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News :: July 2006

25 July 2006

Tosatto's Celebrated Return

Matteo Tosatto, photo: Makoto.Ayano/ CyclingTime.com

The only victory for an Italian in the 2006 Tour de France arrived thanks to Matteo Tosatto. The Quick-Step rider, normally a lead-out man for Tom Boonen, gave Italy their first and only victory in stage 18 to Mâcon. The finish came down to a three-man sprint between Cristian Moreni (Cofidis) and Ronny Scholz (Gerolsteiner) where Tosatto used his speed, normally reserved for Boonen, to give himself a rare victory.

Tosatto, with seven total victories and three days in the Maglia Rosa in 2000, said after his victory: "I win very little in my career. My palmarès are small. To win is always hard for me because I usually work for others. ... I am very proud to have this only win by an Italian in the 2006 Tour."

The Tour saw more French wins than usual. Salvatore Commesso came close to claming a stage win in Gap, and scoring one for Italy, but the Italian was nipped by a wiser, French rider. The final Tour stage win tally: France 3 and Italy 1.

"Everyday that passes the Tour win seems even greater," reflected the 32 year-old. "The Tour is that much bigger than any other race; everything seems larger. There are thousands of people, the speed is very fast, the heat is the hottest and the stages seem the longest. It is like one kilometer at the Tour is actually one and a half."

Tosatto's happy to have won, photo: www.ciclismovitamia.it

Tosatto also gave a much needed win to Quick-Step. Even though the first week Tom Boonen wore the Maillot Jaune, he failed to take a stage win. The Belgian team leader ended his Tour in the last week and Tosatto's win was a welcomed high-note.

"We had some great days with Boonen in yellow and we did some great work for him. This victory is for me, my family, Italy and above all, Quick-Step. We have ridden a great Tour, so it is a payback."

"Tom was the first to call me after the victory. He always like to joke around and said that now he will have to start working for me in the sprints." Tosatto also received a call from Giancarlo Ferretti, his formed DS at Fassa Bortolo.

"From my town, Vallà di Riese Pio X [population 3000, near Treviso], there are only two professionals, Simone Fraccaro, 11 years as a pro and two stage wins in the Giro, and myself." This evening there will be a party in Tosatto's honor hosted by his fan club and then tomorrow he will start to think of his upcoming races: HEW-Cyclassics, GP Camaiore and the Vuelta a España.

Viewers Down in USA and Germany

Landis takes home yellow, photo: Makoto.Ayano/ CyclingTime.com

If you are reading this news then you probably watched the 2006 Tour de France on television however the viewership for the 93rd edition of the French tour was down by 50% in Germany and the USA.

According to the International Herald Tribune, who studied the viewership in 50 different countries, the United States had a decrease of 52% in viewership. Similar for Germany, in which the viewers were about 50% less, down from 2.7 to 1.5 million. In France, who had a successful Tour with three stage wins and one day in the Maillot Jaune, the viewership was 40%, down five points in respect to 2005, but a decrease of 23% in the first two weeks.

Perhaps the viewers were not tuning-in because the big man, Lance Armstrong, had retired. The 2006 Tour, although lacking il Cowboy, was the best in years. Drama was found throughout the race and the yellow and white jerseys were not decided until the final time trial. Landis, Pereiro, Schleck, McEwen, Boonen, Hushovd and all the other riders helped make the 93rd edition a true "Grand 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

24 July News ...