THE RACE LIVE
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The peloton has been led home by Eisel (FDJ) and Paolini (LIQ) exactly eight minutes behind the stage winner.

The top 10 in the 197.0km stage from Morzine to Macon is:
1. Matteo Tosatto (ITA - QSI) 197.09km in 4h16’15" (46.126km/h)
2. Cristian Moreni (ITA - COF) at same time
3. Ronny Scholz (GER - GST) at same time
4. Manuel Quinziato (ITA - LIQ) at 47"
5. Sebastian Hinault (FRA - C.A) at 1’03"
6. Jerome Pineau (FRA - BTL) at 1’03"
7. Sylvain Calzati (FRA - A2R) at 1’03"
8. Benoit Vaugrenard (FRA - FDJ) at 1’03"
9. Inaki Isasi (ESP - EUS) at 1’03"
10. Egoi Martinez (ESP - DSC) at 1’03"

Tosatto is usually a lead-out man for Boonen but the Italian has become a winner today, giving Quickstep its first stage victory of the 2006 Tour.

Matteo Tosatto has won his first Tour de France stage. He beat Moreni to the line after starting his sprint with 200m to go.

Scholz is spending most of the time at the front of the leading trio. The two Italians are forcing the German to lead the sprint out. There is less than one kilometer to go in stage 18... the winner will be either Moreni, Tosatto or Scholz.

The cat-and-mouse tactics have begun. The leading trio are 2km from the finish and they’re beginning to toy with each other... with no one really wanting to be in the wind. Scholz is now leading Tosatto then comes Moreni.

There was a brief surge by Scholz at the front of the stage but he was quickly caught by Moreni and Tosatto.

Moreni, Tosatto and Scholz are swapping relatively even turns because they know they are in with a chance of winning the stage. They must continue to cooperate to stay ahead of the pursuit of Quinziato... there are 3km to go in the stage.

The winner should be either Moreni, Tosatto or Scholz. They are less than 4km from the finish of the stage and lead Quinziato by 40".

With 5km to go Moreni, Tosatto and Scholz are 40" ahead of Quinziato and 50" ahead of the 11 other escapees.

Moreni, Tosatto and Scholz are still leading the stage. Scholz has spent 39 per cent of the time at the front of the stage, roughly 10 per cent more than the two Italians.
The 12 other escapees are now all together and 40" behind the stage leaders.

The peloton is now at the 15km to go mark with a deficit of 8’20".

Moreni, Tosatto and Scholz are 20" ahead of Leipheimer’s quintet with 10km to go. The remnants of the 15-man escape is at 40".

The stage is being led by a German and two Italians. Moreni was a member of the Quickstep team last year but now rides for Cofidis.
Scholz, Tosatto and Moreni are 15" ahead of Leipheimer, Pineau, Flecha, Sinkewitz and Quinziato...

There is a group of five riders trying to bridge the gap to the three stage leaders.
(The peloton is currently 8’00" behind, so the stage is going to be won by one of the 15 escapees.)
The five-man chase group is: Isasi, Flecha, Leipheimer, Pineau and Quinziato.

Moreni and Tosatto have caught Scholz with 14.5km to go.

With 15km to go, Scholz was in the lead. Behind was:
Moreni and Tosatto - by 10"
Sinkewitz, Leipheimer and Flecha - by 15"...

Scholz is leading by about 100 meters with 16km to go. Moreni and Tosatto are still in pursuit of the Gerolsteiner rider...

Scholz is still ahead. He is being chased down by Moreni and Tosatto...

The attacks have started again at the front of the stage. The latest surge has come from Scholz (GST). He has been quickly chased down but we can expect more attacks soon...

The peloton has passed under the 25km to go banner 7’00" behind the 15 escapees.

There are 15 riders in the lead of the 18th stage again. Leipheimer and Isasi have been caught by the 13 other escapees 20km from the end of the stage.

Levi Leipheimer and Inaki Isasi continue to lead the stage. They attacked with 50km to go and have an advantage of 20" on the 13 other escapees.
Leipheimer was 2nd in the stage to Pla de Beret (behind Menchov). It’s the closest the American has come to winning a stage of the Tour.
Isasi was 3rd in stage five (behind Freire and Boonen).

