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July 7/09 11:34 am - Tour de France: Stage 4 results, report and photos


Posted by Editoress on 07/7/09
 

Astana Cycling Team won the 4th stage in the Tour the France, a team time trial in Montpellier over 39 km (24 miles). In the process of winning today, Lance Armstrong just missed taking another maillot jaune by tenths of a second to Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) who remains in yellow since his opening time trial win on Sunday. Standing proudly on the podium the nine team riders smiled widely as they accepted their flowers, medallions and the congratulations of an appreciative crowd. With Cancellara and Armstrong tied, the next three slots on GC all belong to Team Astana with Alberto Contador in 3rd at 19-seconds back, Andreas Kloden 4th at 23-seconds off the pace and Levi Leipheimer rounding out the top five at 31 seconds behind. Haimar Zubeldia sits in 7th, Sergio Paulinho in 11th and Yaroslav Popovych in 18th, putting seven of nine team riders in the top 20.

Garmin and Team Astana were even on time at the first check point, just behind leaders Caisse d'Eparge by seven-seconds. By the 2nd time check Astana had grabbed the lead and were 23-seconds ahead of Garmin. Still in front at the 3rd check point the advantage had gone down to 17-seconds where it held through the finish. Gregory Rast and then Dmitriy Muravyev were the first team riders to drop off with the remaining seven powering on until the final kilometer when Yaroslav Popovych lost contact with the team of six. With Armstrong repeatedly taking long pulls throughout the stage, it was Contador who led through the last rise to the finish line with the clock stopping at 46:29 on the fifth man, who happened to be Armstrong.

 

Photos

 

Reactions Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador

Lance Armstrong

- Is this a bittersweet victory because of missing yellow?

"Yes and no. We did what we could. That's cycling. We can look at each other and say that we did our best. The most important thing is that we won the stage and took time on the other rivals. I said it earlier to Alberto as well that it is so important that we take time to Evans, Sastre and the others. We were fairly successful. I wouldn't like to be two minutes down right now."

-The race was perfect for you and the team?

"We came last week to Montpellier to see the stage. Johan Bruyneel already had the order of riding in his head. We tried that order that day and we did the same today. Like usual, he was right. The result speaks for itself. You always feel that somebody is stronger than you. For me, if I analyze our performance, I would say that Klöden and Popovych were the strongest, but overall the team was consistent. We were smooth. We didn't make any mistakes. No mis-turns, no crashes, no flat tires."

- After your return, did you expect to be so close now?

"No. What happened yesterday, you couldn't expect that neither. It's nice to be close, to win a stage, to win an event we like so much. We will see now.

This is a confession: 12 months ago I expected it to be easier, so yes, I expected it. Six months ago I did not expect it any more. I realized that it was harder than I thought. I was just disrespectful to Carlos Sastre or Cadel Evans. This is not easy at all. Today I am realistic. I have both feet on the ground. It will not be like in 2001 or 2005. It will be harder. That's as honest as I can say it."

- You came back after four years and you brought to the race in the last four days more spectacle than in the last four years...

"I think there was excitement the last four years. A day like yesterday was just a surprise. There were questions about the tactics of yesterday. It was just luck. Tomorrow Evans can be in the front and we might not be."

- Are you one of the favorites now?

"I am happy with where I am. I don't know if I'm the best in the race. I came in this race thinking that I would be one of the best, based on the trainings and tests that I've done, based on the trainings with Levi Leipheimer. "

- How do you keep the cohesion in the team?

"It's not nearly as difficult as the media makes it up to be. The first week of the Tour the media have to find something to write about. In Monaco it was about Vinokourov and Bruyneel, yesterday it was about Contador and me. Next week it will be something else. In the mean time we just ignore those things and Alberto does that too. We proved today that we are just a good team. Most of this falls to the responsibility of Johan Bruyneel and our directors. They have to direct the team and the tactics and attitude in the team. We go forward with two leaders. I am confident we will find a good solution. "

- Now your team doesn't have to defend the yellow jersey?

