| 2007 UCI ProTour, race 17 of 26 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Route of the 2007 Tour de France | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Race details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dates | 7–29 July 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stages | 20 + Prologue | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance | 3,570 km (2,218 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winning time | 91h 00' 26" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The2007 Tour de France the 94th running ofthe race, took place from 7 to 29 July. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain. It was won by Spanish riderAlberto Contador.[1]
The Tour was marked bydoping controversies, with three riders and two teams withdrawn during the race following positive doping tests, including pre-race favouriteAlexander Vinokourov and hisAstana team. Following Stage 16, the leader of thegeneral classification,Michael Rasmussen, was removed from the Tour by hisRabobank team, who accused him of lying about the reasons for missing several drug tests earlier in the year.
Thepoints classification, indicated by the green jersey, was won for the first time byTom Boonen, who had failed to complete the previous two Tours after leading the points classification at times during each. Themountains classification, indicated by the polkadot jersey, was won byMauricio Soler in his first Tour appearance.
Thegeneral classification, indicated by the yellow jersey, was closely contested until the finaltime trial on stage 19. The top three riders, Alberto Contador in the yellow jersey as the leader,Cadel Evans in second, andLevi Leipheimer in third, were separated by only 2:49, with both Evans and Leipheimer recognized as far superior time trialists to Contador. In the end, each rider held his place after the final time trial, but with considerably slimmer margins, as the Tour ended with the smallest-ever spread of only 31 seconds among the top three riders. Alberto Contador also won theyoung rider classification, indicated by the white jersey, as the best young (under age 25) rider.
A total of 21 teams were invited to the 2007 Tour de France.[2] Each team sent a total of nine riders to participate in the Tour, which brought the starting total of the peloton to 189 riders.[3] The presentation of the teams – where each team's roster are introduced in front of the media and local dignitaries – took place atTrafalgar Square in London, the day before the openingprologue held in the city.[4]
The teams entering the race were:[5]
UCI ProTour teams
Invited teams
After the retirement of seven-time winnerLance Armstrong and withIvan Basso andFloyd Landis not entering the Tour, the bookmakers' favourite to win the 2007 Tour de France wasAlexander Vinokourov, who was unable to start in 2006 due to lack of team members, but did win the2006 Vuelta a España. The main challengers were expected to be the2006 Tour de France second-place finisherAndreas Klöden; andAlejandro Valverde, who dropped out of the 2006 Tour de France after a crash, but came second to Vinokourov in the 2006 Vuelta a España.
The organisers of the Tour and LondonmayorKen Livingstone announced on 24 January 2006 that the start of the Tour would take place in London. Livingstone noted the two stages would commemorate the victims of the7 July 2005 London bombings, saying "Having the Grand Départ on the seventh of July will broadcast to the world that terrorism does not shake our city."[6]
The routes for the Prologue in London and the first full stage throughKent, finishing inCanterbury, were announced on 9 February 2006 at theQueen Elizabeth II Conference Centre.[7] This was the first time theGrand Départ was in the United Kingdom and the third time the Tour visited the United Kingdom, includingPlymouth in1974 and two stages inKent,Sussex andHampshire in1994.