Leipheimer and Isasi are now 25km from the finish. They are 15" ahead of the 13 other escapees. The Saunier Duval is STILL at the front of the peloton which has just arrived at the site of the 2nd intermediate sprint over six minutes after the points were won by Leipheimer.

The peloton is currently six minutes behind Leipheimer and Isasi; the chase group is now just 15" behind the two stage leaders...

The 13 chasers were 40" behind at the site of the 2nd intermediate sprint. The points werre won by:
1. Levi Leipheimer (GST) 6pts
2. Inaki Isasi (EUS) 4pts
3. Sebastian Hinault (C.A) 2pts

Leipheimer has led Isasi over the sprint line in Polliat (at the 169.5km mark).

The escapees are 30km from the finish of the 18th stage. Leipheimer and Isasi are still in the lead and are able to maintain their advantage over Martinez, Zabriskie, Sinkewitz, Calzati, Scholz, Flecha, Aerts, Tossato, Hinault, Moreni, Vaugrenard, Quinziato and Pineau.
The 13 chasers are at 25" and the peloton is now over 5’35" behind (when the pack was 5km from the 2nd intermediate sprint).

The peloton is at the 160.5km mark and is 5’10" behind Leipheimer and Isasi.

Leipheimer and Isasi are near the 2nd intermediate sprint which is in Polliat at the 169.5km mark. They are 25" ahead of the 13 other escapees.

Isasi is pedaling a cadence of 95rpm and cooperating well with Leipheimer. This pair was 30" ahead of the 13 other escapees but that has advantage has dropped too 20" in the last couple of minutes.

With 35km to go in the 18th stage, Leipheimer and Isasi lead the 13 others by 20" and the peloton by 4’40".

With 40km to go Leipheimer and Isasi are 30" ahead of the 13 other escapees and 4’30" ahead of the peloton.

With 40km to go, Leipheimer and Isasi have a lead of 25" on the 13 other escapees.

McEwen has raced past the Saunier Duval team at the head of the peloton and gestured for the motorcycles ahead of the pack to stop being so close...

The leaders have a little over 40km to race. They are in Bourg en Bresse, the town in which Thor Hushovd won a stage back in the 2002 Tour.

The Saunier Duval team is still leading the peloton which is 4’10" behind Leipheimer and Isasi.

Leipheimer and Isasi are now just 15" ahead of the 13 other escapees.

Leipheimer (GST) and Isasi (EUS) are now 20" ahead of Martinez (DSC), Zabriskie (CSC), Sinkewitz (TMO), Calzati (A2R), Scholz (GST), Flecha (RAB), Aerts (DVL), Tossato (QSI), Hinault (C.A), Moreni (COF), Vaugrenard (FDJ), Quinziato (LIQ) and Pineau (BTL).

Leipheimer and Isasi are 25" ahead of their former escape companions and 4’00" ahead of the peloton.

Pineau (BTL) has stopped chasing the two stage leaders - Leipheimer and Isasi who are now 27" ahead of the 13 other escapees.

Pineau is now trying to bridge the gap to Isasi and Leipheimer.

The peloton is 3’35" behind the escapees. The last time check had Isasi and Leipheimer ahead of the other fugitives by 15".

Leipheimer has caught Isasi and the two lead the 13 other escapees by about 100 meters.

Isasi (EUS) is now on the attack. He has opened up a gap of about 80 meters and Leipheimer (GST) is off in pursuit of the Spaniard.

The recent attack amounted to nothing. Calzati and Martinez are now back with the 13 other escapees.

Martinez (DSC) has caught Calzati (A2R) after the recent attack.

There has been an attack at the front of the stage. Calzati has launched down the left side of the road. He is being pursued by the 14 others who are 3’20" ahead of the peloton.

At the top of the third climb, the peloton was still led by riders from the Saunier Duval-Prodir team. It was 3’10" behind the 15 escapees.

The results of the third and final ascent in stage 18 are:
1. Levi Leipheimer (GST) 3pts
2. Ronny Scholz (GST) 2pts
3. Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJ) 1pt

The leaders covered 41.4km in the third hour of racing. The average speed for the first three hours is 46.1km/h.

There is 9km between the Col du Berthiand and the Cote de Chambod. The next ascent is at category-four rise that’s 1.9km long with an average gradient of 6.4 per cent.

