Indurain Dominates Time Trial Again in Tour de France

Miguel Indurain of Spain scored an impressive victory Monday in the ninth stage of the Tour de France, overcoming wind, rain, hail and a flat tire.

Indurain, trying to win his third consecutive Tour, moved from 27th to first place overall by handily winning a hilly 37-mile individual time trial at Lorainne Regional Park in northeastern France. Indurain has not lost a long individual time trial in almost three years.

He finished in 1 hour 12 minutes 50 seconds, beating his nearest rival, Gianni Bugno of Italy, by 2:11. Eric Breukink of the Netherlands and Tony Rominger of Switzerland were the only others to finish within three minutes of Indurain. Of the rest, only Alex Zuelle of Switzerland and Johan Bruyneel of Belgium were within four minutes. Claudio Chiappucci of Italy, who has finished in the top three in the last three Tours, lost 5:18.

Indurain started the day 3:17 behind leader Johan Museeuw of Belgium but now leads Breukink by 1:35. Bruyneel is third, 2:30 behind, and Bugno fourth, 2:32 back.

Bugno had hoped to stay within two minutes of Indurain, close enough to attack when the mountain stages start Wednesday.

Bugno’s teammate Laurent Fignon of France, twice a Tour winner, said Indurain’s lead can be overcome. “Anybody within four or five minutes can win the Tour as long as they attack in the mountains,” he said. “Indurain can’t defend against everyone.”

Indurain agreed, saying: “I don’t think that the victory is already mine. There’s still two more weeks to suffer before arriving in Paris.”

Bugno may get some help from Chiappucci in the mountains. Although Chiappucci was flat in the time trial, he has been the Tour’s best climber the last two years. Also helping the challengers was the return of Zuelle, who lost two minutes Sunday after falling when a spectator got in his way. He rallied from 42nd to 11th overall.

Lance Armstrong finished 27th in the trial and is 5:19 behind, in 18th place. Andy Hampsten finished 49th in the trial and is 33rd.