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5 July 2005

6 July News ...

David Zabriskie Races In Yellow for Basso and CSC

"I felt fine, a little better than yesterday. It's good to get in the rhythm of things, but the pace is extremely fast, even though we got through the day fairly easy," said Zabriskie post stage 3. The stage ended in Tours, where the stage 4 team TT will depart. Hot team favorite for the team TT is CSC. They have the current GC leader in their posse and that will give them extra strength. Il Americano, David Zabriskie, will put the hammer down for his team. He will be riding for himself and for teammate Ivan Basso.

Boonen Continues Terror in Tours

Stage 3 of the Tour de France and Tom Boonen was continuing his terror in Tours. On the Avenue du Grammont, 2900 meters straight into Tours, the Quick-Step rider again struck fear into the hearts of the Aussies and Austrians. It was masterful sprinting after the peloton sucked up a day-long 3-man break. Boonen was beaming with confidence after the race and sent some choice words to Alessandro Petacchi, who is not at the Tour. "The Worlds [in Madrid] is a race of one day, the Tour is the Worlds that is hard for three weeks ... He prefers the Worlds, but it is here that you battle, and here you delight, and here that you become number one in the world." Boonen was having a great time and it showed with a second win.

Now with two stage wins under his green belt, the Quick-Step rider will have the confidence to continue his terror. It has been a great year with his spring campaign and now the Tour. Boonen continued, "This year I have more experience and I have conquered two classics. ... I still have four or five days ahead of me. [possible sprint stages]"

92nd Tour de France:
Startlist, Classifications, Tour Challengers, Discovery Channel Profile
Key Stages, Key Stage Descriptions, Stages and Maps, Overall Map
Photos, Dust Devil's Daily Wrap

Di Luca, ProTour Man: Pais Vasco, Classics and The Giro

Italian cyclist Danilo di Luca has been surprising and impressing fans all season with monumental wins from the Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco, to the prestigious Classics of the North and on to a spectacular Giro d'Italia. Not only has he raced above and beyond the call of duty for the Liquigas-Bianchi team, but he has also earned himself the coveted ProTour leader's jersey. Clad in white, The Killer has shocked many with his transformation into a cycling all-star. Perhaps his white ProTour leader's jersey has given him wings.
Interviewed by Luciana of BiciRace.com

BiciRace.com:  First, congratulations and good job for all of the races that you have won recently, you are absolutely in top form right now. All of us at BiciRace.com have enjoyed watching your impressive victories, you've really arrived on form this year, what has been different for you? Training? Diet? Thoughts? Experience?
Danilo Di Luca:  I think that this year my most important weapon for victory has been in my head. I have found a team, Liquigas-Bianchi, that has treated me like a real leader. This has been, for me, a fundamental passage: knowing that I have a team who will work for me and who believes in my potential. The rest I have achieved with determination.
BiciRace.com interview with Danilo Di Luca.

Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano Gives Low-Down on the TTT

Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano knows about team TT's. Back in 2002, after the ONCE team won the team TT, he became GC leader. Now riding for Liberty Seguros-Würth, a morphed version of ONCE, he has realistic goals for today's stage. "Clearly, Liberty Seguros-Würth is not the favorite, but we are going to be there along with Phonak, Discovery, CSC and Gerolsteiner, who are the most powerful," said the Spaniard. Galdeano then went on to give some tactics... "The key to doing a great time trial tomorrow will be a joint effort and with each rider going out to give his all, nobody holding back. The order of the rotation is very important too, because you must maintain a constant pace, a regular speed, apart from the fact that the most powerful riders do longer relays." BiciRace.com may be headquartered in Italy, but our hearts go out to the Liberty Boys.

Ullrich's T-Mobile Team is Well Prepared

Like all GC riders, Ullrich has been dodging crashes and staying safe. It is stressful in the first days of any grand tour, and especially the Tour de France. Checking in with T-Mobile, Ulle had this to add, "We've come through the two sprinting stages intact. That hasn't always been the case in the past - often we've been tangled up in some dangerous sprint showdowns."

Now the Magenta team focuses on the Team Time Trial, where they are a huge favorite. Ulle will be looking to stomp the Disco Cowboy, as a pay-back for stage 1. "Of course, Discovery Channel and CSC are the favorites tomorrow. But, we are also keen to impress, with a convincing team performance," said Ulle, sizing up his competition.

Team Italia in Madrid to Preview Course

Italian team boss, Franco Ballerini, and Italian fast-man, Alessandro Petacchi, are in Madrid. The two traveled there to preview the course, that has been altered slightly since their last visit in November 2004. The road race takes place on 25 September and is a circuit that is suited to the sprinters. "The circuit however is fast, not flat, and it is [this trip] needed to create possible scenarios to keep the bunch together [for a sprint finish]," commented Ballerini. Franco Ballerini is a master tactician and helped guide Mario Cipollini to his Worlds victory in 2002.

4 July News ...