Stage 4: Bédoin - Mont-Ventoux,  21,6 km

Euskaltel's Iban Mayo stormed to victory on Thursday, as he dominated Stage 4 of the French race, the uphill Time Trial on the slopes of the legendary Mont Ventoux. The Basque rider clocked a time of 55'51", beating American Tyler Hamilton by 35", with the other Phonak team leader, Oscar Sevilla, in third. The Spanish domination of the ITT was completed by Juan Miguel Mercado's fourth place finish, while Lance Armstrong snatched fifth, close to two minutes behind the winner.

Needless to say, Spain's Mayo also recaptured the race overall leadership, with Hamilton following.

Today's time trial shook a few things loose in the general classification - the excellent Stuart O'Grady lost considerable time, moving from 7th down to 33rd, Phonak's Oscar Pereiro just remains in the top ten after being in the top five for several days. Previous race leader Gutierrez dropped to 6th, but on the other hand, Juan Miguel Mercado of Quickstep-Davitamon catapulted from 28th into 5th, 30 seconds behind Lance Armstrong, who remains in fourth place, down two minutes from leader Mayo. Armstrong's teammate Floyd Landis also climbed from 33rd to 16th.

Three days remain in this edition of the Criterium du Dauphiné Libéré. Tomorrow is not such a difficult climbing day, with "only" four Category 4 climbs - two at the midway point in the stage, and two more very near the finish. Saturday however, is a different story, with eight categorized climbs - one each of Category 1 and 2, four Cat 3 climbs and one Cat 4 over a 144 km stage. Sunday's stage has four climbs over its 200 kilometers: two Category 2, one Cat 1 and one Cat 4.

Update on Mickael Pinchon, Brioches la Boulangere: The rider who fell down a ravine yesterday on the Col de Mézilhac has had surgical interventions and will likely require more. He is reported to be on resusitation after the first round of his surgeries. His family has stated that doctors rate his condition as serious, but that he does not seem to be in danger. Pinchon has a cranial trauma with swelling, thoracic trauma with swelling, as well as various fractures and facial injuries.

Results

1 Mayo Iban Eus (Esp) 55:51.49
2 Hamilton Tyler Pho (Usa) 35.26
3 Sevilla Oscar Pho (Esp) 1:03.09
4 Mercado Juan Miguel Qsd (Esp) 1:48.44
5 Armstrong Lance Usp (Usa) 1:57.89
6 Landaluze Inigo Eus (Esp) 2:22.75
7 Gutierrez José Pho (Esp) 2:44.09
8 Leipheimer Levi Rab (Usa) 3:21.18
9 Rasmussen Michael Rab (Den) 3:33.38
10 Goubert Stéphane A2r (Fra) 3:35.81
11 Pereiro Oscar Pho (Esp) 3:55.55
12 Moncoutie David Cof (Fra) 3:59.03
13 Dessel Cyril Pho (Fra) 4:03.20
14 Landis Floyd Usp (Usa) 4:09.14
15 Azevedo José Usp (Por) 4:18.24
16 Moreau Christophe C.a (Fra) 4:37.09
17 Rogers Michael Qsd (Aus) 4:44.95
18 Sastre Carlos Csc (Esp) 5:08.52
19 Casar Sandy Fdj (Fra) 5:29.49
20 Pena Victor Hugo Usp (Col) 5:29.88
21 Camano Iker Eus (Esp) 5:31.00
22 Robin Jean-Cyril Fdj (Fra) 5:33.97
23 Fedrigo Pierrick C.a (Fra) 5:44.60
24 Flores Iker Eus (Esp) 5:51.57
25 Lövkvist Thomas Fdj (Swe) 6:05.39
26 Astarloza Mikel A2r (Esp) 6:23.80
27 Krivtsov Yuriy A2r (Ukr) 6:26.17
28 Martinez Egoi Eus (Esp) 6:42.58
29 Basso Ivan Csc (Ita) 6:43.87
30 Voeckler Thomas Blb (Fra) 6:47.88
31 Salmon Benoît C.a (Fra) 6:49.50
32 Beltran Manuel Usp (Esp) 6:55.46
33 Hincapie George Usp (Usa) 7:03.14
34 Dufaux Laurent Qsd (Sui) 7:04.19
35 Chaurreau Inigo A2r (Esp) 7:07.69
36 Calvente Manuel Csc (Esp) 7:10.50
37 Botcharov Alexandre C.a (Rus) 7:23.02
38 Muravyev Dmitriy C.a (Kaz) 7:29.72
39 Martin Ludovic Rag (Fra) 7:37.41
40 Albizu Joseba Eus (Esp) 7:42.72
41 Noval Benjamin Usp (Esp) 7:57.61
42 Portal Nicolas A2r (Fra) 7:58.27
43 Lefevre Laurent Blb (Fra) 8:00.09
44 Le Mevel Christophe C.a (Fra) 8:13.96
45 Jaksche Jörg Csc (Ger) 8:34.04
46 Pecharroman José Qsd (Esp) 9:03.08
47 Dekker Erik Rab (Ned) 9:11.43
48 Halgand Patrice C.a (Fra) 9:13.64
49 Isasi Flores Inaki Eus (Esp) 9:15.33
50 Hary Maryan Blb (Fra) 9:16.06
51 O'Grady Stuart Cof (Aus) 9:16.11
52 Bessy Frédéric Cof (Fra) 9:22.74
53 Gonzalez Santos Pho (Esp) 9:28.16
54 Virenque Richard Qsd (Fra) 9:28.30
55 Ekimov Viatcheslav Usp (Rus) 9:31.63
56 Mengin Christophe Fdj (Fra) 9:42.60
57 Bourquenoud Pierre Rag (Sui) 9:46.44
58 Peron Andrea Csc (Ita) 9:51.73
59 Geslin Anthony Blb (Fra) 10:09.08
60 Jalabert Nicolas Pho (Fra) 10:26.67
61 Pineau Jérôme Blb (Fra) 10:39.51
62 Tombak Janek Cof (Est) 10:40.90
63 Bouvard Gilles Rag (Fra) 10:52.11
64 Reynaud Nicolas Rag (Fra) 10:53.47
65 Guesdon Frédéric Fdj (Fra) 10:53.49
66 Nuyens Nick Qsd (Bel) 11:07.76
67 Eisel Bernhard Fdj (Aut) 11:07.80
68 Grabsch Bert Pho (Ger) 11:08.38
69 De Groot Bram Rab (Ned) 11:24.63
70 Dacruz Carlos Fdj (Fra) 11:26.00
71 De Weert Kevin Rab (Bel) 11:34.29
72 Sorensen Nicki Csc (Den) 11:41.60
73 Edaleine Christophe Cof (Fra) 11:51.35
74 Seigneur Eddy Rag (Fra) 11:57.46
75 Renier Franck Blb (Fra) 12:06.35
76 Millar David Cof (Gbr) 12:16.24
77 Lotz Marc Rab (Ned) 12:26.50
78 Beneteau Walter Blb (Fra) 12:27.51
79 Cooke Baden Fdj (Aus) 12:31.28
80 Laurent Christophe Rag (Fra) 12:39.86
81 Silloniz Josu Eus (Esp) 12:49.37
82 Bartoli Michele Csc (Ita) 12:54.72
83 White Matthew Cof (Aus) 13:01.07
84 Horrillo Munoz Pedro Qsd (Esp) 13:04.24
85 Hushovd Thor C.a (Nor) 13:14.91
86 Auger Guillaume Rag (Fra) 13:47.54
87 Flickinger Andy A2r (Fra) 13:53.19
88 Freire Oscar Rab (Esp) 14:38.13
89 Amorison Frédéric Qsd (Bel) 15:36.41
90 Inaudi Nicolas A2r (Fra) 17:10.55
91 Kroon Karsten Rab (Ned) 17:24.80
92 Casper Jimmy Cof (Fra) 18:10.29
93 Calzati Sylvain Rag (Fra) 25:05.65

