Hal@50Megs.com Tour de France 2000

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Week Two

Marco Pantani wins Stage 15
Peleton climbs the Col de la Madeleine Stage 15

Briancon to Courchevel Stage 15: Italy's Marco Pantani won his second leg of this year's Tour de France on Sunday, powering away from Jose Maria Jimenez in the final three kilometers to win the 15th stage. Jimenez looked like the clear favorite to take the leg as the riders moved into the final 10 kilometers of the 173km route from Briancon to Courchevel. But Pantani, broke away from Lance Armstrong superbly and ended up a comfortable winner 50 seconds up on Armstrong.

Santiago Botero wins Stage 14
Armstrong & Pantani in Stage 14

Draguignan to Briancon Stage 14: Santiago Botero stormed away from a leading pack of eight riders on the final climb to win his first leg of the race. The 27-year-old Colombian won the tough stage two minutes 30 seconds clear of runner-up Paolo Savoldelli of Italy. It was the Kelme tam's second win of the Tour and the biggest in Botero's four-year professional career. Overall leader Lance Armstrong rode a controlled race, finishing in seventh place. As the riders anticipated the huge climbs, there were no attacks until past halfway.

US Postal chases in Stage 13
Jose Garcia-Acosta solo wins Stage 13

Avignon to Draguignan Stage 13: Lance Armstrong maintained his lead in a stage won by Spain's Jose Vicente Garcia-Acosta. The Banesto rider broke away from the leading riders in the closing stages and brilliantly held off a challenge from two Frenchmen, Nicolas Jalabert and Pascal Herve, hoping for a Bastille Day triumph. Armstrong finished in 27th place, clocking the same time as Germany's Jan Ullrich, his only realistic rival for the title. The stage, coming between two of the toughest stages, offered some light relief to riders.

Lance & Marco Pantani duel atop Ventoux
Marco Pantani attacks Stage 12

Carpentras to Mont Ventoux Stage 12: It was only one day ago that Italian Marco Pantani said Lance Armstrong was "on another planet." On Thursday Pantani did his best to reach Planet Armstrong -- and then kept on flying to beat the American by mere inches to win Stage 12. Armstrong's overall lead, however, may be beyond the grasp of Tour riders as it grew to almost five minutes over second-placed Jan Ullrich, who finished fourth in the stage.

Lance in Maillot Jaune Stage 11
Erik Dekker wins Stage 11

Bagneres-de-Bigorre to Revel Stage 11: Lance Armstrong didn't repeat Monday's heroicism on the roads of Stage 11 -- with such a lead, he didn't have to. Despite finishing 24th in the stage, Armstrong crossed the finish line alongside second-placed Jan Ullich and maintained an overall lead of four minutes, 14 seconds. Erik Dekker of the Netherlands won his second stage of the Tour on Tuesday, finishing in a time of five hours, five minutes, 47 seconds.

Lance Storms to take the lead Stage 10
Lance in Maillot Jaune Stage 10

Lourdes-Hautacam Stage 10: While sprinters dominated the early stages of the Tour de France, defending champion Lance Armstrong said he was resting for the mountains. He wasn't lying. In what may prove to be one of the most epic days of this year's tour, Armstrong braved hellacious weather and made a brilliant late climb to take the overall lead. He finished second in the stage behind Spain's Javier Ochoa. Armstrong began the day in 16th place, but now leads Jan Ullrich of Germany by more than four minutes. Read the stage 10 PLAY-BY-PLAY page.

Week 1 Tour 99 Teams Winners Course

Marco Pantani wins Stage 15	Peleton climbs the Col de la Madeleine Stage 15
Briancon to Courchevel Stage 15: Italy's Marco Pantani won his second leg of this year's Tour de France on Sunday, powering away from Jose Maria Jimenez in the final three kilometers to win the 15th stage. Jimenez looked like the clear favorite to take the leg as the riders moved into the final 10 kilometers of the 173km route from Briancon to Courchevel. But Pantani, broke away from Lance Armstrong superbly and ended up a comfortable winner 50 seconds up on Armstrong.
Santiago Botero wins Stage 14	Armstrong & Pantani in Stage 14
Draguignan to Briancon Stage 14: Santiago Botero stormed away from a leading pack of eight riders on the final climb to win his first leg of the race. The 27-year-old Colombian won the tough stage two minutes 30 seconds clear of runner-up Paolo Savoldelli of Italy. It was the Kelme tam's second win of the Tour and the biggest in Botero's four-year professional career. Overall leader Lance Armstrong rode a controlled race, finishing in seventh place. As the riders anticipated the huge climbs, there were no attacks until past halfway.
US Postal chases in Stage 13	Jose Garcia-Acosta solo wins Stage 13
Avignon to Draguignan Stage 13: Lance Armstrong maintained his lead in a stage won by Spain's Jose Vicente Garcia-Acosta. The Banesto rider broke away from the leading riders in the closing stages and brilliantly held off a challenge from two Frenchmen, Nicolas Jalabert and Pascal Herve, hoping for a Bastille Day triumph. Armstrong finished in 27th place, clocking the same time as Germany's Jan Ullrich, his only realistic rival for the title. The stage, coming between two of the toughest stages, offered some light relief to riders.
Lance & Marco Pantani duel atop Ventoux	Marco Pantani attacks Stage 12
Carpentras to Mont Ventoux Stage 12: It was only one day ago that Italian Marco Pantani said Lance Armstrong was "on another planet." On Thursday Pantani did his best to reach Planet Armstrong -- and then kept on flying to beat the American by mere inches to win Stage 12. Armstrong's overall lead, however, may be beyond the grasp of Tour riders as it grew to almost five minutes over second-placed Jan Ullrich, who finished fourth in the stage.
Lance in Maillot Jaune Stage 11	Erik Dekker wins Stage 11
Bagneres-de-Bigorre to Revel Stage 11: Lance Armstrong didn't repeat Monday's heroicism on the roads of Stage 11 -- with such a lead, he didn't have to. Despite finishing 24th in the stage, Armstrong crossed the finish line alongside second-placed Jan Ullich and maintained an overall lead of four minutes, 14 seconds. Erik Dekker of the Netherlands won his second stage of the Tour on Tuesday, finishing in a time of five hours, five minutes, 47 seconds.
Lance Storms to take the lead Stage 10	Lance in Maillot Jaune Stage 10
Lourdes-Hautacam Stage 10: While sprinters dominated the early stages of the Tour de France, defending champion Lance Armstrong said he was resting for the mountains. He wasn't lying. In what may prove to be one of the most epic days of this year's tour, Armstrong braved hellacious weather and made a brilliant late climb to take the overall lead. He finished second in the stage behind Spain's Javier Ochoa. Armstrong began the day in 16th place, but now leads Jan Ullrich of Germany by more than four minutes. Read the stage 10 PLAY-BY-PLAY page.