Jimenez was 41" behind Pantani to take 2nd today. Heras was 3rd 50" behind with Lance in 4th right on Heras' wheel...

16.57 - The Day Goes To Marco

Pantani has risen over the final rise... He hasn't the energy for much more than a single-handed salute over the line... But he has won today.

16.55 - Up Goes The Pirate's Salute

Pantani has stolen the day in the closing kilometers. He is being followed by a cycotourist in Kelme clothing... He is now 200 meters from the line...

16.55 - Pantani Moments Away from 2nd Stage Win This Year

Pantani is about to win his 2nd stage for the 2000 Tour... He is in the final 500 meters.

16.55 - Nardello Drops Out of Lance's Group

Lance is now alone with Botero in pursuit of Jimenez for 2nd place.

16.54 - 1km To Go For Pantani

Pantani is in the final kilometer. He is all alone at the front of the stage... Jimenez is 2nd at the moment with Armstrong's group 3rd.

16.53 - Lance Racing For 3rd Now

Lance is with Heras, Nardello and Botero in the race for third place. They are now in the final 2km - Jimenez is still ahead.

16.52 - Pantani's 2nd Win This Year 2km Away

Pantani is now well clear of Jimenez. He has just 2km to race.

16.51 - Pantani Pillaging The Stage

Pantani has passed Jimenez. The Pirate is 24" clear of Armstrong's group. He looks destined to take his 2nd stage win this year. He is in the final 2.5km.

16.44 - Pantani Now In 2nd

Pantani has passed Nardello. He is now in 2nd place with just Jimenez ahead.

16.44 - Pantani Solo

Pantani has now dropped Lance's group. Jimenez has just 5km to race at the front of the stage.

16.44 - Pantani Attacks Armstrong

Pantani is now trying to drop the yellow jersey. Lance has matched Marco's efforts.

16.43 - 2 Lead Armstrong's Group

There is now just Jimenez and Nardello ahead of the Armstrong/Pantani/Heras/Botero group. They are 34" behind the Jimenez.

16.43 - Armstrong's Group Catches Botero

Lance's group is now racing for 3rd place. They have caught and passed Botero.

16.42 - Jimenez Leads

Jimenez has dropped his fellow escapees. He is now alone in the lead of the stage. Next is Nardello, then Botero.

16.41 - Jimenez Attacks

At the front of the race, Jimenez has attacked his two fellow escapees. He was matched briefly by Nardello, but he's now Jimenez has now surged again. He is alone at the front of the stage.

16.40 - 35" To Armstrong's Group

Lance, Marco and Roberto Heras are 35" behind the leading group.

16.39 - Otxoa Leaves Armstrong's Group

Otxoa is off the group of Armstrong. That group is now passing Lelli. They are NOW in the fight for 4th, 5th & 6th.

16.39 - 37" Deficit For Ullrich To Beloki

Beloki is still in 3rd overall - but he's closing in on the 57" overall deficit to Ullrich. He is now just 20" off becoming 2nd overall.

16.37 - Lance 54" Off Leading 3

Lance's group is 54" off the lead of Botero, Jimenez and Nardello.

16.37 - 2'35" For Ullrich To Leaders

Ullrich is 2'35" behind the 3 leaders.

16.36 - 3 Kelmes In Top 7

There are now 3 Kelme riders amidst the 7 riders who are at the head of the race. Botero is in the lead group with Jimenez and Nardello. Then there's Heros and Otxoa with Pantani and Armstrong.

16.35 - The Situation With 10km To Go...

Jimenez, Botero and Nardello lead Lelli by 30", then come a group of four - Lance, Marco, Otxoa and Heras at 1'10".

16.33 - 1'22" For Lance To Close On Stage Leaders

Armstrong, Pantani & Heras are 1'22" behind the three leaders with 10km to race.

16.32 - No News Of Otxoa & Lelli

Lelli and Otxoa who were 4th and 5th have not been sighted amidst this action.

16.32 - Heras With Armstrong And Pantani

Heras has caught Armstrong and Pantani. They are now 4th, 5th and 6th on the road. Only Nardello, Jimenez and Botero lead Lance's group.

16.30 - Lance Leads Jan By 1'00"

Lance and Marco are 1'00" ahead of Ullrich.

16.30 - Heras Closing In Lance's Group

Heras is closing the gap on Marco and Lance. There is a time check which suggests this group is 1'45" behind the 3 leaders.

