As is tradition, the last stage of the Tour is little more than a coronation parade in honor of the champion and other jersey winners, usually ending in a bunch sprint on the Champs Elysees. The 95th Tour de France was no different, with Gert Steegmans redeeming Quick Step’s Tour de France with their first stage win.
Carlos Sastre is crowned the 95th Tour de France winner! Sastre was able to make the 143 kilometer stage into Paris without incident and becomes the third straight Spainard to win the title, besting Cadel Evans by 58 seconds.
Stage 21 Results
1 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quick Step - 3.51.38
2 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Columbia
3 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank
4 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Silence - Lotto
5 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crédit Agricole
6 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30
7 Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Gerolsteiner
8 Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner
9 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone
10 Robert Hunter (RSA) Barloworld
Carlos Sastre came in twelth today, two minutes and thirty found seconds behind stage winner Stefan Schumacher, to seal up his Tour de France victory. Sastre was able to hold off his top rivals to stay a minute and five seconds ahead of Cadel Evans in the General Classification.
For Stefan Schumacher, he wins his second TT this tour, besting world champion Fabian Cancellara by 21 seconds.
Stage 20 Results
1 Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Gerolsteiner - 1.03.50
2 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC - Saxo Bank - 0.21
3 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia - 1.01
4 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 - 1.05
5 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 - 1.37
6 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank - 1.55
7 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto - 2.05
8 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Gerolsteiner - 2.19
9 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner - 2.21
10 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia - 2.28
Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel, of Cofidis, gave his current team a departing gift today, by winning Stage 19 of this year’s Tour de France. After breaking away with Jeremy Roy, the two worked together to build a 2 and a half minute lead, but in the final 200m Chavanel was able to accelerate away keeping Roy from taking the stage win. It was announced recently that Chavanel will be moving teams next year when he will ride for Belgium squad, Quickstep.
Carols Sastre remains in the Maillot Jaune.
Stage 19 Results
1 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone - 3.37.09
2 Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française des Jeux
3 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Columbia - 1.13
4 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram
5 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner
6 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone
7 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Liquigas
8 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crédit Agricole
9 Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner
10 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30
Stage 18 from Bourg-d’Oisans to Saint-Etienne led the tour out of the Alps, and with the crucial time trial expected to decide the race, the leaders were content with letting Marcus Burghardt and Carlos Barredo get away. Both attacking each other at times in the final kilometers, Burghardt timed his last attack perfectly to take the stage win.
Carlos Sastre remains in the Maillot Jaune, all other jerseys remain the same as well…
Stage 18 Results
1 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Team Columbia - 4.30.21
2 Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step
3 Romain Feillu (Fra) Agritubel - 3.33
4 Christophe Le Mével (Fra) Crédit Agricole
5 Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi - 3.35
6 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone - 6.39
7 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
8 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas
9 Leif Hoste (Bel) Silence - Lotto
10 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC - Saxo Bank
Everyone knew he would attack. Everyone knew he would go for the victory on Alpe d’Huez!
And he did it: Carlos Sastre won the queen stage in this year’s edition of Tour de France - after 210 kilometers from Embrun to the legendary finish at the top of Alpe d’Huez the petite Spanish rider was able to celebrate both the victory and the Yellow Jersey, which he took over from teammate Fränk Schleck, who is now second in the general classification.
The triumph was made even sweeter by the fact that Andy Schleck was third in the stage and increased his lead in the Best Young Rider’s competition considerably.
“What a fantastic team! I’m almost lost for words. They were amazing and both our GC riders and the rest of the guys made an absolutely world class effort out there today,” said a jubilant Bjarne Riis after the stage.
Spanish rider Carlos Sastre rode the ride of his life on Stage 17 of this year’s Tour de France. Attacking with just 13km to go, the Maillot Jaune group was not able to hang onto the Spaniard and he went on to win the Stage.
Carlos Sastre wins the stage and is also the new overall General Classification leader, taking over for teammate Frank Schleck.
Stage 17 Results
1 Carlos Sastre (Spa) CSC-Saxo Bank - 6.07.58
2 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi - 2.03
3 Andy Schleck (Lux) CSC-Saxo Bank
4 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne - 2.13
5 Fränk Schleck (Lux) CSC-Saxo Bank
6 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale
7 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto
8 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank
9 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin Chipotle - H30
10 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner
Cyril Dessel of AG2R became the second Frenchman to win a stage at this years Tour de France. Dessel was part of a large breakaway which shattered on the final climb of stage 16, allowing Dessel to out ride Sandy Casar (FdJ) and David Arroyo (Caisse d’Epargne) down the final technical descent to take the victory.
Frank Schleck remains in the Maillot Jaune, while his younger brother Andy takes over the Maillot Blanc.
Stage 16 Results
1 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale - 4.31.27
2 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux
3 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne
4 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Silence - Lotto - 0.03
5 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia - 0.24
6 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Caisse d’Epargne
7 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale
8 Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Gerolsteiner - 1.03
9 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC - Saxo Bank - 1.28
10 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner
The Tour De France is one of the most intense and grueling events in all of sports!
VERSUS, the exclusive cable television home of the Tour De France, is celebrating clean competition with “Take Back the Tour”. The campaign was created to champion the riders who compete clean, while giving a platform and a voice to the passionate fan base that supports them.
Check out Bob “Bobke” Roll give his thoughts on the Tour and answer questions from viewers on Versus TV. Check your local listings or http://www.versus.com/tdf for more details
ASK BOBKE Question… “What makes a perfect team? How many climbers, sprinters, all-around riders? How many young versus experience riders?”
-Brad Benson
Team CSC Saxo Bank’s Fränk Schleck fulfilled a childhood dream of his, when he took the Yellow Jersey on Sunday after the 15th stage of Tour de France!
The Danish team was aggressive from the word go and all team members were used to attack during the last 40 of the 183-kilometer route from Digne-les-Bains to Prato Nevoso.
At the front it quickly became clear to all that a break of four would be impossible to catch and Simon Gerrans (Crédit Agricole) took the victory with four minutes down to the favorite’s group. But behind the break Team CSC Saxo Bank was stepping up the game somewhat.
Credit Agricole ride Simon Gerrans took the stage win today in the first stage in the Italian Alps. Gerrans was part of a four man breakaway that was able to attack the main pack early and stayed away. Gerrans then broke away once again and won the stage ahead of second place Egoi Martinez by 2 seconds, followed by Danny Pate who finished 10 seconds behind.
Frank Schleck of Team CSC - Saxo Bank takes over the Maillot Jaune after the team attacked Cadel Evans on the final climb of the day. Younger brother Andy Schleck, was able to surge ahead forcing Cadel Evans to work harder, eventually allowing Frank Schleck to out pace the Australian. “For me to take the yellow jersey, it’s a childhood dream,” Schleck said.
Stage 15 Results
1 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Crédit Agricole - 4.50.44
2 Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi - 0.03
3 Danny Pate (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 - 0.10
4 José Luis Arrieta Lujambio (Spa) AG2R La Mondiale - 0.55
5 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner - 4.03
6 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC - Saxo Bank
7 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne - 4.12
8 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank - 4.23
9 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC - Saxo Bank - 4.41
10 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 - 4.43
July 27th, 2008 by 
thien
