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Sunday, October 9, 2005 Below is a guide to live internet/web coverage of Paris-Tours 2005. A few photos from the start of the race this morning:
photos © 2005 Pete Geyer
Saturday, October 8, 2005 
Erik Dekker (Rabobank) warms up for the prologue 2004 Paris-Nice 2004 Paris-Tours winner, Erik Dekker, won't be defending his title tomorrow as he has ended his season early, due to illness and an inability to train. Tomorrow we'll post a Paris-Tours Guide to live internet coverage. Friday, October 7, 2005 
Bonneval is a beautiful little medieval town not far from Chartres While the men's elite pro riders will begin Sunday's Paris-Tours race in Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines (a good 45 minutes from Paris), the Paris-Tours "Espoirs" race will begin in more picturesque Bonneval (about an hour and a half from Paris). The elite riders will also pass through Bonneval on their way to Tours. Bonneval was also the site for the start of the 2003 Tour de l'Avenir. 
Team USA rolls out for the teams presentation in Bonneval 2003 Tour de l'Avenir front: Shawn Milne and Will Frishkorn back: Patrick McCarty, Mike Creed, Danny Pate, Tom Danielson Thursday, October 6, 2005 
Viatcheslav Ekimov digs deep in the final kilometers of Mont Ventoux Dauphine Libere mountain time trial, June 2004 (photo P. Geyer) Eurosport is reporting that Russian Viatcheslav Ekimov (Discovery Channel) wants to compete in the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing. The Olympic gold medalist (Sydney time trial) will be 42 in 2008! Allez Eki!
Wednesday, October 5, 2005 
Jorg Jaksche (Liberty Seguros-Wurth) of Germany in full flight in the rain alongside a French television motorcycle 2005 Criterium International Time Trial (photo P. Geyer) The Criterium International race is held in the picturesque French Ardennes region near the border with Belgium. Run on a weekend in late March with three stages over two days, this very fan-friendly event is called a "mini Tour de France" because it features a stage for the sprinters, a stage for the climbers and a time trial stage. The overall winner is therefore a complete rider. Team CSC has owned this race the past two years with German Jens Voigt winning in 2004 and American Bobby Julich in 2005. Voigt also won the race in 1999 while with Credit Agricole and Julich first won it in 1998 while with Cofidis. The list of past winners is prestigious, including Stephen Roche and Sean Kelly of Ireland, Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Thevenet, Bernard Hinault and Laurent Fignon of France, and Miguel Indurain of Spain. Tuesday, October 4, 2005 
Danilo Di Luca (with Saeco at the time) in the 2004 Criterium International What a difference a year makes. With Paris-Tours and the Giro di Lombardia (Tour of Lombardy or Tour de Lombardie) yet to come, Danilo Di Luca has an insurmountable lead in the inaugural ProTour competition. Di Luca will please his sponsors, as well as cycling fans in France, by racing Paris-Tours on Sunday. He'll then target Lombardy, a better match for his talents, the following weekend. Monday, October 3, 2005 
Paolo "The Cricket" Bettini, wearing the World Cup leader jersey, surrounded at the start of Paris-Tours, 2003 Awesome ride by Paolo Bettini yesterday winning the Championship of Zurich. He wanted that one bad and was not going to be denied. The multi-World Cup champion of years past and reigning Olympic road race champion finally returned to classics glory after two years. Frank Schleck (CSC) and Lorenzo Bernucci (Fassa Bortolo) completed the podium after finishing nearly 3 minutes behind Bettini. As expected, Bettini's compatriot Danilo Di Luca (4th) wrapped up the ProTour points competition which replaces the old World Cup. That competition was totally lacking in suspense in its first year as Di Luca was leader since last spring. Next up on the ProTour calendar: Paris-Tours next Sunday |
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Jeannie Longo, Trophee des Grimpeurs 2004