Edition: U.S. / Global

CYCLING; On Bastille Day, French Riders Are Upstaged By Dutch

Published: July 15, 2002

Vincent Barteau, who did it in 1989, knows what it's like to be a Frenchman who wins the Tour de France stage on Bastille Day, before huge crowds with hearts swelling with chauvinistic pride.

''You cry, you cry, you're happy, you cry, you keep crying,'' he said. ''You say to yourself, 'I'm the hero of France today.' That goes on all night. It's wonderful.''

And the secret to winning the crown jewel?

''The trick is to pedal faster than the others,'' he said with a guffaw.

The last laugh was on Barteau, now a television commentator, and more than 59 million other French citizens today. On the national holiday commemorating the day that the Bastille prison fell, and with it the French monarchy, so did the dream of a Frenchman winning today's eighth stage.

Finishing first in the 217.5-kilometer (134.9-mile) stage was a Dutchman, Karsten Kroon of the Rabobank team. The second man was also a Dutchman, Servais Knaven of Domo. The third man was another Dutchman, Erik Dekker of Rabobank.

Fourth, fifth and sixth, hardly the positions that tens of thousands at the finish here yearned for, were Frenchmen: Franck Renier of Bonjour, Sébastien Hinault of Crédit Agricole and Stéphane Augé of Jean Delatour. In seventh place was Raivis Belohvosciks, a Latvian with Lampre.

After a series of early attacks, the seven took off with less than 109 kilometers (67.7 miles) remaining, built a lead that reached a maximum of six minutes and stayed away to the sprint finish. Showing good strength in sunny and warm weather, they took turns trying to bolt away from one another near the end, where Kroon won easily.

He was timed in 4 hours 36 minutes 52 seconds, an average of 47 kilometers (29.2 miles) an hour. Most of the rest of the 182-man field crossed the line 1:55 later.

The overall leadership remained unchanged on the eve of a long individual time trial that should start sorting out the contenders.

For now at least, Igor González de Galdeano, a Spaniard with ONCE, continued to wear the yellow jersey, leading by four seconds over his compatriot and teammate Joseba Beloki. Jörg Jaksche, a German with ONCE, is third, 12 seconds back, with Lance Armstrong, the defending champion, in eighth place, 34 seconds behind González de Galdeano.

This eighth of 20 daily stages started in Saint-Martin-de-Landelles, where the Tour de France honored one of its own, Daniel Mangeas, the on-site race announcer since 1976 who warms up the crowds at starts, where he introduces each rider, and at finishes, where he keeps posting the news en route.

Mangeas is a native and resident of Saint-Martin-de-Landelles, a pretty place with many flowers, in Normandy. He also sponsors a bicycle race there, the Polynormande, every August.

Never in his long career has he been known to utter an unkind word about a rider over the microphone. Instead he will recall an impressive 36th place in a minor race or a promising performance. For the true champions, there are no superlatives too glorious, no adjectives too fulsome.

Since Mangeas is also a proud Frenchman, it remains to be seen how he will introduce the three Dutchmen who broke all those hearts at the finish.