16.29 - Beloki Might Move to 2nd Overall

Beloki is now 40" ahead of Ullrich. He began the day 57" behind the second-placed Telekom rider in 3rd overall.

16.28 - Botero's Group Continues To Lead

Botero, Nardello and Jimenez are still at the front of the race as one group.

16.27 - Armstrong 23" Ahead of Virenque's Group

Lance and Marco are 23" ahead of Virenque's group.

16.17 - Botero Matched By Nardello & Jimenez

The attack by Botero has brought Nardello & Jimenez with him. 16.16 - Botero Attacks

Botero has attacked the lead group.

16.16 - Five Lead: Four Chase... Then The Yellow Jersey Group

There are 5 leaders - Jimenez, Nardello, Lelli and the two Kelme riders, Otxoa and Botero. At 2'19" are four chasers - including two ONCE riders, Luttenberger and Serrano. Then the peloton.

16.12 - 25 In Armstrong's Group

There are about 25 riders in Armstrong's group. They include Pantani, Virenque, Hamilton, Livingston, Beloki, Moreau, Escartin.

16.11 - 2'17" Lead On Four Chasers

The 5 leaders are 2'17" ahead of 4 chasers. Garcia-Acosta dropped out of the chase group and is now at the back of the yellow jersey's group.

16.10 - Hamilton & Livingston Still There For Armstrong

Back in the pack there are still two Posties leading the yellow jersey wearer, Lance Armstrong. Their latest time check was 4'10" behind the leading 5 riders. 16.08 - Otxoa Leading Botero

At the front of the lead group, the winner of the stage to Hautacam is leading his King of the Mountains team-mate, Botero (the winner yesterday).

16.07 - 20km To Go For Five Leaders

The five leaders have 20km to race. They are: Otxoa, Botero, Jimenez, Lelli and Nardello.

16.07 - Commesso Doing Double-Time...

Commesso has been leading the yellow pack's chase of the 10 riders in front for several kilometers. The Saeco rider is at the front of four Mercatone riders, then comes Lance and the rest of the bunch. They have 22km to race and are 4'10" behind the five leaders (1'48" behind the five chasers).

16.04 - 2'15" To The Five Chasers

Jimenez's group leads Boogerd's group by 2'15".

16.03 - Leaders On Final Climb

The five leaders - Otxoa, Botero, Nardello, Jimenez and Lelli - are on the ascent to the finish at Courchevel.

16.02 - 4'10" Deficit For Peloton

With 25km to go for the group of Armstrong, they were 4'10" behind the leading five riders.

16.00 - 1'57" To Five Chasers

The 5 chasers - Van de Wouwer, Boogerd, Luttenberger, Serrano and Garcia-Acosta - are 1'57" behind the leading 5 with 25km to race.

15.59 - Courchevel Climb Longest of the 2000 Tour

At 22.2km long, the cat-1 climb to Courchevel - the final challenge today - is the longest ascent in the 2000 Tour de France. It is 100 meters longer than the 'Hors Category' Col du Galibier which was raced earlier today.

15.57 - 27km To Race

The leading five have 27km to race to the finish at Courchevel. The final climb today is 22.2km long with an average gradient of 6.2 per cent.

15.56 - 4'20" Deficit For Peloton

The peloton of the yellow jersey is 4'20" behind the five leaders. There are two Mercatone riders at the front of their chase. Commesso is also working hard in the chase... Then comes Hamilton, Beloki & Armstrong.

15.54 - Virenque The Only Tour Stage Winner At Courchevel

The Tour has had only one stage finish at Courchevel in its 87-year history. The winner then was Richard Virenque (in 1997).

15.52 - Botero Up to 4th Overall

Botero's current advantage (of 4'43") has moved him up from 8th to 4th overall 'on the road'.

15.51 - Mercatone Uno Lead Chasing Peloton

There are three Mercatone Uno riders at the front of the chasing peloton.

15.51 - Peloton At Site of 2nd Sprint

The group of the yellow jersey have passed the site of the 2nd sprint. Their deficit to the 5 leaders is 4'43".

15.48 - 1'35" Lead For Five

The five leaders were 1'35" ahead of the chasing five at the site of the 2nd intermediate sprint.

15.48 - 32km To Race

The leaders are now 32km from the finish in Courchevel.

15.47 - Results of 2nd Sprint

The leaders have passed the 2nd intermediate sprint. The results at the 140.5km mark were: 1. Lelli (Cofidis) 6pts 2. Otxoa (Kelme) 4pts 3. Jimenez (Banesto) 2pts.

