The tough fifteenth stage over 173 km was won Fernando Escartin from Spain. The stage included five category one climbs and one of them ended at the finish line. Escartin is the first top ten cyclist that manages to take off some minutes of the lead of Lance Armstrong (USA). The latter remains in the lead but the Spaniard is second now.
The stage in the game was won by K. van Hoof from The Netherlands with fellow countryman Peter van Gils on place two. Kris Stapleton (USA) finished third. German Michael Botzet extended his lead in the overall rankings to eighteen points. Christian Hoffellner (Austria) advanced to second place and pushed Erix Schokker to place three. Dutchman Erik-Jan Meles entered the top ten today and he seems to be aiming at a top three position after the next stage.
Today nine cyclists left the race. The most important one was Bo Hamburger (member of 76 teams).
1. 59 K. van Hoof (The Netherlands)
2. 54 Peter van Gils (The Netherlands)
3. 52 Kris Stapleton (USA)
4. 50 Jiri Kocich (Czech Republic)
50 W.A. Kortleever (The Netherlands)
6. 48 Boet Kokke (The Netherlands)
7. 47 Miquel Bordoy (Spain)
47 Tony Tullio (Canada)
9. 46 Dirk Kissing (The Netherlands)
46 Pascal Arts (The Netherlands)
46 Ryne DeVries (USA)
12. 45 Carrotman (The Netherlands)
45 Javier Mateos (Spain)
45 Koen van Weert (The Netherlands)
45 Mark Biggs (USA)
45 Oliver Choo (Canada)
45 The Toumaster (The Netherlands)
18. 44 Gerard Mondon (The Netherlands/France)
44 Javier Romero (Spain)
20. 43 Albert Viale (Spain)
43 Karen Bayne (USA)
43 M.J.C. Kortleever (The Netherlands)
43 Paulissen (Belgium)
43 Remco van Veenendaal (The Netherlands)
43 Sietske Duyn (The Netherlands)
43 Wouter Olivier (The Netherlands)
43 Øyvind Haugberg (Norway)
28. 42 Jorge Fernandes (Portugal)
42 Karu Meininki (Finland)
42 Ken Eato (USA)
42 Steve Peyton (USA)
42 Steven Wyderko (USA)
33. 41 Danny van Osenbruggen (The Netherlands)
41 Joost Dorr (The Netherlands)
41 Matt Bundy (Australia)
41 Matz Arriba (The Netherlands)
41 Sonja Ja (Sweden)
38. 40 Henrik Andreasen (Sweden)
40 Jacob Andreasen (Sweden)
40 Marie Holjer (Sweden)
40 Richard Talbot (UK/England)
40 Stefan Werner (Sweden)
43. 39 Bruno Leys (Belgium)
39 Erik-Jan Meles (The Netherlands)
39 M & W (The Netherlands)
39 Marcy Dalton (Canada)
39 Phil Goss (UK)
39 Robert (USA)
39 Walter Uijlenbroek (The Netherlands)
50. 38 Atletico Bintang (Italy)
38 Gene Dollarhide (USA)
38 Joao Pedro Mendonca (Portugal)
38 Pokey (The Netherlands)
38 Rikard Olsson (Sweden)
38 Rob Schiphouwer (The Netherlands)
38 Ryan Charbonneau (Canada)
57. 37 Brian Bishop (USA)
37 Carin Klaassen (The Netherlands)
37 Erik TKS (The Netherlands)
37 Michael Rickels (USA)
37 Pelle Söderström (Sweden)
37 Robin van Loenen (The Netherlands)
37 Sander Bos (The Netherlands)
64. 36 C. Helsper (The Netherlands)
36 Chris Kadzevski (UK)
36 John Lanson (USA)
36 Mark S. Mingelgreen (USA)
36 Michael Pierce (USA)
36 Steve Smith (UK)
70. 35 Alex Roefs (The Netherlands)
35 Chris Edison (USA)
35 Dick West (UK/England)
35 F.C. Meijer (The Netherlands)
35 Markus Schwarz (Austria)
35 Michael Brousseau (USA)
35 Nathaniel E. Baker (USA)
35 Olle Söderström (Sweden)
35 Patrick Serra (Sweden)
35 Peter Maks (USA)
35 Rik Altena (The Netherlands)
35 Tom Scanlon (USA)
35 Tom Scarvie (USA)
35 Vitaly Goot (Israel)
35 Wim van de Louw (The Netherlands)
85. 34 Carmen Leerdam (The Netherlands)
34 Dave Bell (UK)
34 David Jones (USA)
34 Don Kinsey (USA)
34 Eric van Balkum (The Netherlands)
34 Kelly Silberberg (USA)
34 M. van Oosten (Aruba)
34 Maarten Bosch (Belgium)
34 Marc Tanguay (USA)
34 Todd Wulfson (USA)
34 Xander Wiardi (The Netherlands)
96. 33 Eelco Laarma (The Netherlands)
33 Eunice Rojas (USA)
33 Jonathan Edwards (Mexico)
33 Joseph L'Africain (USA)
33 Marten Hoekstra (The Netherlands)