From: seales@taquilee.inria.fr (Brent Seales)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: Tour de France (from l'Equipe):  Stage 15
Date: 22 Jul 92 09:03:55 GMT
Organization: INRIA Sophia-Antipolis, France

The Tour de France
Stage 15 (Monday, July 20)
Bourg d'Oisans - Saint Etienne
(198 km)

[from l'Equipe Tuesday, July 21]

Course:  relatively easy, except in the Loire (40 km from the finish) with
the Croix-de-Chaubouret (2nd category) to climb.  Weather stormy,
temperature 30-35 degrees, rain in the final kilometers, favorable wind,
135 riders.

TWENTY ATTACKERS

At the initiative of Lilholt (Tulip), 20 riders get away at km 2:  Lilholt
and Holm (Tulip), Ghirotto and Roscioli (Carrera), Bourguignon and Durand
(Castorama), Maassen (Buckler), Vanzella (GB-MG), Colotti (Z), Jaermann
and Cassani (Ariostea), Declercq (Lotto), Andreu (Motorola), Chiurato
(Gatorade), Louviot (ONCE), Maier (PDM), Garmendia (Banesto), Manders
(Helvetia), Da Silva (Festina) and Virenque (RMO).  The have a 3' 50" lead
at the sprint of Peage-de-Vizille (km 29), and then 4' 35" at km 45.  The
peloton reacted, led by Team Panasonic, Team PDM, and Team TVM.  In the
first hour 50.2 km were covered.  The breakaway group only had 1' 5" at
the foot of the cote de Georgat (km 76).  On the slope of the last kilometer
of the climb (15% grade) both the group in front and the peloton exploded.
Virenque is in front at the summit (3rd category, km 81), followed by
Maassen and Ghirotto.  Durand, Lilholt and Manders slip back to the peloton, 
and the front action of the peloton is 1' 40" behind the breakaway.

ROSCIOLI AND MAIER INSIST

Roscioli and Maier escape from the 16 breakaway riders.  The others in the
break are caught by the peloton, which reforms at km 104.  The lead of the
two escaped riders mounts again to 5' 30" at km 114.  Roscioli cuts down on
his effort, but the peloton does not react and the two riders maintain a
4' 50" gap at Anneyron (km 131).  Team ONCE takes up the chase, and at the
summit of the cote des Barges (3rd category, km 146) where Roscioli passes
first and then Maier, the gap is reduced to only 2' 18".  Many riders from
the peloton have been dropped.

CHIOCCIOLI EVADES THEM ALL

On the first slopes of the Croix-de-Chaubouret (km 162), Chioccioli (GB-MG)
leaves the peloton accompanied by Pedersen (Amaya) and Kummer (PDM).  They
catch Roscioli and Maier at km 165, and Chioccioli pursues his efforts alone.  
Team ONCE pulls the peloton, which has dropped Musseew (Lotto), the Grean 
Jersey.  Stevens (ONCE) does the work to help Jalabert [who is challenging 
the Green Jersey], with Indurain and Chiappucci on their wheels.  Chiccioli 
has 51" at mi-col, 1' at the summit of the Croix-de-Chaubouret (2nd category, 
km 180), with Jalabert, Bolts (Telekom), and Kvalsvoll (Z) slightly detatched 
in front of the peloton.  Roche (Carrera) pulls the Indurain group.  Pensec 
(RMO) leaves alone on the descent in counter-attack, but slips (under the 
rain) in a turn and goes down [he was going fast (almost 80 kph!) but did not 
hit anything hard off the side of the road.  Because of the rain I don't 
think he lost that much skin.  But it looked scary.  He was up quickly].  
Konyshev (TVM) and Perini (Carrera) pursue in his place, but Chioccioli hangs 
on and wins the stage.  Indurain maintains the Yellow Jersey, and Jalabert, 
fourth, takes the Green Jersey.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quinzieme Etape
Bourg d'Oisans - Saint Etienne
198 km

1.  Chioccioli F. (GBM)		 4h 43' 59"
2.  Konyshev D. (TVM)		        42"
3.  Perini G. (CAR)			43"
4.  Jalabert L. (ONC)			49"
5.  Chiappucci C. (CAR)			49"
6.  Lino P. (RMO)			49"
7.  Ghirotto M. (CAR)			49"
8.  Unzaga Bombini J. (CLA)		49"
9.  Alcala R. (PDM)			49"
10. Rooks S. (BUC)			49"

...

12. Bugno G. (GAT)		     	49"
14. Roche S. (CAR)		    	49"
15. Indurain M. (BAN)		     	49"
18. Hampsten A. (MOT)			49"
19. Fignon L. (GAT)		    	49"
20. Breukink E. (PDM)		     	49"

General
a l'issue de la 15 etape

1.  Indurain M. (BAN)           74h  4' 55"
2.  Chiappuci C. (CAR)               1' 42"
3.  Hampsten A. (MOT)                8'  1"
4.  Lino P. (RMO)                    9' 16"
5.  Bugno G. (GAT)                  10'  9"
6.  Delgado P. (BAN)                11' 38"
7.  Breukink E. (PDM)               15' 48"
8.  Perini G. (CAR)                 15' 50"
9.  Roche S. (CAR)                  18'  3"
10. Heppner J. (TEL)                18' 22"
11. Vona F. (GBM)		    19' 10"

...

24. Fignon L. (GAT)                 35' 28"
40. Kelly S. (FES)		 1h 10' 28"
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles