TOUR DE FRANCE TIMES
By James Raia
E-Mail: James@...
Web site: http://ByJamesRaia.com

In addition to individual subscription, Tour de France Times can be read
on my web site. To read the current issue CLICK HERE

To read issue #67 (Hamilton Repeats In Romandie) CLICK HERE

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PUBLISHER'S NOTES
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Sign-up for Tour de France Times and win a free copy of the e-book, The
Tour Within The Tour de France. Beginning with this issue and continuing until
the beginning of the Tour de France, I will forward five copies of my e-book all
about the sites and sounds, people and places of the Tour de France to five
randomly selected new subscribers.

If you're already a subscriber, please tell a friend or colleague about
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Also, as a reminder, my web site has an online store. Merchants include
Amazon.com (a friend recently found a lamp for his wife) to R.E.I., the
well-known outdoor retailer, and Rudy Project, the official sunglass supplier of
the Tour de France, to the Stretching Handbook.com, a great resource for
stretching articles, newsletters, and videos. To visit the section, click here:
ONLINE STORE

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NEWSLETTERS/E-BOOKS
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ENDURANCE SPORTS NEWS
Running, cycling, triathlon and notes and quotes from around the globe.
Timely, pertinent, free. Visit:
ENDURANCE SPORTS NEWS

THE TOUR WITHIN THE TOUR DE FRANCE
Twenty-five essays from the author's first seven years of covering the
grand spectacle. The cyclists, people and unique places. Visit:
THE TOUR WITHIN THE TOUR DE FRANCE

AMAZON.COM CYCLING BOOKS
The top-selling endurance sports books offered by the internet's largest
online retailer. Visit:
AMAZON.COM

AMAZON.COM'S TOP 100 BESTSELLERS
The top-selling general interest books. Visit:
AMAZON.COM

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E-FEATURE SHOWCASE
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CYCLING'S LATEST TREND: BACK TO BASICS
The Tour de France is tough, for sure. But track racing to BMX, cyclocross
to road racing, cycling is a sport of high-tech wizardry and newfangled
equipment overload. Linda Eckhart will have none of it. Eckhart, a certified
public accountant in Roseville, Calif., is among a small but steadily growing
corps who prefer cycling's simple competition - single-speed racing. To read the
complete article, visit:
SINGLE SPEEDERS GO BACK TO BASICS

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WEB SITE CYCLING ARTICLES
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HAVE FOLDING BIKE: WILL RIDE THE TOUR ROUTE?
With all the riding I do, you'd think I would understand and appreciate
what the pros do in the Tour de France. Not so, until I rode the route of a
mountain stage this summer. I suspected it was hard, but I didn't know how hard
until I tried it. I suspected they were fast, but I didn't know how fast until I
tried it. To read the complete article, visit:
HAVE FOLDING BIKE, WILL RIDE THE TOUR

STRETCHING: IT'S FOR (TOUR DE FRANCE) CYCLISTS, TOO
Stretching is a simple and effective activity that involves placing a
particular part of your body in a position that will lengthen the muscles and
tendons. This simple technique will help to enhance your athletic performance,
decreases the likelihood of muscle and joint injury and minimize muscle
soreness. Unfortunately, stretching is one area of cycling training often
neglected. To read the complete article, visit:
STRETCHING: IT'S FOR CYCLISTS, TOO

SUNGLASSES: NOT JUST A (TOUR) FASHION STATEMENT
Rudy Project is the official sunglass supplier to the Tour de France. But
whether you're a long-distance runner, cyclist, traveling salesperson or a bird
watcher, the most important reason to wear sunglasses is to protect your eyes
against ultraviolet radiation. Unfortunately, while trying to emulate movie
stars and fashion models, consumers often pay top dollar for trendy sunglasses
offering insufficient eye protection. To read the complete article, visit:
SUNGLASSES: NOT JUST FOR FASHION

ROCK & ROLL BOB ROLL & LE TOUR
Bob Roll, television commentator, fomer pro road and mountain bike pro and
author, is often known as Bobka (Boob-ka.) He's author of several books about
the wild side of bicycle racing, including Bobke and Bobke II. With his latest
book, The Tour de France Companion, Roll offers the essential, comprehensive
guide to cycling's grand event. To read the complete article, visit:
ROCK & ROLL BOB ROLL & LE TOUR

PHIL LIGGETT: THE VOICE OF CYCLING
Cycling announcer Phil Liggett had just arrived from an overseas journey,
and he appeared to be in trouble. With a notebook and pen in hand and his eyes
focused on a finish-line clock, the British broadcaster and journalist was
trying to take notes on a windy, rainy day in Wilmington, Delaware. To read the
complete article, visit:
PHIL LIGGETT: THE VOICE OF CYCLING

TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE: BEST CYCLING MOVIE EVER
The Triplets of Belleville, an astonishing animated movie from the mind of
French director Sylvain Chomet, has just been released on video and DVD. The
film didn't have great distribution, and it was primarily shown in art house
locations around the country. Now, everyone -- whether they're Tour de France
enthusiasts or not -- can see it, and they should. It's one of the most unique
movies made in recent years. To read the complete article, visit:
TRIPLETS: BEST CYCLING MOVIE EVER?

