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Armstrong 15th in First Mountain Stage

Posted on: Saturday, 12 July 2003, 06:00 CDT

Lance Armstrong finished 15th in the first mountain stage of the Tour de France on Saturday, and was second overall to stage winner Richard Virenque of France.

Armstrong, trying for a record-tying fifth straight Tour win, finished about four minutes behind Virenque and achieved one of his main goals: leaving key rivals behind on the punishing mountain stage from Lyon to the Alpine ski resort of Morzine.

Armstrong trailed Virenque by 2 minutes, 37 seconds in the overall standings.

Grimacing in pain, Virenque held on to take the grueling stage, grabbing the overall leader's yellow jersey.

"It's magic," Virenque said. "I dared - today was a day for taking dares."

Virenque broke away with a small group of riders early in the stage and held on, powering over peaks and leaving others in his wake. He raised his arms in victory as he crossed the line at Morzine.

Saturday's demanding 143.2-mile ride was the longest of the Tour's 20 stages.

Tens of thousands of people lined the route, turning the stage into a daylong celebration of cycling. Fans had spray-painted slogans like "Allez Armstrong!" on the road. Families picnicked along the route facing the snowcapped Alps, and villages had barbecues and parties before the riders came past.

Virenque has long been known as a climber, taking the "King of the Mountains" title at five previous Tours, from 1994-1997 and in 1999. His win on Saturday was his sixth Tour stage victory.

Alessandro Petacchi of Italy, the leading sprinter in this Tour, dropped out of the race during the first mountain stage.

Petacchi, who won four of the first six stages, including Friday's 142.83-mile trek from Nevers to Lyon, was one of six riders to drop out as the race entered its uphill phase.

For Armstrong, the fun is just beginning.

While other cyclists dread the mountain stages, which began Saturday with the first of three alpine climbs, the four-time champion was getting down to serious business.

Spain's Miguel Indurain, the only rider in the race's 100-year history to win five straight times, might start tuning in more regularly now, as Armstrong strides ever closer to joining him.

The 31-year-old Texan took to the hills Saturday in good spirits, surrounded by his fiercely loyal and smoothly functioning U.S. Postal teammates, and only a breath away from slipping the coveted yellow jersey onto his sleek frame.

"We're going into the Alps," said U.S. Postal Service teammate Victor Hugo Pena. "I'm going to do my job as a teammate to make sure Lance wins his fifth Tour de France."

Prior to racing Friday, Armstrong described Saturday's climb - which featured ascents of 5,343 feet and 3,897 feet - as "a medium mountain day, not a monumental day."

Although conceding that "just moving on a mountain is very hard," he, unlike other riders, is far from being perturbed.

"Up until now, it's been a psychological game to see where everyone is situated. Starting from tomorrow the real Tour de France begins," U.S. Postal's sporting director Johan Bruyneel said, adding that Armstrong is feeling "very confident."

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