15.46 - Botero 10'00" Down At Start of Day

The King of the Mountains, Botero - who is the best-placed of the riders up front - began the day in 8th place 10'00" off the lead of Armstrong. His latest advantage on Armstrong's group was 3'37".

15.45 - Herve With Mechanical Problems

Herve has dropped off the back of the yellow group to get some help with mechanical problems.

15.44 - Yellow Group 3'37" Behind 5 Leaders

Lance Armstrong's group is 3'37" behind the five leaders. The five counter-attackers are 1'40" off the leaders.

15.40 - Situation With 37km To Go

With 37km to race there are 5 leaders who have a lead of 1'42" on a chase-group of 5 and 2'38" on the peloton which includes the yellow jersey.

15.35 - 5-Man Chase Group

There are 5 riders chasing the 5 leaders. They are 1'42" behind. The chasers are: Garcia-Acosta-Boogerd (Rabobank), Serrano & Luttenberger (ONCE) and Van de Wouwer (Lotto). The peloton is 2'38" behind.

15.31 - 5 Lead Pelton by 2'38"

The five leaders are 2'38" ahead of the yellow group. There are 48km to go.

15.29 - 5 Leaders Now

Botero and Oxtoa are at the head of the race with Lelli, Nardello and Jimenez.

15.28 - Kelmes Closing In On Leading Four

Otxoa and Botero are just off the leading pack of three riders - Lelli, Nardello and Jimenez.

15.21 - The Situation On The Descent

Jimenez, Lelli and Nardello lead Botero and Otxoa by 28" then come Garcia-Acosta, Luttenberger and Van de Wouwer at 1'50"; Serrano is at 2'00" and the yellow group at 2'20".

15.21 - Kelmes In Between Leaders & Peloton

There are two Kelme riders in the middle of the leading trio and the peloton. They are Botero and Otxoa 21" behind the leaders.

15.20 - 3 Leaders

There are three leaders. They are Lelli, Nardello and Jimenez. They lead the peloton by 2'13".

15.18 - Results of Col de La Madeleine

1. Lelli 2. Otxoa 3. Nardello 4. Jimenez 5. Botero at 48" 6. Virenque at 1'20 7. Armstrong 8. Herve 9. Moreau 10. Ullrich 11. Escartin 12. Pantani 13. Heras 14. Beloki 15. Garcia Acosta Then came Mancebo, Beltran & Guerini

15.14 - Armstrong Over 1'20" Behind Leaders

Armstrong was over the top of the Madeleine in the group led by Virenque. They were 1'20" behind the leading four.

15.12 - Otxoa Waits For Botero On Descent

The Kelme rider who got 2nd at the summit is waiting for the chase of Botero - who was fifth at the top of the Col de la Madeleine.

15.12 - Yellow Peloton Over Summit

Virenque has led the 9-strong yellow group over the summit, 1'20" behind the leading group.

15.11 - Botero Now Over Summit

` Botero was 48" behind at the summit for fifth place.

15.05 - Botero 1'12" Off Lead Group

There are still four leaders. They are followed (at 1'12") by Botero and Garcia-Acosta. The yellow peloton is at 2'04".

15.05 - 9 In Yellow Pack

Beloki is back in the yellow group. There are now 9: Armstrong, Escartin, Heras, Ullrich, Pantani, Moreau, Beloki, Virenque and Herve.

15.04 - Pantani Losing Group

Pantani was off the back of the Armstrong group but is now back on. Beloki has lost touch of this main peloton which is still be led by Herve.

14.53 - Guerini & Ullrich Up Front of Peloton

Guerini and Ullrich lead the chasing peloton. Armstrong is nestled behind the Telekom duo. Escartin is to Lance's left and Livingston is just behind Escartin.

14.48 - Botero Attacks

Botero has attacked the yellow group. The polka-dot jersey is already about 80 meters clear of Armstrong's group.

14.40 - 6 Lead 2 By 1'07"

The six stage leaders have 1'07" on Commesso and Vidal.

14.39 - Serrano Attacks Peloton

Serrano (ONCE) has attacked the peloton and gained a strong lead on the yellow pack.

14.38 - Peloton Togehter Again

Escartin's surge didn't last long. It just changed the head of the chase. He now leads Ullrich and Lance.

14.37 - Escartin Attacks

Escartin has attacked the peloton. He is followed by Ullrich and Livingston and Lance.

