Wednesday, July 19 Notes from Lausanne: Disappointment for Julich
	By Andrew Hood ABC Sports Online LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- Bobby Julich is the hidden American at this year's Tour de France. The 28-year-old Colorado native entered the three-week Tour with high hopes, but Julich's Tour has been anything but rosy. Third overall in 1998, Julich was only the second American to finish on the Tour podium. A strong time trialist and climber, many thought he had a legitimate shot at winning cycling's most important race.     The Tour has not been kind to Bobby Julich. He crashed out of last year's Tour during the first time trial stage and since then has been overlooked as compatriot Lance Armstrong stepped into the limelight with his dramatic comeback from cancer en route to winning last year's Tour. This year has been equally as frustrating. Now with the Credit Agricole team, Julich suffered in the first major climbing stage in the Pyrénées. He was with the first group but suffered from a cold coming off the big descent just before the start of the climb to Hautacam. He lost more than 12 minutes in the stage and never regained his form. Julich lost more time Wednesday and fell to 50th overall. New Spanish conquistadors The glory days of Spanish domination at the Tour ended when five-time winner Miguel Indurain retired at the end of the 1996 season. No one has stepped up to be a serious Tour contender from the Iberian Peninsula, until this year Abraham Olano was Indurain's heir apparent, but has never finished better than fourth overall. This year Olano's a non-factor, languishing more than one hour off the back. Fernando Escartin, now eighth overall, finished on the podium in third last year. With Escartin, there are five Spanish in the top-10, including Joseba Beloki, third overall, and Roberto Heras, fourth overall. Both are young Spanish riders who excel in the mountains and have a chance to challenge in the future. Beloki is a strong time trialist and will likely keep his podium place into Paris. How they fared: How the Tour favorites finished in Wednesday's stage and where they stand in the overall classification: Lance Armstrong: Finished 35th at the same time as stage winner Erik Dekker; first overall. Jan Ullrich: Finished 29th at the same time; second overall at 5:37. Marco Pantani: Did not start stage 17. Richard Virenque: Finished 26th at the same time; fifth overall at 7:36. Laurent Jalabert: Finished 105th at 4:19 back; 58th overall at 1 hour 52 minutes, 17 seconds Alex Zülle: Abandoned the Tour at stage 17. Bobby Julich: Finished 66th at 1'06 back; 50th overall at 1 hour 37 minutes, 40 seconds Chann McRae: Abandoned the Tour at stage 12. Three riders abandoned Tuesday, and four riders quit the race Wednesday. Now 130 riders remain in the Tour. The jerseys: Lance Armstrong retained the overall yellow jersey. Erik Zabel retained the green points jersey. Santiago Botero retained the polka-dot jersey. Francisco Mancebo retained the under-25 white jersey. Kelme took the lead of the team competition Tuesday. Tomorrow's stage: The peloton faces a long, flat stage, 152 miles from Lausanne, Switzerland, to Fribourg, Germany. Four minor climbs dot the course, ideal for riders with fresh legs to make a stab at breaking away and winning a stage.		ALSO SEE Armstrong closes in on title; Pantani, Zülle pull out Stage Seventeen results AUDIO/VIDEO  Stage 17 course map RealVideo: 28.8