|
Armstrong loses some of his lead at Tour de France
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-08 09:28
The Tour veers in Germany on Friday. The 228.5-kilometer (142-mile) 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 1 kilometer (half a mile) 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.
|
 | | | 2005 East China Sea United Search and Rescue Drill | | |  | | | Search-and-rescue drill in the East China Sea | | |  | | | Anti-Japanese invasion war commemorated | | |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Today's
Top News |
|
|
|
Top China
News |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
