The Gala Tour de France 2004 is run in form of an OMNIUM race with 3 different events: an individual time trial of 1 km, an elimination race over 21 laps where the last rider each time at the finish line is eliminated and finally a traditionnal criterium with intermediate sprints and a final winner at the finish line.

Individual time trial

After the cancellation of Sergej Ivanov (crash) and Damien Nazon (start with his team in France), and the arrival of Allan Johansen from Bankgiroloterij, they are 21 riders to start against the clock for a very short time-trial. Too short for the specialists because big favourite Vjatscheslav Ekimov, Olympic champion in 2000 and second at the Olympic games in 2004 in this exercise, finishes only in 11th position. The strong men, capable of doing a very violent acceleration for a short time, battle for the victory and the surprising René Joergenssen of the Alessio Bianchi team is the best today. He wins with more than 2 seconds advance on Andre Schulze. Strong deception for Kim Kirchen who finishes at the bottom of the field.

Elimination race

The next event is very spectacular, but also tough for the riders. Danger of elimination is present each time at the finish line and everyone wants to be at the front all the time, so the speed of the race progresses constantly. Some riders have another tactic: being in the last position all the time and jump the rider before them jhust in time to avoid elimination. This may help to save some strengh but can also be very dangerous as Jacky Durand has to see in the 13th lap when he is eliminated. Long before, the first rider to quit the race was Sven Bauer. With the laps going on, the effort shows on the faces of the riders and the field gets smaller and smaller. On the 18th lap, Kim Kirchen has to quit, leaving in the race the 3 last winners of the Tour de Luxembourg: Ljungkvist (2002), Voeckler (2003) and Montfort (2004). This is also the order at the finish, with the Alessio-Bianchi rider beating the French Champion by several meters on the last straight line.

Grand-prix de la ville de Luxembourg (criterium)

km 0 The 21 riders are once again present at the start line, this time for the criterium.

4th lap Thomas Voeckler doesn't seem content with his second place in the eliminiation race because he attacks right from the beginning and gets a gap together with German rider Daniel Becke from Iles Baléars.

11th lap The break has never got enough space and the two riders are caught again by the field. But they have managed to gain some point for the intermediate sprints classification.

14th lap The talented German rider Klaus Mutschler (RAGT Semences), Vincente Reynes (Illes Baléars once more) and Maxime Montfort are in the next attacks, but they don't manage to get away.

19th lap This time it is Mengin (Fdjeux.com) and Amorison (Quick-Step), together with the scandinavian Adamsson and Jörgensen, who try a break. They take several meters of advance, but then are caught again.

25th lap The public's favourite, Kim Kirchen, now shows himself. He attacks and escapes togehter with the very active Voeckler, Amorison and Mutschler. The peloton doesn't want to let them go and the Alessio-Bianchi riders drive it back.

31st lap Jacky Durand is now going, trying to make one of his famous solo rides. There are still 20 km to go and his chances for victory are very small, but he could win some intermediate sprints or win the title of most aggressive rider if he manages to stay in front for a couple of laps.

35th lap The rider of Landbouwkrediet is joined in the lead by Adamsson and Pommereau, but the 3 are caught again by the field a little later.

45th lap But Jacky Durand is not satisfied, he launches another attack and gets a gap once more.

46th lap Kirchen, Voeckler, Ekimov, Andresen get to join the French rider in the lead. A royal break that could be the good one with only a few laps to go.

46th lap With Kirchen leading, the 5 riders can get a gap of 20 seconds on the rest of the riders.

47th lap Kirchen, Voeckler and Ekimov put the pressure on, Durand and Andresen (Bankgirolotterij) are dropped.

48th lap Kim Kirchen (Fassa Bortolo), Thomas Voeckler (Brioches-la-Boulangère) and Vjatcheslav Ekimov (US Postal) are still in front. They should make it to the finish line.

49th lap Kirchen is normally the best in a sprint. But all of the 3 are very good "finisseurs", able to keep a chasing group at distance in the last kilometers.

49th lap The Luxemburgish champion doesn't want to wait for a sprint. He attacks and comes out of the last corner with several meters of advantage.

Finish The gap of Kim Kirchen is small but enough for him to take the time and celebrate his first ever victory in the Gala Tour de France after 3 podiums in a row.

Finish Thomas Voeckler is faster than Ekimov in the sprint for second place, a few meters behind the Fassa Bortolo rider.

Finish Voeckler, Becke, Kirchen, this is the overall results of the intermediate sprints. Jacky Durand wins without surprise the title of the most agressive rider..

Report on cyclingews.com