2006 Tour de France
The 93rd Tour de France started on Saturday, July 1, 2006, in Strasbourg and ended on Sunday, July 23, on the Avenue des Champs- Élysées in Paris. It was counter-clockwise down, so first through the Pyrenees, then through the Alps. The entire route length was 3657.1 km which was slightly longer than in 2005. Was attended by the exclusions before the start of the tour 176 racers participate, of which 139 were classified. In Paris, was crowned the overall winner of the American Floyd Landis. Was overshadowed the Tour de France in 2006 by two doping scandals involving, among others, Floyd Landis was also involved. On 20 September 2007 Floyd Landis was stripped of the Tour victory.
Overall winner of the 2006 Tour, making it the Spaniard Oscar Pereiro.
- 4.1 Ranking
- 4.2 mountain classification
- 4.3 Scoring
- 4.4 youth classification
- 5.1 Overview
- 5.2 Closing Day
- 5.3 details
- 6.1 Yellow Jersey
- 6.2 green jersey
- 6.3 Spotted jersey
- 6.4 Best Youngster
- 6.5 Evaluation team
Starting position
For the first time since 1999 there was no team time trial in this edition of the Tour. Stage destinations abroad were Esch- sur -Alzette in Luxembourg, Valkenburg in the Netherlands, Huy in Belgium and the Val d' Aran ( Pla-de -Beret ) in Spain. In the first stage, the tour also made a short trip to Germany (no staging post ).
In addition to the set 20 UCI Pro Tour teams two wild cards were awarded to Agritubel (France) and Comunidad Valenciana (Spain ) from the UCI Continental Tour.
The latter was, however, ruled on June 12 due to complications in the Fuentes doping scandal in Spain, which without a permit from the UCI could take place, as the team is not the UCI Pro Tour belongs and was started only because of the wildcard. After the announcement of the names of the suspected driver in the doping scandal surrounding the team Liberty Seguros - Würth participation of the current successor team Astana - Würth on the Tour in 2006 was no longer possible, as it had to suspend five of its nine riders and thus according to the tour regulations no longer was authorized to start. Würth finished then the co- sponsorship of the cycling team.
Prior to the tour
Until the day before the tour starts, the experts were quite agree. In the first year after the era of the German Jan Ullrich Armstrong of Team T -Mobile, and the Italian Ivan Basso of Team CSC were the most frequently mentioned favorites. Ullrich wanted to put the image of Pechvogels in recent years and repeat his Tour victory of 1997 after three second places during the era Armstrong and two second places in 1996 and 1998. In the last two years Basso made increasingly aware of itself; he was not only on the mountain as an exceptional talent ( in the last two years as he could on the mountain over the whole tour across keep up with Armstrong ), but also had excellent individual time trial skills. Basso were given the greater opportunities in terms of the last two years, the former world time trial champion Ullrich came but the benefit that there was at the 2006 Tour a mountain stage fewer, an individual time trial more.
The extended circle of favorites even among the Kazakh Alexandre Vinokourov and the two Spaniard Francisco Mancebo and Alejandro Valverde; Andreas Klöden was overall in 2004 as runner even before Basso. There were also a good chance for Floyd Landis, George Hincapie and Paolo Savoldelli, the former noble helper of Lance Armstrong. The extended circle of favorites also included Iban Mayo, Haimar Zubeldia, Yaroslav Popovych and Damiano Cunego.
Doping
Doping scandal Fuentes
On 29 June 2006, two days before the tour start, Spanish media reported over a doping scandal, involving in particular the international cycling, but also sports such as tennis and football are involved. The main character is the former team doctor of the cycling team Liberty Seguros, Eufemiano Fuentes. As part of a large-scale raid of the Spanish Guardia Civil blood bags, a doping agent and a list of suspected codename of cyclists were seized.
The next day, the list of 58 names then was released. On this list there is a large part of the world elite: Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso, Francisco Mancebo, Oscar Sevilla and Joseba Beloki are the best known names. On the same day suspended the team T -Mobile 's two top riders Jan Ullrich and Oscar Sevilla. Several hours later, the race director of the Tour de France disqualified, the remaining top favorites Ivan Basso and Francisco Mancebo. In addition, they announced, nor allow any of the suspected driver to start, if they can not explicitly distance themselves from it. Following a joint emergency meeting of all team leaders declared almost 24 hours before the start of the tour, that not a single driver doing the rounds on the doping list, will start. Also there would be no Nachnominierungen. As the team Astana - Würth had to suspend five riders, this team was with only four remaining riders ( including Alexander Vinokourov ) is no longer allowed to start and was excluded from the 2006 Tour de France.
