The high tempo shattered the peloton into three groups. The first group of about 48 riders, included the Yellow Jersey and all the favolrites. Armstrong was escorted by Heras, Ekimov and Hincapie; Ullrich had Guerini, Heppner and Vinokurov with him; ONCE had Joseba Beloki with Jacscke & Carlos Sastre and O’Grady was accompanied by Julich. This front group rolled along at 45 kph, while behind iBanesto.com, Domo, Cofidis, Fassa Bortolo, CSC and Lotto chased. With 55 kms to go, there was a 55 second gap between the two groups. But by km 178, the two groups would merge. Beloki, Casero & Ullrich made attempts to leave Armstrong behind, but the American showed that he was paying attention. On the last section, there was an attack which saw three riders get away: Paco Mancebo, Laurent Jalabert and Ludo Dierckxens. Three riders worked well together and gain a 1:05 advantage with 15 kms to go. Jalabert decides to get away and in the process leaves behind Mancebo, although Dierckxens reaches him. Both riders reached the last kilometer together, but Jalabert had the fastest finish of the two.

Tomorrow’s stage 5 is an team time trial, which will be held between Verdun and Bar Le Duc, covering 67 kms.

STAGE 4, Huy to Verdun, 215 km:
1. JALABERT, Laurent (FRA/CST) 5h 17:49
2. DIERCKXSENS, Ludo (BEL/LAM) s.t.
3. NAZON, Damien (FRA/BJR) at 7
4. RODRIGUEZ, Fred (USA/DFF) s.t.
5. PETACCHI, Alessandro (ITA/FAS) s.t.
6. TEUTENBERG, Sven (GER/FES) s.t.
7. HUNTER, Robert (RSA/LAM) s.t.
8. O'GRADY, Stuart (AUS/C.A) s.t.
9. VAN HYFTE, Paul (BEL/LOT) s.t.
10. TALABARDON, Sébastien (FRA/BIG) s.t.
11. SIMON, Francois (FRA/BJR) s.t.
12. WESEMANN, Steffen (GER/TEL) s.t.
13. BAGUET, Serge (BEL/LOT) s.t.
14. ZANINI, Stefano (ITA/MAP) s.t.
15. LOTZ, Marc (NED/RAB) s.t.
16. ODRIOZOLA, Jon (ESP/BAN) s.t.
17. SORENSEN, Nicki (DEN/CST) s.t.
18. MOREAU, Christophe (FRA/FES) s.t.
19. TOSATTO, Matteo (ITA/FAS) s.t.
20. BROCHARD, Laurent (FRA/DEL) s.t.

G.C.
1. O'GRADY, Stuart (AUS/Credit Agricole) 19h32:49
2. JALABERT, Laurent (FRA/CSC) at 18
3. MOREAU, Christophe (FRA/Festina) 23
4. VOIGT, Jens (GER/Credit Agricole) 26
5. GONZALEZ GALDEANO, Igor (ESP/ONCE) 26
6. JULICH, Bobby (USA/Credit Agricole) 27
7. ARMSTRONG, Lance (USA/US Postal) 27
8. ULLRICH, Jan (GER/Telekom) 30
9. BRARD, Florent (FRA/Festina) 30
10. BOTERO, Santiago (COL/Kelme) 33
11. BELOKI, Joseba (ESP/ONCE) 36
12. SASTRE, Carlos (ESP/ONCE) 37
13. GUTIERREZ, José Enrique (ESP/Kelme) 39
14. ROUS, Didier (FRA/Bon Jour) 39
15. BROCHARD, Laurent (FRA/Delatour) 39
16. CASERO, Angel (ESP/Festina) 39
17. GONZALEZ, Santos (ESP/ONCE) 40
18. JAKSCHE, Jorg (GER/ONCE) 41
19. TOSATTO, Matteo (ITA/Fassa) 42
20. KLODEN, Andréas (GER/Telekom) 42