TOUR DE CALIFORNIA? MAYBE
The State of California on May 20 officially endorsed development of a
weeklong "Tour de France style" professional cycling race to be conducted as
early as next year. The race will feature daily stages that will carry the event
throughout the state, highlighting California's mountains, coastline, heartland
and major media markets. To read the complete article, visit:
TOUR DE CALIFORNIA? MAYBE

TOUR FLASHBACK (2001): BILLBOARDS IN THE PELOTON
With rare exception, the cyclists in peloton accept it. In fact, their
livelihoods depend upon it. Nonetheless, each starting team of nine riders is a
fast-moving billboard of advertisements. Each of the 21 teams wears the jersey
of a primary sponsor. But like race car drivers and their automobiles, the
cyclists' jerseys, helmets, shoes, socks and bikes are considered valuable real
estate for a variety of smaller sponsors, too. To read the complete article,
visit:
BILLBOARDS IN THE PELOTON

TOUR FLASHBACK (2003): TOUGH TYLER WINS STAGE 16
Eighteen days after continuing his legacy of bad luck and broken bones,
Tyler Hamilton rode to a solo victory in Bayonne, France, in the final mountain
stage of the Tour de France. After making an early stage mistake when he fell
behind the field, the part-time resident of Marblehead, Mass., was victorious in
the 197.5 kilometer (122.5 mile) Pau to Bayonne 16th stage in 4:59:21. To read
the complete article, visit:
TOUGH-LUCK TYLER WINS STAGE 16

U.C.I. ANNOUNCES 2005 SCHEDULE
The Union Cyclist International (UCI), the sport's international governing
body, has released a refined version of the proposed race schedule for the 2005
season. The only major change is the addition of the national road and time
trial championships in June. To read the complete article, visit:
U.C.I. 2005 CYCLING CALENDAR

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LINKS TO WEB SITE FAVORITES
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CAR REVIEW: 2004 MITSUBISHI GALANT
Like other manufacturers, Mitsubishi faces a formidable task in the
midsize car class. The Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are among the country's
most popular vehicles, so how can others find a niche? Mitsubishi's approach for
2004 was to increase the dimensions, offer new styling and add more horsepower
to the Galant. To read the complete article, visit:
CAR REVIEW: 2004 MITSUBISHI GALANT

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NEWS, NOTES AND QUOTES
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The French Division I team Brioches La Boulangère team has announced it
will not continue its cycling sponsorship following the 2004 season, according
to CyclingNews.com. The Brioches La Boulangère team includes Tour de France
overall contender Joseba Beloki of Spain. He's in the first year of a two-year
contract and has struggled so this season to return to top form . . . U.S.
Postal Service sport director Johan Bruyneel has named the 10 riders vying for
the eight spots to join Lance Armstrong in the five-time winner's record sixth
victory attempt. The list includes seven riders from last year's Tour squad:
Americans George Hincapie and Floyd Landis of the United States, Viatcheslav
Ekimov of Russia, Jose Luis Rubiera and Manuel Beltran of Spain, Colombian
Victor Hugo Pena and Pavel Padrnos of Czechoslovakia. Jose Azevedo of Portugal,
Benoit Joachim of Luxemborg and Benjamin Noval of Spain will also vie for the
remaining spots. The current top-10 riders in the U.C.I. point rankings: 1. Erik
Zabel (Germany) 2290 points; 2. Paolo Bettini (Italy) 2,235; 3. Alessandro
Petacchi (Italy) 2137; 4. Davide Rebellin (Italy) 1,962; 5. Alejandro Valverde
(Spain) 1,873; 6. Lance Armstrong (United States) 1,849; 7. Damiano Cunego
(Italy) 1,675; 8. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) 1,381; 9. Iban Mayo (Spain)
1,381; 10. Michael Boogerd (Netherlands) 1,324 . . . Germany's Jan Ullrich is
quickly coming into form and sits third overall in the Tour of Germany . .
Bobby Julich recently had CSC teammate Jens Voight as a guest at his Reno, Nev.,
home. The two spent some "down" time gambling at area casinos.

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2004 TOUR DE FRANCE SCHEDULE
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Prologue - July 3: Prologue Liege ITT, 6 km
Stage 1 - July 4: Liège-Charleroi, 195 km
Stage 2 - July 5: Charleroi-Namur, 195 km
Stage 3 - July 6: Waterloo - Wasquehal, 195 km
Stage 4 - July 7: Cambrai - Arras TTT, 65 km
Stage 5 - July 8: Amiens - Chartres, 195 km
Stage 6 - July 9: Bonneval - Angers, 190 km
Stage 7 - July 10: Chateaubriant - Saint Brieuc, 208 km
Stage 8 - July 11: Lamballe - Quimper, 172 km
July 12: Rest Day: Transfer to Limoges
Stage 9 - July 13: St Leonard de Noblat - Guéret, 160 km
Stage 10 - July 14: Limoges - St. Flour, 237 km
Stage 11 - July 15: St Flour - Figeac, 164 km
Stage 12 - July 16: Castelsarrasin - La Mongie, 199 km
Stage 13 - July 17: Lannemezan - Plateau de Beille, 217 km
Stage 14 - July 18: Carcassonne - Nimes, 200 km
July 19 - Rest Day: Transfer to Nimes
Stage 15 - July 20: Valreas - Villard-de-Lans, 179 km
Stage 16 - July 21: Bourg d'Oisans - Alpe d'Huez ITT, 15 km
Stage 17 - July 22: Bourg d'Oisans - Le Grand Bornand, 212 km
Stage 18 - July 23: Annemasse - Lons le Saulnier, 166 km
Stage 19 - July 24: Besancon - Besancon ITT, 60 km
Stage 20 - July 25: Montreau - Paris-Champs-Elysees, 165 km

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PUBLISHER'S NOTICES
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Tour de France Times (TFT), an electronic newsletter about cycling's
pinnacle event and the cyclists who compete in it, is written, edited and
published by James Raia, a journalist in Sacramento, California. Tour de France
Times is published monthly, except daily during the three-week race in July.

Story links, race information, suggestions and letters to the editor are
encouraged via e-mail.

Send correspondence to: James@... Please include your name and
city and state of residence. Names held upon request.