TOUR DE FRANCE

STAGE 2: Belgian Marc Wauters (Rabobank), got the double today by winning the stage and taking the Yellow Jersey in the process. Wauters, who was given a diamond (valued about US$21000) for the win, was the fastest in the final sprint from a group of 12 riders. Wauters covered the 220 km between Calais (France) and Amberes (Belgium) with a time of 4h35:47, coming ahead of Frenchman
Arnaud Pretot (Festina) and Southafrican Robert Hunter (Lampre). Wauters’ win allowed him to take the leader’s jersey from Frenchman Christophe Moreau, while Australian Stuart O’Grady placed himself second overall at 12 seconds.

Jaan Kirsipuu (AG2R) took the first intermediate sprint, looking for bonus seconds in search of the Maillot Jaune. With the 6 seconds that he earned, he placed himself within 1 second of Moreau. Paul Van Hyfte (Lotto) went ahead of the peloton to say hello to his family, the Belgian rider is from Eeklo, but he was unable to find his family in the huge crowds on the side of the road. Van Hyfte was passed by 3 riders, Jens Voigt (Credit Agricole), Matteo Frutti (Lampre) and Servais Knaven (Domo) and he joins them. With 50
kms to go, they had opened a 40 second gap, while AG2R chased from behind.

A crash in the main bunch allowed another 12 riders to get away. First Rabobank’s Dekker and Wauters attacked and were later joined by O'Grady, Julich, Morin, Pretot, Hunter, Milesi and Verbrugghe. Having 4 riders in the break, the Credit Agricole riders took control of the break until the last kilometer and when they thought that they had everything under control, Marc
Wauters surprised them with a tremendous attack.

The Tour continues tomorrow in Belgium with the third stage between Amberes and Seraing. The stage will cover 198.5 kms and will include a hilly profile in the last 40 kms including the category 3 Mont Theux (km 154), Des Forges (164) and Sart Tilman Tilff (186), along with a finish on a slight ascent.

Marc Wauters speaks: “I’m surprised by this win, because I’m a team man and not a winner. My teammate Erik Dekker set up things tactically for me and when I jumped from the group, it was because he told me to. When Pretot caught me, I got on his wheel, so I could recuperate my strength and then I launched the definitive attack with 1km to go”, explained Wauters.

STAGE 2 Calais to Amberes, 220 km:

1. WAUTERS Marc (BEL/RAB) 4h 35:47
2. PRETOT Arnaud (FRA/FES)
3. HUNTER Robert (SA/LAM)
4. KNAVEN Servais (NED/DFF)
5. O'GRADY Stuart (AUS/C.A)
6. BRAMATI Davide (ITA/MAP)
7. VERBRUGGHE Rik (BEL/LOT)
8. BASSO Ivan (ITA/FAS)
9. MILESI Marco (ITA/DFF)
10. DEKKER Erik (NED/RAB)
11. VAN HYFTE Paul (BEL/LOT)
12. JULICH Bobby (USA/C.A)
13. VERSTREPEN Johan (BEL/LAM) all s.t.
14. MORIN Anthony (FRA/C.A) at 03
15. FRUTTI Matteo (ITA/LAM) s.t.
16. VOIGT Jens (GER/C.A) s.t.
17. KIRSIPUU Jaan (EST/A2R) at 22
18. CAPELLE Christophe (FRA/BIG) s.t.
19. TEUTENBERG Sven (GER/FES) s.t.
20. PERRAUDEAU Olivier (FRA/BJR) s.t.

G.C.
1. WAUTER Marc (BEL/RAB) 9h 40:17
2. O'GRADY Stuart (AUS/C.A) at 12 seconds
3. KNAVEN Servais (NED/DFF) at 27
4. MOREAU Christophe (FRA/FES) s.t.
5. KIRSIPUU Jaan (EST/A2R) at 28
6. VERBRUGGHE Rik (BEL/LOT) s.t.
7. HUNTER Robert (RSA/LAM) at 29
8. VOIGT Jens (GER/C.A) at 30
9. GONZALEZ GALDEANO Igor (ESP/ONC) s.t.
10. JULICH Bobby (USA/C.A) at 31
11. ARMSTRONG Lance (USA/USP) s.t.
12. ULLRICH Jan (GER/TEL) at 34
13. BRARD Florent (FRA/FES) s.t.
14. MORIN Anthony (FRA/C.A) at 35
15. BOTERO Santiago (COL/KEL) at 37
16. DURAND Jacky (FRA/FDJ) at 40
17. BELOKI Joseba (ESP/ONC) s.t.
18. SASTRE Carlos (ESP/ONC) at 41
19. PRETOT Arnaud (FRA/FES) at 42 20. GUTIERREZ J. Enrique (ESP/KEL) at 43

INTERMEDIATE SPRINTS THIS STAGE:
Dunkerque (41.00 km): KIRSIPUU, Jaan (EST/AG2R) 6 points
Knesselare (133.00 km): TOSATTO, Matteo (ITA/FAS) 6
Stekene (184.00 km): FRUTTI, Matteo (ITA/LAM)

REGULARITY OVERALL:
1. KIRSIPUU, Jaan (EST/AG2R) 45 points
2. O'GRADY, Stuart (AUS/C.A) 43
3. ZABEL Erik (GER/TEL) 40

KING OF THE MOUNTAIN OVERALL:
1. DURAND, Jacky (FRA/Francais) 10 points
2. ORIOL, Christophe (FRA/Delatour) 6
3. HALGAND, Patrice (FRA/Delatour) 2