The peloton is 3’45" behind the 15 escapees at the top of the Col du Berthiand.

The points at the top of the category-two Col du Bertiand (at the 130.5km mark) were won by:
1. Sylvain Calzati (A2R) 10pts
2. Matteo Tossato (QSI) 9ts
3. Ronny Scholz (GST) 8ts
4. Manuel Quinziato (LIQ) 7pts
5. Egoi Martinez (DSC) 6pts
6. Inaki Isasi (EUS) 5pts

Calzati (A2R) is leading the escape group that is now 1km from the summit of the 2nd climb. The 15 riders are 3’25" ahead of the peloton.

There’s been little change to the advantage of the 15-man escape group in the past hour. Saunier Duval are still at the head of the peloton which is still 3’15" behind...

The escapees in today’s stage have begun the ascent of the final category-two climb in the 2006 race. Leipheimer is at the front of the 15-man escape group on the Col du Berthiand which peaks at the 130.5km mark.

The day after Ekimov’s win in Macon 15 years ago, there was a time trial. The top 10 in the 21st stage of the 1991 Tour – which concluded at the same place as today’s stage – was:
1. Miguel Indurain (ESP) 1h11’45”
2. Gianni Bugno (ITA) at 27”
3. Greg LeMond (USA) at 48”
4. Claudio Chiappucci (ITA) at 1’08”
5. Viatcheslav Ekimov (RUS) at 1’49”
6. Jean-Francois Bernard (FRA) at 2’14”
7. Melchor Mauri (ESP) at 2’14”
8. Vladimir Poulnikov (RUS) at 2’32”
9. Dmitri Zhdanov (RUS) at 2’32”
10. Charly Mottet (FRA) at 2’40”
Only Ekimov is still riding but the two Frenchman are still regularly seen at the Tour de France as commentators...

The oldest rider in the 2006 Tour, won his first stage of the race in Macon back in 1991. Viatcheslav Ekimov attacked in the closing kilometers of the 20th stage and held off the peloton by seven seconds. The sprint was won by Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, who beat Olaf Ludwig for second place.

The last time that a stage of the Tour concluded in Macon was in 2002. The 18th stage of the 89th edition was a 50km time trial from Regnie-Durette. The top 10 was:
1. Lance Armstrong (USA) 50km in 1h03’50" (47.00kph)
2. Raimondas Rumsas (LTH) at 52"
3. Lazlo Bodrogi (HUN) at 1’06"
4. David Millar (GBR) at 1’14"
5. Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (ESP) at 1’42”
6. Serhiy Honchar (UKR) at 1’43”
7. Raivas Belohosciks (LAT) at 2’09”
8. Santiago Botero (COL) at 2’11”
9. Joseba Beloki (ESP) at 2’11”
10. Victor Hugo Pena (COL) at 2’29”

The peloton is still 3’15" behind Martinez (DSC), Zabriskie (CSC), Sinkewitz (TMO), Calzati (A2R), Leipheimer and Scholz (GST), Flecha (RAB), Aerts (DVL), Tossato (QSI), Hinault (C.A), Isasi (EUS), Moreni (COF), Vaugrenard (FDJ), Quinziato (LIQ) and Pineau (BTL).
There are 85km still to ride for the stage leaders.

Erik Zabel has just punctured his front tire. He is at the back of the peloton that’s now 3’15" behind the 15-man escape group.

The manager of the Bouygues Telecom team was recently interviewed by a France Television reporter. Jean-Rene Bernaudeau was asked why Saunier Duval was chasing and what he believe the chances of Jerome Pineau were should the escape succeed.
“The Saunier Duval-Prodir team is riding at the head of the peloton because David Millar’s escape bid failed and this is a form of punishment," said Bernaudeau. "I think the key moment will be at the 130km mark once the peloton ascends the Col de Berthiand. At this moment we’ll know if the teams will continue to chase or not. If the escape is still well clear, then Pineau will have to choose one or two riders to pay close attention to in case there’s an attack. There are some strong riders in the lead group like Martinez and Flecha.”

The Saunier Duval team is still in charge of the peloton but they are not able to pull back the advantage of the 15 escapees. The last time check at Leipheimer’s group 3’25" ahead.

