systems United States Floyd Landis 9th 2005; 1st 2006 Paris-Nice; 1st 2006 Tour de Georgia; 1st 2006 Amgen Tour of California; 60th 2006 Dauphiné Libéré
Davitamon–Lotto Australia Cadel Evans 8th 2005; 1st 2006 Tour de Romandie; 10th 2006 Tour of Switzerland
Rabobank Russia Denis Menchov 85th 2005; 1st 2005 Vuelta a España
Rabobank Denmark Michael Rasmussen 7th 2005, 2005 King of the Mountains
Saunier Duval–Prodir Italy Gilberto Simoni 3rd 2006 Giro d'Italia; 1st 2001 and 2003 Giro d'Italia.

The 2006 Tour also saw the return of former yellow jersey holder and three-time stage winner David Millar (Saunier Duval–Prodir) after serving a two-year ban for admissions of the use of the drug EPO, which was discovered in a police search of his house before the 2004 Tour de France, in June 2004.

See also

References

  1. Augendre, Jacques (2009). "Guide Historique" (PDF) (in French). Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 2009-10-09. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
  2. "'I am innocent,' Landis says after losing verdict". MSNBC. 2007-09-20. Archived from the original on 2007-10-05.
  3. "Tour de France 2006: Floyd Landis". Outside Online. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
  4. Macur, Juliet (2006-08-05). "Backup Sample on Landis Is Positive". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
  5. Larry Fine (2008-03-24). "Landis appeal hearing ends, decision expected in June". Reuters.
  6. "Backup Sample on Landis Is Positive". Velonews. 2007-09-20.
  7. 1 2 "93ème Tour de France 2006" (in French). Memoire du cyclisme. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
  8. Zwegers, Arian. "Tour de France GC Top Ten". CVCC. Archived from the original on 2009-06-10. Retrieved 15 Aug 2011.
  9. "United States Anti-Doping Agency vs Floyd Landis" (PDF). UNITED STATES ANTI-DOPING AGENCY. 2007-09-20. Retrieved 30 December 2010. The violation of the UCI Rules having occurred as a result of an In-Competition test will result under UCI Articles 256 and 257.2 in the automatic disqualification of the Athlete's results in the 2006 Tour de France and forfeiture of any medals, points or prizes.
  10. Ullrich and Basso out of Le Tour, from BBC. Retrieved June 30, 2006.
  11. "Bookies react quickly to Tour scandal". velonews. 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-10-17. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
  12. "www.cyclingnews.com presents the 92nd Tour de France". Autobus.cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2012-08-11.

External links

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