TEAM FOR THE STAGE:
LAMPRE (ITA) 13h 47:24

TEAM OVERALL CLASSIFICATION:
1. CREDIT AGRICOLE (FRA) 29h 02:03
2. FESTINA (FRA) at 10
3. LAMPRE (ITA) at 22

COMBATIVITY OVERALL:
1. DURAND, Jacky (FRA/FDJ) 26 points
2. ORIOL, Christophe (FRA/DEL) 21
3. DE GROOT, Bram (NED/RAB) 2

YOUNG RIDER FOR THE STAGE:
HUNTER, Robert (RSA/LAM) 4h 35:47

YOUNG RIDER OVERALL:
1. HUNTER, Robert (RSA/LAM) 9h 40:46
2. BRARD, Florent (FRA/FES) at 5
3. HUSHOVD, Thor (NOR/C.A) at 15

STAGES SO FAR

STAGE: STAGE WINNER/YELLOW JERSEY PROLOGUE, Dunkirk, 8.2 km: Moreau/Moreau STAGE 1, Saint Omer - Boulogne sur Mer, 194.5 km: Zabel/Moreau STAGE 2, Calais – Amberes (Belgium), 220 km: Wauters/Wauters

TOUR NEWS:

BELGIAN CONTROLS: The government of Flanders conducted today their own independent doping controls, which caused the Tour de France organization to not run any further controls on the riders. Although the UCI accepeted the initiative of the authorities in Flanders, they also announced that the results of the tests would not be binding for the UCI, since they were not conducted in a manner consistent with UCI regulation.

ARMSTRONG CLARIFIES HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH FERRARI: Lance Armstrong clarified today his relationship with doctor Michele Ferrari and distanced himself from the Italian's reported past comments about the stamina-boosting drug EPO. Responding to newspaper reports over the weekend, the American's U.S. Postal team issued a statement in which Armstrong said he had worked with Ferrari since 1995, recently beginning preparations for an attempt at the world hour record. “In the past I have never denied any relationship with Michele Ferrari. On the other hand, I have never gone out of my way to publicise it. The reason for that is that he has had a questionable reputation due to the irresponsible comments he made in 1994 regarding EPO. I want to make it clear that I do not
associate myself with those remarks or, for that matter, with anyone who utilises unethical sporting procedures. However, in my personal experience, I have never had occasion to question the ethics or standard of care of Michele. Specifically, he has never discussed EPO with me and I have never used it. I have always been very clear on the necessity for cycling to be a clean sport. And I have firmly stated that anyone, including me, who tests positive for banned substances should be severely punished”.

For Daily Live Coverage on the Net, visit the Tour’s Official site in English, featuring the narratives of our friend Rob Arnold, editor of RIDE Cycling Review: http://www.letour.fr/2001/us/index.html

NEWS CLIPPINGS

Roche defends Armstrong, Indurain says Armstrong could win six eloton

PRESS RELEASES

TEAM MERCURY

BMC Arlington - Arlington, MA 62 Miles
Report courtesy of BMC Arlington

Of a starting field of over 80 riders, only 31 managed to finish, due in large part to the sheer aggressiveness of the big teams. On the very first lap, an eight-man breakaway escaped; joined at the 20-mile mark by five others, the group quickly left the remnants of the shattered field behind.

Things did not get any easier from there, as, at mile 25, Chris Horner (Mercury-Viatel) jumped away from his hardworking breakaway partners halfway up the climb. Dancing effortlessly on his pedals, Horner amassed a solo advantage of 1:15 within five miles and it continued to grow. By the 42-mile mark, he had a 2:17 lead on a 17-man chase that included no less than six of his Mercury-Viatel teammates, and none of the other teams in the following group seemed to want to take responsibility for bringing him back.

However, the Navigators squad of BMC Software Grand Prix leader Vassili Davidenko knuckled down to the job at hand, whittling away Horner's lead over the next 15 miles. With just 2 laps remaining, they had both brought the courageous Horner back and reduced the lead group to just 10 riders, setting the stage for the final act. Mercury-Viatel led much of the way up the penultimate climb, before Saturn climbing ace Michael Barry came to the fore, splintering the group and drawing Davidenko and Baden Cooke
(Mercury-Viatel) away with him.

The trio stayed away for the rest of the lap and were together on their final ascent, where Barry launched one more leg breaking attack. However, the others were able to match him, and it seemed inevitable that it would come down to a sprint, though it surprisingly became a four-up sprint, as Connecticut-based amateur Jonathan Hamblen (Wheelworks-Cannondale) bridged up to them on the final descent.

Barry was first through the final corner and shot up the left side of the road, while sprinters Davidenko and Cooke jumped up the right. With 50 meters remaining, it looked like Davidenko might have the win, but Cooke found a second wind and took the win going away from Davidenko, with Barry and Hamblen filling out the top four. Afterwards, Cooke talked about his win, "I wasn't doing too much work on the last lap, we had six other guys behind, so it really wasn't my place to set the pace. But it's great, we've had some disappointments this year, and this win is a big one for us."

With Cooke's win at BMC Arlington Mercury-Viatel is now at 54 victories for the 2001 Season.

Results

1 Baden Cooke (Mercury-Viatel) 2.51.55
2 Vassili Davidenko (Navigators)
3 Michael Barry (Saturn)
...
6 Derek Bouchard-Hall (Mercury-Viatel) 0.33
7 Chris Horner (Mercury-Viatel)
11 Chris Wherry (Mercury-Viatel) 0.39
12 Floyd Landis (Mercury-Viatel) 0.43
13 Gord Fraser (Mercury-Viatel) 1.16
19 Mike Sayers (Mercury-Viatel) 2.07
24 John Peters (Mercury-Viatel)
29 Chris Pic (Mercury-Viatel)