THE RACE LIVE
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The top five in the prologue of the 2006 Tour de France is:
1. Thor Hushovd (NOR) C.A - 7.1km in 8’17"
2. George Hincapie (USA) DSC at 01"
3. Dave Zabriskie (USA) CSC at 04"
4. Sebastian Lang (Ger) GST at 05"
5. Alejandro Valverde (ESP) CEI at 05"

The winner of the points classification in the 2005 Tour de France will wear the yellow jersey for stage one tomorrow. Thor Hushovd has won the prologue; beating Hincapie by one second!

Zabriskie has posted the second best time of the day. He will not repeat his victory from the opening day of last year’s Tour but he is in second place after 7.1km of racing in the 2006 Tour.

At the end of the prologue Michael Roger has posted a time of 8’23" - it’s good enough for fourth place so far. Only Zabriskie and Hincapie are yet to finish...

Thor Hushovd appears to have control of today’s prologue. He is in the lead by 5" and it could be the second time in his career that the Norwegian will wear the yellow jersey... only three riders are yet to finish the prologue.

All riders have passed the 3.6km mark. Hincapie’s time is the 4th best at the intermediate check.

At the intermediate check, the winner of the opening stage last year Dave Zabriskie has posted a time that’s 1" slower than Valverde. It’s good enough to put the American CSC rider into third place at the moment (only Hincapie is yet to reach the intermediate check).

The world time trial champion has just passed the 3.6km mark 4" slower than Valverde.

At the end of his time trial, Landis has posted the sixth best time of the day.
A fellow former mountain bike racer, Evans has just finished with the 10th best time in today’s prologue.

1. HUSHOVD (NOR, C.A) 08’17"000
2. LANG (GER, GST) @ 05"
3. VALVERDE (ESP, CEI) @ 05"
4. O’GRADY (AUS, CSC) @ 05"
5. SAVOLDELLI (ITA, DSC) 08"

We will know the winner of the first yellow jersey in 2006 in less than eight minutes. The last rider to start the prologue is George Hincapie.

Valverde beat Hushovd’s time at the intermediate check but the Spaniard now has the third best time of the day. He is five seconds slower than the Norwegian who won the green jersey last year.

The leader of the Davitamon-Lotto team Cadel Evans is in 10th place at the intermediate check.

The triple world time trial champion Michael Rogers has just left the start house. Only two more riders are yet to start the 2006 Tour... Zabriskie and Hincapie.

Thor Hushovd has posted the best time of the day. He was 5" faster than Lang!

At the end of his first 7.1km of racing in the Tour de France, Bradley Wiggins has posted the seventh-best time so far today.

Alejandro Valverde has just beating Hushovd’s time at the 3.6km mark.

Joost Posthuma’s mark has finally been cracked. Thor Hushovd has beaten the time at the 3.6km mark by 2 seconds.

David Millar has the seventh best time of the stage - 8’31". He is 10" slower than Lang.

Floyd Landis had a poor start to the 2006 Tour. He appeared to stumble as he came out of the start house but he’s now tucked into the aero position and on his way to the first time check.

The Olympic pursuit champion has ridden the first 3.6km in 4’14" - 8" slower than Posthuma.

One of the favorites for the prologue has failed to live up to expectations early today. David Millar’s time is 8" slower than Posthuma, only good enough for 46th at the intermediate check.

With Savoldelli nudging into the top three, the top five is as follows:
1. LANG (GER, GST) 08’21"800
2. O’GRADY (AUS, CSC) at 00"
3. SAVOLDELLI (ITA, DSC) 03"
4. KARPETS (RUS, CEI) 05"
5. HONCHAR (UKR, TMO) 05"

The winner of the Giro prologue, Paolo Savoldelli has covered the 7.1km course in 50.6km/h. He is currently third, 3" behind Lang.

At the intermediate check, Zabel is 11" slower than Posthuma.

David Millar is racing again. The British rider is the latest rider to leave the start house. We don’t have any times of the recent riders but can report that Kloden is currently in 12th place at the finish.

Andreas Kloden is on the course at the moment. He is tapping out a steady tempo, pedalling a cadence of 92rpm on the straights while he is down in the aerodynamic position.

The six-time winner of the green jersey, Erik Zabel, is back in the Tour de France after a one-year hiatus. The Milram team’s leader shot out of the start house like a bullet and appears intent on posting a good time with the hope that he can claim some time bonuses in the coming days and perhaps claim the yellow jersey for a few days... this is also the intention of the reigning world champion and another feared sprinter Tom Boonen.

