Brits Continue to Chase Victories in Tour of Britain
Stage 4; Friday, September 2, 2005 | Buxton - Nottingham
With the peloton giving chase, the four riders who made the break of the day, give it full gas lead here by Evan Oliphant. They soon extended their lead to over 13 minutes and took the first four places on the stage. The day dawned for stage 4 starting in Buxton, bright and sunny and when we arrived at the start, minutes from the race hotel, the scene was already a hive of activity with more than two hours before the depart. Ahead for the riders was a stage with three 3rd Category climbs to decide that competition along with primes and Hot Spot sprints.
The start took place in the picturesque setting of the Pavilion Gardens and knowing the roads around the area, I missed the start photo opportunity and went up the road to slot in front of the field to watch the normal goings on as the flag dropped to signal the race start proper. As always, riders were attacking within seconds of the flag being dropped and we didn't have to wait long for the break that would decide the race many hours later.
The riders were certainly impatient to get going with a Quickstep rider (above) trying a fast one before the riders had even reached the end of the neutralised zone! Then once the riders had been through kilometre zero, a Chocolade Jacques rider tried to get away but it never went very far before the main course for the day was served?. four riders including two Brits making a break for the stage.
In the foursome were Serguei Ivanov (T-Mobile), Evan Oliphant (Scotland), Kazuo Inoue (Bridgestone Anchor) and Paul Manning (Recycling.co.uk). So two Brits had made the break and although in different jerseys, both do ride for Recycling.co.uk which meant for the second day in a row, that team had two riders at the front of the race.
Their lead rose quite rapidly. The first time we dropped back from the break to the peloton to see the gap was a few minutes, the second time it was over five minutes and then the final time halfway into the stage, the lead was well over 10 minutes. Knowing how it took us over half an hour to catch the break for the final time, it was soon becoming apparent that the break was likely to go all the way for the third day running. 
Quickstep, with both the Green and Yellow Jerseys, control the tempo of the race.
And so it was with the Quickstep team noticeable at the front of the peloton, banging out a steady tempo but not one that was going to see them threaten the break's lead in the stage. The only major news that came of the stage until the closing kilometres was a fall for Jeremy Hunt and Russell Downing. Hunt's bars broke and he fell spectacularly according to those in the cars closest to him, somersaulting and ending up in the gutter face down not moving. The race doctor came to his aid, caring for the nasty looking abrasions Jeremy had from his fall but the British rider was taken out of the race and off to hospital.
Downing meanwhile who also fell, got back to the group over the top of the first King of the Mountains climb. Over this climb, the riders in the leading break took all the points, an ideal scenario for Julian Winn who told me before the start that a break going up the road to take all the points would be his preferred option. From then on, the leaders continued to swap turns and following them for long periods of time, it was really exciting to see the town centres on the route, packed three, four, five or more deep in sections, to watch the Tour of Britain proceed towards Nottingham. And I lost count of the number of schools who had lots of children lining the road, waving at anything that looked like it was connected to the Tour of Britain! 
Evan Oliphant crosses the line first at the first King of the Mountains sprint. 
Whatever people may say about our sport, today like the other days in this race was proof that when it comes to a race around Britain, the non-cycling public will come out in their thousands (see the picture below) to see the race pass and with the British riders eager to impress and get in the main moves, the public were rewarded by seeing these home grown hero's have a go.
Just one of many schools out in force on the roads to cheer on the riders in the Tour of Britain.
With the time gap growing, we only went back to the bunch two or three times to see what was happening and the answer to that was not much with Nuyen's Quickstep boys controlling it all. It wasn't until the closing stages and the final two 3rd category climbs that the front of the race saw some action. It was going to ask a lot for Manning and Oliphant to drop the Russian Ivanov but try they did with repeated attacks but as Paul explained later, everyone was so fresh still, the gaps opened by the attacks were closed quickly again and it was to be a sprint that decided the stage, never one of Manning's preferred options.
Manning mindful of his non-sprinting ability lead it out and in the drag race along the banks of the river where the finish was in front of an estimated five thousand people, it was Oliphant and Ivanov who battled it out for the stage with the Russian taking the verdict from the young Scot. The Japanese rider Inoue was 3rd and Manning fourth. Afterwards I searched for the Scottish rider for some words but he had left for his team hotel quite quickly whilst his fellow breakaway partner Manning was to be found in his Recycling.co.uk team's promotional tent doing some interviews for radio and then kindly talking to British Cycling.
