Reports about the demise of Miguel Indurain in the Tour de France are greatly exaggerated.
Indurain was thought to be weakening after his loss in the Tour of Italy. He dropped behind early to Yevgeny Berzin of Russia, lost a pair of time trials and came into the Tour de France as merely a co-favorite with Tony Rominger.But Indurain needed just one long time trial to show that he is still the boss of the Tour de France and take over the leader's yellow jersey.
Indurain, a three-time winner, took over the overall lead with a two-minute victory over Rominger in a pivotal time trial Monday.
Indurain now has a lead of two minutes, 28 seconds over Rominger after the 40-mile leg from Perigueux to Bergerac in southwestern France. Indurain's time was 1 hour, 15 minutes, 58 seconds for the ninth stage.
"I gave everything I could and I felt well," Rominger said. "But I have to accept that he was stronger than me."
As to Berzin, who defeated Indurain in the Tour of Italy, he is nowhere to been seen in the Tour de France. At 24, he was considered too young to attempt the most prestigious cycling race.
"The Tour is a completely different story," Indurain said following his Italy defeat. "It's another race, the strategy is different."
Today's 10th stage from Bergerac to Cahors is 100 miles. It is the last mostly flat stage before the steep climbs start, with a trip up Mount Hautacam (5,363 feet) slated Wednesday in the Pyrenees.
The race has tough climbs in the Alps next week. Rominger won both stages in the Alps last year, but Indurain was right with him and didn't lose any time.
Monday, it was no contest in warm conditions, with temperatures approaching 86 degrees. Indurain, starting seventh from last, averaged more than 31 mph for the stage.
Johan Museeuw of Belgium, who had the lead entering the day, ended up 7 minutes, 16 seconds behind Indurain in the time trial and dropped to 13th, 6:46 behind Indurain.
Third behind Indurain and Rominger overall is now Armand de las Cuevas of France, who was also third in the time trial. He is almost five minutes behind Indurain in the overall standings.
Indurain was rolling from the start. He was ahead of Rominger by 24 seconds at 4 miles. He increased the margin to almost a minute at 9.4 miles.
By 10 miles, Indurain had overtaken American world champion Lance Armstrong, who started two minutes ahead of Indurain. Armstrong would end up more than six minutes behind Indurain, but he stayed 10th overall, 6:35 behind.
Just short of the midway point, Indurain led Rominger by 1:24 as Rominger was slowed when he had to change a flat tire, costing about 25 seconds.
The Spaniard increased it to exactly two minutes at the end.
The race ends July 24 in Paris after covering a course of 2,467 miles.