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2004 Tour de France
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Stage 20 July 25, 2004
Stage 19 July 24, 2004
Stage 18 July 23, 2004
Stage 17 July 22, 2004
Stage 16 July 21, 2004
Stage 15 July 20, 2004
Stage 14 July 18, 2004
Stage 13 July 17, 2004
Stage 12 July 16, 2004
Stage 11 July 15, 2004
Stage 10 July 14, 2004
Stage 9 July 13, 2004
Stage 8 July 11, 2004
Stage 7 July 10, 2004
Stage 6 July 09, 2004
Stage 5 July 08, 2004
Stage 4: Team Time Trial July 07, 2004
Stage 3 July 06, 2004
Stage 2 July 05, 2004
Stage 1 July 04, 2004
Prologue July 03, 2004
Tour Preview July 02, 2004
Stage 18 June 23, 2004
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2004 Tour Photo Gallery #7,
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2004 TOUR DE FRANCE
Stage 6: July 09, 2004

Stage 6: July 09, 2004
Armstrong Crashes; Boonen Takes Stage 6
Compiled by Outside Online


Armstrong finishes with the peloton after crashing in Stage 6
Armstrong finishes with
the peloton after crashing
in Stage 6 (Beth Schneider)
Stage 6 began with a scare for five-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong. The Texan was involved in a crash on the 123-mile course with riders from teams Gerolsteiner, Domina Vacanze, FDJeux, and Lotto-Domo after just eight miles. No one was injured in the incident and all riders were able to get back on their bikes, but it wasn't the only crash to take place during the stage. Just before the race's finish, another major crash split the peloton and resulted in many riders straggling in after the winning group. According to Tour de France rules, if a crash occurs within the one-kilometer mark, all riders involved will be awarded the same time as the group they were riding with.

Armstrong rolled across the line in 34th place and currently stands at sixth in the general standings, followed by teammate George Hincapie in seventh place. Rivals Tyler Hamilton, Jan Ullrich, and Roberto Heras currently stand at 13th, 21st, and 39th, respectively.

Tom Boonen (Quick Step-Davitamon) won the stage in a mad dash for the finish line. Australian Stuart O'Grady (Cofidis) took second while Erik Zabel (TMO) rounded out the top three. O'Grady was able to take the green jersey from Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo) with his second-place finish and French National Champion Thomas Voeckler (BLB), who placed 128th for the day, held on to the yellow jersey for the second day in a row.

At about the 11-mile mark, Alessandro Bertolini (Alessio-Bianchi), Marc Lotz (Rabobank), and Carlos Da Cruz ( FDJeux.com) broke away from the pack, with Juan Antonio Flecha (Fassa Bortolo), Jimmy Engoulvent (Cofidis), and CSC's Kurt-Asle Arvesen soon joining them. Despite garnering a lead of more than 4:25 over the pack, with 37 miles to go the peloton began to chase and brought the gap down to 3:59, thanks to the efforts of teams Quick Step and Lotto-Domo.

With 30 miles to go, the gap was just 2:43 and at 21 miles left, that had been chipped down to 1:58. Despite an effort to hold off the pack, two of the six leaders, Arveson and Bertolini, were consumed by the peloton, leaving Flecha, Lotz, Da Cruz, and Engoulvent out front with just under 12 miles to go in the race.

But their lead didn't last long. Flecha broke from the remaining three riders about four miles from the finish line, leaving them to be caught by the peloton. He made a dash to get out front but was chased down by the rest of the pack with just over one mile left in the race, setting up a final sprint for the finish line.


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