Saint-Quentin, France – In a sport ruled for so long by Lance Armstrong, fellow American Levi Leipheimer is hardly a household name. In the next two weeks of the Tour de France, he might become a little more familiar.
The consistently high- performing Butte, Mont., native has reason to fancy his chances of becoming Armstrong’s heir: Of the 172 racers still left in cycling’s showpiece race that lost top contenders to doping allegations, a crash and illness, only four have finished above Leipheimer – and one of those is now his teammate.
Leipheimer finished comfortably in the main pack in Wednesday’s fourth stage, won by Australian sprinter Robbie McEwen with a remarkable final burst of speed. Tom Boonen of Belgium kept the overall lead, proudly wearing the yellow jersey on his home turf.
Leipheimer, who is 27th overall, admits it is still early in the three-week race and that a surprise winner could emerge before the finish in Paris on July 23.
“Someone could pop up and do really well,” he said after Wednesday’s fourth stage, where he accomplished one of his top priorities for the fast and dangerous first week: staying safe.
Of having been beaten by so few riders in this year’s field, he said: “That’s the past, and this is a different year and riders get stronger and more experience.
“It means a lot, but it’s not an absolute truth that you can place your bets on.”
When asked, Leipheimer names three riders who placed above him in the three Tours he has finished: Spaniard Carlos Sastre of Team CSC, the Discovery Channel’s Portuguese climber Jose Azevedo and T-Mobile racer Andreas Kloeden, a friend and teammate of Jan Ullrich, who was among nine riders barred before the start because of doping allegations.
But Leipheimer is forgetting a fourth: his Gerolsteiner teammate Georg Totschnig. The Austrian finished seventh at the 2004 Tour, two spots above Leipheimer, who was then racing for Rabobank.
Leipheimer’s spotty memory is perhaps not accidental. At some point on this Tour, he may have to shelve his own ambitions and ride in support of Totschnig if the team decides that the Austrian has the best chance to win. But the reverse could be true, too.
For the moment, the squad says that both are team leaders and that the decision on who is in the best position to ride for the Tour crown will be judged on Saturday’s long time trial and their performances during the tough climbs of the Pyrenees and Alps.
RESULTS
AT SAINT-QUENTIN, FRANCE
Fourth stage
128.6 miles from Huy, Belgium, to Saint-Quentin
1. Robbie McEwen, Australia, Davitamon-Lotto, 4 hours, 59 minutes, 50 seconds.
2. Isaac Galvez, Spain, Caisse D’Epargne-Illes Balears, same time.
3. Oscar Freire, Spain, Rabobank, same time.
4. Thor Hushovd, Norway, Credit Agricole, same time.
5. Tom Boonen, Belgium, Quick Step-Innergetic, same time.
6. David Kopp, Germany, Gerolsteiner, same time.
7. Daniele Bennati, Italy, Lampre-Fondital, same time.
8. Francisco Ventoso, Spain, Saunier Duval-Prodir, same time.
9. Michael Albasini, Switzerland, Liquigas, same time.
10. Bernhard Eisel, Austria, Francaise des Jeux, same time.
11. Jimmy Casper, France, Cofidis, same time.
12. Michael Rogers, Australia, T-Mobile, same time.
13. Anthony Geslin, France, Bouygues Telecom, same time.
14. George Hincapie, United States, Discovery Channel, same time.
15. Laurent Brochard, France, Bouygues Telecom, same time.
16. Arnaud Coyot, France, Cofidis, same time.
17. Stefano Garzelli, Italy, Liquigas, same time.
18. Yaroslav Popovych, Ukraine, Discovery Channel, same time.
19. Andreas Kloden, Germany, T-Mobile, same time.
20. Gert Steegmans, Belgium, Davitamon-Lotto, same time.
Also
23. Floyd Landis, United States, Phonak, same time.
26. Jose Luis Rubiera, Spain, Discovery Channel, same time.
36. Christopher Horner, United States, Davitamon-Lotto, same time.
40. Bobby Julich, Glenwood Springs, Team CSC, same time.
41. Pavel Padrnos, Czech Republic, Discovery Channel, same time.
55. Egoi Martinez, Spain, Discovery Channel, same time.
56. Levi Leipheimer, United States, Gerolsteiner, same time.
57. Viatceslav Ekimov, Russia, Discovery Channel, same time.
58. Benjamin Noval Gonzalez, Spain, Discovery Channel, same time.
61. Paolo Savoldelli, Italy, Discovery Channel, same time.
76. Jose Azevedo, Portugal, Discovery Channel, same time.
91. Christian Vandevelde, United States, Team CSC, same time.
121. David Zabriskie, United States, Team CSC, same time.
Overall standings
(After four stages)
1. Tom Boonen, Belgium, Quick Step-Innergetic, 19:52:13.
2. Michael Rogers, Australia, T-Mobile, 1 second behind.
3. George Hincapie, United States, Discovery Channel, :05.
4. Thor Hushovd, Norway, Credit Agricole, :07.
5. Egoi Martinez, Spain, Discovery Channel, :10.
6. Robbie McEwen, Australia, Davitamon-Lotto, :12.
7. Paolo Savoldelli, Italy, Discovery Channel, :15.
8. Daniele Bennati, Italy, Lampre-Fondital, same time.
9. Floyd Landis, United States, Phonak, :16.
10. Vladimir Karpets, Russia, Caisse D’Epargne-Illes Balears, :17.
11. Serhiy Honchar, Ukraine, T-Mobile, same time.
12. Matthias Kessler, Germany, T-Mobile, same time.
13. Cadel Evans, Australia, Davitamon-Lotto, :20.
14. Christophe Moreau, France, AG2R Prevoyance, same time.
15. David Millar, Britain, Saunier Duval-Prodir, :21.
16. Patrik Sinkewitz, Germany, T-Mobile, :23.
17. David Zabriskie, United States, Team CSC, same time.
18. Andreas Kloden, Germany, T-Mobile, :24.
19. Marcus Fothen, Germany, Gerolsteiner, :25.
20. Oscar Freire, Spain, Rabobank, same time.
Also
22. Bobby Julich, Glenwood Springs, Team CSC, same time.
24. Yaroslav Popovych, Ukraine, Discovery Channel, :27.
25. Christian Vandevelde, United States, Team CSC, :28.
27. Levi Leipheimer, United States, Gerolsteiner, same time.
30. Jose Azevedo, Portugal, Discovery Channel, :31.
50. Jose Luis Rubiera, Spain, Discovery Channel, :45.
59. Benjamin Noval Gonzalez, Spain, Discovery Channel, :49.
72. Pavel Padrnos, Czech Republic, Discovery Channel, :57.
129. Viatceslav Ekimov, Russia, Discovery Channel, 4:55.
143. Christopher Horner, United States, Davitamon-Lotto, 8:22.
