Bennati Wins While Contador Turns White Into Yellow

The 188.5km 17th stage of the 2007 Tour de France, from Pau to Castelsarrasin, began at 1.00pm. There were 142 riders at the sign-on with the most notable omission that of the dual stage winner of leader of general classification Michael Rasmussen (RAB). The Dane was withdrawn from the race and dismissed by his team late in the evening of 25 July. “An incorrect notification of one’s whereabouts is a flagrant violation of UCI regulations and unacceptable,” read the team’s official statement. There was no yellow jersey in the peloton. The seven remaining members of the Cofidis team also abandoned after the announcement of a positive doping control of Cristian Moreni for testosterone after the 11th stage. The Italian didn’t ask for the B-sample. _ The race included six hills with points on offer for the polka-dot jersey, they were: the cat-3 cote de Baleix (at 23km) followed by five cat-4 ascents – the cote de Villecomtal (54km), cote de Mielan (59.5km), cote de Ste-Dode-aux-Croix (63.5km), cote de Theux (72.5km) and cote de la Montagnere (169.5km). The intermediate sprints were in Rabastens-de-Bigorre (44.5km) and Solomiac (146.5km). _ _ Caisse Squad Leads The Chase For 100km _ Florencio (BTL) attacked the moment the stage started but was caught soon afterwards. At 5km, eight men escaped. They were: Voigt (CSC), Elmiger (A2R), Bennati (LAM), Righi (LAM), Fothen (GST), Quinziato (LIQ), Tosatto (QSI) and Millar (SDV). At the first climb, the bunch was at 1’10”. Bouygues Telecom led the peloton’s pursuit. The average for the first hour was 47.3km/h. Caisse d’Epargne came to the front of the peloton after the first sprint and didn’t allow the escape to gain much momentum. The lead was just 2’20” at the 19km mark and by the 2nd climb, it was reduced to 1’30”. Caisse d’Epargne insisted with its pursuit until the 105km mark when the escapees were only 2’55” ahead; five kilometres later the advantage had grown to 4’20”; at 121km – 6’30”; at 135 – 7’30”. Denis Menchov (RAB) abandoned just after the feed zone. The average speed for the third hour was 43.1km/h. Discovery Channel took over the chasing duties after Caisse d’Epargne stopped their effort. _ _ Bennati Claims His Maiden Tour Win & Contador Takes Replaces White With Yellow… _ The attacks in the lead group were started by Elmiger at the base of the final ascent. Then Voigt surged followed by Fothen; this flurry of action eliminated Righi and Quinziato from the lead group. The next to drop were Millar and Tosatto. With 10km to go, Elminger, Voigt, Bennati and Fothen led Millar and Tosatto by 1’00” and the other two by 1’50”. There were a few surges in the final five kilometres but the four passed under the ‘flamme rouge’ together. Fothen launched an attack down the right of the road with 200m to go but was caught by Bennati who easily won the sprint ahead of the young German. It was is Bennati’s first victory in the Tour de France and Lampre’s first since Svorada won in Paris at the end of the 2001 edition. _ Tom Boonen led the peloton home 9’37” behind Bennati. Alberto Contador finished 20th in the stage (at 9’39”); he will wear the yellow jersey in stage 18.