There are just 20 riders yet to start the prologue. The last men to begin the 2006 Tour are: Paolo Savoldelli, Jose Martinez, Erik Zabel, Thomas Voeckler, Danilo Di Luca, Benoit Vaugrenard, David Millar, Bradley Wiggins, Iban Mayo, Thor Hushovd, Tom Boonen, Alejandro Valverde, Damiano Cunego, Floyd Landis, Cadel Evans, Denis Menchov, Levi Leipheimer, Chrisstophe Moreau, Michael Rogers, Dave Zabriski & George HIncapie.

The 52nd rider to start the prologue was Sebastian Lang. The German time trial champion covered the 7.1km course at an average speed of 51.9km/h. He leads O’Grady by just 0.13 of a second.
His compatriot Andreas Kloden (2nd in the 2004 Tour de France) has just left the start house.

The youngest rider in the 2006 Tour de France is Thomas Lovkvist. The Swede finished 18" slower than Sebastian Lang who had led the provisional standings for most of the day. There has been no interruption to the top five at the finish since Manuel Quinziato crossed the line... he was the 100th rider to start the time trial today.

Jens Voigt has just posted the 29th best time of the day. The German CSC rider is 20" slower than his compatriot Sebastian Lang.

The rider who finished third in the prologue of the 2003 Tour (which started in Paris), Haimar Zubeldia, is the latest to leave the start house.

The rider who finished third in this year’s Giro d’Italia, Gilberto Simoni, has just started the prologue.

At the intermediate check, Jens Voigt has posted a time of 4’11" - good enough for 17th at the moment, 6" slower than Joost Posthuma (RAB).

At the intermediate check, the Davitamon-Lotto sprinter Robbie McEwen has posted a time of 4’14", eight seconds slower than Joost Posthuma at the 3.6km mark.

A former winner of the prologue at Paris-Nice, Jens Voigt (Ger, CSC) is the next rider to start today’s 7.1km time trial. He will be followed by Jose Azevedo, Juan Miguel Mercado and Andriy Grivko...

With 125 riders now at the finish of the 7.1km time trial, the top five is as follows:
1. LANG (GER, GST) 8’21’800
2. O’GRADY (AUS, CSC) at 00"
3. HONCHAR (UKR, TMO) at 05"
4. GRABSCH (GER, PHO) at 10"
5. HORNER (USA, DVL) at 11"

The two-time green jersey winner Robbie McEwen (DVL) has just started the time trial. He is one of the favorites for tomorrow’s stage but is not known for his time trialling abilities.

Yaroslav Popovych has set the 18th best time so far. He is 15" slower than Lang.

At the end of the 7.1km time trial, Julich (CSC) is 16th. He lost 14" to Lang and team-mate O’Grady.

Sylvain Chavanel has just started the 2006 Tour. He won the French time trial championship one week ago, beating Didier Rous by 27".

At the intermediate check Julich has posted a time of 4’09" - it’s enough for sixth place (3" slower than Posthuma at the same check).

The winner of the Best Young Rider jersey in the 2005 Tour, Yaroslav Popovych has just started the prologue. The Discovery Channel rider is the 116th rider to leave the start house in Strasbourg.

The winner of the prologue at this year’s Paris-Nice, Bobby Julich of the CSC team is due to start the 93rd Tour at 3.09pm. He is one of the favorites for the opening day of this year’s race.

Jose Rujano has lost 12" to Posthuma at the 3.6km mark. The new Quickstep recruit is currently 45th at the intermediate check.

Johan Vansummeren of the Davitamon-Lotto team has just started the prologue. The Belgian stands 197cm tall, making him the tallest rider in this year’s Tour.

Jose Rujano has just started his first Tour de France. The Venezuelan won the King of the Mountains crown in the Giro d’Italia last year (and finished 3rd overall). He joined the Quickstep team in June this year.

The winner of this year’s Amstel Gold Race, Frank Schleck of the CSC team has posted the 75th fastest time so far today...
Lang continues to lead the prologue with an advantage of 0.13 of a second on O’Grady.

Joost Posthuma didn’t finish as strongly as he started today’s time trial. His time at the finish is 8’33", good enough for ninth at the moment. The Dutchman does, however, have the fastest split at the intermediate check.

The only Colombian rider to wear the ’maillot jaune’ at the Tour de France is Victor Hugo Pena. The Phonak rider has just set the 7th fastest time so far today. He was 11" slower than Lang.

Joost Posthuma of the Rabobank team has beaten O’Grady’s time at the intermediate check. The Dutchman rode the first 3.6km of the 2006 Tour in a time of 4’06", one second faster than the Australian CSC rider.

