2003 Tour de France
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| Route of the 2003 Tour de France | |||
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dates | July 5–July 27, 2003 | ||
| Stages | 20+Prologue | ||
| Distance | 3,427.5 km (2,130 mi) | ||
| Winning time | 83h 41' 12" (40.030 km/h or 24.873 mph) | ||
| Palmares | |||
| Winner | none | ||
| Second |  Jan Ullrich (Germany) |
(Team Bianchi) | |
| Third |  Alexander Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) |
(Team Telekom) | |
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Points |  Baden Cooke (Australia) |
(FDJeux.com) |
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Mountains |  Richard Virenque (France) |
(Quick Step-Davitamon) |
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Youth |  Denis Menchov (Russia) |
(iBanesto.com) |
| Team | Team CSC | ||
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← 2002
2004 →
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The 2003 Tour de France started and ended in Paris. Lasting from July 5 to July 27 the race covered 3,427.5 km (2129.75 mi),[1] proceeding clockwise in twenty stages around France, including six major mountain stages. Due to the centennial celebration, this edition of the tour was raced entirely in France and did not enter neighboring countries.
In the centenary year of the race the route recreated, in part, that of 1903. There was a special Centenaire Classement prize for the best-placed in each of the six stage finishes which match the 1903 tour - Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes and Paris. It was won by Stuart O'Grady, with Thor Hushovd in second place. The 2003 Tour was honored with the Prince of Asturias Award for Sport.
Of the 198 riders the favorite was again Lance Armstrong, aiming for a record equalling fifth win. Before the race, it was believed that his main rivals would include Iban Mayo, Aitor González, Tyler Hamilton, Ivan Basso, Gilberto Simoni, Jan Ullrich, and Joseba Beloki but Armstrong was odds-on favorite. Though he did go on to win the race, it is statistically, and by Armstrong's own admission,[2] his weakest Tour from his seven-year period of dominance over the race.
In August 2012, the United States Anti-Doping Agency recommended the disqualification of Lance Armstrong from all his results since 1998; in October 2012 the Union Cycliste Internationale has agreed to this action. Having been stripped of the win owing to his use of banned substances, Lance Armstrong's win, his fifth of 7 consecutive wins and the most in Tour history, no longer applies; therefore there was no official winner of the 2003 Tour De France.
Overview
The Tour proved to be one more hotly contested than the previous years, but in the end it was indeed Armstrong who won. Tyler Hamilton and Levi Leipheimer were involved in a crash early in the Tour. Leipheimer dropped out, Hamilton continued and got fourth place in the end while riding with a broken collarbone.
In the Alps, Gilberto Simoni and Stefano Garzelli, first and second in the Giro d'Italia earlier the same year, could not keep up with Lance Armstrong and the other favorites. The same held for last year's number 4, Santiago Botero. Joseba Beloki could, and was in second-place overall (just 40 seconds behind Armstrong) when he crashed on a fast descent. The crash was a result of a locked brake, caused by a lack of traction from melting tar on the road, which led to the tyre coming off the rim.[3] Beloki broke his right femur, elbow and wrist, and had to leave the Tour.[4] Armstrong made a detour through the field beside the road to avoid the fallen Beloki. Armstrong was in yellow, but Jan Ullrich won the first time trial by one minute and 36 seconds. He and Alexander Vinokourov were both within very short distance from Armstrong.
Armstrong did however withstand the attacks in the end, and took his fifth Tour de France in row, thereby equalling the record of Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain. Before him, only Indurain had won in five consecutive years. Lance Armstrong had never won a tour by less than six minutes before 2003.
