In short
| Stage winner | Edvalo HAGEN |
 (yellow/white jersey) |
Cyrille MONNERAIS |
 (green/white jersey) |
Cyrille MONNERAIS |
 (red polka dotted jersey) |
Robert GESINK |
All classifications
| Stage |
|---|
 |
• Individual time• Individual points • Best climber • Best team |
|
| Overall |
|
• Individual time• Individual points • Best climber • Best team |
Stage by stage
| 1 | Thursday 31 August | 130 km |
| Charleroi - Charleroi | ||
| 2 | Friday 1 September | 180.5 km |
| Charleroi - Mont-Saint-Martin | ||
| 3 | Saturday 2 September | 144.5 km |
| Mont-Saint-Martin - Moyeuvre-Grande | ||
| 4 | Sunday 3 September | 149 km |
| Yutz - Metz | ||
| 5 | Monday 4 September | 151 km |
| Metz - Nancy | ||
| 6 | Tuesday 5 September | 161.5 km |
| Nancy - La Bresse | ||
| 7 | Wednesday 6 September | 163 km |
| La Bresse - Ornans | ||
| 8 | Thursday 7 September | 143.5 km |
| Salins-Les-Bains - Saint-Genis-Pouilly | ||
| 9 | Friday 8 September | 24.5 km |
| Chamonix-Mont-Blanc - Finhaut | ||
| 10 | Saturday 9 September | 145.5 km |
| Saint-Nicolas-La-Chapelle - Marcinelle-en-Montagne | ||
| Total | 1393 km | |
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The race
Friday 1 September 2006| stage 2 | Charleroi - Mont-Saint-Martin - 180.5 km |  |
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Hagen by a nose
2nd stage: Charleroi – Mont-Saint-Martin (180.5 km); Start at 12:27 for 131 racers. On the agenda, 3 hills and 3 sprint-bonifications. Hagen (NOR) took the lead at the end of a 130 kilometre breakaway. Monnerais (FDJ) took the leader’s yellow jersey.
The film of the stage
From the first kilometres of the stage, several cyclists tried their luck at getting ahead, but none were successful at sneaking away from the peloton. Finally, at kilometre 12.5, a group of 17 racers led by Monnerais (FDJ), wearing the Green Jersey, and Gesink (RB3), leader of the mountain ranking, got ahead. They had an up to 45’’ lead on the peloton before it caught up at kilometre 44.5. Meanwhile, at kilometre 36.5, Mandri (FDJ) got to the top of the Côte de Gochenée in front of Renders (LAN) and Gesink.
As they got closer to the sprint-bonification in Vireux-Wallerand (km 51), 12 racers slipped away from the peloton. Mondory (FDJ), Boom (RB3), Roche (COF), Johnson (FDJ), Hovelynck (JAC), Gene and Jérôme (BTL), Ladagnous (FDJ) Habeaux (LAN), Hagen (NOR), Melero (ORB) and Cosme (VMC) gained a 7’ advantage at the refreshment station. Then the peloton began its full-on offensive, lead by the Française des Jeux team. After the Paliseul sprint bonification at (km 95), which Hovelynck won, followed by Ladagnous and Mondory, the lead racers only had a 4’50 advantage.
As they crossed Bertrix (km 105), Boom, Roche, Hovelynck, Jérôme and Hagen separated from the lead group. Their lead grew progressively and were 40’’ in front of the closest competitors at the top of the Côte de Hamipré (coming in in the following order: Jérôme, Boom and Roche) while the peloton trailed by 4’30’’.
In the Bellefontaine sprint-bonification (km 143.5) carried by Hovelynck ahead of Boom and Jérôme, the five leading men got 2’15’’ ahead of the other racers with the peloton 3’45’ behind. As they crossed Croix-Rouge (km 150), the seven counter-attackers were met by the peloton, determined to put an end to the day’s breakaway mood. The race intensified, and 20 kilometres away from the goal, the leaders only had a 2’ lead.
Just 25 kilometres away from the finish line, these breakaway cyclists tried to resist the peloton’s pressure. One by one, they made attempts to gain as much lead as they could. Roche and then Hovelynck accelerated without reaching their breakaway companions. Finally, 10 kilometres from the finish line Hagen took a slight lead, with the peloton only 1’15 away. He gleaned a few seconds, clocking in at a 25’’ lead 5 kilometres away from the finish line.
The trailing peloton made a strong comeback effort. At the foot of the Côte de Mont-Saint-Martin, the last challenge of the day, it passed the four middle cyclists to catch up wit the leading man. But Hagen resisted, keeping a 10 metre lead on the peloton and coming in ahead of Van der Linden (JAC).
In the general ranking, Monnerais (FDJ) took the place of Delage (FDJ), taking the green jersey for best point ranking as well. Gesink (RB3) kept the jersey for best climber.
The winner interview
Another great victory
“I broke into the lead during a counter-attack. It was tough once I was on top, because the peloton was hot on my trail. In the last kilometre, I really had to push myself, since the climb was so steep. I’m very happy that I made it. After the two stages I won in the Tour de Thuringe, I can add this great victory to my season.â€