A former winner on the opening day of the Tour de France is making his comeback to racing today. David Millar is one of the favorites for the prologue despite having just served a two-year suspension. This will be the Brit’s first race in the colors of the Saunier Duval-Prodir team. His start time is 3.55pm.
His compatriot Brad Wiggins - the 2004 Olympic pursuit champion - will make his Tour debut one minute later.

With 76 riders having finished the time trial, the top five for the moment is:
1. LANG (GER, GST) 8’21"800
2. O’GRADY (AUS, CSC) at 00"
3. HONCHAR (UKR, TMO) at 05"
4. GRABSCH (GER, PHO) at 10"
5. HORNER (USA, DVL) at 11"

O’Grady (CSC) is currently in second place. The Australian’s time is 8’21"93 - while Lang’s time is 8’21"80.

Serhiy Honchar of the T-Mobile team has set the 2nd fastest time of the stage. The 2000 world time trial champion is 5" slower than Lang.

Lang’s time has been beaten by Stuart O’Grady at the intermediate check. The Australian CSC rider rode the first 3.6km one second faster than the German time trial champion.

The only New Zealander in the 93rd Tour de France, Julian Dean (Credit Agricole) has set the third best time of the day. He is 23" behind Lang.

Michael Albasini has set the fifth best time of the day so far. The top five with 61 riders at the finish is:
1. LANG (GER, GST) 8’21"800
2. GRABSCH (GER, PHO) 10"
3. HORNER (USA, DVL) 11"
4. GALVEZ (ESP, CEI) 14"
5. ALBASINI (SUI, LIQ) 16"

Sebastian Lang still has the provisional best time in the prologue. He is 10" ahead of Grabsch and 11" faster than Horner. The German Gerolsteiner rider who rode the 7.1km course in 8’21" won the German time trial championships on 23 June - beating team-mate Michael Rich (by 8") and Jens Voigt (CSC - by 1’08").

Egoi Martinez of the Discovery Channel team has posted the fifth best time of the day. He is 16" behind Lang.

The best time of the day has been set by Sebastian Lang of the Gerolsteiner team. He rode the 7.1km course in 8’21"; this is 10" faster than the previous provisional leader, Bert Grabsch.

At the intermediate time check, last year’s King of the Mountains Michael Rasmussen is in 50th place. He is 19" slower than Sebastian Lang after 3.6km of racing.

Sebastian Lang of the Gerolsteiner team has just posted the best time of the day at the 3.6km mark (4’08") - that’s one second faster than Isaac Galvez.

With 46 riders having posted a time in the prologue, the difference between first and 46th is 49". Grabsch’s time of 8’31" is still the best. He is four seconds faster than Galvez (who has the best time at the intermediate check).

At the end of his time trial, Rik Verbrugghe has posted the third best time of the day so far. Grabsch continues to lead with a time of 8’31", one second faster than Horner and eight seconds faster than Verbrugghe.

At the intermediate check Isaac Galvez of the Caisse d’Epargne team has set a time of 4’08", two seconds faster than Chris Horner.

The rider who holds the record for the fastest average speed in a prologue is Rik Verbrugghe (from the Giro d’Italia several years ago). He has just passed the 3.6km mark with the 3rd best time so far today (4’13").

With 37 riders at the finish of the 7.1km time trial, the top five is as follows:
1. GRABSCH (GER, PHO) 8’31"890
2. HORNER (USA, DVL) 01"
3. BALLAN (ITA, LAM) 09"
4. BROCHARD (FRA, BTL) 09"
5. DE GROOT (NED, RAB) 11"

"It’s a great course," said the rider with the second best time of the day so far, Chris Horner. "There are two technical corners early but the best of the course is really fast and smooth. It’s a beautiful time trial course!
"It’s not very windy out there today. I didn’t feel the heat too much and felt pretty good."
When asked if he was pleased with his ride, the American Davitamon-Lotto rider said, "If I’ve got the best time, then I’m happy... second by one second is not bad. I’m pleased with that."

The second Davitamon-Lotto rider to start the prologue is Chris Horner. The American is 1" faster than Alessandro Ballan after 3.6km of racing.

At the intermediate time check, Alessandro Ballan has posted a time that’s two seconds faster than the current best rider at the finish (Bert Grabsch).

The 1997 world road race champion Laurent Brochard has finished the prologue in 8’40" - 9" slower than Grabsch (PHO).

Pavel Padrnos is the first Discovery Channel rider to start the 93rd Tour de France. He finished the prologue with a time of 8’50" (2nd for the moment). This means that one rider from each team has now posted a time in the 7.1km time trial.