"There will probably be less pressure, but this will not change the race for us. We wouldn't have tried to control the race tomorrow anyhow. The Tour will not be decided in week one but in part two of week three. "

- A few days ago the old president of ASO, Patrice Clerc, said that your return to cycling brought with it the return of doubt.

"Was the Tour of ASO in a perfect situation when I was gone? He was the boss. Under his leadership cycling was not perfect. The question should be returned to him. "

Alberto Contador

- Are you happy or not happy because of missing the yellow jersey?

"I think that today we have to be very, very happy. We have distanced enough riders like Sastre, Evans, Menchov and even the Schlecks. It's only a pity we missed the yellow jersey. Always you like to have the maillot and especially Lance, with what it means for him. On the other hand, this allows us to ride more relaxed."

- How did you feel during the stage?

"I felt like I was one of the strongest riders but the course was not so good for me personally. It's a pity that there were not more climbs. It was especially in the climbs that I felt comfortable."

- After only four days, it looks good for the team

"For the moment things are very good in the overall, but it is necessary to keep concentration, because we have completed only four days, though it seems that we’ve passed a lot of days of the Tour. The coming days in the Pyrenees will be interesting. Our rivals will have to attack. We will have to be awake."

Team Astana report

Stage 4: Montpellier TTT, 39 km
1 Astana 0:46:29
2 Garmin - Slipstream at 0:18
3 Team Saxo Bank 0:40
4 Liquigas 0:58
5 Team Columbia-HTC 0:59
6 Team Katusha 1:23
7 Caisse d'Epargne 1:29
8 Cervelo Test Team 1:38
9 AG2R-La Mondiale 1:49
10 Euskaltel - Euskadi 2:10
11 Rabobank 2:21
12 Quick Step 2:26
13 Silence - Lotto 2:36
14 Francaise Des Jeux 2:46
15 Team Milram 2:49
16 Cofidis Le Credit en Ligne 2:59
17 Lampre - N.G.C 3:25
18 Agritubel 4:18
19 BBox Bouygues Telecom 4:42
20 Skil-Shimano 5:23
 