14.37 - Miguel Indurain's Birthday

Today is the birthday of five-time Tour winner, Miguel Indurain. He is 36 today. He was 2nd on the Col de la Madeleine in his last Tour in 1996.

14.35 - Commesso & Vidal At 40"

Vidal and Commesso are 40" behind the six leaders.

14.34 - 3 Banestos In Front Group

There are 3 Banesto riders in the front group. They are Garcia-Acosta, Jimenez and Arrieta. They lead the peloton by 3'30".

14.32 - Vasseur & Hincapie Off The Back of Peloton

Two Postal riders have lost touch with the peloton - they are Hincapie and Vasseur. Up front is Bolts from Heppner (for Telekom), the Livingston and Lance. Then Hamilton and Ullrich. They are riding as a group, but have maintained these positions for the last 10 minutes.

14.30 - Vidal & Commesso 22" Behind Six Leaders

At the front of the race now are Lelli, Garcia-Acosta, Jimenez, Arrieta, Nardello and Otxoa - they lead Commesso and Vidal by 22" and the peloton by 3'30".

14.28 - It's Heppner, Not Bolts

The rider in 2nd position at the head of the peloton is Heppner, not Bolts.

14.27 - Bolts & 'Vino' Still Leading Peloton

Udo Bolts and Alexandre Vinokourov are leading Livingston and Lance at the front of the chasing peloton.

14.26 - Vidal & Commesso Dropping Out of Lead Group

Commesso and Vidal have lost touch with the leading group. There are now six riders up front.

14.25 - Livingston Leading Armstrong

There are two Telekom riders at the front of the yellow pack. Bolts leads. After the Telekoms are the Postal riders of Livingston and Armstrong.

14.24 - Riders Off Back of Peloton

Julich, Dekker, Zabel, Olano are some of the riders losing their grip on the peloton on the climb of the Col de la Madeleine.

14.23 - Bolts Leads The Peloton

Udo Bolts is leading the peloton of the yellow jersey - 3'45" behind the 8 leaders. Armstrong is in fourth position on the early part of the Madeleine climb.

14.23 - Virenque Leads 3 of Last 4 Madeleine Primes

Richard Virenque (Polti) - who was the winner in the Tour's only other visit to Courchevel (in 1997) has won three of the last four primes atop the Col de la Madeleine. He was first over the 2,000m climb in 1995, '96 and '97. Ullrich was the winner of this climb in '98.

14.20 - Details of Madeliene Climb

The Col de la Madeleine is 19.3km long with a steep average gradient of 8 per cent.

14.19 - Telekom Take Charge of Peloton

On the Col de la Madeleine, the Telekom team have taken control of the front of the peloton. They are 4'20" behind the leading 8.

14.17 - Eight Together Still

The 8 leaders are still together on the climb of the Col de la Madeleine.

14.17 - Jalabert Losing Grip On Peloton

Laurent Jalabert off the back of main pack. They are on the early phaze of the climb of the Col de la Madeleine.

14.15 - 19km To Madeleine Summit

With 19km to go to the summit of the Madeleine, the leaders were 4'50" ahead of the peloton. Festina and Telekom have taken over the chasing duties at the head of the main pack.

14.13 - 81km To Race

The leaders have 81km to race. They have an advantage on the peloton of 5'15".

14.11 - Peloton Passed The Sprint Site

The peloton were 5'15" behind the peloton when they cross the site of the 89.5km sprint.

14.11 - Festina & Telekom Take Over Chase

The Telekom & Festina teams have moved to the front of the chasing peloton. They have the riders in 2nd and 3rd overall at the start of today's stage - Ullrich and Beloki. Otxoa is closing in on their time with his break's latest time check 5'00".

14.08 - 20km To Summit of the Col de la Madeleine

The 8 leaders are now 20km from the summit of the 2nd Hors Category climb today - the 2,000m high Col de la Madeleine.

14.07 - Results of the Saint-Avre Sprint

The leaders have contested the first intermediate sprint at the 89.5km mark. The results are: 1. Lelli (Cofidis) 6pts 2. Commesso (Saeco) 4pts 3. Garcia-Acosta (Banesto) 2pts.

14.05 - 5'00" For Eight Leaders

The 8 leaders are 5'00" ahead of the US Postal-led peloton.

14.04 - Etxebarria Retires

The winner of 2 stages of the 1999 Tour de France, David Etxebarria, has abandoned the Tour at the feedzone today.

