CYCLING / TOUR DE FRANCE : Indurain Cuts Heavily Into Lino's Lead

CYCLING / TOUR DE FRANCE : Indurain Cuts Heavily Into Lino’s Lead

By ELLIOTT ALMOND

July 14, 1992 12 AM PT

Miguel Indurain, the Spaniard who has emerged this summer as the world’s greatest cyclist, says he has matured.

“My body can take punishment better, and above all, I recuperate much faster,” he told reporters last month at the Tour of Italy.

Indurain, 27, riding in his eighth Tour de France, was expected to exhibit his exceptional skills Monday during a 41-mile individual time trial in Luxembourg.

But the way he dominated the field during the ninth stage will be remembered for some time. Fighting stiff headwinds through the hilly, Luxembourg countryside, Indurain left his challengers dazed by gaining as much as four minutes on them.

He won in 1 hour 19 minutes 31 seconds, followed by his Banesto teammate, Armand de las Cuevas of France, three minutes behind.

Gianni Bugno of Italy, considered the co-favorite when the Tour began July 4, was third, 3:41 behind. Zenus Jaskula of Poland was fourth, 3:47 back, and Greg LeMond, who might have lost any chance of winning his fourth Tour, was fifth, 4:04 back.

Pascal Lino of France, who said before Monday’s start that he would be satisfied with 15th, was two seconds behind LeMond and retained the yellow jersey as the overall leader for the seventh day in a row.

Indurain, 1:27 behind Lino in the Tour standings, is expected to overcome the surprising French rider in the mountain stages, beginning Friday.

Last year, Indurain won both time trials, beating LeMond by eight seconds in one and Bugno by 27 seconds in the other.

“Either he is a lot better than last year, or we all are a lot worse,” Bugno said. “No one except Indurain could have done what he did today.”

Indurain was favored this year after an easy victory in the Tour of Italy. But some, such as LeMond, wondered if he could handle the pressure of a constant challenge. For the first week, riders continually attacked the main group, pushing the pace to record speeds. Still, Indurain was content to wait for the time trial.

Such tactics bothered LeMond. When Stephen Roche of Ireland broke away Saturday, only LeMond’s Z teammates went after him.

“I don’t understand Indurain’s team,” he said. “If we didn’t go, they (the attackers) could have taken five minutes on us.”

Countered Indurain: “We were particularly careful. I never worried because I was already thinking of Monday’s race.”

Before the start, LeMond said he thought he could compete against Indurain.

He was wrong and will have the unenviable task of attacking in the mountains this weekend. Indurain has the advantage of waiting for the final time trial July 24, two days before the finish in Paris.

Indurain began the stage in 12th, but it was apparent from the start that that would change. He gained more than a minute over the first 13.6 miles and increased the lead to almost two minutes by the mid-point.

“The race fit my style today,” Indurain said.

Said Roche, the 1987 champion: “To say he was flying out there would be an understatement.”

Another favorite who probably fell out of contention was Claudio Chiappucci of Italy, who is eighth, 4:54 behind.

“It was not a plane, it was a rocket,” he said of Indurain.

Standings

AFTER NINE OF 21 STAGES

1. Pascal Lino (France), 36:59:03

2. Miguel Indurain (Spain), 1:27 behind

3. Jesper Skibby (Denmark), 3:47

4. Stephen Roche (Ireland), 4:15.

5. Greg LeMond (United States), 4:27

6. Gianni Bugno (Italy), 4:39