Tour de France : France’s Bernard Wins Stage to Take 2-Minute Overall Lead

Frenchman Jean-Francois Bernard, charging up this steep mountain in southern France, won the 22.5-mile 18th-stage time trial Sunday by nearly two minutes to take the overall lead in the Tour de France bicycle race.

Bernard finished 1:39 ahead of runner-up Luis Herrera of Colombia, and 1:51 in front of Spaniard Pedro Delgado, who finished third.

Charles Mottet of France had to surrender his yellow jersey as the overall leader after finishing distant ninth, 3:58 back, while American Andy Hampsten conceded nearly six minutes to Bernard.

Bernard’s victory puts him in a very strong position as the tour enters the Alps.

Last year, he was a support rider to five-time winner Bernard Hinault of France and American Greg LeMond, the 1986 winner.

Race officials said Sunday that Guido Bontempi of Italy and Dietrich Thurau of West Germany failed drug tests after earlier stages. Bontempi tested positive on July 7 after the seventh stage, which he won. He was demoted to last place. Thurau was similarly penalized after testing positive on July 8, but he has since dropped out of the tour because of a knee injury.

Each day, the winner of the stage, the overall leader and two others chosen at random are subjected to drug tests.