2003 Tour de France
 Route of the 2003 Tour de France | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Race details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Dates | 5–27 July 2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stages | 20 + Prologue | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance | 3,427 km (2,129 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winning time | 83h 41' 12" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2003 Tour de France was a multiple stage bicycle race held from 5 to 27 July, and the 90th edition of the Tour de France. It has no overall winner—although American cyclist Lance Armstrong originally won the event, the United States Anti-Doping Agency announced in August 2012 that they had disqualified Armstrong from all his results since 1998, including his seven Tour de France wins from 1999 to 2005; the Union Cycliste Internationale has confirmed this verdict.
The event started and ended in Paris, covering 3,427 km (2,129 mi) proceeding clockwise in twenty stages around France, including six major mountain stages. Due to the centennial celebration, this edition of the tour was raced entirely in France and did not enter neighboring countries.
In the centenary year of the race the route recreated, in part, that of 1903. There was a special Centenaire Classement prize for the best-placed in each of the six stage finishes which match the 1903 tour – Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes and Paris. It was won by Stuart O'Grady, with Thor Hushovd in second place. The 2003 Tour was honored with the Prince of Asturias Award for Sport.
Of the 198 riders the favourite was again Armstrong, aiming for a record equalling fifth win. Before the race, it was believed that his main rivals would include Iban Mayo, Aitor González, Tyler Hamilton, Ivan Basso, Gilberto Simoni, Jan Ullrich, and Joseba Beloki but Armstrong was the odds-on favourite. Though he did go on to win the race, it is statistically, and by Armstrong's own admission,[3] his weakest Tour from his seven-year period of dominance over the race.
Teams
[edit]The team selection was done in three rounds: in November 2002, the fourteen highest-ranking Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) teams would automatically qualify; four wildcard invitations were given in January 2003, and four more in mid-May.[4] The race started with 22 teams of 9 cyclists.[5]
The teams entering the race were:[6]
Qualified teams
Invited teams
Pre-race favourites
[edit]Some notable cyclists excluded from the race were Mario Cipollini and Marco Pantani, whose teams De Nardi–Colpack and Mercatone Uno–Scanavino were not selected.[7] Especially the absence of Cipollini, the reigning world champion, came as a surprise. The Tour organisation gave the reason that Cipollini had never been able to finish the race.[8]
In the first round, the Coast team had been selected to compete, and in January 2003 they signed Jan Ullrich. Financial problems then almost prevented the team from starting, but after Bianchi stepped in as a new sponsor, Team Bianchi was allowed to take the place of Team Coast.
Route and stages
[edit]The route of the centenary Tour de France was announced in October 2002.[9] The route recreated, in part, that of the 1903 Tour de France. Starting in Paris with a time trial, the race headed clockwise around France including six stage finishes at cities that featured in the 1903 Tour – Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes and Paris.[9] The highest point of elevation in the race was 2,642 m (8,668 ft) at the summit of the Col du Galibier mountain pass on stage 8.[10] Due to the centennial celebration, this edition of the tour was raced entirely in France and did not enter neighboring countries.
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 5 July | Paris | 6.5 km (4.0 mi) |  | Individual time trial |  Bradley McGee (AUS) |
| 1 | 6 July | Saint-Denis to Meaux | 168.0 km (104.4 mi) |  | Flat stage |  Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) |
| 2 | 7 July | La Ferté-sous-Jouarre to Sedan | 204.5 km (127.1 mi) | | Flat stage | Baden Cooke (AUS) |
| 3 | 8 July | Charleville-Mézières to Saint-Dizier | 167.5 km (104.1 mi) | | Flat stage | Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) |
| 4 | 9 July | Joinville to Saint-Dizier | 69.0 km (42.9 mi) | | Team time trial |  U.S. Postal Service (USA) |
| 5 | 10 July | Troyes to Nevers | 196.5 km (122.1 mi) | | Flat stage | Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) |
| 6 | 11 July | Nevers to Lyon | 230.0 km (142.9 mi) | | Flat stage | Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) |
| 7 | 12 July | Lyon to Morzine | 230.5 km (143.2 mi) |  | Mountain Stage (s) |  Richard Virenque (FRA) |
| 8 | 13 July | Sallanches to Alpe d'Huez | 219.0 km (136.1 mi) | | Mountain Stage (s) |  Iban Mayo (ESP) |
| 9 | 14 July | Le Bourg-d'Oisans to Gap | 184.5 km (114.6 mi) | | Mountain Stage (s) |  Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ) |
| 10 | 15 July | Gap to Marseille | 219.5 km (136.4 mi) | | Flat stage |  Jakob Piil (DEN) |
| 16 July | Narbonne | Rest day | ||||
| 11 | 17 July | Narbonne to Toulouse | 153.5 km (95.4 mi) | | Flat stage | Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP) |
| 12 | 18 July | Gaillac to Cap Découverte | 47.0 km (29.2 mi) | | Individual time trial |  Jan Ullrich (GER) |
| 13 | 19 July | Toulouse to Ax 3 Domaines | 197.5 km (122.7 mi) | | Mountain Stage (s) | Carlos Sastre (ESP) |
| 14 | 20 July | Saint-Girons to Loudenvielle | 191.5 km (119.0 mi) | | Mountain Stage (s) | Gilberto Simoni (ITA) |
| 15 | 21 July | Bagnères-de-Bigorre to Luz Ardiden | 159.5 km (99.1 mi) | | Mountain Stage (s) | Lance Armstrong (USA) |
| 22 July | Pau | Rest day | ||||
| 16 | 23 July | Pau to Bayonne | 197.5 km (122.7 mi) |  | Hilly stage | Tyler Hamilton (USA) |
| 17 | 24 July | Dax to Bordeaux | 181.0 km (112.5 mi) | | Flat stage |  Servais Knaven (NED) |
| 18 | 25 July | Bordeaux to Saint-Maixent-l'École | 203.5 km (126.4 mi) | | Flat stage | Pablo Lastras (ESP) |
| 19 | 26 July | Pornic to Nantes | 49.0 km (30.4 mi) | | Individual time trial |  David Millar (GBR) |
| 20 | 27 July | Ville-d'Avray to Paris (Champs-Élysées) | 152.0 km (94.4 mi) | | Flat stage | Jean-Patrick Nazon (FRA) |
| Total | 3,427 km (2,129 mi) | |||||