2003 Tour de France

The 2003 Tour de France was a multiple stage bicycle race held from 5 to 27 July, and the 90th edition of the Tour de France. It has no overall winner—although American cyclist Lance Armstrong originally won the event, the United States Anti-Doping Agency announced in August 2012 that they had disqualified Armstrong from all his results since 1998, including his seven Tour de France wins from 1999 to 2005; the Union Cycliste Internationale has confirmed this verdict.

For the Kraftwerk single, see Tour de France 2003.
2003 Tour de France
Route of the 2003 Tour de France
Race details
Dates5–27 July
Stages20 + Prologue
Distance3,427 km (2,129 mi)
Winning time83h 41' 12"
Results
  Winner Lance Armstrong none[lower-alpha 1]
  Second  Jan Ullrich (GER) (Team Bianchi)
  Third  Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ) (Team Telekom)
Points  Baden Cooke (AUS) (FDJeux.com)
Mountains  Richard Virenque (FRA) (Quick-Step–Davitamon)
Youth  Denis Menchov (RUS) (iBanesto.com)
Combativity  Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ) (Team Telekom)
  Team Team CSC

The event started and ended in Paris, covering 3,427 km (2,129 mi) proceeding clockwise in twenty stages around France, including six major mountain stages. Due to the centennial celebration, this edition of the tour was raced entirely in France and did not enter neighboring countries.

In the centenary year of the race the route recreated, in part, that of 1903. There was a special Centenaire Classement prize for the best-placed in each of the six stage finishes which match the 1903 tour - Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes and Paris. It was won by Stuart O'Grady, with Thor Hushovd in second place. The 2003 Tour was honored with the Prince of Asturias Award for Sport.

Of the 198 riders the favourite was again Armstrong, aiming for a record equalling fifth win. Before the race, it was believed that his main rivals would include Iban Mayo, Aitor González, Tyler Hamilton, Ivan Basso, Gilberto Simoni, Jan Ullrich, and Joseba Beloki but Armstrong was the odds-on favourite. Though he did go on to win the race, it is statistically, and by Armstrong's own admission,[3] his weakest Tour from his seven-year period of dominance over the race.

Teams
For a more comprehensive list, see List of teams and cyclists in the 2003 Tour de France.

The team selection was done in three rounds: in November 2002, the fourteen highest-ranking Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) teams would automatically qualify; four wildcard invitations were given in January 2003, and four more in mid-May.[4] The race started with 21 teams of 9 cyclists.[5]

The teams entering the race were:[6]

Qualified teams

Invited teams

Pre-race favourites

Some notable cyclists excluded from the race were Mario Cipollini and Marco Pantani, whose teams De Nardi–Colpack and Mercatone Uno–Scanavino were not selected.[7] Especially the absence of Cipollini, the reigning world champion, came as a surprise. The Tour organisation gave the reason that Cipollini had never been able to finish the race.[8]

In the first round, the Coast team had been selected to compete, and in January 2003 they signed Jan Ullrich. Financial problems then almost prevented the team from starting, but after Bianchi stepped in as a new sponsor, Team Bianchi was allowed to take the place of Team Coast.

Route and stages

The highest point of elevation in the race was 2,642 m (8,668 ft) at the summit of the Col du Galibier mountain pass on stage 8.[9]

