2004 Tour de France

The 91st Tour de France was in 21 parts ( 1 prologue and 20 stages ) take place from 3 to 25 July 2004, a total length of 3391 km. It was attended by 188 racers participated in the tour, of which 147 were classified.

Route

The route of the Tour 2004 was presented to the public on 23 October 2003. She crossed the French hexagon counterclockwise. After the start in Liege, Belgium and a number of flat stages in Brittany led the route over the Massif Central to the Pyrenees, where two mountain finishes took place. In the last tour week three Alpine stages were on the program, including the set on an unusually late date first individual time trial over 15km up into the mythical L' Alpe d' Huez. After another time trial in Besançon, the tour ended on the Avenue des Champs- Élysées in Paris and since 1975.

Winner

Appreciation

Lance Armstrong won for the sixth time the Tour de France, and thus constituted a historical record. None of racers, not even Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain and Eddy Merckx managed to win the Tour a sixth time. Armstrong was able throughout the tour control his opponents - with the help of his good team that often his opponents did not exist at the opportunity to get away. Armstrong also reached five stage victories and the victory in the team time trial, which had not existed for over 20 years in the Tour de France.

Behind the German Andreas Kloden Armstrong finished second. He was thus only the third German by Kurt Stöpel (1932 ) and Jan Ullrich ( 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003), which could achieve a podium finish. With over 6 minutes ahead but distanced Armstrong - such as in the years 2000 and 2001 before Jan Ullrich - now Andreas Klöden quite clearly.

Third was the Italian Ivan Basso, who shone especially on the Pyrenean stages, and even won a section. But he was still displaced from this shortly before the end of the tour of 2nd place through its opposite Klöden worse time driving qualities.

On October 22, 2012 Cycling Union UCI announced the cancellation of all titles Armstrong since August 1, 1998, including all Tour de France successes of the American. Substitutes in the first place were not used.

Scoring

The Australian Robbie McEwen won the green jersey the most points. As so often, this question was only settled in Paris on the Avenue des Champs- Élysées. Second was the Norwegian Thor Hushovd, the long time the only serious competition McEwen offered.

Mountains classification

The polka-dot jersey could slip over for the seventh year the Frenchman Richard Virenque. No one else could so often win this special jersey. Virenque defied the rule change of tour organization, which ( if the category is at least 2 ) auslobte the last mountain double points. Thus, the driver of the overall standings were able to secure many points, what is two and including also looks at the squares. Virenque sat on many mountain stages through solo escapes from and was able to secure the points without serious competition.

Youth classification

The white jersey of best young rider up to and including 25 years, Russia's Vladimir Karpez secured before Sandy Casar and Thomas Voeckler, who for a long time was on the road in this jersey, the but in the end left the forces. The decisive attack on the white jersey went Karpez on the final time trial around Besancon, where he could Casar and Voeckler clear distance.

Team classification

The team score was able to secure the T-Mobile Team before the U.S. Postal team and the CSC team. This was made possible mainly by the good front places of Andreas Klöden and Jan Ullrich.

Combative Most drivers

The combative rider of the Tour 2004 was Richard Virenque, because of its many attacks on the mountain stages. This was decided by the jury of the Tour de France. The German Jens Voigt was characterized by most single - from mileage - or in a small group.

The stages

Teams /

In the 2004 Tour de France were 21 teams at the start. Among the total of 188 riders is 15 German, 6 Swiss, five Austrians and Luxembourgers were 1.

See also: Complete list of drivers field

Jerseys in the itinerary

The table shows the leaders in their respective standings at the start of each stage.

Prizes

In the 2004 Tour de France prize money in the amount of nearly three million euros were distributed to the participants. Each team received a fixed amount of 35,000 euros as compensation, also 1600 euros for each driver, if at least seven riders reached the finish in Paris.

Furthermore, were awarded premiums for certain services that are generally credited with the team's ticket office and divided at the end of all riders in the team. The three teams with the most awards at the end of the Tour de France 2004 were U.S. Postal ( 578 842 EUR ), Team T- Mobile ( 339 656 euros ) and CSC ( 183 880 EUR ).

  • Elected by a jury combative driver of a stage with a mass start was 2000 Euro
  • For the most aggressive rider throughout the Tour, there were 20,000 euros
  • For each day in the yellow jersey of the driver received 350 euros,
  • For each day in the countryside, in whites ( young ) or in dotted jersey 300 €.
781167
de