Graham Watson: Tour de France 2006

The Tour de France leaves Strasbourg at the start of Stage One.

Thor Hushovd lies injured after the end of Stage One.

Walter Beneteau leads the day’s escape.

George Hincapie celebrates after taking the race-lead.

Jimmy Casper wins Stage One into Strasbourg.

The peloton climbs into the forests of the Vosges.

Hernandez and De La Fuente are still six minutes in front, with 60 kilometres to go.

Hernandez and De La Fuente in their day-long escape on Stage Two to Esch-sur-Alzette.

George Hincapie in action on Stage Two to Esch-sur-Alzette.

Robbie McEwen wins Stage Two to Esch-sur-Alzette.

Florian Brard of the Caisse d’Epargne-Illes Balears team.

The Tour passes through Vielsalm in Belgium.

Belgian fans greet the Tour near Verviers.

Thor Hushovd shows his mettle as the hills begin to bite.

Matthias Kessler wins Stage Three into Valkenburg, after attacking on the Cauberg with three kilometres left.

The Peloton passes through the Belgian town of Andenne on Stage Four to St. Quentin.

Christophe Menghin leads the escape to St. Quentin.

The Quick-Step team leads the chase.

Tom Boonen of the Quick.Step team in the yellow jersey.

Robbie McEwen wins Stage Four.

The peloton blasts away from the start and races across Normandy.

David Zabriskie requires a wheel change early on in the stage.

Though he’s in Yellow, Tom Boonen is still looking for his first stage win.

Demoulin and Schroder have nine minutes with 80 kilometres to go — but Schroder has yet to hit the front.

The smile says it all — Oscar Freire has won Stage Five into Caen. Tom Boonen remains race-leader.

The Peloton rolls across Normandy on Stage Six to Vitre.

Tom Boonen leads an early escape.

Anthony Geslin leads the big escape, ahead of Brard and Backstedt.

Gustav Larsson in action on Stage Seven into Rennes.

Michael Rogers in action on Stage Seven.

Floyd Landis in action.

Sergeui Honchar on his way to winning Stage Seven.

Sergeui Honchar takes the yellow jersey after Stage Seven.

The peloton races through Brittany on its way to Lorient.

It is the Phonak team that’s forced to chase the escape — T-Mobile has Kessler in it!

The Tour passes through a village in Brittany.

The Francaise des Jeux team sets the chase.

Sylvain Calzati wins Stage Eight.

The T-Mobile team, led by Giuseppe Guerin, takes control on the Soudet.

Inigo Landaluze starts to break up the escape on the Col de Soudet.

Cyril Dessel and Juan Miguel Mercado have emerged clear of the other escapers halfway up the Col de Soudet.

Juan Miguel Mercado wins Stage Ten into Pau after Dessel didn’t contest the two-man sprint.

Cyril Dessel celebrates taking the Yellow Jersey in Pau — he is the first Frenchman to do this since Thomas Voeckler in 2004.

The peloton climbs the Col du Tourmalet on Stage Eleven to Pla de Beret.

Fabian Wegmann leads the escape.

Denis Menchov wins Stage Eleven to Pla de Beret, ahead of Leipheimer and Landis.

Demoulin and Schroder have nine minutes with 80 kilometres to go — but Schroder has yet to hit the front.

Floyd Landis celebrates taking the Yellow Jersey.

The Boonen and McEwen escape starts the second-category climb 35 seconds ahead.

The Tour de France passes through some local color on Stage Twelve to Carcassonne.

The Tour de France passes through the grotto at Mas d’Azil.

Floyd Landis in action on Stage Twelve.

Yaroslav Popovych wins Stage Twelve into Carcassonne after attacking with a few kilometres to go.

The Tour de France races past a field of lavendar on Stage Thirteen to Montelimar.

The five escapers are now over 20 minutes in front with 65 kilometers left.

Big Magnus Backstedt is suffering in the heat — a bottle of cold water is put to good use.

Holidaying children jump into the Ardeche River as the sweating cyclists pedal by.

Jens Voigt wins Stage Thirteen into Montelimar after attacking with Pereiro.

Some bemused American fans ask a poignant question after the start of Stage Fourteen to Gap.

Rik Verbrugghe is chasing across with David Cañada.

Rik Verbrugghe lies injured in a ditch, possibly with a broken leg and shoulder.

Jose Azevedo tries to chase the escape down — to set Hincapie up for the sprint finish.

Pierrick Fedrigo wins Stage Fourteen into Gap, ahead of Commesso.

The peloton crosses the resevoir of Serre-Ponçon on Stage Fifteen to Alpe d’Huez.

The Caisse d’Epargne team, led by Nicolas Portal, leads the peloton.

Andreas Kloden and Floyd Landis climb to Alpe d’Huez.

Steven de Jongh recovers from a crash.

Frank Schleck wins Stage Fifteen to Alpe d’Huez.

The peloton is just about all together as it starts the serious climbing on Col du Lautaret.

Floyd Landis speeds down a mountain during Stage Sixteen to La Toussuire.

The peloton climbs the Col du Galibier.

Michael Rasmussen wins Stage Sixteen into La Toussuire.

Oscar Pereiro re-takes the Yellow Jersey in La Toussuire.

Oscar Pereiro climbs ahead of Rasmussen and Zubeldia on Stage Seventeen to Morzine.

Floyd Landis cools himself down.

Cadel Evans climbs ahead of Frank Schleck.

Floyd Landis climbs through the crowds on the Col de Joux-Plane.

Floyd Landis celebrates winning Stage Seventeen to Morzine.

On its way to Macon on Stage Eighteen, the peloton passes sunflowers wilting in the intense heat.

Leipheimer needs some cold water to cool down in the escape.

Oscar Pereiro descends on Stage Eighteen to Macon.

Massimo Tosatto wins Stage Eighteen into Macon, easily outsprinting Moreni and Scholtz.

Landis is sticking with water for at least another evening — then it’s beers for everyone on Saturday night.

Viatcheslav Ekimov took a brilliant sixth today — not bad for a 40-year-old riding his fifteenth Tour de France.

Sebastian Lang placed fifth today, ending his Tour in 66th place.

Oscar Pereiro fought hard to stay in Yellow today, taking a great fourth place — he ends the Tour in second overall.

Floyd Landis raced to 3rd place today — and becomes the new race-leader of the Tour.

Floyd Landis pulls on a new Yellow Jersey after his third place today — he is one day away from winning his first Tour de France.

Floyd Landis on his way to Paris and his first Tour de France victory.

Floyd Landis takes the lap of honor.

American Floyd Landis has won the Tour de France now.