American Loses Yellow In Tour's 16th Stage

Some are saying that today's stage [16th] of the Tour de France is the most difficult stage of this year's race. I think Floyd Landis would probably agree with that. The American started the day wearing yellow, but cracked about 15 kilometers from the finish line, and finished over 10 minutes behind the stage winner. He is now in 11th place and is over 8 minutes off the overall lead. Yesterday, it looked like Landis had a real good chance to win this year's Tour. Today, it seems he is out of the running.

The 16th stage winner was Mickael Rasmussen [Denmark-Rabobank]. Carlos Sastre [Spain-CSC] finished in second place, and third place went to Oscar Pereiro [Spain-Balears], giving him the Yellow Jersey.

Tomorrow's 17th stage is also a mountain stage. It runs from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Morzine and covers 200.5 kilometers [125.3 miles]. It has two catagory 1 climbs, a catagory 2, a catagory 3, and finishes with a vicious unrated climb.

Overall standings:

1. Pereiro [Spain-Balears]..........Yellow Jersey
2. Sastre [Spain-CSC]..........1:50
3. Kloden [Germany-Tmobile]..........2:29
4. Dessel [France-AG2R]..........2:43
5. Evans [Australia-Lotto]..........2:56
6. Menchov [Russia-Rabobank]..........3:58
7. Rogers [Australia-Tmobile]..........6:47
8. Moreau [France-AG2R]..........7:03
9. Leipheimer [USA-Gerolsteiner]..........7:46
10. Zubeldia [Spain-Euskadi]..........8:06
11. Landis [USA-Phonak]..........8:08
20. Azevedo [Portugal-Discovery]..........19:46
24. Vandevelde [USA-CSC]..........33:03
26. Popovych [Ukraine-Discovery]..........34:36
42. Hincapie [USA-Discovery]..........53:18

Team standings:

1. CSC
2. T-mobile..........2:23
3. Balears..........14:25
4. Rabobank..........16:07
5. AG2R..........20:24
11. Discovery..........1:32:20

Polka-Dot Jersey [climbers]:

1. Rasmussen [Denmark-Rabobank]..........153 points
2. De La Fuente [Spain-Saunier]..........108 points
3. Schleck [Luxemburg-CSC]..........74 points
4. Dessel [France-AG2R]..........72 points
5. Boogerd [Netherlands-Rabobank]..........69 points
6. Landis [USA-Phonak]..........63 points
7. Sastre [Spain-CSC]..........63 points
8. Leipheimer [USA-Gerolsteiner]..........63 points

Green Jersey [sprinters]:

1. McEwen [Australia- Lotto]..........252 points
2. Freire [Spain-Rabobank]..........207 points
3. Zabel [Germany-Milram]..........172 points
4. Hushovd [Norway-Agricole]..........159 points
5. Eisel [Austria-Francaise Des Jeux]..........152 points

White Jersey [youth]:

1. Fothen [Germany-Gerolsteiner]
2. Cunego [Italy-Lampre]..........2:42
3. Duenas Nevado [Spain-Agritubel]..........59:44