Heavy downpours, treacherous rain-slickened roads, buffeting winds and a nasty crash in the final dash to the finish line. Not a Tour de France day that Lance Armstrong will want to remember.
The six-time champion came through soaked but unscathed and kept his overall lead Thursday in the three-week race's sixth stage through eastern France, from Troyes to Nancy.
But "it wasn't pretty," said Armstrong, who placed 32nd and finished alongside two of his teammates.
PHOTO: EPA
One of the American's main challengers, Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan, took 19 seconds off Armstrong's lead by dashing ahead in the closing stages to place second. But he still trails Armstrong by 1 minute, 2 seconds overall.
Lorenzo Bernucci of Italy, a 25-year-old racing his first Tour, won at Nancy. He kissed his wedding ring as he crossed the line and dedicated his first victory to his wife.
Armstrong, who plans to retire at the end of the Tour on July 24, is harboring his strength and not fighting for daily wins in this first week so he's fresh for the Alps that come next week -- after the riders have enjoyed a well-earned rest day on Monday.
PHOTO: EPA
Already, fatigue is beginning to show. There were four hills to negotiate on Thursday's 199km ride. Some racers -- not including Armstrong or his main rivals -- struggled up the final climb, even though it was a molehill compared to the high mountain passes that must be scaled in the Alps and later in the Pyrenees.
"The riders are tired. We had a relatively insignificant climb near the end of the stage but we heard on the race radio that quite a few guys were dropped. That's not normal for this race," Armstrong said.
He blamed the rigorous conditions and the fast pace set by leading squads.
PHOTO: AFP
"When you add in the tail winds, the cross winds, the rain, the weather and the high tempo the teams are riding on the front that adds up to some tired guys," he said.
The Tour veers in Germany on Friday. The 228.5km trek from Luneville to Karlsruhe has a couple of hill climbs in the first third before flattening out. It will likely finish in a bunched sprint at the line.
Again, Armstrong will be looking to stay safe and to avoid the misfortune that befell French racer Christophe Mengin on the tight final right-hand corner at the end of Thursday's route.
Mengin was leading when he slipped and crashed into a safety barrier. The line was almost within sight, less than 1km away on a crowd-lined finishing straight in central Nancy.
Bernucci and Vinokourov stayed upright and dashed through for their first and second places, respectively. But at least four other racers plowed into the prostrate Mengin and went down, too, creating a jam of bikes and riders that slowed Armstrong.
"It was a hairy finish with a lot of turns," Armstrong said. "When you're stopped behind a crash like that you have to just pick your way through and try and get to the finish"
"There were bikes everywhere -- I rode over a back wheel," said Australian sprinter Robbie McEwen, who won Wednesday's stage and will be looking for a second victory on Friday.
The hapless Mengin placed 128th with a puffed bruised left eye -- a sorry end to a remarkable ride. He had ridden at the front for much of Thursday's stage, breaking away from the main chasing pack of riders early in the day.
For his efforts, he was rewarded with the combativeness prize, awarded each day by a jury to the most courageous or aggressive rider. The prize is worth 2,000 euros (US$2,402)
"I look more like a boxer," the battered Mengin said.
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