Tour directorChristian Prudhomme unveiled the 2007 route in Paris on 26 October 2006.[8] In total, the route covered 3,570 km (2,218 mi).[9] Thehighest point of elevation in the race was 2,770 m (9,090 ft) at the summit of theCol de l'Iseran mountain pass on stage 9.[10][11]
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 7 July | London (United Kingdom) | 7.9 km (5 mi) |  | Individual time trial |  Fabian Cancellara (SUI) |
| 1 | 8 July | London (United Kingdom) toCanterbury (United Kingdom) | 203 km (126 mi) |  | Plain stage |  Robbie McEwen (AUS) |
| 2 | 9 July | Dunkirk toGhent (Belgium) | 168.5 km (105 mi) | | Plain stage |  Gert Steegmans (BEL) |
| 3 | 10 July | Waregem (Belgium) –Compiègne | 236.5 km (147 mi) | | Plain stage | Fabian Cancellara (SUI) |
| 4 | 11 July | Villers-Cotterêts toJoigny | 193 km (120 mi) | | Plain stage |  Thor Hushovd (NOR) |
| 5 | 12 July | Chablis toAutun | 182.5 km (113 mi) |  | Intermediate stage |  Filippo Pozzato (ITA) |
| 6 | 13 July | Semur-en-Auxois toBourg-en-Bresse | 199.5 km (124 mi) | | Plain stage | Tom Boonen (BEL) |
| 7 | 14 July | Bourg-en-Bresse toLe Grand-Bornand | 197.5 km (123 mi) |  | Mountain stage |  Linus Gerdemann (GER) |
| 8 | 15 July | Le Grand-Bornand toTignes | 165 km (103 mi) | | Mountain stage |  Michael Rasmussen (DEN) |
| 16 July | Tignes | Rest day | ||||
| 9 | 17 July | Val-d'Isère toBriançon | 159.5 km (99 mi) | | Mountain stage |  Mauricio Soler (COL) |
| 10 | 18 July | Tallard toMarseille | 229.5 km (143 mi) | | Plain stage |  Cédric Vasseur (FRA) |
| 11 | 19 July | Marseille toMontpellier | 182.5 km (113 mi) | | Plain stage |  Robert Hunter (RSA) |
| 12 | 20 July | Montpellier toCastres | 178.5 km (111 mi) | | Intermediate stage | Tom Boonen (BEL) |
| 13 | 21 July | Albi | 54 km (34 mi) | | Individual time trial | Cadel Evans (AUS)[a] |
| 14 | 22 July | Mazamet toPlateau-de-Beille | 197 km (122 mi) | | Mountain stage |  Alberto Contador (ESP) |
| 15 | 23 July | Foix toLoudenvielle | 196 km (122 mi) | | Mountain stage |  Kim Kirchen (LUX)[a] |
| 24 July | Pau | Rest day | ||||
| 16 | 25 July | Orthez toGourette–Col d'Aubisque | 218.5 km (136 mi) | | Mountain stage | Michael Rasmussen (DEN) |
| 17 | 26 July | Pau toCastelsarrasin | 188.5 km (117 mi) | | Intermediate stage | Daniele Bennati (ITA) |
| 18 | 27 July | Cahors toAngoulême | 211 km (131 mi) | | Plain stage | Sandy Casar (FRA) |
| 19 | 28 July | Cognac toAngoulême | 55.5 km (34 mi) | | Individual time trial |  |
| 20 | 29 July | Marcoussis to Paris (Champs-Élysées) | 146 km (91 mi) | | Plain stage | Daniele Bennati (ITA) |
| Total | 3,570 km (2,218 mi) | |||||
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The first scandal arrived when it was made public on 18 July that riderPatrik Sinkewitz from theT-Mobile Team had tested positive one month before the Tour started. Sinkewitz had already withdrawn from the race having incurred an injury during the 8th stage. The scandal was big enough to prompt German TV broadcasters ZDF and ARD to drop their coverage.[16]
The Tour was dealt a major blow when the first-placeAstana team withdrew from the race on 24 July 2007, after team member and pre-race favouriteAlexander Vinokourov fromKazakhstan tested positive for an illegal blood transfusion.[17] Vinokourov's teammatesAndreas Klöden andAndrey Kashechkin were in 5th and 7th place respectively at the time.
At the start of the 16th stage on 25 July, some teams made a protest against the laxness of the official attitude to doping in the race.[18] After the stage, race officials announced thatCofidis team memberCristian Moreni of Italy had tested positive for elevated levels oftestosterone, and the Cofidis team withdrew from the race.
