At least I got a red square notice that my browser (Mozilla Firefox)
wasn't compatible with the site, and that the site was best viewed with
Internet Explorer 5.0 or a newer version of that browser. This is a
guesstimated translation using combined knowledge of English, German and
Swedish.

Babel Fish is our friend, sort of :-)

"Drama race sparrows expires still good
Everything hung just as on sides draadje for Michael Rasmussen and the Rabo
wielerploeg. Not only a place in top-tien of the klassement, but also the
bolletjestrui. A heavy schuiver and a spectacular buiteling in a descent
seemed throw the csdane definitively from the tour, but up to that point
came it fortunately not."

As Rasmussen is known as "the chicken" due to his build, perhaps that is the
reference to the 'sparrow'??

"plough LEADER Erik Breukink broke out the cold sweat in the
ploegleiderswagen then race sparrows already after four kilometres against
the asphalt slid. Michael panicked afterwards entirely. Just in the last
five kilometres herpakte he itself slightly, Breukink had observed."

"The panic attack of race sparrows led fifteen kilometres after its fall to
three bicycle sure awls. The mount king wants of rear wheel change, although
there were apparent no problems. He got a new bicycle, but wanted that
twenty meters further exchange for another. Five kilometres further followed
fietswissel. race sparrows recovered its first.

But that missed last he just as later in a descent a turning. race sparrows
touched in the verge in a drain and beat concerning the head. Breukink beat
then fright for the heart. I thought. ' there our bolletjestrui ' goes.
Because that third I from the head had of course for a long time put. That
was for the time trial already clear.

Breukink have a firm klus in oppeppen of race sparrows, which bulged
anaesthetised entirely concerning the finish. He does not have look at to
what wrong has gone, but to what he has reached. A stage triumph, the
bolletjestrui and a place in top-tien. We are extraordinarily satisfied.
What has happened today, must we all but rapidly forget. This was a manner
lesson."

"race sparrows were of course driven beyond both Ivan Basso, which three
minutes after him had left, and Lance Armstrong, which six had make up for
minutes. Then he almost panicked also Basso in a descent a turning missed
after a terrible start. The italiaan had enough time best after nineteen
kilometres, but chose afterwards for certainty and could the high tempo
continue.

That did, however, Armstrong, which always still without individual stage
triumph zat this tour. Already the fork with Jan Ullrich was, 23 seconden,
on the tight side. Ullrich drove to a terrible Second part of the time trial
and insured with that a place on the podium. Already the duitser, however,
something else will have presented himself then the third place.

We will complete this stage report shortly with more responses."

I love these translation packages that do it literally ;-)

Cheers, helen s

It was a nail-biting stage. Who says time trials don't make good viewing!
;-)

Rasmussen will be a wiser rider for next year. My gut feeling is that he was
probably so wound up on adrenaline that once the first change of bike was
necessitated, he lost it and what may well have been perfectly adjusted
bikes weren't - to his mindset at the time. Shame really. He had to finish
to keep the KOTM jersey too - probably when he felt like quitting. The
episode was a valuable lesson to Nathan in how not to give up!

Armstrong did a brilliant ride - I had a feeling he would, he just doesn't
seem to be of the mindset where he's be completely happy with the yellow
without having had an individual stage win. No chance of losing today as it
simply isn't contested on the last day - if you are in yellow at the start
of the final day - you keep it - the peloton do not attack. On the other
hand, if he fell off and couldn't continue, I'm not sure what the peloton
would do in such circumstances. That's one thing about cycle racing that you
just don't get in other sports, such as not attacking the leader when he's
down (as witnessed in the past on several occasions throughout the years).

I know that sometimes in the American press it says that Armstrong isn't
liked in France - it's utter tosh. He'll be cheered every inch of today's
stage and the Champs Elysee will have a million people on it (I was one of
them in 2003) and they'll be there witnessing a historic seventh TdF win and
cheering the winner.

Cheers, helen s

Monique Y. Mudama Wrote:

Uh, haha, there were no quotes from Rasmussen directly. The quotes wer
from team leader Erik Breukink. Here's the translation:

Drama Rasmussen ends well after all
Everything seemed to be hanging by a thread for Michael Rasmussen an
the Rabo Cycle-Team. Not just a place in the top-10, but also th
dotted shirt. One heavy fall and one spectacular fall in a descen
seemed to throw the Dane out of the classification definitely, bu
fortunately it did not get that far.
Team leader Erik Breukink broke down in fear of sweat when after
kilometers Rasmussen already smacked against the tarmac. "Michae
totally panicked after that. Only in the last 5 kilometers he had mor
or less regained himself," Breukink had found.
Rasmussen's stroke of panick led to 3 bike-switches 15 kilometers afte
his fall. The king of the mountains wanted to switch rear wheels
although there seemed to be no troubles. He got a new bike, but wante
to switch that for another one after 20 meters. 5 kilometers furthe
followed another bike-switch. Rasmussen got back his first bike.
But on that last one, some time later he missed another curve in
descend. Rasmussen got into the verge and flipped over. Breukink the
got struck with fear. "I thought; there goes our dotted shirt. Becaus
of course I had by long forgotten about that third place already. Tha
was clear before the time trial already."
Breukink will have a tough job cheering Rasmussen, who rolled acros
the finish line totally dazed, back up. "He should not look at wha
went wrong, but at what he has achieved. An stage-win, the dotted shir
and a place in the top 10. We are extremely satisfied. We should jus
very quickly forget all that happened today. This was a wise lesson."
First stage-win Armstrong
Rasmussen was of course passed by both Ivan Basso, who had left
minutes after him, and Lance Armstrong, who had to make up for
minutes. Basso also panicked after a great start when he in a descen
almost missed a curve. The Italian had the best time after 2
kilometers, but then chose for security and could not keep up the hig
tempo.
Which is what Armstrong did, who was still without an individua
stage-win in this Tour. Although the margin with Jan Ullrich, 2
seconds, was quite tight. Ullrich rode a wonderful second part of th
time trial and secured himself of a place on the podium. Although th
German would have imagined himself something else than the third place

--
Fritti

From Babel Fish:

Nourish of bolletjestrui

• 24/7: 21st stage Status quo on spekglad parcours

Since the tour the France more with an individual time trial have not been
concluded, have been the lock stage not more than ererondes drive by the
centre of Paris. That was Sunday not differently. The renners also by it
being stimulated bad quietly it to put on. The wegdek was spekglad. The
coureurs decided on command of Lance Armstrong for a long time a status quo.

The csdane had and intact Paris would obtain to insure large price to the
Rabo wielerploeg after the stage triumphs of Pieter Weening and Rasmussen
themselves of the third, the bolletjestrui. Nevertheless not to
underestimate a hoofdprijs in the tour, which has been never won by a '
small ' renner. For that the parcours of the French round much is too heavy.

' Vino '

The lock stage was not won in contrast to the tradition the last years by a
sprinter. Alexandre Vinokourov surprised the complete group with an outburst
in the final. He remained everyone and won with tiny difference the lock
ride. With that conquered he also twenty seconden bonificatie. Sufficiently
to repress place Levi Leipheimer of the fiftieth in the general klassement.
race sparrows remained seventh.

We will complete this report shortly with more news and responses from the
tour.