|
CYCLE SPORT: JULY 2004
FIVE-STAR LEGENDS
An elite group of men can claim the five-times Tour title, but with Armstrong looking as strong as ever, he may well break the jinx that kept greater success from the likes of Merckx, Hinault, Anquetil and Indurain. Here we salute all five men
LANCE ARMSTRONG – THE LONE STAR
Armstrong may have joined the elite club, but at 32 years of age and with Ullrich and company on his back, it’s guaranteed to be a stunning contest this year as he tries for six
MIGUEL INDURAIN – THE MACHINE
Taking his first Tour de France victory in 1991, Indurain eventually made it into the record books by becoming the first person to take five back-to-back Tour wins — we describe his relentless march
BERNARD HINAULT – THE COMPLETE CYCLIST
In 1978 the aggressive Breton took his first of five Tour victories. It has been 15 years since his last, and the French are still looking for a successor of the same caliber
EDDY MERCKX – SWEET AND SOUR
Believed by most cyclists to be the best ever, Merckx was the second man to take five Tour victories with a supreme allround talent that also saw him add many Classics to his palmarès
JACQUES ANQUETIL – THE FIRST
Just over 50 years after the Tour was first run, Anquetil became the first cyclist to win five editions, dominating the cycling scene in the late Fifties and early Sixties
TOUR HISTORY SPECIAL
The 50 greatest moments that shaped the Tour: 1902 - 2003
CONQUERING L’ALPE D’HUEZ
Bruce Hildenbrand interviews Andy Hampsten about Andy’s memorable victory at L’Alpe D’Huez during the 1992 Tour de France.
LANCE ARMSTRONG
The Texan has been showing brilliant form already this season — win a sixth Tour and he’ll go down in history
JAN ULLRICH
With T-Mobile, Jan Ullrich may have the team support to steal victory from his American rival
ALEXANDRE VINOKOUROV
His performance last year will be in the back of all the top contenders’ minds — the Kazakh could prove invincible
TYLER HAMILTON
This man knows no pain — he rode most of last year’s Tour with a broken collarbone! And this year, he’s determined to fight all the way to Paris
JOSEBA BELOKI
Struggling for form, a question mark still looms over the head of the Spaniard since his crash last year — but don’t rule him out for overall glory
IBAN MAYO
Determined to wreak havoc in the mountains, Mayo remains one of Armstrong’s greatest threats to take the Tour title in France’s capital
TEAMS
Take in the array of team colors that willbe paraded across France in July — which favorite has the strongest back-up?
MAP AND STAGE PROFILES
Le Tour 2004 covers some diverse terrain that holds potential for a wide range of specialists to shine
RICHARD VIRENQUE – MOUNTAIN SURVIVOR
The housewife’s favorite could win a recordbreaking seventh King of the Mountains jersey in this year’s Tour de France, but at 34, his age could be the telling factor
BERNARD THEVENET – MAN OF THE PEOPLE
The hard-working Frenchman was a real crowd pleaser. Brought up in the countryside, he intelligently rode to two overall victories in the Tour, even beating the great Eddy Merckx This diverse trio of riders has provided French fans with triumph and tribulations over the years — each of the three hold a hero’s place in the heart of traditional cycling territory Richard Virenque
GILBERT DUCLOS LASSALLE - HISTORY MAN
Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle made history when he won Paris-Roubaix at the age of 39, but as a true cycling traditionalist his 18-year career saw some of the greatest changes to ever take place in the sport
NEWS
All the news fit to print on the world of road cycling.
LETTERS
from Cycling fans.
GRAHAM WATSON
Cycle Sport’s photographer Graham Watson relects on the impact of Damiano Cunego upon this year's Giro d'Italia, and looks towards to the 2004 Tour de France
CHRIS CARMICHAEL
Breaking the barrier
RESULTS
BROOMWAGON
The best things in cycling and our bluffer's guide to teams.
|
Purchase this issue
|
