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Riders face key test as Tour de France scales Alps
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-12 09:17
Vinokourov, the Kazakhstan champion who placed third in
the 2003 Tour, is 1 minute and 2 seconds behind Armstrong. Basso, third last
year, is 1:26 back. Ullrich, the 1997 winner and a five-time runner-up, trails
by 1:36. Kloeden, last year's runner-up, and Landis are both 1:50 behind.
Vinokourov could prove to be the biggest threat to Armstrong and is hungry
for success having missed the 2004 Tour through injury. He already tested
Armstrong on Saturday when the American's teammates failed to match the quick
pace on a climb, leaving him alone to fend off Vinokourov's speedy surges.
"If they are not strong I think he has a problem," said Riis, the CSC manager
who won the Tour in 1996.
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