TOUR DE FRANCE : Tribute Paid to Fallen Rider

In a moving tribute to a fallen rider, the Motorola teammates of the late Fabio Casartelli crossed the finish line together during Wednesday’s stage of the Tour de France.

Lance Armstrong and Frankie Andreu of the United States, Steve Bauer of Canada, Alvaro Mejia of Colombia, Stephen Swart of New Zealand and Andrea Peron of Italy were allowed to go ahead as a group in a gesture to Casartelli, an Italian killed during Tuesday’s stage after a crash on a mountain descent.

Peron led the pack across the line of the 16th stage. Race directors decided to have no official standings, crediting everyone with the same time as Peron, who crossed the finish in 7 hours 50 minutes 12 seconds.

Spain’s Miguel Indurain, seeking his fifth consecutive tour victory, finished in the pack to maintain his overall lead.

“There is nothing else to say except ‘Thank you’ to all the cyclists who rode today to pay homage to Fabio,” Bauer said.

It was a spontaneous idea that came during the day as the pack moved slowly between Tarbes and Pau. A quick discussion among the leaders, then a word or two between Bauer and the race directors and the idea was developed.

“I share their feelings,” said Bernard Hinault, a five-time winner of the tour and now one of the race officials. “How can you run a race when you are thinking of a teammate who has gone?”

After a slow pace, the Motorola team went to the head of the pack with about six miles remaining in the 147-mile stage.

There was no emotion shown by any of the Motorola riders as they kept their hands on their handlebars across the finish line, in sharp contrast to other stage winners who usually raise their hands in victory.

The Motorola team wore black ribbons on their sleeves in memory of Casartelli, and riders held a minute of silence before the start of the leg in Tarbes with the Motorola riders on the front line.

The race has two flat stages with an individual time trial Saturday before ending in Paris on Sunday.

The riders donated all their prize money from Tuesday’s stage, about $45,000, which Tour de France organizers matched, to Casartelli’s family. The funeral is scheduled for today.