INTERMEDIATE SPRINTS THIS STAGE: CINEY: 1. DURAND Jacky (FRA/FDJ) 6 points FLORENVILLE (125.00 km): 1. MENGIN Christophe (FRA/FDJ) 6 DAMVILLERS (175.50 km): O'GRADY Stuart (AUS/C.A) 6 VERDUN (215.00 km): 1. JALABERT Laurent (FRA/CST) 35 points 2. DIERCKXSENS Ludo (BEL/LAM) 30 3. NAZON Damien (FRA/BJR) 26

REGULARITY OVERALL:
1. ZABEL Erik (GER/TEL) 75 points
2. O'GRADY Stuart (AUS/C.A) 69
3. HUNTER Robert (RSA/LAM) 49

KING OF THE MOUNTAIN THIS STAGE:
Celles (43.00 km): 1. HALGAND Patrice (FRA/DEL) 5 points Marquisette (46.50 km): 1. HALGAND Patrice (FRA/DEL) 5 Ave-et-Auffe (ROCHEFORT) (59.00 km): 1. HALGAND Patrice (FRA/DEL) 5 Redu (72.00 km): 1. HALGAND Patrice (FRA/DEL) 10

KING OF THE MOUNTAIN OVERALL:
1. HALGAND Patrice (FRA/DEL) 28 points 2. SALMON Benoit (FRA/A2R) 26 3. JALABERT Nicolas (FRA/CST) 10

TEAMS FOR THIS STAGE:
1. FASSA BORTOLO (ITA) 15h53 48" 2. FESTINA Watches (FRA) s.t. 3. BONJOUR (FRA) s.t. 4. LOTTO - ADECCO (BEL) s.t. 5. CREDIT AGRICOLE (FRA) s.t.

TEAM OVERALL CLASSIFICATION:
1. CREDIT AGRICOLE (FRA) 58h39:27
2. FESTINA Watches (FRA) at 10
3. O.N.C.E. - EROSKI (ESP) at 39
4. US POSTAL SERVICE (USA) at 46
5. KELME - COSTA BLANCA (ESP) at 49

COMBATIVITY THIS STAGE: 1. JALABERT Laurent (FRA/CST) 17 points

COMBATIVITY OVERALL:
1. DURAND Jacky (FRA/FDJ) 30 points
2. GUESDON Frédéric (FRA/FDJ) 22
3. JALABERT Nicolas (FRA/CST) 22

YOUNG RIDER FOR THIS STAGE: 1. HUNTER Robert (RSA/LAM) 5h 17:56

YOUNG RIDER OVERALL:
1. BRARD Florent (FRA/FES) 19h 33:19
2. JAKSCHE Jorg (GER/ONC) at 11
3. GUTIERREZ Ivan (ESP/ONC) at 19

STAGES SO FAR

STAGE: STAGE WINNER/YELLOW JERSEY
PROLOGUE, Dunkirk, 8.2 km: Moreau/Moreau
STAGE 1, Saint Omer - Boulogne sur Mer, 194.5 km: Zabel/Moreau
STAGE 2, Calais – Antwerp (Belgium), 220 km: Wauters/Wauters
STAGE 3, Antwerp - Seraing, 198 km: Zabel/O’Grady
STAGE 4, Huy – Verdun, 215 km: L. Jalabert/O’Grady

TOUR NEWS:

STARTING ORDER FOR THE TEAM TIME TRIAL:
14:05: Cofidis (FRA)
14:10: Euskaltel Euskadi (ESP)
14:15: AG2R (FRA)
14:20: Lampre (ITA)
14:25: Big Mat (FRA)
14:30: Jean Delatour (FRA)
14:35: Rabobank (NED)
14:40: CSC (DEN)
14:45: Domo (BEL)
14:50: iBanesto.com (ESP)
14:55: Bonjour (FRA)
15:00: Francaise des Jeux (FRA)
15:05: Fassa Bortolo (ITA)
15:10: Telekom (GER)
15:15: Lotto (BEL)
15:20: Mapei (ITA)
15:25: Kelme (ESP)
15:30: US Postal (USA)
15:35: ONCE-Eroski (ESP)
15:40: Festina (FRA)
15:45: Credit Agricole (FRA)

