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Note: Bingen writes today: "It is short I know. I am too animaited to write."

This morning David told the team that he wanted today’s stage. The look of excitement was in his eyes right before the last climb - I knew he was ready. Initially he wasn’t sure when he would attack - whether at the start of the climb, the middle or near the top.

He attack at the start of the climb with Mercado yelling after him "Piano, piano." Slow down? David looked back and chuckled and just kept on going to the finish.

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I was listening to the director giving David his time lead on the chase group but I still wasn’t sure if he had won or not until I arrived and saw him up on the podium. I left my bike with our team doctor and went over to congratulate and hug David. The team is quite happy as expected. I was wearing Millar’s groovy podium hat around and Graham Watson snapped some great shots of David and I with it. I will have to get a copy of that shot.

Bingen Fernandez Bustinza
Cofidis
Yellow Jersey Tours
www.yellowjerseytours.com

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25 September 2003: Here is one of the photos Bingen mentioned.

David Millar and Bingen Fernandez.
Courtesy Cofidis and Graham Watson