Julian Dean the only New Zealander riding the Tour de France, was pipped for stage honours on the fourth full day of the tour.
Dean was outsprinted at the end of the 153 kilometre stage by the Italian Alessandro Petacchi, at the head of a bunch of 30 riders all credited with the same time as the winner

The 35-year-old veteran Kiwi cyclist is the only Kiwi in this year's Tour after Greg Henderson and Hayden Roulston both missed out on selection for their respective teams. It's his sixth Tour de France.

Excellent result.

Giday.

I liked our new friend.

I'll be your friend.

oo-er!

Isnt 2nd in a stage the best finish ever by a Kiwi in the tour?? If I remember from last year there was a bit of fuss being made about Roly when he finished 5th or something because that was the highest finish a Kiwi had previously had in the Tour??

I think Roly got 3rd behind Sergey Ivanov and Nicholas Roche

Yeah Roly came 3rd .

Was funny listening to all the radio sport commentators going on that because Garmin team leader Vande Velde was out of the tour, JD was able to go for a stage win himself!

Pretty sure Chris Jenner was in the TTT that won a stage a few years back.

Yep, riding for Credit Agricole - 2001, I think?

Ahad wrote:Yeah Roly came 3rd .

Was funny listening to all the radio sport commentators going on that because Garmin team leader Vande Velde was out of the tour, JD was able to go for a stage win himself!

'

Didn't JD change to Garmin et al so that he could be the No.1 sprinter?

Yes he did , and then along came Tyler Farrer..

Fantastic results throughout the Tour and a true professional, gracious in victory and defeat. Well done Julz.

Just wish Sky had their thinking caps on and we had both Julz and Hendy scrapping out the stages along with Cav and Petacchi.

Thought Renshaw was hard done by...thats just sprinting..an elbow, a headbut...there was nothing in it and these guys are after all the best of the best and have the bike skills to cope with most situations.

gydey wrote:Yes he did , and then along came Tyler Farrer.. Fantastic results throughout the Tour and a true professional, gracious in victory and defeat. Well done Julz.

Just wish Sky had their thinking caps on and we had both Julz and Hendy scrapping out the stages along with Cav and Petacchi.

Maybe JD and Henderson will put themselves on the market for new teamns (as did Alan Davies and Simon Gerrans after being overlooked in 2009). Certainly the BBC think Sky blundered badly to leave Henderson at home - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/8851962.stm

gydey wrote:Thought Renshaw was hard done by...thats just sprinting..an elbow, a headbut...there was nothing in it and these guys are after all the best of the best and have the bike skills to cope with most situations.

You're not alone - P&P must have said the same thing AT LEAST half a dozen times last night during the laps of Champs Elysees ... so often I started to think the judges did the right thing!


Overall a good Tour for NZ I think, JD made a good impact by being there, Roulston and Henderson were missed by their teams because they were left out and are now getting positive comments because of their absence.