I found it strange that the attending press or the race press office had not asked these riders to the Press Conference being as they were successful British riders in British race but it seems that the press only had questions for the foreign riders which wasn't much good to me looking out for the British interests.
Paul Manning, World Team Pursuit champion in 2005, was however happy to give him his description of the stage starting by explaining how it all started.
"There was a limited amount of activity and those that want to do it, get in it, and those that don't - sit in the bunch all day" he explained seemingly puzzled by the lack of enthusiasm to get away. "It went within the first couple of miles after there were a few surges from some other riders. We had a fast downhill stretch and the four of us were quickly away."
"The bunch had a little chase when the Spanish team was riding but after that we held our pace and kept riding away from them" Manning went on to say. "We probably eased off after the 110-120k mark and were ticking off the kilometres until the finish." I said to Paul that from the motorbike, they all looked really comfortable out there to which he replied "It was. Everyone was working and it was the break to be in."
Talking about the final, Paul said "I'm not the best sprinter in the world so I generally have to attack to split the group but because we hadn't been riding that hard, everyone was just fresh and responded quickly. I gave it a few goes, and Evan had a go but we soon realised we weren't going anywhere. I didn't want to leave it to the sprint but that was going to have to be the case and I lead it out in the hope that Evan may have got something, ideally the win. He got second which proved what a strong rider he is."
He ended the interview by saying it was great to be part of the action but when there were only four guys contesting the race, to come fourth wasn't so good?" But the good thing to come from the fact they didn't have to ride themselves into the ground was that on stage 5, Paul does get to race a 'pursuit' over his favourite distance of 4k.
Paul, as well as having won the World Title in March for the Team Pursuit over 4k, has also finished in the top four in the World at the 4k Pursuit and is a Midlands lad, where the race takes place. So is he confident? "I don't know what damage today will have done to my legs but I'll prepare and warm up like I am used to doing on the track and ride the time trial as fast as I can. If it's a good result - then fine - if not, then I can say today affected me. I haven't done masses of specific training for it and it is different doing a city course to doing one on the track. I don't even know what the course looks like until I can go round it on closed roads tomorrow."
Pre-Race Interviews
As always, at the stage start, I managed to get a few words with the riders who had been making the news the day before. The first was Julian Winn, wearing the King of the Mountains jersey that he was looking to make his own in this race. "I'm feeling pretty good" he said as the Welsh team rolled up to the signing on area. "I'll be looking to tie the jersey up today and to do that, I'll be staying glued to Ryan Cox. Where ever he goes, I'll be going. Hopefully though a group will get away and that will be an ideal scenario to take the pressure off me. I'll relax when its over."
Russell Downing was next to come along and asking about his knee injury, he said "I've had a few more massages on it and there's a little fluid on it, but hopefully the worst is gone." Russell then said he was looking forward to the stage along many roads he knows well adding "the suns out so its going to be a nice day!" Talking about his injury and how it affected it his knee, he explained "yesterday was good for it really being in the break all day where it was quite smooth as opposed to stopping and starting. I think that worked in my favour."
Rod Ellingworth, Under 23 Academy manager talking about the ride by 19 year old Geraint Thomas in the break all day on stage 3, told us "it was good because everyone had a bit of a free hand to get involved in the race and I said to him it will go right from the word go. Kilometre 0, get stuck in and slide with the moves. He then did everything we asked of him and we were talking to him on the radio about looking after himself because he has tended to give too much in breaks before. We told him to keep the gears down, keep eating and drinking but I could see straight from the word go he wasn't on a good day. He seemed to be struggling all day and I think he was paying for doing a hell of a lot for Cav (Mark Cavendish) the day before."
"But fair dos to him, he gave it 110 per cent. He also knows know where he lost the race which was on Holme Moss. It was there he gave too much to stay with them when he should have backed off and saved 10 per cent of his energy but its all about learning at that age. Its good though that this style of racing is pushing him all the way."
