CYCLING TOUR DE FRANCE : Pensec Falters and LeMond Benefits

An individual mountain time trial Thursday that could have all but decided the 1990 Tour de France instead turned the 2,137-mile event into a wide-open race.

Claudio Chiappucci of Italy became the overall leader after the 12th stage as Ronan Pensec of France lost ground during the 21-mile stage from Fontaine to Villard de Lans. Pensec, who took the yellow jersey signifying the overall leader Tuesday, could have virtually assured himself the victory with a strong performance.

Instead, he foundered on the strenuous mountain passes and allowed defending champion Greg LeMond back in the race.

LeMond gained some time although he dropped a place in the overall standings. LeMond, the only U.S. cyclist to win the event, said his chance to gain a third victory improved dramatically.

LeMond no longer has the burden of working for Pensec, his Z teammate, since Pensec fell 1 minute 17 seconds behind Chiappucci. LeMond was obligated to help Pensec at the cost of his standing as long as Pensec wore the yellow jersey. Now LeMond can ride more aggressively.

“That’s the way it goes, but we’re going to race a bit differently from now on,” LeMond said. “The race is far from over. There are still another 10 days to go. Seven minutes are easily lost in the mountains.”

Still, LeMond will have as difficult a challenge as he had last year when he overtook Laurent Fignon of France on the final day in Paris. Fignon held a 50-second advantage at the start of a short time trial but lost the Tour by eight seconds.

This year, LeMond must contend with the Netherlands’ Eric Breukink, who won Thursday’s stage in 56 minutes 52 seconds. Breukink, an exceptional time trial competitor, is third overall, 6:55 behind. LeMond is fourth, 7:27 behind. Pedro Delgado of Spain is fifth, 9:02 back.

“Chiappucci rode way above his level, and I think Breukink had an exceptional result,” LeMond said. “I feel good.”

The riders have a rest day today before the Tour resumes with three fairly flat stages heading southward to the Pyrenees.

Breukink was followed by Delgado, 30 seconds behind, and Miguel Indurain of Spain, 43 seconds back. LeMond was fifth in 57:48.

“I think Delgado is the best in the Pyrenees always and I think he is not going to stay in the group. He is going to do something. We have to watch him,” Breukink said.

Chiappucci placed eighth Thursday with a time of 57:57, more than enough for him to replace Pensec as the overall leader.

Pensec, who looked strong Wednesday on the race’s toughest stage at l’Alpe d’Huez, finished 49th in 1:00:42. The 2:45 deficit erased the 1:28 lead Pensec held entering the stage.

“When you don’t have your legs, you don’t have your legs,” Pensec said.

The stage was the second time trial within a week. Last Saturday, Raul Alcala of Mexico, the Tour de Trump winner, won the stage but has since faded from contention after a poor showing in the Alps.

Pensec took over the lead after the 10th stage, passing Steve Bauer of Canada, who led through the first nine stages. Bauer has fallen to 30th overall.