The pace of the peloton’s pursuit has picked up significantly after the climb. The last check had the bunch 3’35" behind Martinez, Zabriskie, Sinkewitz, Calzati, Leipheimer, Scholz, Flecha, Aerts, Tossato, Hinault, Isasi, Moreni, Vaugrenard, Quinziato and Pineau... this should be significantly lower after the next couple of kilometers.

The Saunier Duval team has led the peloton over the summit at the 98km mark. The 15 escapees have an advantage of 3’35".

The points at the top of the Cote de Chatillon-en-Michaille at the 98km mark were won by:
1. Mario Aerts (DVL) 4pts
2. Dave Zabriskie (CSC) 3pts
3. Sebastian Hinault (C.A) 2pts
4. Sylvain Calzati (A2R) 1pts

The leaders covered 44.8km in the second hour. The average speed for the first two hours of racing in stage 18 is 48.4km/h.

One of the 15 riders in the lead of stage 18 is Patrik Sinkewitz. The German T-Mobile rider was part of the 14-man escape group that attacked at the 12km mark yesterday. He rode behind an inspired Landis from he third climb to the base of the Col du Joux-Plane but was then dropped almost as soon as the final ascent began.

The 15 riders are 3’30" ahead of the peloton which is moving along at a rapid tempo thanks to the efforts of the Saunier Duval-Prodir team.
The chase group is in Bellegarde at the 92km mark.

The first of three climbs in stage 18 is the Cote de Chatillon-en-Michaille at the 98.0km mark. It is a category-three ascent which is 5.1km long with an average gradient of 3.7 per cent. The 15 leaders are about to begin the climb; they have an advantage over the peloton of 4’00".

The peloton has arrived at the 85km mark. It is still 4’00" behind Leipheimer’s group.

The peloton continues to be led by Saunier Duval riders and is four minutes behind the 15 escapees.
There was a brief bout of cooperation in the chasing duties with some riders from the Lampre-Fondital team.

Martinez, Zabriskie, Sinkewitz, Calzati, Leipheimer, Scholz, Flecha, Aerts, Tossato, Hinault, Isasi, Moreni, Vaugrenard, Quinziato and Pineau have arrived at the feedzone at the 85km mark.

The peloton is being led by the Saunier Duval-Prodir team which has no rider in the escape group. David Millar tried his luck early today in a move that also originally included Benoit Vaugrenard and Yaroslav Popovych.
This move scampered ahead of the bunch in the 2nd kilometer and was caught thanks largely to a chase by the Liquigas team at the 32km mark.

Of the riders in the 15-man escape, Inaki Isasi has demonstrated that he can handle himself well in a bunch sprint. The Spanish Euskaltel-Euskadi rider finished third behind Oscar Freire and Tom Boonen in stage five.

There are now 141 riders in the 2006 Tour de France. David Lopez Garcia of the Euskaltel team has stepped off his bike and quit the race today.

We reported earlier that there were two former stage winners in the 15-man escape group; Flecha and Millar.
Alas, Sylvain Calzati’s name was omitted. He won the stage to Lorient this year. Apologies for any confusion caused.

The peloton is 12km away from the feedzone. It is four minutes behind the 15 escapees.

The peloton is in Viry at the 68km mark. It is 3’45" behind the 15-man escape group.

The riders who escaped at the 53km mark and currently lead by 4’00" are:
Egoi Martinez (DSC)
Dave Zabriskie (CSC)
Patrik Sinkewitz (TMO)
Sylvain Calzati (A2R)
Levi Leipheimer and Ronny Scholz (GST)
Juan Antonio Flecha (RAB)
Mario Aerts (DVL)
Matteo Tossato (QSI)
Sebastian Hinault (C.A)
Inaki Isasi (EUS)
Cristian Moreni (COF)
Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJ)
Manuel Quinziato (LIQ)
Jerome Pineau (BTL)

The peloton is now 3’30" behind the 15 escapees who are at the 62.5km mark.

Of the 15 riders in the lead of the 18th stage, two have previously won a stage of the Tour. Dave Zabriskie (CSC) claimed the opening day of the 2005 Tour and Juan Antonio Flecha (RAB) won in Toulouse after a long escape in the 2003 race.

