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15 July 2006

16 July News ...

Riccò Satisfied

Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval-Prodir), competing in the Tour de France as neo-pro, is satisfied with his team's efforts in Thursday's stage to Pla-de-Beret. The yellow squadra put David De La Fuente in the early move, making sure he retook the Maillot Blanc à Pois Rouges, and then capped the day with a nice showing from Gilberto Simoni.

"It sure was a good day," said Riccò before the start of stage 12 on Bastille Day. "Today I think I will try for an escape. I am motivated to do something after the good team showing yesterday."

The stage starts with a nasty category 2 climb. "Really? OK, that will make forming an escape easier," the 22 year-old Italian finished.

Riccò was unable to make the escape on Friday but his teammate, David Millar, did. Keep watching the young Italian in this and future Tours.

Caucchioli Still Going for GC

Pietro Caucchioli (Crédit Agricole), 27th at 11'35" in the general classification, indicated Friday morning that he will still try to move up in the standings. The Italian joined the French squadra in 2005 to be a team leader in a Grand Tour and this year at the Tour he is doing just that. A cold in the first week, treated with eight days of antibiotics, slowed down his start in the French tour but the Verona rider explains he is still going for the GC.

"I am feeling better now, thanks," said Caucchioli Friday morning in Luchon. "The problem with yesterday [finishing on Pla-de-Beret] was that my legs were cramping bad and then I was forced to just ride tempo so I would not slide back any further in the classification."

Are you still keeping the GC as your goal? "Yes. My goal continues to be in the top ten of the classification, and I think it is possible. The Alps are coming and if I find the right escape then it will be good. ... You look at Discovery Channel yesterday, they exploded on one stage and then their GC hopes fell apart. ... The Tour is not over. Of course a stage would be great but I am aiming at the classification."

The atmosphere at Crédit Agricole is great for Caucchioli and he hopes to renew his two year contract. "I have not yet re-signed," il Veronese explained. "I have talked to some other teams but I would rather stay with Crédit Agricole. If I switch teams I want to have the ability to be a team leader in one of the three Grand Tours, Giro, Tour or Vuelta, and with this team I currently have that chance. I would not mind helping another rider at the Tour if I could be a leader for the Giro or Vuelta. The environment of this French team is great and I am happy to be the team leader for the Tour."

Popovych Tries to Erase Disco Blues

Yaroslav Popovych scored the biggest win of his professional career and helped shine some light on Discovery Channel's rough Tour de France by winning stage 12 to Carcassonne. The Ukrainian, after falling out of the classification battle on the Pla-de-Beret stage, powered to the line in a four-man move; attacking for the win at 3K to go.

"Yesterday was such a hard day and now we are searching for something better. I think we got that today," said Popo post-race. Not only did his Disco team fall out of the GC hopes, but today they also lost some important riders, Savoldelli and Noval; it was a stage win much needed for team DS, Johann Bruyneel.

Bruyneel had a talk with his soldiers before the start of Friday's stage, trying to rally the troops, a role that Lance Armstrong used to fill. The team lacks focus and drive, something they had before with the clear leadership of Armstrong.

"After the stage he said nothing, because we were all too tired," commented Popo. "This morning we [the team] talked, and Johann said we have to do better. We tried to make sure we were in the breaks, first with Hincapie and then with me. I think we did a good thing. ... Yesterday [to Pla-de-Beret] was a bad day, I was very disillusioned. But it went like it did. The day passed. Today before I excited the bus, Bruyneel said to go out and win a stage. So here it is."

"My biggest win so far was the Under-23 World Championship. I felt so great on the podium; hearing my national anthem. It was beautiful. But after that it is this stage, without a doubt."

Is GC still a possibility? "I am behind in the GC after yesterday [stage 11]. We will see how it goes, if it goes like yesterday then forget about it. I will see how I feel." Do you know the Alp stages? "I know the stages. I have not gone purposely to do the stages, but we have done them in the races." Has Armstrong called to give the team guidance? "Lance, I have not heard from him in these past days and I think it is probably better."

One of many Armstrong's old rivals is the Rabobank squadra and that is why it was so strange to see his former squadra seemingly working together with the Dutch. When Popovych attacked for the final time there was no reacting from Freire, who desperately needs Green Jersey points. Maybe his legs were dead or maybe Disco has sold their souls to help Rabobank beat Phonak (specifically Floyd Landis) in the overall of the Tour de France.

It is no secret that Bruyneel has been courting Landis for the last couple of years without much success. No-Fuss Floyd was one of the few riders to turn his back on the Armstrong regime and now it could be that Bruyneel wants to make sure that the American does not win by helping the efforts of Rabobank's Denis Menchov.

Was there an arrangement with Rabobank and Discovery Channel today? "No, nothing. I don't know about an arrangement. I had to attack because in the sprint it would not be possible to win with him [Freire]. I think he was watching Ballan to see what he would do. I thought that Ballan would go with me and it is better that he didn't because he is strong."

Stay tuned to see how Disco rides the remainder of this Tour...

93rd Tour de France - presented by , 1 - 23 July
Main, Startlist, Classifications, Tour Favorites, Team CSC versus T-Mobile
Stages and Maps, Key Stages, Overall Map
Photos, The Dust Devil's Daily Wrap
Simoni and Saunier Duval-Prodir Updates
2005 Results

14 July News ...