71.   Both again battled over the final stretch with Ullrich refusing to let Virenque get away.

72.   Britain opened up a lead but barely held on to it in the final stretch.

73.   But Noe overtook Gonzales on the final uphill stretch and held off Pantani, a noted climber.

74.   Checa blamed lapped driver Anthony West of Australia for blocking his path on the final stretch, which cost him time when Rossi was in hot pursuit.

75.   Chris McCarron guided Bienamado to the lead at the top of the final stretch.

76.   Christian Hoffmann of Austria finished second, more than two minutes behind, after surging past countryman Mikhail Botvinov in the final stretch.

77.   Claudia Kuenzel of Germany finished fourth and protested the results, claiming Moen cut her off by illegally changing lanes in the final stretch.

78.   Corinne Niogret waved a French flag as she skied, unchallenged, through the final stretch in this northern resort.

79.   Dekker, the current World Cup points leader, started a sprint over the final kilometer but both Zabel and the Latvian pulled past him during the final stretch.

80.   Duquette said he hopes the move will spark a positive reaction from the team as it heads down the final stretch.