The peloton is now 2’00" behind Martinez (DSC), Zabriskie (CSC), Sinkewitz (TMO), Calzati (A2R), Leipheimer and Scholz (GST), Flecha (RAB), Aerts (DVL), Tossato (QSI), Hinault (C.A), Isasi (EUS), Moreni (COF), Vaugrenard (FDJ), Quinziato (LIQ) and Pineau (BTL).

Leipheimer is the best-placed in general classification of the current escape group but they are now 1’15" ahead of the peloton.
The American leader of the Gerolsteiner team began the 18th stage in 18th place overall, 22’01" behind Oscar Pereiro (PHO).

Leipheimer’s 15-man escape group is now 55" ahead of the peloton.

The first hour of racing in stage 18 is extremely fast. The average is 52.0km/h.

Martinez (DSC), Zabriskie (CSC), Sinkewitz (TMO), Calzati (A2R), Leipheimer and Scholz (GST), Flecha (RAB), Aerts (DVL), Tossato (QSI), Hinault (C.A), Isasi (EUS), Moreni (COF), Vaugrenard (FDJ), Quinziato (LIQ) and Pineau (BTL) are the riders who are currently 30" ahead of the peloton.

“There are still 35 points on offer at the end of the stage and you never know what’s going to happen. Robbie just wanted a bit of security,” said one of the directeur sportifs from Davitamon-Lotto, Hendrik Redant.
The winner of stages two, four and six now has a lead of 82 points in the race for the green jersey but he still led the peloton to the site of the first intermediate sprint today. “As Robbie always says, you haven’t won until you get to Paris,” continued Redant.
“At the moment, the average speed is over 51km/h and if they keep racing like this it’s going to be a hard day. Robbie still has to get over the category-two climb in the middle of the stage and if the bunch continues at this pace it’s going to be quite hard to stay with the leaders.”
“I didn’t think that an escape at the start of the stage would be successful because of the long descent,” concluded Redant. “We have to find the right combination but I believe the move will happen before the feedzone. It should involve someone who is over an hour behind in the general classification and no threat to the yellow, green, white or polka-dot jerseys.”

There are 15 riders in the escape group. The Lampre team must not have a representative because the head of the peloton is blue and pink, the colours of the Italian team’s jersey.

There is a small group with a lead of 15" on the peloton. We await confirmation of the riders involved in the move that began at the 47km mark.

The peloton is moving along at an extremely rapid tempo and there haven’t been any successful escapes for some time now. Sylvain Calzati is, however, testing his legs with an attack.

“I’ve never seen anything like what Floyd did yesterday,” said one of the last riders to follow the winner of stage 17, Michael Rogers (TMO).
LeTour.fr contacted the world time trial champion before stage 18. “It was an amazing performance. Who would think that someone so high in the general classification could be so bold and attack so far from the finish… and still have the energy to win. Incredible!
“I tried to follow him on the Col des Saissies but I can tell you thtat, at the speed Floyd was going, it was impossible for me to maintain the tempo. I was feeling okay at the start of the stage but he was superman: at the moment he dropped everyone, the gradient was about 10 per cent and Floyd was tapping away at about 36-38km/h…!”
The Australian is currently 10th overall after finished 22nd in the stage to Morzine. “I just couldn’t do anything at the finish. I was vomiting all day. Every time I ate anything, it came back up. It’s not the best way to ride a stage like that.”

Millar and Popovych have been caught by the peloton at the 32km mark.

When LeTour.fr spoke to Johan Bruyneel this morning we asked it was his team’s intention to try and create a little bit of history and try to get Viatcheslav Ekimov into an escape group so that he could win in the same city that he claimed his first Tour stage victory 15 years ago.
“Eki won in Macon 15 years ago?” questioned Bruyneel, “I didn’t know that, but I’ll remind him… at any rate it was already our objective to put a rider in an escape group, so why shouldn’t it be Eki? As far as I’m concerned there’s no problem if he’s able to.”

LeTour.fr contacted the director of the Discovery Channel team this morning to ask what he thought of Floyd Landis yesterday. “I was really impressed,” said Landis’ former director.
“I’ve never seen something like this before. After his bad day to La Toussuire it is even more remarkable. Floyd is someone who has a really strong mental approach. He showed that he can be really dangerous when he’s angry.
“I knew that he would attack but I didn’t believe it would work so well.”

