Tour de France
Alps next Armstrong roadblock

By John Leicester
The Associated Press

PETER DEJONG / AP The peloton wheels under a U.S. flag hanging from a house in Marseillette, near the start in Carcassonne, during yesterday's 14th stage of the Tour de France.

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NIMES, France — There's a giant obstacle — the Alps — in Lance Armstrong's road to victory at the Tour de France.

But judging by his devastating form, this week's peaks may be nothing more than speed bumps as the five-time champion closes in on a record sixth straight crown in Paris next week.

After two torrid days in the Pyrenees, where the 32-year-old Texan demolished rivals and killed doubts that he is way past his prime, he and other top riders caught their breath yesterday, letting Aitor Gonzalez of Spain take the victory in the flat 14th stage.

Today is a rest day — a last chance to regroup, treat injuries and prepare physically and mentally for three days in the Alps. They include what promises to be an epic time-trial race Wednesday to the L'Alpe d'Huez ski station, where Armstrong won in 2001.

Mindful of the pain that awaits, he and other podium contenders did not give chase when Gonzalez and nine other riders — all so low in the overall standings that they present no threat — surged ahead on the 119.6-mile swing through southern France from the medieval fortified city of Carcassonne.

The peloton eased up as soon as the escape group took off.

"It was a relief when they went away," overall leader Thomas Voeckler said.

The stage win was Gonzalez's first in three Tours and the first by a Spanish rider this year.

Armstrong could take the overall lead as early as tomorrow, on the first Alpine stage, 112 miles from Valreas to Villard-de-Lans. Its seven climbs include a 7.5-mile-long ascent of the Col de l'Echarasson. Average gradient: a punishing 7.4 percent.
 
In two days of climbing in the Pyrenees, Armstrong cut Voeckler's overall lead from more than 9 minutes to just 22 seconds. While resilient, the 25-year-old French champion should be easy prey for Armstrong in the Alps.

Armstrong, who was 39th yesterday, and Voeckler, 40th, finished in the same time, 14:12 behind Gonzalez.

Notes

• The stage was one of only two in the race with no categorized climbs, a boon for tired riders rolling along in temperatures approaching 90 degrees.

• Australian Robbie McEwen solidified his campaign for the green jersey as the Tour's best sprinter, finishing 11th in a dash to the line. He has 225 points, 13 more than Eric Zabel of Germany. Norway's Thor Hushovd is third with 209.

• Prince Albert of Monaco was an invited guest of the U.S. Postal Service team for Stage 14. The prince passed almost unnoticed among hundreds of spectators jostling for a glimpse of Armstrong. "I come on the Tour every year," he said. "I enjoy it. It's incredible."

• Johan Bruyneel, U.S. Postal Service team manager, believes Germany's Jan Ullrich, who is in eighth place and trails Armstrong by 6:39, is out of contention for a podium place.

Asked to predict the top three, Bruyneel said: "Lance, (Ivan) Basso, (Andreas) Kloden."

"What about Ullrich?" he was asked.

"No," Bruyneel replied.

Italy's Basso, in third place, trails Armstrong by 1:17. Germany's Kloden, in fourth, is 2:56 behind the Texan.

Overall leaders

Five-time Tour champ Lance Armstrong finished with the peloton and remained second overall yesterday, with no change in the top three.

1. Thomas Voeckler, France, Brioches La Boulangere, 62 hours, 33 minutes, 11 seconds.

2. Lance Armstrong, U.S. Postal-Berry Floor, 0:22 behind.

3. Ivan Basso, Italy, Team CSC, 1:39 behind.