Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 15, 1990 TAG: 9007150101
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: AUTRANS, FRANCE LENGTH: Medium
Midway through the Tour this year, he said it was the easiest one in which he has participated.
So why wasn't he winning?
"There are still 10 days to go," LeMond said.
After a day off on Friday, LeMond cut almost five minutes off the lead of Claudio Chiappucci of Italy on Saturday, moving from fourth to third behind Chiappucci and Eric Breukink of the Netherlands.
On the final day off in 1989, LeMond was in first place after the second time trial. He was going to lose the lead again, but he captured the victory with dramatic last-day time trial over Laurent Fignon of France.
"Last year was a totally different race from this year," LeMond said. "There are now two guys at the head who had a 10-minute head start at the beginning of the race, Pensec and Chiappucci. If they didn't have the 10-minute head start, I would be in second place, about 30 seconds behind Breukink."
Before Saturday, he was fourth, 7 minutes, 27 seconds behind Chiappucci and almost six minutes behind Pensec. But Chiappucci and Pensec, LeMond's "Z" teammate, faltered in 86-degree heat. After finishing the 13th of 21 stages in a group of five at the lead, LeMond was only 2:34 behind Chiappucci. Breukink was second, 2:02 behind. Pensec faded to fourth overall, 4:11 behind.
"I am not worried," LeMond said.
On the first day, Chiappucci, Pensec, Steve Bauer of Canada and Frans Maassen escaped for a 10-minute gap that held up through the first stage. Since Pensec was a member of LeMond's team, there was no reason for LeMond to respond.
"It is the fault of the other teams. Pedro Delgado's team, Breukink's team," LeMond said. "If they were serious about winning, they should have controlled the race on the first day. It just worked out that way."
Bauer used it as a springboard to hold the lead for the first nine days before he faded in the mountains.
Pensec took over for two days before ceding his place to Chiappucci.
LeMond has been steady through it all. He even stayed under wraps as a defensive move Wednesday in the steep 12th stage over three peaks.
"I got away and rode up l'Alpe d'Huez the easiest I have gone up there," LeMond said. "Only one thing I regret is that I could have had more time on Delgado, because he did most of the work. And more time on Breukink and Chiappucci."
Delgado, the 1988 winner, is fifth, 4:39 off the lead.
"If I had been more aggressive," LeMond added, "Breukink wouldn't have been this close and Chiappucci would have been several minutes behind."
However, LeMond could not attack and take the lead to distance himself from his teammate. LeMond stayed behind and Pensec caught up.
When Pensec lost the lead Thursday, it freed LeMond from team obligations and will now make the Z team work for him.
"We are going to race a bit differently from now on," LeMond said.
After his difficulties rounding into shape after a winter of publicity demands and a spring virus, it seems fourth place would have been overachieving.
After all, he was almost three hours behind in the Tour of Italy and had a string of "Did Not Finish" labels next to his name in early-season results. But that was before the Tour de France.
Despite everything, people somehow knew that when the Tour de France started, LeMond would be ready.
Others weren't. Fignon, who lost in that thrilling duel last season, dropped out in the fifth stage.
Stephen Roche, the 1987 winner thought to be a threat, lagged behind in the mountains.
Raul Alcala, winner of the Tour de Trump and an impressive victor in the first time trial, faded in the first major climb.
LeMond was second in the prologue and fifth in the two time trials. Other riders had exceptional days in one or the other, but LeMond placed high in all three.
"I have had the consistency," LeMond said. "I am more confident in my abilities than anyone in the pack."
There are still mountain phases in the Pyrenees on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"Seven minutes are easily lost in the mountains," LeMond said. "And if I were only 30 seconds behind Breukink with the last time trial and mountain stage to go, I would be very confident of winning.
"I still am confident of winning."
Keywords:
CYCLING
by CNB