THE STAGE WINNER:
Laurent Jalabert (CSC-Tiscali): “This is the win of my cycling comeback and I want to dedicate it to my family and my wife, because they have all suffered a lot since I had the accident at home. IN the last few kilometers of the escape I was feeling fresh to win alone or go for the final sprint. I waited for the final straightaway, because I like to surprise with an attack. I thought, if I attack in the last kilometer, maybe it was too early and many things can happen”.

For Daily Live Coverage on the Net, visit the Tour’s Official site in English, featuring the narratives of our friend Rob Arnold, editor of RIDE Cycling Review: http://www.letour.fr/2001/us/index.html

+ RACING

02.07.2001 15.07.2001 Giro d'Italia Femminile ITA 2.9.1 WEL

STAGE 9, Ora-Vetriolo Terme: 1. Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr, Gas Sport Team) in 3h04'37"; 2. Nicole Brandli (Sui, G.S.Edilsavino Anusca) a 3"; 3. Rosalisa Lapomarda. (Ita, Rosa dei Venti) s.t.; 4. Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita, Gas Sport Team) a 51"; 5. Edita Pucinskaite (Ukr, Alfa Lum Aurora) a 1'48"; 6. Fabiana Luperini (Ita, , G.S.Edilsavino Anusca) a 2'30"; 7.Olga Zabeliskaja (Rus, Carpe Diem Itera) a 2'31&q uot;; 8. Joanne Somarriba(Esp, Alfa Lum Aurora) a 3'14": 9. Cindy Pieters (Bel, Vlaanderen T. Interim) a 3'32"; 10. Diana Ziliute (Ltu, Gs Acca Due O - H.P.Lorena) a 3'35"

G.C.:
1. Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr, Gas Sport Team) che copre i 1076,5 km in 29h13'50" alla media di 36.828 km/h; 2. Nicole Brandli (Sui, Edilsavino Anusca) a 20"; 3. Rosalisa La Pomarda (Ita, Rosa dei Venti) a 58" 4. Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita, Gas Sport Team) a 1'27"; 5. Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu, Alfa Lum Aurora) a 2'26""; 6. Fabiana Luperini (Ita, Edilsavino Anusca) a 3'17"; 7. Diana Ziliute (Ltu, Accadueo Lorena) a 3'53"; 8. Joane Somarriba (Esp, Alfa Lum Aurora) a 4'36"; 9. Cindy Pieters (Bel, Vlaanderen T.Interim) a 6'37"; 10. Simona Parente (Ita, Edilsavino Anusca) a 7'03"

POLICE SEARCHES AT THE LADY’S GIRO: The Italian police conducted a search today of the team hotels at the Lady’s Giro d’Italia, after the conclusion of the ninth stage.

11.07.2001 15.07.2001 Troféu Joaquim Agostinho POR 2.4 MEL

STAGE 1: 1.Casned Tupak (ITA-La Pecol) 3:48:53
2.Antonio Encinar (ESP-Barbot Torrie) at 05
3.Steffen Weigold (GER- Gerolsteiner) s.t
4.Andrian Palomares (ESP- Boavista) s.t
5.Francisco Pérez (ESP- Gresco Tavira) at 09

G.C.
1. Casned Tupak (ITA-La Pecol) 3:48:43
2. Antonio Encinar (ESP-Barbot Torrie) at 09
3. Steffen Weigold (GER-Gerolsteiner) s.t
4. Adrian Palomares (ESP-Boavista) at 12
5. Francisco Pérez (ESP-Gresco Tavira) at 18