Spanish cyclistIban Mayo tested positive forEPO on the second rest day of the Tour, on 24 July.[19]
French prosecutors wanted to start a legal case against Vinokourov, Mayo and Moreni, and requested the UCI to hand over the doping samples. The UCI refused to give them, and in May 2011 the investigation was stopped.[20]
German cyclistMarcus Burghardt collided with aLabrador Retriever during Stage 9. The bike struck the dog on its backside, which buckled the front wheel and threw Burghardt over the handlebars onto the road.[21][22]
A second incident involving a dog occurred on Stage 18.Sandy Casar andFrederik Willems were in a four-man break when Casar collided with a dog running across the road, causing both him and Willems to fall. Casar was able to rejoin the break with the help ofAxel Merckx despite receivingroad rash on his right buttock, while Willems returned to the peloton. Casar went on to win the stage.[23][24]
After Stage 16, overall leaderMichael Rasmussen was fired by his team,Rabobank, for violating team rules after he told the team that he was in Mexico with his wife in June, then being sighted training in Italy by Italian journalist Davide Cassani.[25] Rasmussen disputed this claim, maintaining that he was in Mexico. Thus, at the start of stage 17 there was no holder of the yellow jersey. Afterward the lead and the jersey were transferred toDiscovery Channel'sAlberto Contador.[26] Rasmussen later in 2013 confessed to doping from 1998 to 2010, including at the 2007 Tour de France.[27]
There were four main classifications contested in the 2007 Tour de France,[28] with the most important being thegeneral classification. The general classification was calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage. The cyclist with the least accumulated time was the race leader, identified by the yellow jersey; the winner of this classification was considered the winner of the Tour.[29] There were no time bonuses given at the end of stages for this edition of the Tour.[30]
Additionally, there was apoints classification, which awards a green jersey. In the points classification, cyclists get points for finishing among the best in a stage finish, or in intermediate sprints. The cyclist with the most points led the classification, and is identified with a green jersey.[31]
There was also amountains classification. The organization categorised some climbs as eitherhors catégorie, first, second, third, or fourth-category; points for this classification were won by the first cyclists that reach the top of these climbs, with more points available for the higher-categorised climbs. The cyclist with the most points led the classification, and wore a white jersey with redpolka dots.[32]
The fourth individual classification was theyoung rider classification, marked by the white jersey. This classification was calculated the same way as the general classification, but the classification was restricted to riders who were born on or after 1 January 1987.[33]
For theteam classification, the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added; the leading team is the team with the lowest total time. The riders in the team that lead this classification were identified with yellow numbers.[34]
Thesuper-combativity award was given toAmets Txurruka.[35] TheSouvenir Henri Desgrange given in honour of Tour founder Henri Desgrange to the first rider to pass the summit of theCol du Galibier on stage 9. This prize was won byMauricio Soler.[36]
| Legend | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | Denotes the winner of thegeneral classification |  | Denotes the winner of thepoints classification |
 | Denotes the winner of themountains classification |  | Denotes the winner of theyoung rider classification |
 | Denotes the winner of theteam classification |  | Denotes the winner of thesuper-combativity award |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alberto Contador (ESP) | Discovery Channel | 91h 00' 26" |