14.00 - Lead Now 4'30"

As the peloton leave the feedzone, the leading eight have an advantage of 4'30".

14.00 - Closing In On First Sprint

There are two intermediate sprints today. They leading eight are on the approach of the first one, at Saint-Avre (89.5km). The 2nd sprint is at Aigueblance at the 140.5km mark - 30km after the next 'Hors Category' climbing challenge, the Col de la Madeleine.

13.57 - Otxoa Best-Placed Of Eight Leaders

Otxoa is the best-placed overall of the eight leaders. He began the day in 12th place, 12'33" off Armstrong's lead.

13.56 - The Peloton Is Now In The Feedzone

As the peloton reach the start of the feedzone (80km), they are 3'50" behind the eight leaders.

13.55 - Lead Now 2'20"

The eight leaders have an advantage of 2'20" on the US Postal-led peloton after the feedzone.

13.53 - 80km Raced

The leading 8 are in the feedzone at Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne at the 80km mark.

13.51 - Commesso Shortest Rider In Tour

Commesso, who broke free at the start of the Galibier descent and is now in the leading group of 8, is the shortest rider in the Tour at 165cm.

13.47 - US Postal Lead Peloton

The US Peloton are at the head of the peloton. There are eight Posties in front of their leader - and the yellow jersey - Lance Armstrong.

13.47 - The Leaders & Their Teams

The 8 riders who are 2'03" ahead of the peloton are: Commesso (Saeco), Jimenez, Garcia-Acosta & Arrieta (Banesto), Vidal and Otxoa (Kelme), Nardello (Mapei) and Lelli (Cofidis).

13.45 - Commesso Caught By Seven Chasers

There are now eight riders at the front of the race. They are: Commesso, Arrieta, Jimenez, Garcia-Acosta, Vidal, Otxoa, Nardello and Lelli.

13.44 - Peloton Over 2 Minutes Behind

As Commesso sits up to wait for the chase, the pleoton is 2'03 behind the race lead.

13.44 - 2 Stage Winners In 7-man Chase

Otxoa and Garcia-Acosta are two of the rider in pursuit of Commesso. They are the two Spanish stage winners this year. They won stage 10 and 13 respectively.

13.42 - 31" Lead For Commesso

The 7-man chase in closing in on the lead of Commesso. The Saeco rider is now 31" clear of the group of Jimenez.

13.37 - Commesso's Lead Now 45"

Commesso is 45" ahead of the 7-man chase and 1'15" ahead of the peloton.

13.36 - 67km Raced

The 7-man group has passed the 67km mark.

13.35 - Commesso Leads By 40"

Commesso has pushed his lead on the 7 chasers to 40". The peloton is at 1'10". 13.33 - Jalabert Catches Up With Peloton

Laurent Jalabert has caught up with the peloton. He was dropped on the Col du Galibier.

13.32 - Italians & Spaniards Up Front

Of the 8 riders ahead of the peloton there are 3 Italians - Commesso (up front alone), Nardello and Lelli - and 5 Spaniards - Garcia-Acosta, Jimenez, Vidal, Arrieta and Otxoa.

13.31 - 111km To Race

Commesso has 111km to race to the finish.

13.30 - Commesso Increases His Lead

Commesso leads the 7 by 30" and the peloton by 55".

13.29 - The Situation Now

Commesso leads the group of 7 - Carcia-Acosta, Jimenez, Arrieta, Otxoa, Vidal, Nardello & Lelli by 24". The peloton is at 47".

13.28 - 26" For Commesso's Lead

Commesso lead's Jimenez's seven-man chase by 26" and the peloton by 42".

13.24 - Descending from Telegraphe

The seven chasers are now on the descent of the Col de Telegraphe. Commesso led of the summit by 22". The peloton was 40" behind Commesso.

13.23 - Seven Behind By 26"

Commesso leads Arrieta, Garcia-Acosta, Jimenez, Otxoa, Vidal, Nardello and Lelli by 26".

13.22 - 7 Chasers

There are now seven riders chasing Commesso. There are two Kelme riders, three Banestos, one Mapei and one Cofidis rider.

13.22 - Jimenez Catches Garcia-Acosta's Group

Jimenez is now with Garcia-Acosta's group.

13.20 - The Situation Now

Commesso leads 3 - Garcia-Acosta, Vidal & Lelli by 30", then Arrieta, Otxoa, Nardello by 40" then the peloton by 45".