Stage characteristics and winners[10][11][12][13]
Stage Date Course Distance Type Winner
P 5 JulyParis6.5 km (4.0 mi)Individual time trial Bradley McGee (AUS)
1 6 JulySaint-Denis to Meaux168.0 km (104.4 mi)Flat stage Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
2 7 JulyLa Ferté-sous-Jouarre to Sedan204.5 km (127.1 mi)Flat stage Baden Cooke (AUS)
3 8 JulyCharleville-Mézières to Saint-Dizier167.5 km (104.1 mi)Flat stage Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
4 9 JulyJoinville to Saint-Dizier69.0 km (42.9 mi)Team time trial U.S. Postal Service (USA)
5 10 JulyTroyes to Nevers196.5 km (122.1 mi)Flat stage Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
6 11 JulyNevers to Lyon230.0 km (142.9 mi)Flat stage Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
7 12 JulyLyon to Morzine230.5 km (143.2 mi)Mountain Stage (s) Richard Virenque (FRA)
8 13 JulySallanches to Alpe d'Huez219.0 km (136.1 mi)Mountain Stage (s) Iban Mayo (ESP)
9 14 JulyLe Bourg-d'Oisans to Gap184.5 km (114.6 mi)Mountain Stage (s) Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ)
10 15 JulyGap to Marseille219.5 km (136.4 mi)Flat stage Jakob Piil (DEN)
16 July Narbonne Rest day
11 17 JulyNarbonne to Toulouse153.5 km (95.4 mi)Flat stage Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP)
12 18 JulyGaillac to Cap Découverte47.0 km (29.2 mi)Individual time trial Jan Ullrich (GER)
13 19 JulyToulouse to Ax 3 Domaines197.5 km (122.7 mi)Mountain Stage (s) Carlos Sastre (ESP)
14 20 JulySaint-Girons to Loudenvielle191.5 km (119.0 mi)Mountain Stage (s) Gilberto Simoni (ITA)
15 21 JulyBagnères-de-Bigorre to Luz Ardiden159.5 km (99.1 mi)Mountain Stage (s) Lance Armstrong (USA)[lower-alpha 1]
22 July Pau Rest day
16 23 JulyPau to Bayonne197.5 km (122.7 mi)Hilly stage Tyler Hamilton (USA)
17 24 JulyDax to Bordeaux181.0 km (112.5 mi)Flat stage Servais Knaven (NED)
18 25 JulyBordeaux to Saint-Maixent-l'École203.5 km (126.4 mi)Flat stage Pablo Lastras (ESP)
19 26 JulyPornic to Nantes49.0 km (30.4 mi)Individual time trial David Millar (GBR)
20 27 JulyVille-d'Avray to Paris (Champs-Élysées)152.0 km (94.4 mi)Flat stage Jean-Patrick Nazon (FRA)
Total 3,427 km (2,129 mi)[14]

Race overview
Main articles: 2003 Tour de France, Prologue to Stage 9 and 2003 Tour de France, Stage 10 to Stage 20
Laiseka, Basso, Hamilton, Armstrong, Beloki and Zubeldia riding up to Alpe d'Huez on the eighth stage

The Tour proved to be one more hotly contested than the previous years. Tyler Hamilton and Levi Leipheimer were involved in a crash early in the Tour. Leipheimer dropped out, Hamilton continued and got fourth place in the end while riding with a broken collarbone.

In the Alps, Gilberto Simoni and Stefano Garzelli, first and second in the Giro d'Italia earlier the same year, could not keep up with Lance Armstrong and the other favourites. The same held for last year's number 4, Santiago Botero. Joseba Beloki could, and was in second-place overall (just 40 seconds behind Armstrong) when he crashed on a fast descent from the Cote de La Rochette, shortly after passing the Col de Manse into Gap.[15] The crash was a result of a locked brake, caused by a lack of traction from melting tar on the road, which led to the tyre coming off the rim.[16] Beloki broke his right femur, elbow and wrist, and had to leave the Tour.[17] Armstrong made a detour through the field beside the road to avoid the fallen Beloki. Armstrong was in yellow, but Jan Ullrich won the first time trial by one minute and 36 seconds. He and Alexander Vinokourov were both within very short distance from Armstrong.[18]

Doping
See also: Lance Armstrong doping case

Subsequent to Armstrong's statement to withdraw his fight against United States Anti-Doping Agency's (USADA) charges, on 24 August 2012, the USADA said it would ban Armstrong for life and stripped him of his record seven Tour de France titles.[19][20] Later that day it was confirmed in a USADA statement that Armstrong was banned for life and would be disqualified from any and all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to 1 August 1998, including forfeiture of any medals, titles, winnings, finishes, points and prizes.[1] On 22 October 2012, the Union Cycliste Internationale endorsed the USADA sanctions, and decided not to award victories to any other rider or upgrade other placings in any of the affected events.[2]

