BikeCal

Click for Home Page

Links

Tour de France

1999

Click for Official Site

The Official Tour Site

Map of the Route

Bicycling Magazines TDF Site

ESPN TV Schedule

Prologue
Stage 1
Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Stage 5

Stage 6

Stage 7

Stage 8

Stage 9

Stage 10

Stage 11

Stage 12

Stage 13

Stage 14

Stage 15

Stage 16

Stage 17

Stage 18

Stage 19

Stage 20

 

Daily stages of the Tour de France.  Click on any day for a complete report.  Other Tour links will also be added as they become available.  Other Racing News

Stage 7

Four in a row for chirpy Cipollini

By Francois Thomazeau

cipo-7.jpg (32008 bytes)
Mario Cipollini of Italy raises his arms as he crosses the finish line to win on sprint the seventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race from Avesnes-sur-Helpe to Thionville, northern France July 10. Cipollini won his fourth stage in a row and is second placed in the overall standings. cp/Photo by Jean-Paul Pelissier REUTERS 

THIONVILLE, France, April 10  - Mario Cipollini filled a 69-year gap in Tour de France history on Saturday when he clinched his fourth consecutive stage victory in Thionville on Saturday.

The 32-year-old Italian beat the other sprinters in the pack at the end of the 227-kms seventh stage from Avesnes-sur-Helpe to become the first rider since 1930 to win four stages in succession.

The last rider to have achieved the feat was Frenchman Charles Pelissier, who won the last four stages of the 1930 Tour, won by Andre Leducq.

Asked if he had heard about Pelissier before this win, Cipollini said: "Like many other riders, I have books at home and I think I saw a picture of him. But to win four consecutive stages in modern cycling is something else."

Cipollini is still one win short of the record of consecutive stage wins in the Tour held by Luxembourg's Francois Faber, who won five consecutive stages in the 1909 Tour, which he won.

Interestingly both Faber and Pelissier started their series in the eastern city of Metz, only 20 kms away from Thionville.

"I feel the same as if I had won the Tour," said Cipollini who beat second-placed Australian Stuart O'Grady and third-placed Estonian Jaan Kirsipuu to the line.

Kirsipuu retained his overall lead on the eve of a 56.5-kms time trial which should reshuffle the standings on Sunday. Cipollini lies second, 14 seconds behind.

Cipollini thanked his Saeco teammates -- he may part with them next season since his sponsor told him before the Tour to look for another team.

He received precious help in this fourth sprint from Gian Matteo Fagnini, who led him to the front until the very last turn.

Then, with 250 metres left, "Cipo" made his move and was never in serious trouble especially as German Erik Zabel, who looked his only real contender, lost his pedal and was lucky not to crash.

"It would not have changed a lot because I don't think Zabel was strong enough to beat me," he said.

"Zabel was unlucky because he also fell during the stage but I would rather have had a man-to-man fight with (Belgian) Tom Steels," he said.

Steels was stripped of his victory in the previous stage for dangerous sprinting and he was never in contention on Saturday, finishing 29th.

Like in previous stages, a long breakaway took place and failed.

This time, Paris-Tours winner Jacky Durand of France and compatriot Lylian Lebreton were the ones who tried their luck. They stayed in the lead for nearly 200 kms before being caught with four kilometres left in the stage.


Tour de France seventh stage placings/overall standings

THIONVILLE, France, July 10  - Leading placings in the seventh stage of the Tour de France over 227 kms from Avesnes-sur-Helpe on Saturday:
1. Mario Cipollini (Italy) Saeco 5 hours 26 minutes 59 seconds
2. Stuart O'Grady (Australia) Credit Agricole
3. Jaan Kirsipuu (Estonia) Casino
4. Henk Vogels (Australia) Credit Agricole
5. Jan Svorada (Slovakia) Lampre

6. Damien Nazon (France) La Francaise de Jeux
7. Christophe Capelle (France) Big Mat
8. Jimmy Casper (France) La Francaise de Jeux
9. George Hincapie (U.S.) U.S. Postal
10. Francois Simon (France) Credit Agricole

11. Lars Michaelsen (Denmark) La Francaise de Jeux
12. Nicola Minali (Italy) Cantina Tollo
13. Elio Aggiano (Italy) Vitalicio Seguros
14. Robbie McEwen (Australia) Rabobank
15. Sebastien Hinault (France) Credit Agricole

16. Ludo Dierckxsens (Belgium) Lampre
17. Silvio Martinello (Italy) Polti
18. Christophe Moreau (France) Festina
19. Christophe Mengin (France) La Francaise de Jeux
20. Carlos da Cruz (France) Big Mat all same time as winner

Leading overall standings:

1. Kirsipuu                   32 hours 24 minutes 46 seconds
2. Cipollini                               14 seconds behind
3. O'Grady                                     34
4. Erik Zabel (Germany) Telekom                44
5. Lance Armstrong (U.S.) U.S. Postal          54
6. Abraham Olano (Spain) ONCE                1:05
7. Hincapie                                  1:06
8. Tom Steels (Belgium) Mapei                1:09
9. Moreau                                    same time
10. Simon                                     1:12

11. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) Casino 1:15 
12. Santos Gonzalez (Spain) ONCE same time 
13. Stephane Heulot (France) La Francaise de Jeux 1:17 
14. Andrea Peron (Italy) ONCE 
15. Christian Vandevelde (U.S.) U.S. Postal 

16. Laurent Dufaux (Switzerland) Saeco        all same time
17. Angel Casero (Spain) Vitalicio Seguros 1:20
18. Pavel Tonkov (Russia) Mapei               1:22
19. Jens Voigt (Germany) Credit Agricole
20. Bobby Julich (U.S.) Cofidis               both same time