July 17, 2002 – (Pau, France) – Today was the final day before the 2002
Tour de France hits the first real mountains, and the opportunists took
full advantage of it. This was a short stage, only 147 km, and a small
breakaway took the lead on the twisty, traditional finish into Pau. The
sprinters were thwarted for first place but it was a battle nonetheless.
Erik Zabel’s (Telekom) invincibility was challenged, much like Lance
Armstrong’s in the previous day’s ITT. Australia’s Robbie McEwen
(Lotto/Adecco) has put a chink in Zabel’s armour, once again beating the
strong German and stealing his precious Green Jersey. The overall General
Classification remains the same, but with the mountains looming, the
question is for how long?

1. Patrice Halgand (Fra) Jean Delatour 3.00.15 (48.93 km/h)

2. Jerome Pineau (Fra) Bonjour 0.27

3. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole 0.33

4. Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel) Lampre Daikin

5. Pedro Horillo (Spa) Mapei-Quick Step 1.00

6. Andy Flickinger (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance

7. Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) FDJeux.com

8. Nico Mattan (Bel) Cofidis

9. Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca

10. Enrico Cassani (Ita) Domo-Farm Frites 1.02

11. Unai Etxebarria (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi 3.29

12. Baden Cooke (Aus) FDJeux.com 3.57

13. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto-Adecco

14. Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom

15. Jan Svorada (Cze) Lampre Daikin

16. Robert Hunter (RSA) Mapei-Quick Step

17. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Domo-Farm Frites

18. SÈbastien Hinault (Fra) Credit Agricole

19. Franck RÈnier (Fra) Bonjour

20. Jimmy Casper (Fra) FDJeux.com

Overall

1. Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 36.25.35

2. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service 0.26

3. Joseba Beloki (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 1.23

4. Serguei Gontchar (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo 1.35

5. Santiago Botero (Col) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.55

6. Andrea Peron (Ita) CSC-Tiscali 2.08

7. David Millar (GBr) Cofidis 2.11

8. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole 2.15

9. Raimondas Rumsas (Ltu) Lampre Daikin 2.22

10. Tyler Hamilton (USA) CSC-Tiscali 2.30