Thirteen men escaped from the peloton after 70 km in today's 208 km stage. They stayed away until the finish. Niel Stephens from Australia managed to get away from the group three km from the finish and won his first Tour stage. There were no dropouts. Tomorrow we'll have the last mountain stage.
An Australian won the Tour stage but the stage in the game went to New Zealand. Steve Coley achieved the highest score in a stage from which the result was difficult to predict. Wade Fitzgerald (USA), the winner of stage 15, became second and Reinount Vleugels was third. The top 10 in the overall rankings did not earn a single point. The three Dutchmen René Leerdam, Kees Winder and Wim Hoefs stay in the lead.
More detailed stage report by Velonews. More detailed stage results by Nando SportServer.
1. 33 Steve Coley (New Zealand)
2. 28 Wade Fitzgerald (USA)
3. 27 Reinout Vleugels (Belgium)
4. 24 Arie Altena (The Netherlands)
5. 23 Eric L. Deardorff (USA)
6. 22 Joriglenigon (Spain)
7. 20 Dick Barnes (Australia)
20 Kees van den Bergh (The Netherlands)
20 Mark Legg (USA)
10. 19 Diego Vidal (Italy)
19 Ivan Peeters (Belgium)
12. 18 Bryce Born (USA)
13. 17 Jeroen Meijer (The Netherlands)
17 Keith Williams (USA)
17 Mario Ruhmanseder (Austria)
16. 16 Laurence Frelin (USA)
16 Neil Macleod (USA)
16 Patrick Burger (The Netherlands)
16 Simon Jagers (The Netherlands)
16 Steve Allen (USA)
16 Steve Smith (USA)
16 Team 2000 (UK)
23. 15 B. Kroon (The Netherlands)
15 Jeroen van Zoelen (The Netherlands)
15 Kevin Mathers (USA)
15 Margriet Bakker (The Netherlands)
27. 14 Bob Guthrie (USA)
14 Erik Hardiek (The Netherlands)
14 Ian Miller (Malaysia)
14 Käre Nordahl (Denmark)
14 Marcel Bruins (The Netherlands)
14 Randy Brooks (USA; Texas)
14 Robert Nagoda (USA)
14 Zoestbergen (The Netherlands)
35. 13 Edouard Moret (France)
13 Frenay Eric (Belgium)
13 Jan Vos (The Netherlands)
13 Malcolm Foster (USA)
13 Max Siletti (Italy)
13 R. Wolf (USA)
13 Roderick den Daas (The Netherlands)
13 Roland Clarijs (The Netherlands)
13 Ruud Hendriks (The Netherlands)
13 Stefan Kandera (Germany)
13 Tako Molanus (The Netherlands)
13 William Wallace (Canada)
47. 12 Brent Newton (USA)
12 E. Gaasenbeek (The Netherlands)
12 Edmonton Veteran's Cycling Association (Canada)
12 Frank Achten (The Netherlands)
12 J. Gale (USA)
12 James Lowe (UK; England)
12 Les Day (UK; England)
12 Paolo Quaglia (Belgium)
12 Patrick Matgen (Luxembourg)
12 Raymond van Kuijen (The Netherlands)
12 Reinald Huizenga (The Netherlands)
12 Tom van der Wel (The Netherlands)
12 Tony Byrnes (UK)
12 Wendy Smith (UK)
61. 11 Graham Chapman (Australia)
11 Gwen O'Keefe (USA)
11 Jan Pedersen (Denmark)
11 Paul Verheul (The Netherlands)
11 Peter Lee (USA)
11 Rhonda Benjamin (Trinidad)
11 Ron Blancarte (USA)
11 S.R. & C.M. Davy (UK; England)
69. 10 Bas Grondhuis (The Netherlands)
10 Blake Carr (USA)
10 Dirk de Schrijver (Belgium)
10 Ed de Vries (The Netherlands)
10 Henk Langerak (The Netherlands)
10 Jan Stokvis (The Netherlands)
10 Lou Aanraad (The Netherlands)
10 Maarten Van Segbroeck (Belgium)
10 Maarten-Jan van Nunen (The Netherlands)
10 Marc Peeters [2] (The Netherlands)
10 Martin Jaeggi (Switzerland)
10 Nico Heilig (The Netherlands)
10 Rene Hoogendam (The Netherlands)
10 Robin Malm (Sweden)
10 Sander Diks (The Netherlands)
10 Steffen Arnbo Nielsen (Denmark)
10 Stuart Harvey (UK)
10 Thomas Nickel (Germany)
10 Tom Dhans (USA)
10 Tony Sanger (UK)
89. 9 Andy Steele (UK; England)
9 Anita en Roel van Wijk (The Netherlands)
9 B. Elsts (USA)
9 Bruno Leys (Belgium)
9 Eelco Mulder (The Netherlands)
9 Hayley Scanlon (USA)
9 Herb Yaptinchay (USA)
9 Jan Wolzak (The Netherlands)
9 Jeroen van den Broek (The Netherlands)
9 Jose Maria Mantero (USA)
9 Lee Rusk (USA)
9 Maarten Vos (The Netherlands)