Dierckxsens wins Stage 11 of Tour

Belgian champ crosses first as leaders stay back

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Posted: Thursday July 15, 1999 12:34 PM

Ludo Dierckxsens finished the 11th stage almost 17 minutes ahead of the pack. AP

SAINT-ETIENNE, France (AP) -- Belgian champion Ludo Dierckxsens won the 11th stage of the Tour de France Thursday, a day when the leading contenders sat back to recover from their mountain exploits.

The results had little effect on the overall standings, because Dierckxsens was 77th overall going into the stage -- one hour, 14 minutes and 33 seconds behind the race leader, American Lance Armstrong, who easily retained his yellow jersey.

In second place for the stage was Dmitri Konyshev of Russia, 1 minute 27 seconds behind, who narrowly edged out Kazakstan's Alexandre Vinokourov.

Belgium had two high finishes, with Rik Verbrugghe also coming in fifth.

The main pack finished more than 22 minutes later, including Armstrong, Richard Virenque, and other top contenders.

Dierckxsens, a 35-year-old veteran, was punching the air in celebration well before the end, and smiled in delight as he crossed the finish line.

The 11th stage was a relatively flat 198.5-kilometer (124-mile) ride from Le Bourg d'Oians in the Alps to Saint-Etienne, capital of French bicycle manufacturing.

After two days in the Alps, the ride was more tranquil, snaking through villages, vineyards, apricot orchards and fields of sunflowers.

A group of seven riders broke away after about 100 kilometers (62.5 miles) and led for the whole race.

Armstrong's U.S. Postal team was happy to lead the pack for much of the race, in order to control the only riders likely to eat into Armstrong's lead.

There was one notable climb, the 1,201-meter (3,963-foot) Col de la Croix de Chaubouret, before a descent into St. Etienne.

On Wednesday, Virenque summed up the mood of many Tour de France riders after watching Armstrong extend his already commanding overall lead.

"If Armstrong doesn't crack, the rest of us will simply be playing for podium places in Paris," said Virenque, who finished sixth in Wednesday's 10th stage in the Alps.

Armstrong, the 27-year-old Texan making a remarkable recovery from testicular cancer, said he was "in a good position."

"After two stages in the mountains, I've got to be happy. I'm in a good position. After yesterday I was tired, so I just tried to control my competitors."

Wednesday's race was won by Italy's Giuseppe Guerini, who recovered from a last-minute crash with a spectator who had jumped into his path to take a photograph.

Tour officials said Thursday that the spectator visited Guerini's hotel to offer his apologies. The two then shook hands, the officials said.

 

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