GC
1 Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Team Saxo Bank 10:38:07
2 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana at s.t.
3 Alberto Contador Velasco (Esp) Astana 0:19
4 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana 0:23
5 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 0:31
6 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream 0:38
7 Haimar Zubeldia (Esp) Astana 0:51
8 Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - HTC 0:52
9 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 1:06
10 David Millar (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream 1:07
11 Sergio Paulinho (Por) Astana 1:16
12 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Slipstream s.t.
13 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank 1:22
14 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team Columbia - HTC 1:29
15 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas 1:31
16 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia - HTC 1:32
17 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia - HTC 1:36
18 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana s.t.
19 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas s.t.
20 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 1:41
21 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Slipstream 1:46
22 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank 2:03
23 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team Saxo Bank 2:05
24 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia - HTC 2:16
25 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 2:17
26 Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas 2:25
27 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Team Katusha 2:31
28 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 2:32
29 Carlos Sastre (Esp) Cervelo Test Team 2:44
30 Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank s.t.
31 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas 2:50
32 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team Columbia - HTC 2:51
33 Mikel Astarloza (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi 2:54
34 Luis Pasamontes (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne 2:56
35 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto 2:59
36 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Team Katusha s.t.
37 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team s.t.
38 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank 3:00
39 Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team Katusha 3:02
40 Oscar Pereiro Sio (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne 3:03
41 Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervelo Test Team 3:05
42 Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Caisse d'Epargne 3:06
43 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo Test Team 3:07
44 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Cervelo Test Team 3:09
45 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram 3:11
46 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne 3:12
47 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 3:13
48 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 3:16
49 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quick Step 3:17
50 José Ivan Gutierrez (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne
51 Jose Joaquin Rojas (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne both s.t.
52 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Team Katusha 3:18
53 Luis León Sánchez Gil (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne s.t.
54 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 3:21
55 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step 3:23
56 Juan Jose Oroz (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi 3:24
57 Gorka Verdugo (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi 3:25
58 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team 3:28
59 Frederik Willems (Bel) Liquigas 3:32
60 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia - HTC 3:33
61 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 3:34
62 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 3:36
63 Chris Sørensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank s.t.
64 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 3:38
65 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 3:42
66 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale 3:44
67 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 3:46
68 Nikolai Troussov (Rus) Team Katusha 3:47
69 Aleksandr Kuschynski (Blr) Liquigas s.t.
70 Igor Anton (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi 3:48
71 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Team Katusha 3:51
72 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 3:52
73 José Luis Arrieta (Esp) AG2R La Mondiale s.t.
74 Carlos Barredo (Esp) Quick Step 3:55
75 Laurens ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank 3:57
76 Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Quick Step 4:03
77 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 4:04
78 Iñigo Cuesta (Esp) Cervelo Test Team 4:05
79 Egoi Martinez (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi 4:09
80 Juan Manuel Garate Cepa (Esp) Rabobank s.t.
81 David Arroyo (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne 4:10
82 Christophe Kern (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 4:12
83 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 4:16
84 Sandy Casar (Fra) Francaise des Jeux s.t.
85 Jérôme Coppel (Fra) Francaise des Jeux 4:17
86 Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas 4:23
87 Jérémy Roy (Fra) Francaise des Jeux s.t.
88 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step 4:25
89 Peter Velits (Svk) Team Milram 4:27
90 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Milram 4:28
91 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team Columbia - HTC 4:29
92 José Angel Gomez Marchante (Esp) Cervelo Test Team 4:30
93 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Quick Step s.t.
94 Mickael Delage (Fra) Silence - Lotto 4:31
95 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram 4:32
96 Juan Antonio Flecha (Esp) Rabobank s.t.
97 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas 4:34
98 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre - NGC 4:35
99 Stéphane Auge (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 4:40
100 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank 4:46
101 Oscar Freire (Esp) Rabobank 4:48
102 Amets Txurruka (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi 4:49
103 Benoït Vaugrenard (Fra) Francaise des Jeux 4:50
104 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence - Lotto 4:51
105 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Francaise des Jeux 4:54
106 Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Francaise des Jeux 4:56
107 Koldo Fernandez De Larrea (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi 4:57
108 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 4:59
109 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 5:00
110 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre - NGC 5:02
111 Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre - NGC 5:05
112 David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 5:08
113 Anthony Geslin (Fra) Francaise des Jeux 5:09
114 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Milram 5:11
115 Maxime Bouet (Fra) Agritubel 5:16
116 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Silence - Lotto 5:17
117 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 5:27
118 Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 5:28
119 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Silence - Lotto 5:32
120 Joan Horrach Rippoll (Esp) Team Katusha 5:34
121 David Lelay (Fra) Agritubel 5:46
122 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Silence - Lotto 5:49
123 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom 5:54
124 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 5:57
125 William Bonnet (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom 6:01
126 Bingen Fernandez (Esp) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 6:03
127 Ruben Perez Moreno (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi 6:04
128 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Agritubel 6:10
129 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Agritubel 6:11
130 Marcus Fothen (Ger) Team Milram s.t.
131 David Loosli (Sui) Lampre - NGC 6:15
132 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank s.t.
133 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Lampre - NGC 6:17
134 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom 6:18
135 Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin - Slipstream 6:26
136 Saïd Haddou (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom 6:27
137 Thierry Huppond (Fra) Skil-Shimano 6:33
138 Eduardo Gonzalo Ramirez (Esp) Agritubel 6:35
139 Marcin Sapa (Pol) Lampre - NGC 6:40
140 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Skil-Shimano 6:47
141 Sébastien Joly (Fra) Francaise des Jeux s.t.
142 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) BBOX Bouygues Telecom 6:49
143 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Agritubel 6:54
144 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom 6:55
145 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom 6:57
146 Koen de Kort (Ned) Skil-Shimano 7:07
147 Arnaud Coyot (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne 7:08
148 Brice Feillu (Fra) Agritubel 7:15
149 Pierre Rolland (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom 7:18
150 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Team Katusha 7:22
151 Sylvain Calzati (Fra) Agritubel 7:24
152 Piet Rooijakkers (Ned) Skil-Shimano 7:25
153 Simon Geschke (Ger) Skil-Shimano 7:26
154 Yury Trofimov (Rus) BBOX Bouygues Telecom s.t.
155 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Skil-Shimano 7:29
156 Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Skil-Shimano 7:35
157 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team Milram 7:42
158 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step 7:50
159 Marco Bandiera (Ita) Lampre - NGC 7:51
160 Charles Wegelius (GBr) Silence - Lotto 8:09
161 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Silence - Lotto 8:16
162 Kenny Robert van Hummel (Ned) Skil-Shimano 8:48
163 Steven de Jongh (Ned) Quick Step 8:52
164 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Team Milram 8:54
165 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Columbia - HTC s.t.
166 Grégory Rast (Sui) Astana 9:12
167 Danny Pate (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 9:19
168 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Team Milram 9:34
169 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Team Katusha 9:43
170 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - Slipstream 9:54
171 Romain Feillu (Fra) Agritubel 0:10:07
172 Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre - NGC 0:10:38
173 Angelo Furlan (Ita) Lampre - NGC 0:10:40
174 Albert Timmer (Ned) Skil-Shimano 0:11:09
175 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Silence - Lotto 0:12:09
176 Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Francaise des Jeux 0:14:35
177 Andreas Klier (Ger) Cervelo Test Team 0:15:30
178 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Astana 0:19:31
179 Alan Perez Lezaun (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:22:10
 