The first Phonak rider to start the 93rd Tour de France is Bert Grabsch. He has set a time of 8’31". This is 20" faster than the next best rider (Sacchi).

With 10 riders now past the first intermediate time check, the top five is as follows:
1. GRABSCH (GER, PHO) 4’14"
2. GARCIA ACOSTA (ESP, CEI) at 02"
3. ENGOULVENT (FRA, C.A) 03"
4. HERNANDEZ (ESP, EUS) 04"
5. BENETEAU (FRA, BTL) 04"

Here is a reminder of the winners of the major prologues contested so far in the 2006 season.
Paris-Nice (4.8km): Bobby Julich (USA) CSC
Tour de Romandie (3.4km): Paolo Savoldelli (ITA) DSC
Giro d’Italia (6.2km): Paolo Savoldelli (ITA) DSC
Criterium du Dauphine Libere (4.1km): Dave Zabriskie (USA) CSC

Only two recent editions of the Tour de France have begun with a time trial that are longer than the distance required for a ‘prologue’ (that was in 2000 and 2005).
Below is a reminder of the riders who have won the short individual test on the opening day of the Tour.
2004: Fabian Cancellara (SUI) Liege
2003: Brad McGee (AUS) Paris
2002: Lance Armstrong (USA) Luxembourg
2001: Christophe Moreau (FRA) Dunkirk
1999: Lance Armstrong (USA) Le Puy du Fou
1998: Chris Boardman (GBR) Dublin
1997: Chris Boardman (GBR) Rouen
1996: Alex Zulle (SUI) s’Hertogenbosch
1995: Jacky Durand (FRA) Saint-Brieuc

The ninth rider to start the prologue has set the best time at the intermediate check. Jimmy Engoulvent’s time is 4’17", just one second faster than Hernandez and Beneteau.

So far only four riders have finished the 7.1km prologue. The best time of the day has been set by Fabio Sacchi (MRM) - 8’51". He leads Beneteau by 3".

There are 26 nations represented in the 93rd Tour de France. The breakdown is as follows:
38 - France
35 - Spain
24 - Italy
14 - Germany
10 - Belgium
8 - United States & Netherlands
5 - Australia
4 - Russia & Switzerland
3 - Austria, Sweden & Ukraine
2 - Colombia, Great Britain, Slovenia & Venezuela
1 - South Africa, Denmark, Finland, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal & Czech Republic.

The third rider to start the prologue, Walter Beneteau of Bouygues Telecom has posted a time of 4’18". He is 4" faster than Fabio Sacchi at the 3.6km time check.

There are 23 contestants in the 2006 Tour who were born after 1981, thus making them eligible for the Best Young Rider Classification. They are: Vansummeren (BEL) DVL, Eisel (AUT) FDJ, Knees (GER) MRM, Posthuma (NED) RAB, Weening (NED) RAB, Iglinski (KAZ) MRM, De La Fuente (ESP) SDV, Duenas Nevado (ESP) AGR, Lopez Garcia (ESP) EUS, Mugerli (SLO) LIQ, Fothen (GER) GST, Pozzato (ITA) QST, Cunego (ITA) LAM, Sprick (FRA) BTL, Vaugrenard (FRA) FDJ, Hernandez (ESP) EUS, Rujano (VEN) QST, Ventoso (ESP) SDV, Gilbert (BEL) FDJ, Grivko (UKR) MRM, Gonzalo Ramierz (ESP) AGR, Ricco (ITA) SDV & Lovkvist (SWE) FDJ.
The youngest rider in this year’s Tour is the new Swedish road race champion Thomas Lovkvist who was born on 4 April 1984.

The first rider has passed the first time check. Coutouly’s time at the 3.6km mark is 4’23".

The Tour de France of 2006 has officially begun. The first rider is now on the 7.1km prologue course. The conditions are warm - about 28 degrees - and there is not a cloud in sight at the start in Strasbourg.

There is one intermediate time check for today’s 7.1km prologue in Strasbourg. It is at the 3.6km mark (on the Quai des Belge). The first rider is now in the start house and about to begin the time trial; he is Cedric Coutouly who makes his Tour debut this year. His departure time is 1.15pm.

There are 176 riders from 20 teams on the start list for the 2006 Tour de France. There are 26 nations represented with the host nation boasting the most contestants (38).

The 93rd Tour de France is scheduled to begin at 1.15pm. The opening day is being contested on the streets of Strasbourg with a 7.1km prologue. The first rider to leave the start house, at the Place de Bordeaux, will be Cedric Coutouly of the Agritubel team.
Riders will depart for the time trial at one minute intervals and the last man to start will be George Hincapie of the Discovery Channel team (his start time is 4.10pm).