Classification leadership and minor prizes

There were four main individual classifications contested in the 2003 Tour de France, as well as a team competition. The most important was the general classification, which was calculated by adding each rider's finishing times on each stage.[21] There were time bonuses given at the end of each mass start stage.[22] If a crash had happened within the final 1 km (0.6 mi) of a stage, not including time trials and summit finishes, the riders involved would have received the same time as the group they were in when the crash occurred.[23] The rider with the lowest cumulative time was the winner of the general classification and was considered the overall winner of the Tour. The rider leading the classification wore a yellow jersey.[24]

The second classification was the points classification. Riders received points for finishing in the highest positions in a stage finish, or in intermediate sprints during the stage. The points available for each stage finish were determined by the stage's type.[25] The leader was identified by a green jersey.[24]

The third classification was the mountains classification. Most stages of the race included one or more categorised climbs, in which points were awarded to the riders that reached the summit first. The climbs were categorised as fourth-, third-, second- or first-category and hors catégorie, with the more difficult climbs rated lower.[25] The leader wore a white jersey with red polka dots.[24]

The final individual classification was the young rider classification. This was calculated the same way as the general classification, but the classification was restricted to riders who were born on or after 1 January 1977.[25] The leader wore a white jersey.[24]

The final classification was a team classification. This was calculated using the finishing times of the best three riders per team on each stage; the leading team was the team with the lowest cumulative time.[25]

There was special classification, the Centenaire, which combined times of riders across the six stages involving cities visited during 1903 Tour. The cities were: Lyon, on stage 6; Marseille, on stage 10; Toulouse, on stage 11; Bordeaux, on stage 17; Nantes, on stage 19; and Paris, on stage 20.[22]

In addition, there was a combativity award given after each mass start stage to the rider considered, by a jury, to have "shown the greatest effort and demonstrated the greatest sporting spirit".[26] The winner wore a red number bib the following stage.[24] At the conclusion of the Tour, Alexander Vinokourov (Team Telekom) won the overall super-combativity award.[27]

There were also two special awards each with a prize of €5000, the Souvenir Henri Desgrange, given in honour of Tour founder and first race director Henri Desgrange to the first rider to pass the summit of the Col du Galibier on stage 8, and the Souvenir Jacques Goddet, given in honour of the second director Jacques Goddet to the first rider to pass the summit of the Col du Tourmalet on stage 15.[28] Stefano Garzelli won the Henri Desgrange and Sylvain Chavanel won the Jacques Goddet.[29][30]

Classification leadership by stage[31][32]
Stage Winner General classification
 Points classification
 Mountains classification
 Young rider classification
 Team classification Combativity award
P Bradley McGee Bradley McGee Bradley McGee no award Vladimir Karpets U.S. Postal Service no award
1 Alessandro Petacchi Robbie McEwen Christophe Mengin Andy Flickinger Andy Flickinger
2 Baden Cooke Baden Cooke Frédéric Finot
3 Alessandro Petacchi Jean-Patrick Nazon Anthony Geslin
4 U.S. Postal Service Víctor Hugo Peña Vladimir Karpets no award
5 Alessandro Petacchi Frédéric Finot Frédéric Finot
6 Alessandro Petacchi Alessandro Petacchi Christophe Mengin René Andrle
7 Richard Virenque Richard Virenque Baden Cooke Richard Virenque Denis Menchov Quick-Step–Davitamon Richard Virenque
8 Iban Mayo Lance Armstrong[lower-alpha 1] Euskaltel–Euskadi Nicolas Portal
9 Alexander Vinokourov Jörg Jaksche
10 Jakob Piil Team CSC José Gutiérrez
11 Juan Antonio Flecha Juan Antonio Flecha
12 Jan Ullrich iBanesto.com no award
13 Carlos Sastre Team CSC Carlos Sastre
14 Gilberto Simoni Laurent Dufaux
15 Lance Armstrong[lower-alpha 1] Sylvain Chavanel
16 Tyler Hamilton Tyler Hamilton
17 Servais Knaven Servais Knaven
18 Pablo Lastras Robbie McEwen Andy Flickinger
19 David Millar no award
20 Jean-Patrick Nazon Baden Cooke Bram de Groot
Final Lance Armstrong[lower-alpha 1] Baden Cooke Richard Virenque Denis Menchov Team CSC Alexander Vinokourov