The points for the first intermediate sprint in stage 18 were won by:
1. Popovych (DSC) 6pts
2. Millar (SDV) 4pts
3. McEwen (DVL) 2pts - at 18"

The peloton is closing in on Popovych and Millar who are now just 15" ahead.

Popovych (DSC) and Millar (SDV) are now 25" ahead of the peloton.

Millar and Popovych were being chased by a small group of riders but they have since been reeled in by the peloton... the advantage of the two escapees who began their move at the 1.5km mark is now 20". They reached a maximum gain of 1’20" at the 15km mark.
Millar and Popovych are now 5km from the site of the first intermediate sprint.

Lang (GST) and Quinziato (LIQ) have attacked the peloton at the 22km mark. They are in pursuit of Millar and Popovych who are 20" ahead.

The advantage of Millar and Popovych are 25" ahead of the peloton which is now at the 20km mark.

The lead of the youth classification changed after the 17th stage. Damiano Cunego (LAM) now has the white jersey thanks to his aggression at the end of the stage to Morzine. He was fourth yesterday, 6’40" behind Landis.
The former Best Young Rider, Marcus Fothen (GST) is still within striking distance... the German who won the under-23 world time trial championship in 2003 is just five seconds behind the 2004 Giro d’Italia champion in the youth classification.

The Liquigas team’s chase is having the desired effect; Millar and Popovych are now just 40" ahead of the peloton.

The Liquigas team is at the front of the peloton and now appears intent on catching the two escapees who are 50" ahead.

Millar and Popovych are now 1’20" ahead with the peloton at the 15km mark in Taninges.

Millar and Popovych are insisting with their escape attempt. Both have previously won at least one stage of the Tour de France and their advantage on the peloton is now up to 35".

Millar and Popovych are now the only riders in the lead of the stage. Vaugrenard has been caught by the peloton. The advantage of the two escapees is 25".

The three escapees are still ahead of the peloton. Millar, Popovych and Vaugrenard have a lead of 18".

Now that Oscar Freire has abandoned the race, the green jersey competition has effectively been won by Robbie McEwen. The winner of stages two, four and six has an advantage of 80 points over Erik Zabel (MRM) with just three stages to go.

Millar (SDV), Popovych (DSC) and Vaugrenard (FDJ) have a lead of 15" on the peloton. They attacked at the 1.5km mark.

Moreni (COF), Gilbert (FDJ) and Paolini (LIQ) were chasing the three early escapees but they have since been caught by the peloton.

There are three riders - Millar, Popovych and Vaugrenard - on the attack. They have an advantage of about 150m.

The winner of of stages five and nine, Oscar Freire (RAB), has abandoned overnight. His first child, Marco, was born last Sunday and he finished last in the next stage... still, he was second in the points classification after 17 stages.

The official start of the stage from Morzine to Macon was at 12.48pm.

The intermediate sprints in stage 18 are in La Tour (29.5km) and Polliat (169.5km). The green jersey is worn by Robbie McEwen (DVL) for the 14th successive day. He has a tally of 252 points, 45 more than Oscar Freire (RAB) after 17 stages. In third place is the six-time points classification winner Erik Zabel (MRM) with 172 points.

The 18th stage boasts three categorized climbs. They are the Cote de Chatillon-en-Michaille (category-3, 5.1km long - 3.7% at 98.0km), the Cote du Berthiand (cat-2, 4.7km – 6.0% at 130.5km) and the Cote de Chambod (cat-4, 1.9km – 6.4% at 139.5km).
There are significant points on offer but it should not influence the top order of the mountains classification. Mickael Rasmussen (RAB) is in charge of the polka-dot jersey with 163 points. In second place is the winner of yesterday’s stage, Floyd Landis (PHO) with 131 poitns. In third place is David De la Fuente (SDV) with 113 points.

The peloton is currently riding along in the 2.7km neutral zone and on the way to the site of the official start. The flag is expected to fall at around 12.45pm to signal the beginning of the 18th stage.

The 18th stage of the 2006 Tour de France from Morzine to Macon is scheduled to begin at 12.40pm. The conditions are hot for this transitional stage from the Alps to the Saone-et-Loire department. The temperatures at the start are 30 degrees Celsius in the air and 43 degrees at road level.
Live coverage will begin shortly.