Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 11, 1994 TAG: 9405120156
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: |By ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
With three mountains and 115 miles miles behind them Tuesday, cyclists finally reached the monstrosity, which then staked its claim as the most punishing test yet for the 106 riders.
``It was long enough and it was steep enough,'' said Viatcheslav Ekimov, who began the stage wearing the leader's yellow jersey.
The turning point in the stage came when Raul Alcala, the 1993 Tour champion, bolted from the lead pack midway up the Mountain Lake climb, about 20 miles from the finish line. A group of riders chased, including his Motorola teammate, Lance Armstrong.
Alcala couldn't keep up the pace, leaving five cyclists to battle at the front: Ekimov, second-place Andrea Chiurato, Armstrong and Polti teammates Oscar Pellicioli and Georg Totschnig.
The five made the ascent together and stuck close on the descent, leaning in the curves and reaching speeds of up to 60 mph.
With about three miles left, Pellicioli and Totschnig could be seen plotting strategy for the finish. Pellicioli attacked with about 11/2 miles left in the race, but only Chiurato went with him, his sights set on the overall lead.
Pellicioli outdueled Chiurato and won the stage in 6 hours, 28 minutes, 27 seconds. He received a bonus of 10 seconds and moved up to ninth overall, three minutes off the lead.
Ekimov placed fourth in the stage and retained the yellow jersey by one second over Chiurato. Armstrong placed third in the stage and is third overall, 38 seconds behind Ekimov.
Armstrong said he was surprised Ekimov failed to chase when Pellicioli and Chiurato broke.
``If I was in the yellow jersey and two guys go away, I would be inclined to chase them down,'' said Armstrong, 22. ``I thought [Ekimov] was stupid.''
Ekimov didn't seem fazed by the brash Texan and said he still felt he had control of the race.
``It was a hard stage, but I had no trouble handling Armstrong,'' Ekimov said. ``The worst thing that could have happened is if Alcala and Armstrong had gotten away. Tomorrow will be the hardest stage.
``I don't think Armstrong is strong enough to get rid of me [today].''
The cyclists face more punishing mountains today during Stage 7, a 125-mile race from Wytheville to Beech Mountain, N.C. If Ekimov, a premier time trialist, can stick with the leaders through the mountains, he would be in command for the Tour's final stage, a 16-mile time trial Sunday that finishes in Winston-Salem, N.C.
``It's going to be tough to win because Ekimov is riding super,'' Armstrong said. ``All he has to do now is follow us around. He doesn't have to ride a tactical race or an aggressive race. He just has to be on the defensive.''
American Greg LeMond rebounded from a bad day Monday during the Roanoke Valley time trial and earned the Most Aggressive Rider Award in voting by the media Tuesday. LeMond broke away before the final two climbs and led the lead pack by more than two minutes at one point.
LeMond, the 1992 Tour DuPont champion, was chased down by Alcala on the Mountain Lake ascent and finished eighth in the stage, 51 seconds off the pace. LeMond moved up from 30th to 18th in the overall standings, 4:41 back.
``I felt quite a bit better today,'' LeMond said. ``It's hard to say why. ... Even from the first moment on my bike, I felt better.
``I think I could be one of the front guys [today], but I really pushed myself hard today, so we'll have to see.''
by CNB