So now were the underdogs in the favorites. New as top favorites so were especially Alejandro Valverde and Floyd Landis, but also with Levi Leipheimer, George Hincapie, Gilberto Simoni, Damiano Cunego, Paolo Savoldelli, Cadel Evans, Carlos Sastre, Denis Menshov Andreas Klöden and was to be expected. However, it could also be the chance for a driver to date almost no one had on the bill.
Floyd Landis doping case
In particular, through his solo trip on the 17th stage Floyd Landis was considered worthy overall winner. Three days after the end of the tour the team Phonak Hearing Systems, however, confirmed that Landis was tested according to this same stage in an A sample positive for testosterone.
On 5 August 2006 it was announced that the B sample was positive. A disqualification of Landis was so likely. However, Floyd Landis himself declared his innocence and led to the high levels of testosterone back to cortisone, which is indeed on the doping list, but that he was entitled to because of a Hüftleidens. On 20 September 2007 Landis was stripped in 2006 by the Court of Arbitration of the American Arbitration Association Tour victory, continue Landis was retrospectively banned for two years until 20 January 2009. Instead of Óscar Pereiro Sio was Landis, who was behind the meantime over half an hour in the overall standings, declared the winner of the 2006 Tour de France. The International Court of Sport (CAS ) confirmed on 30 June 2008, the verdict against Landis last instance.
Winner
Appreciation
A summary score was fought to the end, and very many drivers, the Maillot jaune could cover. Due to the topography of the race the jersey Tom Boonen was in the first week tour in the hands of the Sprinter, first and foremost. With his victory in the first time trial Tour Senior Serhiy Hont crowd could take the yellow jersey, while all the favorites except Levi Leipheimer keep their own opportunities. In the Pyrenees, the jersey was not unexpected to Floyd Landis, although he had lost valuable seconds in the prologue, because he started late due to technical problems. However, its team Phonak Cycling Team did not want to defend the jersey at that time. So it was that the overall lead to Óscar Pereiro Sio passed, which ended a transfer stage in a breakaway with 30 minutes (!) Ahead of the field, which led to the possible tour victory in retrospect Andreas Klöden.
As planned, Floyd Landis 's jersey in the Alps - especially in the first Alpine stage in the climb to Alpe d' Huez - recapture. In the final climb to La Toussuire the day following royal stage but Landis broke unexpectedly and lost a lot of time, so that the top spot on went back to Pereiro. With a tour de force performance on the 3rd and last stage in the Alps next day, however, Landis was able to reduce the gap to Pereiro again massive and recapture with his 3rd place in the time trial just before the final stage, the yellow jersey again.
The remaining traded as favorites for overall victory riders stayed with the exception of Andreas Klöden (Rank 2) and Carlos Sastre (Rank 3), significantly below expectations. Alejandro Valverde was the tour after a fall early on and could not show his skills therefore.
Mountains classification
In the mountains classification as favorites was awarded to Michael Rasmussen. This lived up to expectations with his solo trip on the royal stage and defended the polka-dot jersey to Paris. Expect you could still attack Óscar Pereiro Sio of Caisse d'Epargne, which, however, the polka-dot jersey no longer aimed at by virtue of its overall chances of winning. As expected, the German Fabian Wegmann of Gerolsteiner team, Christophe Moreau and Michael Boogerd have repeatedly tried as in previous years, to collect as many points in the mountains classification. These attacks could but David de la Fuente, who wore the jersey for a long time, fend off well and was beaten until the end of Rasmussen.
Scoring
With Tom Boonen, Robbie McEwen and Thor Hushovd there were some contenders for the green jersey after Alessandro Petacchi had canceled his tour due to start his fall at the Giro d' Italia. Early on, however, showed McEwen competitors Master and the jersey easily took. Boonen abandoned the race during the 15th stage. About an outsider never got Erik Zabel and Stuart O'Grady.
Youth classification
In the battle for the white jersey for the best young rider in the overall standings, especially the drivers were good chances that would otherwise have no captain for the overall classification. These included most notably Damiano Cunego, but also José Rujano, Thomas Lövkvist, Andrij Hrywko and Maxim Iglinski had a free hand. Opportunities could Markus Fothen calculate Also, especially after his captain Levi Leipheimer failed in the first time trial. This year there are 24 men in this category to the extra prices. In fact Fothen wore the jersey during most stages, but finally he had to concede defeat just Cunego.
Stages
Survey
Even the prologue ended with a surprise, but with Thor Hushovd won a sprinter rather than the expected one time driver.
