Tour de France – 93rd edition
Prologue: Strasbourg Time Trial (7.1km)
176 Starters
Weather: Hot & Sunny
Following the retirement of the Astana-Wurth team from the 2006 Tour de France because of circumstances bought about by the so-called ‘Operacion Puerto’ in Spain there were 176 riders from 20 squads present for the start of the 93rd Tour de France. This is the smallest field since 1984 (when there were 170 riders at the start in Montreuil).
The first rider to start the 93rd Tour was Cedric Coutouly from the only wildcard team in the race. He began the time trial at 1.15pm. The Frenchman was the virtual leader for less than a minute: his time was beaten by the second rider (Sacchi, Milram). Times dropped steadily with Grabsch (PHO) setting the early standard of 8’31â€. The German time trial champion, Lang (GST) beat that time by 10â€. O’Grady (CSC) slotted into second place (0.13 of a second slower) and these two led the provisional standings for most of the day. It wasn’t until the designated team leaders and true time trial specialists began that the top five began to change.
Joost Posthuma (RAB) was the star of the intermediate time check. He surprised himself after hurting his back in the Dutch championships only one week ago but started today’s time trial at full speed, clocking the fastest time split for most of the day at the 3.6km mark.
It wasn’t until Thor Hushovd blasted past the check at Quai des Belge that Posthuma’s time would be eclipsed.
Hushovd Claims His Second ‘Maillot Jaune’
The winner of last year’s points classification covered the 7.1km course at an average speed of 51.428km/h. His time was eight minute and 17 seconds exactly. In second place was the last rider to start the stage, George Hincapie (DSC) who missed out on giving his team the perfect start and yet another yellow jersey when he finished only 0.73 of a second slower than the Norwegian Credit Agricole rider.
The winner of last year’s opening day, Dave Zabriskie proved that he was no one-day Tour phenomenon. He finished third, four seconds behind Hushovd.
This will be the second time in his career that Hushovd will wear the ‘maillot jaune’ (after one day in yellow during the 2004 Tour, the last in which he won a stage). He believes that his team is strong enough to be able to help him defend the lead of general classification for a few days but his intention is to also try and win a stage in a bunch sprint.
Newsflashes
16:21 - The Top Five On Day One...
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"
16:19 - Hushovd Wins The First Yellow Jersey!
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!
16:18 - No Yellow For Zabriskie
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.
16:17 - Rogers’ Fourth...
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...
16:16 - Hushovd Back In Yellow...?
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.