| 2 | Cadel Evans (AUS) | Predictor–Lotto | + 23" |
| DSQ | | | |
| 4 | Carlos Sastre (ESP) | Team CSC | + 7' 08" |
| 5 | Haimar Zubeldia (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 8' 17" |
| 6 | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) | Caisse d'Epargne | + 11' 37" |
| 7 | Kim Kirchen (LUX) | T-Mobile Team | + 12' 18" |
| 8 |  Yaroslav Popovych (UKR) | Discovery Channel | + 12' 25" |
| 9 | Mikel Astarloza (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 14' 14" |
| 10 | Óscar Pereiro (ESP) | Caisse d'Epargne | + 14' 25" |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tom Boonen (BEL) | Quick-Step–Innergetic | 256 |
| 2 | Robert Hunter (RSA) | Barloworld | 234 |
| 3 | Erik Zabel (GER) | Team Milram | 232 |
| 4 | Thor Hushovd (NOR) | Crédit Agricole | 186 |
| 5 | Sébastien Chavanel (FRA) | Française des Jeux | 181 |
| 6 | Daniele Bennati (ITA) | Lampre–Fondital | 160 |
| 7 | Robert Förster (GER) | Gerolsteiner | 140 |
| 8 | Fabian Cancellara (SUI) | Team CSC | 112 |
| 9 | Cadel Evans (AUS) | Predictor–Lotto | 109 |
| 10 | Alberto Contador (ESP) | Discovery Channel | 88 |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mauricio Soler (COL) | Barloworld | 206 |
| 2 | Alberto Contador (ESP) | Discovery Channel | 128 |
| 3 | Yaroslav Popovych (UKR) | Discovery Channel | 105 |
| 4 | Cadel Evans (AUS) | Predictor–Lotto | 92 |
| 5 | Laurent Lefèvre (FRA) | Bouygues Télécom | 85 |
| 6 | Juan Manuel Gárate (ESP) | Quick-Step–Innergetic | 77 |
| 7 | Carlos Sastre (ESP) | Team CSC | 74 |
| 8 | Juan José Cobo (ESP) | Saunier Duval–Prodir | 68 |
| DSQ | | ||
| 10 | Haimar Zubeldia (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | 64 |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alberto Contador (ESP) | Discovery Channel | 91h 00' 26" |
| 2 | Mauricio Soler (COL) | Barloworld | + 16' 51" |
| 3 | Amets Txurruka (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 49' 34" |
| 4 |  Bernhard Kohl (AUT) | Gerolsteiner | + 1h 13' 27" |
| 5 |  Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BLR) | Barloworld | + 1h 15' 16" |
| 6 |  Thomas Dekker (NED) | Rabobank | + 1h 30' 34" |
| 7 | Linus Gerdemann (GER) | T-Mobile Team | + 1h 30' 47" |
| 8 |  Vladimir Gusev (RUS) | Discovery Channel | + 1h 33' 50" |
| 9 |  Thomas Lövkvist (SWE) | Française des Jeux | + 2h 22' 50" |
| 10 | Andriy Hrivko (UKR) | Team Milram | + 2h 41' 41" |
| Rank | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discovery Channel | 273h 12' 52" |
| 2 | Caisse d'Epargne | + 19' 36" |
| 3 | Team CSC | + 22' 10" |
| 4 | Rabobank | + 36' 24" |
| 5 | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 46' 46" |
| 6 | Saunier Duval–Prodir | + 1h 44' 33" |
| 7 | Predictor–Lotto | + 1h 50' 21" |
| 8 | Lampre–Fondital | + 2h 19' 41" |
| 9 | Crédit Agricole | + 2h 25' 44" |
| 10 | AG2R Prévoyance | + 2h 26' 08" |
Riders in theUCI ProTour (therefore not members of the wildcard entriesBarloworld orAgritubel) are awarded UCI ProTour points for their performance in the Tour de France. The winner of a stage receives 10 points, second receives 5 points and third 3 points. UCI ProTour points are also awarded for high places in the final classification, with 100 points for the overall winner.[42]
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alberto Contador (ESP)  | Discovery Channel | 113 |
| 2 | Cadel Evans (AUS) | Predictor–Lotto | 88 |
| DSQ | | ||
| 4 | Carlos Sastre (ESP) | Team CSC | 55 |
| 5 | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) | Caisse d'Epargne | 53 |
| 5 | Haimar Zubeldia (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | 53 |
| 7 | Kim Kirchen (LUX) | T-Mobile Team | 45 |
| 8 | Yaroslav Popovych (UKR) | Discovery Channel | 35 |
| 9 | Mikel Astarloza (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | 30 |
| 10 | Tom Boonen (BEL) | Quick-Step–Innergetic | 28 |
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