The first six stages were marked by rows of a single lesser-known drivers who've been plucked out shortly after the start, but were caught again shortly before the finish. So the stages ended in a sprint. Most experts calculated each with a duel between the Topsprintern Thor Hushovd and Tom Boonen, but they had to give up other sprinters beaten: In the first stage, Jimmy Casper won and the next day Robbie McEwen. In the third stage an all-rounder fooled the sprinters; Matthias Kessler cracks in the slope from just before the finish and won solo. The third stage was marred by several crashes, among others had to retire with a broken collarbone overall winner Alejandro Valverde favorite. In the fourth stage Robbie McEwen was like two days earlier, ersprinten the day's victory; However, he also benefited from a fall a few meters before the finish line. The sprint stage 5 won Óscar Freire. In the 6th stage Robbie McEwen was able to realize his third already this year's stage win in the Tour, which thus also be green jersey defended sure. Instead of stage wins Hushovd could, however, and a yellow leader's jersey at the beginning and Boonen until the first time trial.
With a large margin Serhiy Hont band won the first time trial and took over the yellow jersey. Of the total victory Favorites merely convinced Floyd Landis with his second rank, all the other lost several minutes on Hont crowd. In the 8th stage for the first time with Sylvain Calzati won a solo breakaway. He had settled 20 km from the finish of a six-man breakaway. The 9th stage went with Óscar Freire back to a sprinter after the race for a long time was again characterized by an ultimately unsuccessful breakaway.
In the two Pyrenean stages were first preliminary rounds. In the 10th stage formed from a large leading group soon became a leading duo: Frenchman Cyril Dessel and Spaniard Juan Miguel Mercado. Mercado won the stage, finally, a good seven minutes before the field sprint ahead of Dessel. With this flight Dessel was the new leader of the total price as the mountain classification. Of the possible favorite Iban Mayo and Levi Leipheimer expressed major problems. In the 11th stage, which led challenging mountains above 5, it came on the last climb to a driving excretion of favorites. The stage winner Denis Menshov were only the new overall leader Floyd Landis and Levi Leipheimer follow, with a few seconds behind Cadel Evans and Carlos Sastre. Andreas Klöden lost 90 seconds. Iban Mayo was on the tour. Dessel lost the yellow jersey to Landis and the mountain jersey Price to David de la Fuente.
The following three stages before the second rest day were with their undulating terrain made for outliers, and so won Yaroslav Popovych the 12th stage (solo as a top driver of a leaving group ), the day after Jens Voigt (before the new overall leader Óscar Pereiro Sio 30 minutes before the field) and Pierrick Fedrigo 14th stage (a few seconds. before the oncoming field)
The following three stages through the Alps brought important preliminary decisions and made the starting position for the second time trial very exciting: The 15th stage up to the legendary Alpe d' Huez won Fränk Schleck, who was initially an 25 - man breakaway group out as a soloist prevailed. Floyd Landis regained the yellow jersey. With Tom Boonen of the worst competitor Robbie McEwen was for the green jersey at the Tour. In the next queen stage to La Toussuire Óscar Pereiro Sio was able to take the overall lead again. Landis suffered a slump and lost more than ten minutes on the Danish daily winner Michael Rasmussen, who also conquered the polka-dot jersey with his solo flight. With a long flight to Floyd Landis took revenge for his slump during the day before and won the 17th stage sovereign. Through this flight he reduce its deficit against Óscar Pereiro Sio the leader to 30 seconds, which was able to defend his yellow jersey with 12 seconds advantage over Carlos Sastre. Markus Fothen had to leave the Italian Damiano Cunego the white jersey with a delay of five seconds. Michael Rasmussen, the mountains classification secured definitely.
The 18th stage was won Matteo Tosatto in the sprint of a top group. In the penultimate stage time trial eventually followed the decision. Only four drivers had a chance of overall victory. Serhiy Hont band won the time trial in well ahead of Andreas Klöden, who was able to overtake Carlos Sastre in the overall standings. The overall winner was Floyd Landis, who was quite clear at the end Óscar Pereiro Sio before. Markus Fothen could not reclaim the white jersey of the highly triumphant Damiano Cunego, contrary to expectations. The victory in the final leg secured with Thor Hushovd, the same driver who had already won the prologue. Hushovd beat the winner of the green jersey, Robbie McEwen, of course.
Days of rest
In the 2006 Tour de France, there were two days of rest. The first was on 10 July 2006 and the second on 17 July 2006.
The rest day is usually used to cover long distances within France of a destination to the next starting location ( by plane or TGV ). Thus, a distance of 520 kilometers from Lorient to Bordeaux was covered on the first day of rest. In press conferences, the teams updated their respective objectives. Furthermore, the tag is used differently from the drivers.
Details
Overview of the individual ratings
Yellow jersey
Green jersey
Polka Dot jersey
Best Youngster
Team standings
Jerseys in the itinerary
The table shows the support of the respective classification jerseys during each stage or the leaders of the respective Ranking in the evening of the previous day.