Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 9, 1994 TAG: 9407090014
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RENNES, FRANCE LENGTH: Medium
Gianluca Bortolami of Italy won the stage as the Tour returned home after a brief excursion into England.
Yates took the overall lead by 1 second over Bortolami.
"I didn't know that he was close so I was surprised when I was told I only had a second on Bortolami," Yates said. "It was close, but it was enough."
LeMond, meanwhile, was out of it completely. When he pulled out of the race he was 145th in the overall standings out of 185 riders, nearly 9 minutes behind the leader.
He lost more than 7 minutes the past two days on some modest slopes, nothing compared to the steep climbs coming later in the Pyrenees and Alps.
The first American to win the Tour in 1986, LeMond has been plagued by fatigue the past two years.
"I am tired and don't have any energy and I don't know why," LeMond said the night before.
Lemond got off his bike at Louvigne du Desert, about 47 miles from the finish of Friday's 168-mile sixth stage between Cherbourg and Rennes.
After looking for his team car, he had to go into the broom wagon, which is required to sweep up all the dropouts. He was alone in the car, the only cyclist to drop out Friday.
It was a sad ending for the three-time winner, who was unavailable for comment.
Following his 1986 victory, LeMond suffered a serious accidental gunshot wound. But he made an amazing recovery and won again in 1989, making up a 50-second deficit on the final time trial to win by 8 seconds over Laurent Fignon in the closest finish in the Tour's history.
LeMond won his third title in 1990, dropped to seventh in 1991, did not finish in 1992 and did not start last year because of a debilitating allergy.
Now 33, he was a questionable starter for this year's race after poor performances in the early season.
"I kept Greg on the team because he had a good Tour of Switzerland," Roger Legeay, the GAN team director, said. `I don't regret the choice. But, concerning Greg, he has to make a decision on his future. Perhaps even stop his career if needed."
Yates, 34, was in a small group that moved away from the pack with about 18 miles left in the stage. Included in the group was Yates's Motorola's teammate, American Frankie Andreu.
by CNB