Rod also went onto say that Cav, who was now feeling a lot better after his illness early on in the race, with his bunch sprint win on the stage into Blackpool he had proved he was at the level of the pros of the stature of Paolini and so on despite only just turning 20.
I then went and grabbed a few words with Geraint Thomas who had battled through the stage on day 3 and although dropped at the end, the 19 year old who won Paris Roubaix as a junior, was far from disgraced in such company. "It was really good" he said, adding, "obviously I would like to have stayed with them a bit longer but I haven't done any hills like that since before the Europeans (track championships). I gave it everything but there was one climb to many."
"It was good riding with them though and see what they were doing. I wasn't on a super day either but if I had been, I think I could have stayed there. It was a good learning experience though."
Next, as always in the hospitality cafîRlongside the start, the top British rider in the overall standings, Yanto Barko was hanging out with the in crowd, obligatory coffee in hand. Asked how things were, he replied "solid. It's a level up from what I am used to so its hard but I'm pleased to be here and I enjoy racing with the big names. I'm not sure how much of the GC will change today but I'll be looking to make sure nobody jumps above me at least and if I can make up any time on them to give me a cushion for the time trial, I'll be doing that."
Yanto then explained that the time trial will be significant for him with the time gaps in the top 10 being so small. "I'm going to have to pull out a good time trial to keep my place".
I then asked Jeremy Hunt who was seated alongside Yanto, and who later that day would end up in hospital after breaking his handlebars, how his race was going. "It was going alright until yesterday when I cracked on the last climb 500 metres from the top." Talking about the stage today, he said "I wouldn't mind a bunch finish if there is going to be one, but its hard because no teams want to ride for bunch sprints so it will probably be a breakaway again."
The final rider I spoke to was World Time Trial champion Michael Rogers, who Nick Nuyens had said in the press conference had been giving him the perfect armchair ride up the climbs on stage 3. "Obviously I've had to sacrifice my chances yesterday but our first and foremost objective here is to win the general classification. And I think we're on the way to doing that."
"The rest of the team are really strong as well so we'll see what we can do today." Asked how he found the British climbs, monuments in many a great British race. "They're very steep and also the wind was against us yesterday either head on or cross. These are as hard as any of the climbs around the world but they're as hard as we make them. Flat races can be the hardest races too -- it just depends on how hard the group goes."
Mark Cavendish gets second in the bunch sprint just behind Luca Paolini who was the bronze medal winner in Italy last year at the World Championships.
A long line of safety marshalls file past the peloton early on stage 4.
A Chocolade Jacque rider attacks as the field start the race a few miles out of Buxton.
Given the chance, no rider refused a chance to get their arms around Dominique (left) or India (right)
Dominique de-Beaufort who as well as gracing the Tour of Britain podium with her beautiful smiles when presenting the jerseys to riders, is also a singer with a group called the United Sisters who will be bringing out a single later this year...
On each stage, Hugh Porter has spoken to Aussie World TT Champion Michael Rogers -- mostly to remind him of how the cricket is going which always gets a laugh from the crowd ....
Paul Manning looking comfortable in the break.
Nick Nuyens in Yellow and Luca Paolini in Green get an armchair ride from their Quickstep teammates.
Serguei Ivanov (T-Mobile) takes time to eat during the race long break today.
Julian Winn in the mountains jersey is presented to the crowd at the stage of stage 4.
After finishing second, Evan Oliphant is presented with the first British Rider jersey ...
Paul Manning, winner of a special sprint, gets a rather large cheque from the Derbyshire.
Another example of the crowd support the race has had along the whole route this year.
Geraint Thomas signs autographs on stage 4 in Buxton.
It was a bright sunny day for the start in Buxton this morning.
This Japanese rider has been very noticeable on every stage signing autographs, giving out photo cards or just chatting to young fans about cycling.
The CSC riders relax before the start of stage 4.
Michael Rogers, World Time Trial Champion, was quite happy to talk to us when asked, as well as to sign autographs for the many fans shouting his name at the start.
All sorts of entertainment at stage 4 in Buxton.
