TOUR DE FRANCE : Soviet Wins a Second Time as LeMond Keeps His Place

Soviet sprint specialist Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, an army corporal, won his second stage of the Tour de France in three days Tuesday, taking this year’s longest leg from Dijon to Reims.

As expected, the leaders did not change position as Rolf Sorensen of Denmark retained the overall lead, and three-time winner Greg LeMond was 10 seconds behind. Erik Breukink of the Netherlands was third, 12 seconds back. Sean Kelly of Ireland, Breukink’s PDM teammate, moved to within 14 seconds of the lead.

Abdoujaparov, of Tashkent, defeated top sprinters such as Kelly, who finished second, and Germany’s Olaf Ludwig, who was third.

“I think I’m the best sprinter at the moment,” Abdoujaparov said.

The riders set a leisurely pace in the 177.7-mile race that saw Gianni Bugno of Italy and 1988 winner Pedro Delgado of Spain attempt attacks on the stage’s last climb. However, LeMond, staying near the lead, accelerated with the rest of the pack to thwart the attack.

“It was not a quiet day for me,” LeMond said. “I suffered a bit in the final kilometer of the first climb when Bugno attacked. But it’s fun.”

Today’s stage is a 92-mile course that ends close to the Belgian border at Valenciennes, France.

“(Today) the pack is going to be much more nervous,” said Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle, LeMond’s Z teammate. “It’s (today) that things will change, because we will go much faster since it is a shorter stage.”