In the nineteenth stage over 242 km a group of 13 cyclists managed to finish more than sixteen minutes before the pack. Magnus Backstedt became the first Swedish Tour stage winner ever. All major cyclists finished in the pack so the top of the overall rankings did not change. Tomorrow there will be an individual time trial.
Ian Thomson from Australia had two of the thirteen cyclists of the escape group in his team and this earned him the stage win. Andri Jonsson of Sweden and Richard Daniells of the UK shared second place. Only 76 participants managed to obtain points today. Tako Molanus and Lee Rusk remain on the top two places in the overall rankings. Yesterday's winner Carl Koot of The Netherlands was one of the few top ten players which obtained some points and this enabled him to take over third place.
Today five more cyclists left the race. There are only 96 of 189 left in the race. Graeme Camp of New Zealand realized a unique feat in the game by withdrawing his team to show solidarity with the troubled Tour cyclists.
1. 14 Ian Thomson (Australia)
2. 13 Andri Jonsson (Sweden)
13 Richard Daniells (UK)
4. 11 Brendan Goodrich (Ireland)
11 David Marshall (Australia)
11 Kevin Shade (USA)
11 Mark Hutchison (Australia)
8. 10 Adrian Black (UK)
10 Edwin Saunders (South Africa)
10 Guus Ebert (The Netherlands)
10 Mike Page-Hanify (Australia)
10 Stuart Passmore (Australia)
13. 9 Arie Altena (The Netherlands)
9 Asra Hewitt (New Zealand)
9 Carl Koot (The Netherlands)
9 Darren Dean (Australia)
9 Luisa Baldassari (Australia)
9 Nathan Finn (Australia)
9 Peter Savage (Australia)
9 Richard Somerset (UK)
21. 8 Eric Weigeshoff (USA)
8 Hans Bogers (The Netherlands)
8 Larry Nolan (United Nations)
8 Mike Ross (New Zealand)
8 Thomas Dixon (USA)
26. 7 Diederik Verhoef (The Netherlands)
7 M. Sedelaar (The Netherlands)
28. 6 Alan Hui (Australia)
6 Greg Lunt (UK)
6 Marcel van der Helm (The Netherlands)
6 Michael Nissen (Australia)
6 Paolo Baldassari (Australia)
6 Pelle Söderström (Sweden)
6 Tanja Arts (The Netherlands)
6 Ulf Ancker-Doerksen (The Netherlands)
6 Warren Thorne (UK)
37. 5 Bruno Steurs (Belgium)
5 Jonathan Martin (UK)
5 Russell Barrett (Australia)
5 Stuart Gilchrist (UK)
41. 4 John Plaschke (USA)
4 Jonathan Rabey (UK)
4 Mike Parry (UK)
4 Ralf Daniels (The Netherlands)
4 Ric McCorkell (Australia)
4 Richard Pestes (Canada)
4 Simon Muir (UK)
48. 3 Anton Cozijnsen (Australia)
3 Daniel McQuillen (USA)
3 Fred van Oosbree (The Netherlands)
3 Jan Willem Jansen (The Netherlands)
3 Martyn Smith (UK)
3 Michiel van Lonkhuyzen (The Netherlands)
3 Migue De (United Nations)
3 Neil White (Australia)
3 Peter Toftsoe (Denmark)
57. 2 Arjen Eggink (The Netherlands)
2 Ber Yebio (The Netherlands)
2 Erwin Tijms (The Netherlands)
2 Lance Doherty (Canada)
2 Mike Johanson (USA)
2 Richard Talbot (UK)
2 Sander Kaspers (The Netherlands)
2 Sofie De Nardi (Denmark)
2 Steve Harrison (Australia)
2 Steve Willmott (New Zealand)
2 Stuart Lunn (UK)
2 Tad Zgoda (USA)
2 Tako Molanus (The Netherlands)
2 Tim Tempany (Australia)
71. 1 Brian Hobson (Canada)
1 Joe Barrins (Australia)
1 Lee Rusk (USA)
1 Robert L. Booth (USA)
1 Tanu Chino (Japan)
1 Thomas Wilhelmsen (Norway)
77. 0 A. Bardham-Roy (UK)
0 A. de Lang (The Netherlands)
0 A. Keizer (The Netherlands)
0 A. Lucas (France)
0 A. Vreeling (The Netherlands)
0 A.B. Glah (USA)
0 A.P. Glah (USA)
0 Aad Lansbergen (The Netherlands)
0 Aaron Hodges (USA)
0 Addy Witte (The Netherlands)
0 Adrie van Geffen (The Netherlands)
0 Agneta Silkens (The Netherlands)
0 Aico de Volder (The Netherlands)
0 Aitor Casado (Spain)
0 Akira Yamaguchi (USA)
0 Akke Vel (Belgium)
0 Alden Tanaka (USA)
0 Aldo Carta (The Netherlands)
0 Ales Zaloznik (Slovenia)
0 Alex Fiddler (USA)
0 Alex Malzer (UK)
0 Alex Smith (UK)
0 Alexander Braun (Germany)
0 Alister Taylor (Australia)