Results
1. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) T-Mobile 4.24.17
2. Evan Oliphant (GBr) Scotland
3. Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
4. Paul Manning (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
5. Luca Paolini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 10.06
6. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Great Britain
7. Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
8. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic
9. Lars Michaelsen (Den) Team CSC
10. Javier Cherro Molina (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana
11. Eric Baumann (Ger) T-Mobile
12. Tom Vannoppen (Bel) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech
13. Paul Healion (Irl) DFL Driving Force Logistics
14. James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago
15. Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim
16. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld-Valsir
17. Yanto Barker (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics
18. Bert de Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago
19. Siro Camponogara (Ita) Navigators Insurance
20. Erwin Thijs (Bel) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech
21. Eugene Moriarty (Irl) Ireland
22. Peter Mazur (Pol) Navigators Insurance
23. Phillip Dixon (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics
24. Bastiaan Giling (Ned) T-Mobile
25. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC
26. Robert Hayles (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
27. Iljo Keisse (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim
28. Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance
29. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago
30. Ben Day (Aus) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech
31. Ciar¨˘n Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance
32. Julian Winn (GBr) Wales
33. Kieran Page (GBr) Great Britain
34. Tom Southam (GBr) Barloworld-Valsir
35. Michael Rogers (Aus) Quick Step-Innergetic
36. Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic
37. Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
38. Chris Sorensen (Den) Team CSC
39. Dale Appleby (GBr) Wales
40. Tom White (GBr) Great Britain 10.11
41. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC
42. Matthew Gilmore (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim
43. Takehiro Mizutani (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
44. Matthew Brammeier (GBr) Wales
45. Robin Sharman (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
46. Frederic Gabriel (Fra) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech
47. Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
48. Edward Clancy (GBr) Great Britain
49. Chris Newton (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
50. Frederik Willems (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim
51. Roger Hammond (GBr) Great Britain
52. Alex Coutts (GBr) Scotland
53. Juan Gomis Lopez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana
54. Russel Downing (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
55. Paul Griffin (Irl) Ireland
56. Ben Hallam (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics
57. Paudi O'Brien (Irl) Ireland
58. David George (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir
59. Ryan Connor (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics 10.16
60. Alfred Green (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir
61. Thomas Evans (Irl) Ireland
62. David Munoz Banon (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana
63. Steven Roach (GBr) Wales 10.19
64. Jamie Norfolk (GBr) Wales
65. Antonio Olmo Menacho (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana
66. Steffen Wesemann (Ger) T-Mobile
67. Martin Ford (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics
68. Tobias Steinhauser (Ger) T-Mobile 10.23
69. Thierry De Groote (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago10.24
70. Jose Luis Martinez Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana
71. Dean Downing (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
72. Robert Partridge (GBr) Wales
73. Gary Hand (GBr) Scotland
74. Tony Bracke (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 10.27
75. Thomas Bruun Eriksen (Den) Team CSC 10.31
76. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance
77. James McCallum (GBr) Scotland
78. Jonathon Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance
79. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic
80. Davide Bramati (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic
81. Enrico Degano (Ita) Barloworld-Valsir
82. Ryan Cox (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir
83. Duncan Urquhart (GBr) Scotland
84. Bram Schmitz (Ned) T-Mobile
85. David McCann (Irl) Ireland
86. Wesley Van der Linden (Bel) Chocolade Jacques 10.42
87. Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim
88. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Great Britain 10.46
Points
1. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) T-Mobile 15 pts
2. Evan Oliphant (GBr) Scotland 14
3. Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 13
4. Paul Manning (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 12
5. Luca Paolini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 11
6. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Great Britain 10
7. Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 9
8. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 8
9. Lars Michaelsen (Den) Team CSC 7
10. Javier Cherro Molina (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 6
11. Eric Baumann (Ger) T-Mobile 5
12. Tom Vannoppen (Bel) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 4
13. Paul Healion (Irl) DFL Driving Force Logistics 3
14. James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 2
15. Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim 1
King of the MountainsClimb - Cat 3, Cromford
1. Evan Oliphant (GBr) Scotland 4 pts
2. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) T-Mobile 3
3. Paul Manning (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 2
4. Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 1