Horsdelai:
Freire Oscar Rab
Amorison Frédéric Qsd
Inaudi Nicolas A2r
Kroon Karsten Rab
Casper Jimmy Cof
Calzati Sylvain Rag

General Classification after Stage 4

1 Mayo Iban Eus (Esp) 16:27:51
2 Hamilton Tyler Pho (Usa) :36
3 Sevilla Oscar Pho (Esp) 1:14
4 Armstrong Lance Usp (Usa) 2:00
5 Mercado Juan Miguel Qsd (Esp) 2:32
6 Gutierrez José Pho (Esp) 2:36
7 Landaluze Inigo Eus (Esp) 2:43
8 Leipheimer Levi Rab (Usa) 3:33
9 Rasmussen Michael Rab (Den) 3:47
10 Pereiro Oscar Pho (Esp) 3:58
11 Dessel Cyril Pho (Fra) 4:05
12 Goubert Stéphane A2r (Fra) 4:17
13 Moncoutie David Cof (Fra) 4:25
14 Azevedo José Usp (Por) 4:46
15 Moreau Christophe C.a (Fra) 4:59
16 Landis Floyd Usp (Usa)
17 Sastre Carlos Csc (Esp) 5:33
18 Camano Iker Eus (Esp) 6:01
19 Casar Sandy Fdj (Fra) 6:02
20 Robin Jean-Cyril Fdj (Fra) 6:37
21 Lövkvist Thomas Fdj (Swe) 6:39
22 Astarloza Mikel A2r (Esp) 6:43
23 Martinez Egoi Eus (Esp) 7:12
24 Voeckler Thomas Blb (Fra)
25 Dufaux Laurent Qsd (Sui) 7:24
...
32 Noval Benjamin Usp (Esp) 8:42
33 O'Grady Stuart Cof (Aus) 9:22
35 Pecharroman José Qsd (Esp) 10:01
37 Rogers Michael Qsd (Aus) 10:05
38 Virenque Richard Qsd (Fra) 10:14
45 Basso Ivan Csc (Ita) 14:36
49 Hincapie George Usp (Usa) 15:36
54 Halgand Patrice C.a (Fra) 18:10
61 Cooke Baden Fdj (Aus) 21:09
66 Bartoli Michele Csc (Ita) 22:45
68 Millar David Cof (Gbr) 23:37
71 Ekimov Viatcheslav Usp (Rus) 28:35
72 Dekker Erik Rab (Ned) 29:26
75 Eisel Bernhard Fdj (Aut) 30:11
84 Seigneur Eddy Rag (Fra) 41:18
86 Hushovd Thor C.a (Nor) 44:41

Teams Classification after Stage 4

1 Phonak Hearing Systems 49:27:58
2 Euskaltel - Euskadi  3:09
3 US Postal Berry Floor  6:38
4 Quick Step - Davitamon  10:28
5 AG2R Prevoyance 11:35
6 Credit Agricole 14:04
7 Fdjeux.Com 14:16
8 Team CSC 16:20
9 Brioches La Boulangere 20:52
10 Rabobank 21:03
11 Cofidis 25:13
12 R.A.G.T. Semences - Mg Rover 34:05