Zabel wins photo-finish sprint as peloton readies for Pyrenees
By Andrew Hood
Outside Online correspondent

Zabel takes it at the line in a photo finish (639k avi)

With sprints ending seven of the first eight stages of the three-week Tour, the tempo of the race changes Monday with four high-altitude cols in the demanding 182-kilometer (109-mile) stage.

"Everything's going good," said defending Tour champion Bjarne Riis (Telekom), in 14th at 4'09” back. "We see how good after tomorrow."

With several pre-race favorites already out of the race, Riis and the top climbers will move front and center in the unfolding drama of the Tour.

Monday's stage features the Col du Tourmalet, one of the Tour's most-storied "cols" or passes, a beyond-category climb that tops out at 2,114 meters (6,976 feet).

Teams were busy preparing for the climbing stages, with mechanics changing tires, freewheels, and handlebars on bikes. The 1,000-strong press contingent swelled Sunday as more reporters arrived for the start of the "real" race.

"I had a good prologue and no problems in the first week, but the race starts tomorrow," said last year's runner-up Jan Ullrich (Telekom), in fourth at 2'56". "I can't compare my form from last year until the mountains begin. I'm feeling strong, but tomorrow will tell.

Hundreds of thousands of fans will line the course, with many Spaniards making the trek over the border to cheer on national hope Abraham Olano. The top riders said they are relieved the opening stages are over and the mountain stages have finally arrived, the real test for the top riders.

"This week I've felt good and go into the mountains with a lot of confidence. My whole year I've been preparing for the Tour, so I feel fresh for what's ahead," said last year's fifth-place overall Peter Luttenberger (Rabobank), in 17th at 4'13".

What awaits the peloton loomed on the horizon today as the riders roared into Pau, a beautiful fortified city along the foothills of the Pyrenees. Italy's Fabio Baldato (MG) and France's Ludovic Auger (Big Mat) built up a six-minute lead midway through the stage, but the peloton, powered by Batik, Casino, and TVM, reeled them in 12 miles from the finish.

Several riders peeled off the front of the peloton in the final kilometers, including U.S. Postal's Vjatceslav Ekimov, but they couldn't escape. Telekom pulled off a textbook perfect setup for Zabel, who hung on to win his third Tour stage this year.

"It was this close," Zabel said as he held his fingers together.

Indeed, it was close. Batik's Nicola Minali, TVM's Jeroen Blijlevens, and Gan's Frédéric Moncassin all arrived at the line together, in a fitting conclusion to what's so far been a sprinter's Tour.

Now, on to the Pyrenees.

Stage 8 results

Andrew Hood is Outside Online's European cycling correspondent.