The 2006 Tour de France will be the first Tour of the post-Armstrong era. The king, however, will have a worthy successor. The team time trial will not be in the race, but La Grande Boucle, which will be 3,600 km long, will have 116 km of individual time trialing. In addition, the riders will tackle five mountain stages with three mountaintop finishes, nine flat stages, and four medium mountain stages. The race will include 22 Category 1, 2, and hors categorie climbs. The new king will be no pretender.
Who will win the Tour de France 2006? Ivan Basso (CSC) or Floyd Landis (Phonak), each of whom rose to a new level in 2005? Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile), who is still attempting to regain the form that won him the Tour in 1997? Leipheimer? Mancebo? The consensus is that an all-rounder will win the 2006 Tour de France. Our extensive 2006 Tour de France coverage featured Tour de France news, results, previews, predictions, interviews, stage reports, live coverage, photo shows, and even more.
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