Points GC: No change
Mountains GC: No change
 
Young Rider GC
1 Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - HTC 10:38:59
2 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas 0:39
3 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 0:44
4 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 0:49
5 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas 1:58
6 Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team Katusha 2:10
7 Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Caisse d'Epargne 2:14
8 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo Test Team 2:15
9 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne 2:20
10 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 2:24
11 Jose Joaquin Rojas (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne 2:25
12 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia - HTC 2:41
13 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 2:44
14 Chris Sørensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank s.t.
15 Nikolai Troussov (Rus) Team Katusha 2:55
16 Jérôme Coppel (Fra) Francaise des Jeux 3:25
17 Peter Velits (Svk) Team Milram 3:35
18 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Milram 3:36
19 Mickael Delage (Fra) Silence - Lotto 3:39
20 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence - Lotto 3:59
21 Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre - NGC 4:13
22 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Milram 4:19
23 Maxime Bouet (Fra) Agritubel 4:24
24 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 5:05
25 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Lampre - NGC 5:25
26 Thierry Huppond (Fra) Skil-Shimano 5:41
27 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) BBOX Bouygues Telecom 5:57
28 Brice Feillu (Fra) Agritubel 6:23
29 Pierre Rolland (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom 6:26
30 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Team Katusha 6:30
31 Simon Geschke (Ger) Skil-Shimano 6:34
32 Yury Trofimov (Rus) BBOX Bouygues Telecom s.t.
33 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Skil-Shimano 6:37
34 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team Milram 6:50
35 Marco Bandiera (Ita) Lampre - NGC 6:59
36 Romain Feillu (Fra) Agritubel 9:15
37 Albert Timmer (Ned) Skil-Shimano 10:17
 
Team GC
1 Astana 30:20:33
2 Team Saxo Bank at 2:33
3 Team Columbia - HTC 2:45
4 Garmin - Slipstream 3:05
5 Liquigas 4:26
6 Cervelo Test Team 5:25
7 Euskaltel - Euskadi 5:34
8 Cofidis Le Credit En Ligne 6:12
9 Team Milram 6:33
10 Quick Step s.t.
11 Team Katusha 6:36
12 AG2R-La Mondiale 6:46
13 Silence - Lotto 6:51
14 Caisse d'Epargne 6:57
15 Rabobank 7:27
16 Francaise Des Jeux 7:29
17 Lampre - N.G.C 8:24
18 Agritubel 8:48
19 Bbox Bouygues Telecom 9:41
20 Skil-Shimano 10:08

 

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