Tour de France 2005/18. stage

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Result of the 18th stage
Stage winner Marcos Serrano 4:37:36 h
Second Cédric Vasseur +0: ​​27 min
Third Axel Merckx +0: ​​27 min
Fourth Xabier Zandio +1: 08 min
fifth Franco Pellizotti + 1:08 min
Intermediate results after the 18th stage
Yellow jersey Lance Armstrong 77:44:44 h
Second Ivan Basso +2: 46 min
Third Michael Rasmussen +3: 46 min
Green jersey Thor Hushovd 164 P.
Second Stuart O'Grady 150 P.
Third Robbie McEwen 142 P.
Dotted jersey Michael Rasmussen , 185 P.
Second Óscar Pereiro , 135 P.
Third Lance Armstrong , 92 P.
White jersey Yaroslav Popovych 78:00:37 h
Second Andrei Kaschetschkin +7: 47 min
Third Alberto Contador +41: 20 min

The distance of the 18th stage of the Tour de France 2005 was 189 kilometers and led from Albi to Mende . The route through the southwestern part of the Massif Central was characterized by numerous hills and narrow roads. The goal was not in Mende itself, but on the runway of the airfield above the city; In the end, the drivers had to cope with a five kilometer long and up to 14% steep climb.

The race was similar to the day before. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to break away, a group of ten drivers managed to break away at kilometer 50. None of these drivers posed a threat to the top of the overall standings; 25 kilometers from the finish line, the lead was already more than a quarter of an hour.

In the ascent to the penultimate mountain classification, the Côte de Chabrits, Carlos Da Cruz tried to break away from the top group. In the meantime he had a lead of 20 seconds, but was caught again before the top of the pass. On the outskirts of Mende, Axel Merckx , Cédric Vasseur and Marcos Serrano were a few seconds ahead. In the steep climb up to the airfield, Serrano shook off his last companions and was no longer overtaken on the short flat stretch before the goal.

Serrano had already crossed the finish line when the leaders in the general classification made the final climb. Again there was a fight for every second. Michael Rasmussen could no longer keep up with Ivan Basso's tempo dictation and fell behind. Only Lance Armstrong , Cadel Evans and Jan Ullrich were able to follow Basso.

Intermediate sprints

1st intermediate sprint in Villefranche-d'Albigeois (13 km)

First Johan Vansummeren , 6 p. And 6 s
Second Alexander Vinokurow , 4 p. And 4 s
Third Christophe Moreau , 2 p. And 2 p

2nd intermediate sprint in Le Massegros (138 km)

First Carlos Da Cruz , 6 p. And 6 s
Second Xabier Zandio , 4 p. And 4 s
Third Thomas Voeckler , 2 p. And 2 s

Mountain ratings

Côte de la Béssède Category 4 (53 km)

First Xabier Zandio , 3 p.
Second Matthias Kessler , 2 P.
Third Axel Merckx , 2 P.

Côte de Raujolles Category 3 (99 km)

First Carlos Da Cruz , 4 p.
Second Axel Merckx , 3 p.
Third Luke Roberts , 2 P.
Fourth Cédric Vasseur , 1 P.

Côte de Boyne Category 2 (159.5 km)

First Carlos Da Cruz , 10 p.
Second Matthias Kessler , 9 p.
Third Xabier Zandio , 8 p.
Fourth Marcos Serrano , 7 p.
fifth Cédric Vasseur , 6 p.
Sixth Luke Roberts , 5 P.

Côte de Chabrits Category 3 (180 km)

First Axel Merckx , 4 p.
Second Thomas Voeckler , 3 P.
Third Marcos Serrano , 2 P.
Fourth Xabier Zandio , 1 P.

Côte de la Croix Neuve Category 2 (187.5 km)

First Marcos Serrano , 20 p.
Second Axel Merckx , 18 p.
Third Cédric Vasseur , 16 p.
Fourth Franco Pellizotti , 14 p.
fifth Xabier Zandio , 12 p.
Sixth Thomas Voeckler , 10 P.