13.19 - On Col de Telegraphe

Commesso leads Garcia-Acosta, Lelli and Vidal. Then comes the grouped peloton on the climb of the Col de Telegraphe.

13.18 - Pascual-Llorent & Garcia-Acosta Catch Serrano

Garcia-Acosta and Pascual-Llorente caught Serrano. Now Garcia-Acosta has attacked this trio on the climb of the Col de Telegraphe.

13.16 - Serrano Chases Commesso

Serrano has attacked the peloton. He is 40" behind Commesso and just ahead of the peloton.

13.12 - 51st Kilometer

The peloton has just passed the 50.5km mark.

13.12 - Commesso 40" Clear

Commesso has pushed his lead up to 40" on the peloton which includes the yellow jersey of Armstrong.

13.11 - Commesso Leads The Peloton

Otxoa has been caught by the peloton. Comesso is now the lone leader with an advantange of 30".

13.09 - Commesso Still Leading

Commesso leads Otxoa by 19" and the peloton by 30".

13.07 - Commesso Up Front Now

Commesso has made a rapid descent to reel in Otxoa. The Italian now leads the Spaniard by 12" and the rest of the group by 35".

13.03 - Armstrong With Conti On Descent

Armstrong is with Roberto Conti and Jimenez on the descent.

13.02 - Results of Galibier Pass

The results of the Col du Galibier are: 1. Herve 2. Botero 3. Conti 4. Otxoa 5. Virenque 6. Pascual-Llorente 7. Armstrong 8. Ullrich 9. Beltran 10. Moreau 11. Jimenez 12. Beloki 13. Garcia-Acosta 14. Escartin 15. Guerini 16. Vinokourov 17. Pantani

12.59 - Otxoa Attacks

Otxoa is leading on his own on the descent. His lead is 10" on the 2nd-placed rider from Telekom.

12.58 - Peleoton Together At The Top

The surges nearing the summit were all reeled in. The peloton was strung out as they passed the Galibier summit, but there were no big time gaps.

12.56 - Leaders Over Summit

The leading rider are over the summit. The race is being led by two Kelme riders as they begin the 36km descent.

12.56 - Herve Leads Passed Souvenir

Pascal Herve has led Roberto Conti passed the Souvenir Henri Desgrange.

12.54 - All Together Now

In the final kilometer to the Galibier summit, the Postal chase has caught the leading group.

12.53 - 2 Telekoms

There are two Telekoms who have reeled in the leading group.

12.53 - Posties Lead The Chase

The Postal chase has stablized the lead of the 13 up front. They are still 17" clear as they pass the Souvenir Henri Desgrange at the 32km mark.

12.52 - Leading 13 Ahead By 17"

The leading group is 17" ahead of the peloton.

12.52 - Van Bon Retires

The winner of stage six, Leon Van Bon, has retired form the race.

12.51 - The 13 Leaders

The leaders are 20" ahead of the peloton. The riders are: Commesso, Herve, Arrieta, Jimenez, Beltran, Nardello, Plaza, Garcia-Casas, Pascual-Llorente, Otxoa, Conti, Luttenberger and Garcia-Acosta.

12.50 - 13 Leaders Now

There are now 13 riders at the head of the race.

12.49 - The Chase Group

Conti, Beltran, Garcia-Acosta, Plaza, Arrieta, Luttenberger, Garcia-Casas are the riders in pursuit of the leading six.

12.48 - The Six Lead By 8"

There is a small group in pursuit of the 6 leaders. We have no names, but they are 8" behind the group of Herve. The peloton is at 12".

12.47 - Six Leaders Now

Herve and Commesso are now in the leading group. There are now six leaders. They have 12" on the peloton.

12.47 - Herve & Commesso Closing In On Lead

Commesso and Herve are just about to join the four leaders.

12.46 - 4 Leaders Now

Jimenez, Otxoa, Pascual-Llorente and Nardello are now 13" ahead of their nearest challengers at the front of the race.

12.46 - Herve & Commesso Surge

Herve has led Commesso in a small break from their group of about 7 riders.

12.45 - Leading Advantage

The leading duo are 7" ahead of Pascual-Llorente and Nardello.

12.44 - Small Group Joins Herve's Group

Commesso and about five other have joined Herve and the Banesto rider's attack.

12.43 - Another Banesto Rider Attacks

Another Banesto rider has attacked the main bunch. He is joined by Pascal Herve (Polti). At the front of the race is Jimenez and Otxoa.

