TOUR DE FRANCE : LeMond Makes Early Move and Trails by 10 Seconds

Cyrille Guimard, team director of the French Castorama team, might not always be right, but he often is controversial. Last week, Guimard predicted that an unknown could win this year’s Tour de France.

“An outsider won the Tour of Spain, an outsider won the Tour of Italy,” he said. “Beware of the jinx, an outsider may well win the Tour de France.”

Perhaps Greg LeMond had the same inkling, because Sunday he seized control of this year’s race.

LeMond, seeking his fourth Tour victory, executed a surprise attack during the first stage, and changed the race’s complexion in the process. He and rival Erik Breukink of the Netherlands gained the most after two stages Sunday and have emerged as solid favorites to win the three-week race.

On an eventful day that saw 1987 champion Stephen Roche of Ireland disqualified for finishing too late, LeMond and Breukink were two of 11 riders to break away in the 71.5-mile opening stage. They gained 1 minute 44 seconds over rivals Gianni Bugno and Claudio Chiappucci of Italy, and Pedro Delgado and Miguel Indurain of Spain.

“I took the opportunity when it came,” LeMond said. “I knew that if I went ahead the others behind would hesitate.”

After Sunday’s team time trial in the afternoon, Denmark’s Rolf Sorensen held the overall lead and the yellow jersey that goes with it. Sorensen’s Ariostea team won the time trial, a 22.7-mile race from Bron to Chassieu. LeMond was 10 seconds behind overall, and Breukink 12 back.

Djamoline Abdoujaparov of the Soviet Union won the first stage. LeMond and Breukink finished in a group of seven with the same time, 1 minute 40 seconds ahead of the main pack.

LeMond might have held the yellow jersey going into today’s long, easy 131-mile stage from Villeurbanne to Dijon had he not punctured his front tire during the team time trial. Also, Z teammate Atle Kvalsvoll crashed early in the stage, further holding LeMond back.

But LeMond was not complaining.

“It’s the ideal situation,” he said of his placing. “It really worked out to be one of the best starts of the Tours that I’ve ever had.

“I felt everything coming together at the right time and this morning, I just felt unbelievably good.”