Climb - Cat 3, Ab Kettleby
1. Evan Oliphant (GBr) Scotland 4 pts
2. Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 3
3. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) T-Mobile 2
4. Paul Manning (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 1
Climb - Cat 3, Upper Broughton
1. Paul Manning (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 4 pts
2. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) T-Mobile 3
3. Evan Oliphant (GBr) Scotland 2
4. Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 1
Prime, Duffield
1. Paul Manning (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
T-Mobile SprintsSprint - Derby
1. Evan Oliphant (GBr) Scotland 5 pts
2. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) T-Mobile 3
3. Paul Manning (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 2
4. Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 1
Sprint - Loughborough
1. Evan Oliphant (GBr) Scotland 5 pts
2. Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 3
3. Paul Manning (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 2
4. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) T-Mobile 1
Sprint - Leicester
1. Evan Oliphant (GBr) Scotland 5 pts
2. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) T-Mobile 3
3. Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 2
4. Paul Manning (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 1
General classification after stage 4
1. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 17.28.44
2. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 0.07
3. Javier Cherro Molina (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 0.10
4. Bert de Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 0.16
5. Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance 0.19
6. Ben Day (Aus) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech
7. Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim 0.22
8. Yanto Barker (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics 1.03
9. Michael Rogers (Aus) Quick Step-Innergetic 1.04
10. Erwin Thijs (Bel) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 1.05
11. Chris Sorensen (Den) Team CSC 1.06
12. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 1.07
13. Tobias Steinhauser (Ger) T-Mobile 1.25
14. Peter Mazur (Pol) Navigators Insurance 1.54
15. David George (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir 2.00
16. Juan Gomis Lopez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 2.02
17. Alex Coutts (GBr) Scotland 2.18
18. Bastiaan Giling (Ned) T-Mobile 2.41
19. Tom Southam (GBr) Barloworld-Valsir 2.48
20. Antonio Olmo Menacho (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 3.15
21. Eric Baumann (Ger) T-Mobile 3.39
22. Iljo Keisse (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim 3.43
23. Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 3.53
24. Davide Bramati (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 4.22
25. Ciar¨˘n Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance 4.45
26. Alfred Green (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir 4.54
27. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld-Valsir 4.56
28. Kieran Page (GBr) Great Britain 6.28
29. Takehiro Mizutani (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 10.47
30. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance 11.11
31. Siro Camponogara (Ita) Navigators Insurance 11.41
32. Thomas Bruun Eriksen (Den) Team CSC 12.05
33. Paul Manning (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 14.09
34. Evan Oliphant (GBr) Scotland 14.43
35. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) T-Mobile 14.44
36. Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 14.51
37. Luca Paolini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 18.51
38. Julian Winn (GBr) Wales 19.03
39. Russel Downing (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
40. Bram Schmitz (Ned) T-Mobile 19.18
41. Dean Downing (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 19.28
42. Ryan Cox (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir
43. Wesley Van der Linden (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim 19.47
44. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Great Britain 20.41
45. Tony Bracke (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 21.28
46. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC 22.45
47. David Munoz Banon (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 23.38
48. Steffen Wesemann (Ger) T-Mobile 23.45
49. David McCann (Irl) Ireland 23.52
50. Roger Hammond (GBr) Great Britain 23.53
51. Frederic Gabriel (Fra) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 24.22
52. Frederik Willems (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim
53. James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 25.01
54. Robin Sharman (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 25.02
55. Lars Michaelsen (Den) Team CSC 25.04
56. Phillip Dixon (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics
57. Dale Appleby (GBr) Wales
58. Edward Clancy (GBr) Great Britain 25.06
59. Chris Newton (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 25.09
60. Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
61. Paul Griffin (Irl) Ireland
62. Ryan Connor (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics 25.14
63. Thomas Evans (Irl) Ireland
64. Jose Luis Martinez Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 25.22
65. Robert Partridge (GBr) Wales
66. Martin Ford (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics 25.24
67. Jonathon Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance 25.29
68. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 25.36
69. Tom White (GBr) Great Britain 27.30
70. Matthew Gilmore (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim
71. Robert Hayles (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 27.35
72. Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim 28.55
73. Tom Vannoppen (Bel) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 29.02
74. Matthew Brammeier (GBr) Wales 29.07
75. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Great Britain 31.56
76. Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 32.00