12.42 - 2 Riders With Nardello

There is a Kelme rider (Pascual-Llorente) and an AG2R (Agnolutto) rider with Nardello. They are 20" off the leading duo. The peloton is at 25".

12.41 - Nardello Chasing Now

Mapei's Nardello is now off the front of the peloton in pursuit of the two leaders.

12.40 - 2 Lead By 20"

Otxoa and Jimenez have a lead of 20" on the peloton.

12.40 - Jimenez Joins Otxoa

Jimenez has caught Otxoa at the front of the stage. He joined the Kelme rider at the 28km mark.

12.39 - 27km Mark

Otxoa's attack has come at the 27km mark.

12.39 - Otxoa Attacks

Otxoa has attacked the peloton. He is being pursued by Jimenez.

12.38 - First Dry Galibier Climb In 3 Years

The last two climbs over the Col du Galibier - in 1998 and 1999 - were raced in wet conditions. Today the roads are dry and the skies are blue.

12.36 - Gougot Going Off Back

The rider who was once 2nd overall in this year's Tour, Fabrice Gougot (CA) is the first rider to slip off the back of the bunch today. The peloton is around the 26km mark.

12.30 - At 24.5km

The peloton is now passed the Col du Lautaret at the 24.5km mark. They are still riding as one bunch.

12.28 - Peloton All Together

The bunch is still riding as one unit. Riders are spread right across the wide roads on the early parts of the rise to the Galibier summit. There are several Postal riders along with the Saeco colors of Commesso, the a few Banestos and one Vini Caldirola rider at the front.

12.24 - Galibier 3rd Highest Summit In Tour's History

The 2,645m Col du Galibier is the 3rd highest summit the Tour de France has raced in its 87-year history. The two higher passes are the Col d'Izeran (2,770m) and the massive Col de Restefond (2,802m).

12.20 - 23km Raced Today

The peloton is all together in the 23rd kilometer of today's 15th stage.

12.19 - 15 Riders Finished Stage 14 In Less Than 8 Hours

Only the first 15 riders to finish the 14th stage from Draguignan to Briancon yesterday raced for less than 8 hours. The 16th rider, Jens Heppner, finished 4'05" behind Botero. Heppner's time for the 249.5km stage was 8 hours, and eight seconds.

12.12 - Hincapie & Kjaegaard Leading

George Hincapie and Steffen Kjaergaard (both US Postal) are at the front of the peloton.

12.12 - Postal Train Leads Bunch At 20km

The US Postal team has now come to the front in force. There are seven Posties ahead of the yellow jersey. The race is at the 20km mark.

12.09 - Peloton Back Together

The peloton is now all together again.

12.08 - Agnolutto Joined Up Front

Agnolutto has been reeled in by a small chase group. There are about 10 riders with a slight lead on the peloton.

12.08 - Zanini Caught

Zanini has been caught and a counter-attack has come from Agnolutto.

12.07 - Peloton In Pursuit

The peloton is now a long string of riders in their pursuit of Zanini. His maximum advantage was 10".

12.07 - 19km Raced

Zanini's surge came at the 19th kilometer mark. 12.06 - Zanini Goes Again

Zanini has surged again. The Mapei rider is 100 meters ahead of the peloton.

12.05 - The 5 Attackers

Laurent Jalabert, Stefano Zanini, Alexandre Vinokourov, Jacky Durand and Pascual-Llorente are the 5 riders to attack. They are now back in the peloton after a swift reaction.

12.04 - ONCE Attack

The first real attack of the day has come from Laurent Jalabert. He is now at the head of the race with four others.

12.04 - Winners Of Last 2 Tours de France Confirmed On Galibier

Both Lance Armstrong (1999 winner) and Marco Pantani (1998 winner) confirmed their overall victories on the day the Tour passed the Galibier. In '98 Pantani was the winner at Les Deux Alpes to inherit the race lead. In '99 Armstrong won at Sestrieres (in yellow) to secure his lead after the Galibier climb.

11.58 - UCI's Hein Verbruggen Here Today

The president of the Union Cycliste Internationale, Hein Verbruggen, is present at the Tour de France today. He is in the car with the director of the Tour, Jean-Marie Leblanc.

11.52 - Col du Lautaret En-Route To Galibier

The Col du Lautaret is at the 24.5km mark. The Lautaret (2,058 meters high) is part of the climb to the Galibier summit.

11.49 - 22km To The Galibier Summit

The peloton is all together. They are 22km from the summit of the Galibier. The length of this 'Hors Category' climb is 22.1km.