Stages
| Stage | Date | Route | Terrain | Length | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 5 July | Paris |  Individual time trial |
6.5 km (4.0 mi) | Bradley McGee (AUS) |
| 1 | 6 July | Saint-Denis – Meaux |  Plain stage |
168.0 km (104.4 mi) |  Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) |
| 2 | 7 July | La Ferté-sous-Jouarre – Sedan | Plain stage |
204.5 km (127.1 mi) | Baden Cooke (AUS) |
| 3 | 8 July | Charleville-Mézières – Saint-Dizier | Plain stage |
167.5 km (104.1 mi) | Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) |
| 4 | 9 July | Joinville – Saint-Dizier | Team time trial |
69.0 km (42.9 mi) |  US Postal (USA) |
| 5 | 10 July | Troyes – Nevers | Plain stage |
196.5 km (122.1 mi) | Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) |
| 6 | 11 July | Nevers – Lyon | Plain stage |
230.0 km (142.9 mi) | Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) |
| 7 | 12 July | Lyon – Morzine |  Stage with mountain(s) |
230.5 km (143.2 mi) | Richard Virenque (FRA) |
| 8 | 13 July | Sallanches – Alpe d'Huez | Stage with mountain(s) |
219.0 km (136.1 mi) |  Iban Mayo (ESP) |
| 9 | 14 July | Le Bourg-d'Oisans – Gap | Stage with mountain(s) |
184.5 km (114.6 mi) | Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ) |
| 10 | 15 July | Gap – Marseille | Plain stage |
219.5 km (136.4 mi) |  Jakob Piil (DEN) |
| 11 | 17 July | Narbonne – Toulouse | Plain stage |
153.5 km (95.4 mi) | Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP) |
| 12 | 18 July | Gaillac – Cap Découverte | Individual time trial |
47.0 km (29.2 mi) | Jan Ullrich (GER) |
| 13 | 19 July | Toulouse – Ax 3 Domaines | Stage with mountain(s) |
197.5 km (122.7 mi) | Carlos Sastre (ESP) |
| 14 | 20 July | Saint-Girons – Loudenvielle | Stage with mountain(s) |
191.5 km (119.0 mi) | Gilberto Simoni (ITA) |
| 15 | 21 July | Bagnères-de-Bigorre – Luz Ardiden | Stage with mountain(s) |
159.5 km (99.1 mi) | |
| 16 | 23 July | Pau – Bayonne | Stage with mountain(s) |
197.5 km (122.7 mi) | Tyler Hamilton (USA) |
| 17 | 24 July | Dax – Bordeaux | Plain stage |
181.0 km (112.5 mi) |  Servais Knaven (NED) |
| 18 | 25 July | Bordeaux – Saint-Maixent-l'École | Plain stage |
203.5 km (126.4 mi) | Pablo Lastras (ESP) |
| 19 | 26 July | Pornic – Nantes | Individual time trial |
49.0 km (30.4 mi) |  David Millar (GBR) |
| 20 | 27 July | Ville-d'Avray – Paris (Champs-Élysées) | Plain stage |
152.0 km (94.4 mi) | Jean-Patrick Nazon (FRA) |
Classification leadership
- Jersey wearers when one rider is leading two or more competitions
- In stage 1, David Millar wore the green jersey.
- In stage 8, Rolf Aldag wore the polka-dot jersey.
Results
On 24 August 2012, the United States Anti-Doping Agency announced that hey had disqualified Armstrong from all his results since 1998, including his victory in the 2003 Tour de France. The Union Cycliste Internationale, responsible for the international cycling, confirmed this verdict on 22 October 2012.
General classification
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The team classification is based on the added time of the team's top three best riders in each stage.
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The young rider classification tracks the best riders under 25 years old in the Tour de France.
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In this classification positions from six stages involving cities (Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes, Paris) visited during 1903 were combined.
| Rank | Name | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stuart O'Grady (AUS) |
Crédit Agricole | 82 |
| 2 |  Thor Hushovd (NOR) |
Crédit Agricole | 86 |
| 3 | Fabrizio Guidi (ITA) |
Team Bianchi | 103 |
| 4 | Luca Paolini (ITA) |
Quick Step-Davitamon | 118 |
| 5 |  Gerrit Glomser (AUT) |
Saeco Macchine per Caffè | 123 |
References
- ^ Jacques Augendre (2009). "Guide Historique" (PDF) (in French). Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 2009-10-09. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
- ^ "Maillot jaune Lance Armstrong speaks, July 24, 2004". Cycling News. 2004-07-24. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
- ^ Samuel Abt (30 May 2004). "Effects of a Crash Landing Are Still Hampering Beloki". New York Times. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ^ Chris Henry (17 November 2003). "Change and challenge for Joseba Beloki". Cycling News. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ^ a b "90ème Tour de France 2003" (in French). Memoire du cyclisme. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
- ^ Zwegers, Arian. "Tour de France GC Top Ten". CVCC. Archived from the original on 2009-06-10. Retrieved 15 Aug 2011.
- ^ a b c d e "90th Tour de France - July 5–27, 2003". Cyclingnews. 2003. Archived from the original on 2009-10-09. Retrieved 7 October 2009.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tour de France 2003 |
- Cyclingnews.com coverage of the 2003 Tour
- Stage victories and jersey progression (German)
- Youth classification and team classification progression (Dutch)
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