77. Eugene Moriarty (Irl) Ireland
78. Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
79. Paudi O'Brien (Irl) Ireland 32.05
80. Steven Roach (GBr) Wales 32.13
81. Jamie Norfolk (GBr) Wales
82. Gary Hand (GBr) Scotland 32.18
83. Thierry De Groote (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago
84. Ben Hallam (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics 32.25
85. Duncan Urquhart (GBr) Scotland
86. Paul Healion (Irl) DFL Driving Force Logistics 33.00
87. Enrico Degano (Ita) Barloworld-Valsir 33.25
88. James McCallum (GBr) Scotland 38.33
Points classification
1. Luca Paolini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 38 pts
2. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 27
3. Javier Cherro Molina (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 27
4. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Great Britain 23
5. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 18
6. Eric Baumann (Ger) T-Mobile 16
7. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) T-Mobile 15
8. Roger Hammond (GBr) Great Britain 15
9. Lars Michaelsen (Den) Team CSC 15
10. Evan Oliphant (GBr) Scotland 14
11. Bram Schmitz (Ned) T-Mobile 14
12. Robin Sharman (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 14
13. Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 13
14. Russel Downing (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 13
15. Michael Rogers (Aus) Quick Step-Innergetic 12
16. Paul Manning (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 12
17. Tony Bracke (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 12
18. Bert de Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 11
19. Ryan Cox (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir 11
20. Yanto Barker (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics 10
21. Julian Winn (GBr) Wales 10
22. Erwin Thijs (Bel) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 9
23. Jose Luis Martinez Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 9
24. Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 9
25. Bastiaan Giling (Ned) T-Mobile 8
26. Dean Downing (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 8
27. James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 8
28. Takehiro Mizutani (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 7
29. Wesley Van der Linden (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim 7
30. Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim 6
31. Peter Mazur (Pol) Navigators Insurance 6
32. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Great Britain 6
33. Siro Camponogara (Ita) Navigators Insurance 5
34. Ben Day (Aus) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 4
35. Chris Sorensen (Den) Team CSC 4
36. Iljo Keisse (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim 4
37. Tom Vannoppen (Bel) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 4
38. David George (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir 3
39. Paul Healion (Irl) DFL Driving Force Logistics 3
40. Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance 2
41. Tom Southam (GBr) Barloworld-Valsir 2
42. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC 2
43. Phillip Dixon (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics 1
Mountains classification
1. Julian Winn (GBr) Wales 32 pts
2. Ryan Cox (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir 26
3. Jose Luis Martinez Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 15
4. Luca Paolini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 14
5. Robin Sharman (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 12
6. Evan Oliphant (GBr) Scotland 10
7. Wesley Van der Linden (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim 10
8. Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim 10
9. Bram Schmitz (Ned) T-Mobile 9
10. Ben Day (Aus) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 8
11. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) T-Mobile 8
12. Russel Downing (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 8
13. Roger Hammond (GBr) Great Britain 8
14. Paul Manning (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 7
15. Antonio Olmo Menacho (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 7
16. Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 5
17. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 4
18. Bert de Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 4
19. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 3
20. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Great Britain 3
21. Dean Downing (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 2
22. Tobias Steinhauser (Ger) T-Mobile 1
23. Ciar¨˘n Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance 1
24. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance 1
25. Tony Bracke (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 1
26. Paul Griffin (Irl) Ireland 1
Sprints classification
1. Eric Baumann (Ger) T-Mobile 18 pts
2. Evan Oliphant (GBr) Scotland 15
3. Roger Hammond (GBr) Great Britain 15
4. Javier Cherro Molina (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 11
5. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Great Britain 8
6. Jose Luis Martinez Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 8
7. Robin Sharman (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 8
8. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) T-Mobile 7
9. Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim 7
10. Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 6
11. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 5
12. Paul Manning (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 5
13. Tom Southam (GBr) Barloworld-Valsir 3
14. Bram Schmitz (Ned) T-Mobile 3
15. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 3
16. Russel Downing (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 3
17. Wesley Van der Linden (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim 3
18. Dean Downing (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed 2
19. Iljo Keisse (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim 1
20. Ryan Cox (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir 1