Mayo, Hamilton trounce Armstrong in Dauphiné TT up Mont Ventoux

[HuckleB]

Mayo takes over at Dauphiné

http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/6240.0.html

"...Hamilton was not far behind though. After Armstrong crossed the summit in 57:49 ( which is actually the fastest by three seconds that the five-time Tour winner has ever climbed Mont Ventoux), we had to wait only 37 seconds before Hamilton cruised across the line in a new record time of 56:26 - 24 seconds faster than Vaughters's 1999 time.

But Mayo was still riding strong, "not even thinking of holding anything back." The 26-year-old Spaniard doubled his lead over Hamilton in those final 6km to zip home in a masterly 55:51, an average speed of 23.202 kph. It's going to be a hard record to beat, just as Vaughters's was."

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Mayo leaves Armstrong in his wake

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SPORT/06/10/cycling.dauphine/index.html

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Stage 4 results and overall standings

http://www.procycling.com/news_main.asp?newsId=5365

"Stage 4, Bedoin-Mont Ventoux

1 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 21.6km in 55.51 (23.20kph)
2 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Phonak 0.35
3 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Phonak 1.03
4 Juan Miguel Mercado (Spa) Quick Step 1.48
5 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal 1.58
...

Overall standings

1 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 16.27.51
2 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Phonak 0.36
3 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Phonak 1.14
4 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal 2.00
5 Juan Miguel Mercado (Spa) Quick Step 2.32"

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Pichon in serious condition after Dauphiné crash

http://www.procycling.com/news_main.asp?newsId=5367

[GOPisEvil]

1. Lance is warming up...

...although, I expect Tyler Hamilton to do really well again and possibly win the Tour de France. I'll be pulling for my homeboy Lance, though.

[HuckleB]

3. I'll be ABU -- Anybody but Ullrich.

And, actually, Lance is at the end of my list of American faves. May Tyler, Levi and Bobby show just how deep U.S. cycling has become.

[rogerashton]

2. Thanks!

Keep up the good work, good buddy.

[HuckleB]

4. Hmm. Are there really so few cyclists at DU?

[HuckleB]

5. Well, damn. Not even a few Armstrong defenders -- outside of the Texan.

[BiggJawn]

8. Sorry, I just got on...

I'm a little freaked at today's stage...Lance takes a 10-second back and blows up BIG time on his "favourite hill" WTF???

Hey, i got a Force Six thunder-bumper coming thorugh, so i'll have to pursue this later....

Lance for Six!

[HuckleB]

9. It was still his best time ever up that hill, however.

Mayo and Hamilton were just better.

I still think he's going to need to be completely healthy, and the team is going to have to be flawless.

He's also got to hope that Ullrich and Vinokourov are even, so T-Mobile struggles to figure out which one to support.

Still, I'm in Tyler and Levi's camps, anyway. But, minus them or a Bobby Julich miracle, I'm with Lance.

[BiggJawn]

10. Info was a little spotty yesterday.

I kept looking for the results from yesterday's stage, and face it, I'm not fluent enough in french to find my way around the Dauphine' webpage...

Tyler is just plain awesome. That man has my deepest respect for what he's able to produce, and Mayo is an incredible rider as well. They will win Tours, I have no doubt.

Ullrich? heh...I saw his picture on the front of "Velo News" a few months back and frankly, the guy let himself GO over the winter. Looked like me. Must have been training on Wurst and Warsteiner while Lance was riding rollers and Sheryl Crow...

I want to see Lance take number six simply because it has never been done before, the experts say it can't be done (Oh, Indurain says he could've done it, but...)and frankly, Lance has worked for it and if he's hot on Le Tour, he will have earned it. I don't buy into the "C'mon, Armstong, let somebody ELSE wear yellow this year" school of thought.

[HuckleB]

11. Well, he shouldn't and won't "let" anyone take the yellow...

but it may be even more competitive this year than last, with more riders very close at the end. Part of that is how the tour is designed this year, on top of the increase in quality riders. Cycling has definitely built itself back up from the ruins of '98.

Oh, on edit, Ullrich always looks that way in winter. He's actually in much better shape than usual this year, weight wise. His performances have been sketchier than usual, though, too. I'd love to see Vino pound him into a support role in the Tour.

[BiggJawn]

12. I'm kinda glad Cofidis self-destructed now, instead of next month..

during Le Tour. Not the place for another doping scandal!

And where IS Jan? Last I heard, his DS had pulled him from competition for more "conditioning". That sounds like "We're sending Jan to the 'Fat Farm', hopefully to shape him up in time for the Tour."

[jmowreader]

6. I want an American to win the Tour, just not Lance

Because Lance has cleaned everyone's clock so many years in a row, the American public at large doesn't really realize how many top riders we have.

Go Tyler!

[HuckleB]

7. Si!

But then I'd like to see the top riders hit all the big races, rather than focus on the tour alone. Of course, it'll never happen. Money talks, and the money comes when you win the tour.