Final standings
Legend
Denotes the leader of the points classification Denotes the leader of the mountains classification
Denotes the leader of the young rider classification Denotes the winner of the super-combativity award

General classification
Final general classification (1–10)[33]
Rank Rider Team Time
DSQ  Lance Armstrong (USA)[lower-alpha 1]U.S. Postal Service83h 41' 12"
2  Jan Ullrich (GER)Team Bianchi+ 1' 01"
3  Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ) Team Telekom+ 4' 14"
4  Tyler Hamilton (USA)Team CSC+ 6' 17"
5  Haimar Zubeldia (ESP)Euskaltel–Euskadi+ 6' 51"
6  Iban Mayo (ESP)Euskaltel–Euskadi+ 7' 06"
7  Ivan Basso (ITA)Fassa Bortolo+ 10' 12"
8  Christophe Moreau (FRA)Crédit Agricole+ 12' 28"
9  Carlos Sastre (ESP)Team CSC+ 18' 49"
10  Francisco Mancebo (ESP)iBanesto.com+ 19' 15"

Points classification

Final points classification (1–10)[34]
Rank Rider Team Points
1  Baden Cooke (AUS) FDJeux.com 216
2  Robbie McEwen (AUS) Lotto–Domo 214
3  Erik Zabel (DEU) Team Telekom 188
4  Thor Hushovd (NOR) Crédit Agricole 173
5  Luca Paolini (ITA) Quick-Step–Davitamon 156
6  Jean-Patrick Nazon (FRA) Jean Delatour 154
7  Stuart O'Grady (AUS) Crédit Agricole 153
8  Fabrizio Guidi (ITA) Team Bianchi 122
9  Jan Ullrich (GER) Team Bianchi 112
10  Damien Nazon (FRA) Brioches La Boulangère 107

Mountains classification

Final mountains classification (1–10)[35]
Rank Rider Team Points
1  Richard Virenque (FRA) Quick-Step–Davitamon 324
2  Laurent Dufaux (SUI) Alessio 187
3  Lance Armstrong (USA)[lower-alpha 1] U.S. Postal Service 168
4  Christophe Moreau (FRA) Crédit Agricole 137
5  Juan Miguel Mercado (ESP) iBanesto.com 136
6  Iban Mayo (ESP) Euskaltel–Euskadi 130
7  Haimar Zubeldia (ESP) Euskaltel–Euskadi 125
8  Jan Ullrich (GER) Team Bianchi 124
9  Tyler Hamilton (USA) Team CSC 116
10  Paolo Bettini (ITA) Quick-Step–Davitamon 100

Young rider classification

Final young rider classification (1–10)[36]
Rank Rider Team Time
1  Denis Menchov (RUS) iBanesto.com 84h 0' 56"
2  Mikel Astarloza (ESP) AG2R Prévoyance + 42' 29"
3  Juan Miguel Mercado (ESP) iBanesto.com + 1h 02' 48"
4  Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) Brioches La Boulangère + 1h 05' 17"
5  Andy Flickinger (FRA) AG2R Prévoyance + 1h 09' 09"
6  Michael Rogers (AUS) Quick-Step–Davitamon + 1h 17' 44"
7  Matthias Kessler (GER) Team Telekom + 1h 25' 33"
8  Evgeni Petrov (RUS) iBanesto.com + 1h 32' 19"
9  Jérôme Pineau (FRA) Brioches La Boulangère + 1h 51' 49"
10  Franco Pellizotti (ITA) Alessio + 2h 01' 08"

Team classification

Final team classification (1–10)[37]
Rank Team Time
1 Team CSC 248h 18' 18"
2 iBanesto.com + 21' 46"
3 Euskaltel–Euskadi + 44' 59"
4 U.S. Postal Service + 45' 53"
5 Team Bianchi + 1h 12' 40"
6 Team Telekom + 1h 38' 45"
7 Quick-Step–Davitamon + 2h 02' 17"
8 Brioches La Boulangère + 2h 02' 36"
9 AG2R Prévoyance + 2h 08' 06"
10 Cofidis + 2h 08' 56"

