Tour de France : Dutchman Breukink Wins 13th Stage

Dutchman Erik Breukink of the Panasonic team Monday won the first high-mountain stage of the Tour de France cycle race, and Charly Mottet of France reclaimed the overall lead.

Breukink, part of a four-man group that broke away on the last of three major climbs on the 136-mile 13th stage in the Pyrenees Mountains, moved ahead with less than a mile to go to win in 6 hours 19 minutes 57 seconds.

Frenchman Jean-Francois Bernard of the Toshiba-La Vie Claire team was second, five seconds behind. Colombians Pablo Wilches of Postobon and Luis Herrera of Cafe de Colombia followed at 10 seconds back.

Eric Van Lancker of Belgium led about a 30-man pack at 3:44 back that included Mottet, his Systeme U co-leader Laurent Fignon and Ireland’s Stephen Roche of the Carrera team.

Mottet, who took the overall lead Friday only to lose it the next day to teammate Martial Gayant, regained the leader’s yellow jersey with a 1:52 advance on Bernard, 3:23 on Roche and 4:42 on Breukink. Gayant, not a climber, finished more than 16 minutes back.

Breukink, who finished a surprising third in the Tour of Italy, broke from the back of the lead group and crossed the line with a wide lead.

Those dropping out on the stage included Italy’s Giuseppe Saronni and Belgium’s Hendrick Devos, who fell and was taken to hospital where he was in good condition.

The riders have a second tough test in the Pyrenees today--Bastille Day, France’s national holiday--on the 103-mile 14th stage from Pau to Luz Ardiden.