LeMond Falls Back to Fifth : Cycling: He is 5:08 behind Spain’s Indurain after Tour de France’s toughest mountain stage.

Greg LeMond, who rode a masterful race through the first half of the Tour de France, now faces his most difficult challenge since 1989 when he overcame France’s Laurent Fignon on the final day.

LeMond, from Wayzata, Minn., was left struggling a kilometer from the top of the Col du Tourmalet, the highest point of the Tour as he “cracked and paid the price.”

The damage was inflicted by Italian rival Claudio Chiappucci, who set a blistering pace up the 6,935-foot peak known as the Toit du Tour, or Roof of the Tour.

“I think when someone has a real problem like he did today, it shows he can’t win,” Chiappucci told reporters after winning the Tour’s most difficult stage.

Chiappucci’s sprint with 500 meters left barely overcame Spain’s Miguel Indurain, who nonetheless took over the yellow jersey signifying the overall leader. Chiappucci and Indurain finished 7 minutes 18 seconds ahead of LeMond, who was spent after the attacks and counterattacks on a day when temperatures reached 90 degrees.

“He (Indurain) was stronger than me,” LeMond said. “I was really tired at the end of the day. I didn’t have any legs.”

Indurain, 27, was satisfied with his effort, but is not claiming victory yet as the 181 competitors left in the Tour still have two mountain stages in the Alps and an individual time trial near Lyon before finishing on July 28 in Paris.

“I (have) a chance of a final victory, but nothing is decided yet,” Indurain told a French news agency. “LeMond is still a rival, but not a main one. I have got to watch out for just about everyone.”

Indurain will closely monitor Italy’s Gianni Bugno, who is third overall, 3:10 behind. Second-place Charly Mottet of France, 3:00 back, is not expected to be a threat. Chiappucci, by virtue of his great ride Friday, is fourth, 4:06 behind. LeMond, who started the day in second place but far in front of his most serious competitors, fell to fifth, 5:08 behind. Fignon was sixth at 5:52 and Andy Hampsten of Boulder, Colo., was seventh at 7:25.

For the past five years, Indurain has been Spain’s cyclist in waiting. Friday, he emerged from the shadows of his Banesto teammate, Pedro Delgado, with one of the most dynamic mountain races in recent years.

A day after he was greeted by criticism in the Spanish press for not riding aggressively in the Pyrenees, Indurain turned up the pressure in the 144-mile 13th stage that included five climbs.

With the help of Chiappucci and Bugno, Indurain left LeMond on the Tourmalet a broken rider.

“We knew we had to be patient,” Indurain told French reporters. “I let the race develop by itself and (decided to) take my chance when I thought it possible.”

LeMond sounded frustrated.

“He does not like sharing the burden when we break together,” said LeMond, seeking his fourth Tour victory and third in a row. “It was the same last year. I am not angry, those are his tactics.”

Indurain’s lead would be considered insurmountable, if not for LeMond’s uncanny ability to win this race under difficult circumstances.

“It’s not over yet,” LeMond said.

But with only two more mountain stages, both in the Alps, and one more time trial, LeMond has few opportunities to cut the deficit.