Centenaire classification
Final centenaire classification (1–10)[38]
Rank Rider Team Points
1  Stuart O'Grady (AUS) Crédit Agricole 82
2  Thor Hushovd (NOR) Crédit Agricole 86
3  Fabrizio Guidi (ITA) Team Bianchi 103
4  Luca Paolini (ITA) Quick-Step–Davitamon 118
5  Gerrit Glomser (AUT) Saeco Macchine per Caffè 123
6  Jan Ullrich (GER) Bianchi 165
7  Damien Nazon (FRA) Brioches La Boulangère 169
8  Baden Cooke (AUS) FDJeux.com 184
9  Bradley McGee (AUS) FDJeux.com 188
10  Christophe Moreau (FRA) Crédit Agricole 210

Notes
  1. On 24 August 2012, the United States Anti-Doping Agency announced that they had disqualified Armstrong from all his results since 1998, including his victory in the 2003 Tour de France.[1] The Union Cycliste Internationale, responsible for the international cycling, confirmed this verdict on 22 October 2012.[2]
gollark: As I said, I cannot neither antideny nor unconfirm that potatOS won't not spread to no disks.
gollark: And?
gollark: Anyway, I cannot neither unconfirm nor antideny that potatOS may or may not spread to no disks across networks.
gollark: <@207126861271007232> See, easy to ping!
gollark: It's Aaron.

References
  1. "Lance Armstrong Receives Lifetime Ban And Disqualification of Competitive Results For Doping Violations Stemming From His Involvement in the United States Postal Service Pro-Cycling Team Doping Conspiracy". United States Anti-Doping Agency. 24 August 2012. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  2. "Lance Armstrong stripped of all seven Tour de France wins by UCI". BBC News. BBC. 22 October 2012. Archived from the original on 8 September 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  3. "Maillot jaune Lance Armstrong speaks, July 24, 2004". Cycling News. 24 July 2004. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
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  8. Jones, Jeff (19 May 2003). "Tour selection leaves Cipollini in the cold". Cyclingnews. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
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  14. Augendre 2016, p. 110.
  15. Gilmour, Rod (19 July 2011). "Tour de France 2011, stage 16". Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2013.
  16. Samuel Abt (30 May 2004). "Effects of a Crash Landing Are Still Hampering Beloki". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 19 July 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  17. Chris Henry (17 November 2003). "Change and challenge for Joseba Beloki". Cycling News. Archived from the original on 26 August 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  18. Maloney, Tim (27 July 2003). "Man Alive! Armstrong goes five out of five". Cyclingnews.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2009. Retrieved 7 October 2009.
  19. "Lance Armstrong will be banned from cycling by USADA after saying he won't fight doping charges". The Washington Post. 24 August 2012. Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  20. "USADA to ban Armstrong for life, strip Tour titles". CBS News. Archived from the original on 24 August 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  21. Race regulations 2003, pp. 20–21.
  22. Race regulations 2003, p. 22.
  23. Race regulations 2003, p. 13.
  24. Race regulations 2003, pp. 7–8.
  25. Race regulations 2003, p. 21.
  26. Race regulations 2003, pp. 21–22.
  27. "Tour de France 2003 – Overall combativity standings". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 7 March 2005. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  28. Race regulations 2003, p. 35.
  29. Hood, Andrew (13 July 2003). "Mayo wins, Armstrong in yellow after epic day at Tour". VeloNews. Pocket Outdoor Media. Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  30. Maloney, Tim (21 July 2003). "Armstrong wins stage & makes miracle comeback". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  31. "Tour de France 2003 – Leaders overview". ProCyclingStats. Archived from the original on 16 February 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  32. van den Akker, Pieter. "Informatie over de Tour de France van 2003" [Information about the Tour de France from 2003]. TourDeFranceStatistieken.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  33. "Tour de France 2003 – Overall individual standing". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 8 December 2003. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  34. "Tour de France 2003 – Overall points standing". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 28 April 2004. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  35. "Tour de France 2003 – Overall climber standing". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 19 December 2003. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  36. "Tour de France 2003 – Overall youth standing". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 19 December 2003. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
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  38. "Tour de France 2003 – Overall centenaire standings". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 19 December 2003. Retrieved 4 April 2020.

Bibliography

Further reading
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