11.45 - Postal Riders Now Move To Front of Peloton

The Postal team has moved to the front of the peloton to mark any other surges.

11.44 - Peloton Now Together

Jalabert's surge has been caught, but the bunch was strung-out for a little while.

11.42 - Jalabert Moves To Front of Peloton

Laurent Jalabert has moved to the front of the peloton with another ONCE rider. He has brought a group of about 30 riders off the front of the peloton.

11.41 - Peloton All Together

The peloton is all together in the 8th kilometer of racing today.

11.39 - 50th Tour Visit To The Summit of the Col du Galibier

The Tour has passed the Col du Galibier 49 times before today. The last 10 winners at the 2,645m summit are: Van Impe (1979); De Muynk ('80); Rodriguez ('84); Herrera ('86); Munoz ('87); Theunisse ('89); Chioccioli ('92); Rominger ('93); Pantani ('98) and Arrieta ('99).

11.34 - Two Kelme Riders Lead Mountains Classification

With 110 points on offer for first place across today's three mountain passes, the King of the Mountains classification might get a shake-up. The current leader is yesterday's stage winner, Santiago Botero who has 227pts. He leads his Kelme team-mate, stage-10 winner, Javier Otxoa who has 188pts. Next is Mattan (Cofidis) with 158pts.

11.30 - Peloton All Together

After 7 minutes of racing in stage 15 the peloton is all together.

11.30 - 3 Complete Teams Left

There are just 3 teams with nine riders still in the Tour de France. They are the US Postal team of the race leader, Lance Armstrong, the Banesto team and the Rabobank team.

11.24 - 141 Riders Still In The Race

There are 141 riders at the start of the 15th stage. There were no overnight withdrawals.

11.23 - Racing in Stage 15

The 15th stage officially began at 12.23pm.

11.22 - Length & Gradient of Climbs

The Col du Galibier climb is 22.1km long with an average gradient of 5.3 per cent. The Col de la Madeleine is 19.3km long with an average gradient of 8 per cent. The finishing climb to Courchevel is 22.2km long with an average gradient of 6.2 per cent.

11.20 - Details of Today's Climbs

There are 3 mountain prizes today - two 'Hors Category' and one category-1 at the climbing finish. The first climb is the 2,645m HC Col du Galibier at the 33km mark, then comes the 2,000m HC Col de la Madeleine (at 110.5km). The summit finish at Courchevel is 2,000m high.

11.16 - Rolling In Neutral Zone

The riders are currently riding in the 2.8km neutral zone before the official start of the 15th stage.

11.15 - 'Souvenir Henri Desgrange'

As is the tradition of the Tour de France, the 'Souvenir Henri Desgrange' - named the father of the Tour de France - is near the highest peak of the race. Today's pass over the Col du Galibier is the highest point of the 2000 Tour. The souvenir is one kilometer from the summit at 32km.

11.12 - The Weather For Stage 15

At the start in Briancon the temperature is 19 degrees (C). It's 9 degrees on the Col du Lautaret (at the 24.5km mark today); 4 degrees on the Col du Galibier (33km); 5 degrees at the Col de Madeleine (110.5km) and 5 degrees at the finish in Courchevel (173.5km).

11.09 - Blue Skies At Briancon Start: 4 Degrees On The Galibier

The riders are preparing for the start of the 15th stage. There are clear blue skies at the start in Briancon. At the Col du Galibier (33km), the conditions are cold, but snow isn't falling. The temperature at the Calibier is 4 degrees (C).

11.06 - No Positive Tests in First Nine Stages

The doping controls for the first nine stages of the Tour de France have returned no positive samples.

10.36 - A Harsh, Cold Pass Over The Galibier

The highest peak of the 2000 Tour de France, the 2,645 meter Col du Galibier, greeted the day with snow falls. The summit of the first of two 'Hors Category' climbs of the 15th stage is at the 33km mark today.

10.31 - Cold Conditions Again At The Start Today

The site of today's finish, Courchevel, has seen small flecks of snow falling early this morning. But conditions are warming up from the 3-4 degrees which greeted the day. The summit is, however, still surrounded by cloud.

10.28 - Stage 15 Scheduled To Start At 11.15am

The 173.5km 15th stage of the 2000 Tour de France is due to start rolling at 11.15am. There is 2.8km of neutral riding before the start proper of the stage from Briancon to the summit finish at the ski station of Courchevel, 2,000 meters above sea-level.