
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, May 12, 1994                   TAG: 9405120188
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BEECH MOUNTAIN, N.C.                                LENGTH: Medium

ARMSTRONG KEEPS THE PRESSURE ON

Lance Armstrong of Austin, Texas, rode to an uphill, wheel-length victory Wednesday in the Tour DuPont, gaining four seconds for the second consecutive day to move into second place behind Russian Viatcheslav Ekimov after seven stages of the cycling race.

Armstrong, the reigning world road champion, moved past Ekimov in the final 200 yards to win the road stage that began in Wytheville, Va., in 6 hours, 12 minutes, 24 seconds.

Ekimov, the eight-time world track titlist and 1988 Olympic pursuit gold medalist, leads Armstrong by 34 seconds with four stages of the 1,050-mile race remaining.

``I'm in good shape to continue the fight,'' said Ekimov, who assumed the race lead with a dominating time-trial victory Monday in the Roanoke Valley. ``I don't know what kind of lead I will need, but a little lead - maybe 30 or 40 seconds - will be enough.''

Georg Totschnig of Austria, who broke into the lead with Armstrong and Ekimov with about 2.5 miles left of the most severe stage of the event, finished third in 6:12:26.

Andrea Chiurato of Italy, who began the day in second place, one second behind Ekimov, finished eighth. Chiurato was 29 seconds behind and fell to third place, 36 seconds off the pace.

Greg LeMond of Medina, Minn., the three-time Tour de France champion, finished 37th and fell from 18th to 23rd, 7:51 behind Ekimov.

``That's the way it works,'' said Armstrong, who won his first stage since his world title victory in August in Norway. ``When you have two riders with the same strength, it's a cat-and-mouse game.''

Armstrong, who gained a 10-second bonus for his victory, and Ekimov, who earned six seconds for second place, exchanged positions throughout the day on a course that included five steep climbs.

Armstrong's team leaders believe the second-year pro will need at least a one-minute lead before the final day to defeat Ekimov, a time-trial specialist.

``I need a lot of seconds to beat him, but it's going to be nearly impossible,'' Armstrong said. ``Time-trialing is his forte. That's why he's in the yellow [leader's] jersey. You think he's a good time-trialer in the mountains, wait until you see him in the flats.''

The 11-stage, 12-day race continues today with another mountain stage from Banner Elk to Asheville.

by CNB