FRANCE: Landis wins Tour de France, Hushovd takes last stage.

American Floyd Landis was crowned Tour de France champion after Sunday's parade on the Champs-Elysees ended in a sprint won by Norway's Thor Hushovd. Russian Viatceslav Ekimov, taking part in his 15th and final Tour, entered the Champs-Elysees in first place after being freed by the peloton. A group of 14 riders opened up a 30-second gap after the third of the eight laps on the famous Champs-Elysees avenue. A small bunch of riders, including the top sprinters, broke clear in the last kilometre. Australian Robbie McEwen launched his sprint too early and was denied an unprecedented third victory on the Champs-Elysees by Hushovd, who had already won the prologue. Australian Stuart O'Grady took third place. Landis sealed his overall tour victory after finishing third in Saturday's time trial, beating his closest rivals to succeed compatriot Lance Armstrong in the race's roll of honour. Spain's Oscar Pereiro was second overall and Andreas Kloeden of Germany finished third. Phonak rider Landis, a former team mate of Armstrong who retired last year following his record seventh consecutive Tour win, made up eight minutes when he won Thursday's 17th stage in the Alps in one of the greatest rides in Tour history. The American had lost ground on the ascent to La Toussuire on Wednesday but dug deep to close the gap on Pereiro in a solo effort reminiscent of the 1971 showing by Spaniard Luis Ocana, who beat Belgian great Eddy Merckx by 8:42 in the Pyrenees. The white jersey for the best young rider went to Italy's Damiano Cunego two years after the "Little Prince" won the Giro d'Italia. Australian Robbie McEwen, who won three stages in this year's Tour, claimed the green jersey for the best sprinter for the third time after taking it in 2002 and 2004. Dane Michael Rasmussen retained the polka-dot jersey for the best climber. Final classification from the Tour de France: 1. Floyd Landis (U.S. / Phonak ) 89:39:30" 2. Oscar Pereiro (Spain / Caisse d'Epargne ) +57" 3. Andreas Kloeden (Germany / T-Mobile ) +1:29" 4. Carlos Sastre (Spain / Team CSC ) +3:13" 5. Cadel Evans (Australia / Davitamon - Lotto ) +5:08" 6. Denis Menchov (Russia / Rabobank ) +7:06" 7. Cyril Dessel (France / AG2R ) +8:41" 8. Christophe Moreau (France / AG2R ) +9:37" 9. Haimar Zubeldia (Spain / Euskaltel ) +12:05" 10. Michael Rogers (Australia / T-Mobile ) +15:07" 11. Fraenk Schleck (Luxembourg / Team CSC ) +17:46" 12. Damiano Cunego (Italy / Lampre ) +19:19" 13. Levi Leipheimer (U.S. / Gerolsteiner ) +19:22" 14. Michael Boogerd (Netherlands / Rabobank ) +19:46" 15. Markus Fothen (Germany / Gerolsteiner ) +19:57" 16. Pietro Caucchioli (Italy / Credit Agricole ) +21:12" 17. Tadej Valjavec (Slovenia / Lampre ) +26:25" 18. Michael Rasmussen (Denmark / Rabobank ) +28:33" 19. Jose Azevedo (Portugal / Discovery Channel ) +38:08" 20. Marzio Bruseghin (Italy / Lampre ) +43:05" Final points classification from the Tour de France: Points 1. Robbie McEwen (Australia / Davitamon - Lotto ) 288 2. Erik Zabel (Germany / Milram ) 199 3. Thor Hushovd (Norway / Credit Agricole ) 195 4. Bernhard Eisel (Austria / Francaise des Jeux ) 176 5. Luca Paolini (Italy / Liquigas ) 174 6. Inaki Isasi (Spain / Euskaltel ) 130 7. Francisco Ventoso (Spain / Saunier Duval ) 128 8. Cristian Moreni (Italy / Cofidis ) 116 9. Jimmy Casper (France / Cofidis ) 98 10. Floyd Landis (U.S. / Phonak ) 93 Final mountain classification from the Tour de France: Points 1. Michael Rasmussen (Denmark / Rabobank ) 166 2. Floyd Landis (U.S. / Phonak ) 131 3. David De la Fuente (Spain / Saunier Duval ) 113 4. Carlos Sastre (Spain / Team CSC ) 99 5. Fraenk Schleck (Luxembourg / Team CSC ) 96 6. Michael Boogerd (Netherlands / Rabobank ) 93 7. Damiano Cunego (Italy / Lampre ) 80 8. Cyril Dessel (France / AG2R ) 72 9. Levi Leipheimer (U.S. / Gerolsteiner ) 66 10. Andreas Kloeden (Germany / T-Mobile ) 64 Final youth classification from the ProTour Tour de France on Sunday 1. Damiano Cunego (Italy / Lampre ) 89:58:49" 2. Markus Fothen (Germany / Gerolsteiner ) +38" 3. Matthieu Sprick (France / Bouygues Telecom ) +1:29:12" 4. David De la Fuente (Spain / Saunier Duval ) +1:36:00" 5. Moises Duenas (Spain / Agritubel ) +1:48:40" 6. Thomas Loevkvist (Sweden / Francaise des Jeux ) +1:52:54" 7. Francisco Ventoso (Spain / Saunier Duval ) +2:22:03" 8. Joost Posthuma (Netherlands / Rabobank ) +2:32:41" 9. Benoit Vaugrenard (France / Francaise des Jeux ) +2:33:12" 10. Pieter Weening (Netherlands / Rabobank ) +2:36:44" Final team classification from the ProTour Tour de France on Sunday 1. T-Mobile 269:08:46" 2. Team CSC +17:04" 3. Rabobank +23:26" 4. AG2R +33:19" 5. Caisse d'Epargne +56:53" 6. Lampre +57:37" 7. Gerolsteiner +1:45:25" 8. Discovery Channel +2:19:17" 9. Euskaltel +2:26:38" 10. Phonak +2:49:06"

ITN Source | July 24, 2006

Tags:. .honour. .kilometre. .freed. .retained. .norways