Tour de France : LeMond Loses Lead to Fignon in Pyrenees

Greg LeMond of Minneapolis lost the yellow leader’s jersey in the Tour de France Tuesday when two-time winner Laurent Fignon of France moved into the overall lead.

Robert Millar of Britain won the 10th stage, which covered 85 miles from Cauterets to Superbagneres. Last year’s champion, Pedro Delgado of Spain, was second with Charly Mottet of France third.

LeMond, who entered the ride up and down four mountains in the Pyrenees five seconds ahead of Fignon, fell into second place, seven seconds back.

It was the first time Fignon has worn the yellow jersey since winning the Tour in 1984.

“I wanted to take the yellow jersey because I have to behave like the leader anyway,” he said. “LeMond just won’t take any risks.”

LeMond, who won in 1986, said he thought Fignon made a tactical mistake in not chasing Delgado earlier.

“Delgado is the man to beat, not me,” LeMond said. “Fignon wanted me to take the lead. But I can’t do it. I’m not stupid enough to fall into that trap.”

LeMond, the only American to win this race, finished 3 minutes 26 seconds behind Millar. LeMond tried to stay with Fignon, the Tour de France winner in 1983 and 1984, but he fell back in the closing climb and lost the lead he held since last Thursday.

“On the last hill I decided to attack,” Fignon said. “I didn’t feel good until that last climb. In the other three I had trouble.”

Stephen Roche of Ireland, the 1987 winner, was forced to drop out with a thigh injury before the start of Tuesday’s stage.

Delgado climbed back into the race with his second-place finish.

Nine days ago, the Spaniard was 198th and last, nearly 10 minutes off the lead and with no apparent chance of retaining his title.

But by finishing second in the same time as Millar--4 hours 22 minutes 19 seconds--Delgado sliced more than three minutes off the advantage held by LeMond and Fignon.

He moved into fourth place overall, 2 minutes 53 seconds behind Fignon, and improved his chances considerably with all the Alpine stages to come.

Delgado broke away from the main pack much earlier than expected, attacking on the descent from the imposing 6,900-foot Col du Tourmalet, to catch Millar and Mottet, who opened a gap on the climb.

They opened a lead of almost five minutes on the main group, including Fignon and LeMond. About a mile from the finish, Delgado made another move, leaving Mottet.

Millar hung on to finish a second ahead.