TOUR DE FRANCE : Spain’s Indurain Still Leads After Uneventful 13th Stage

There was no change on the leader board Saturday as Spain’s Miguel Indurain retained the overall lead after the 13th stage of the Tour de France.

Olaf Ludwig of Germany won the sprint to the finish in the 113-mile section from Marseille to Montpellier.

After two days in the mountains, the leaders have taken it easy the past few days and left individual heroics to other riders who are not threats in the overall standings.

In the final six miles, Indurain went out with a group of nine that included Tony Rominger of Switzerland. However, the attack was brief and the rest of the riders rejoined them with three miles to go, setting up the final rush.

“The tension is mounting,” Rominger said. “I am having fun to speed up a little in the second part of the race. Indurain is obliged to respond each time. I am very confident approaching the Pyrenees.”

Rominger won the two stages in the Alps, but Indurain was right behind each time.

Ludwig, well-protected by his Telekom teammates in the final stretch, beat Djamolidine Abdoujaparov of Uzbekistan, with another top sprinter, Johan Museeuw of Belgium, third.

Team tactics played an important part in Ludwig’s victory. His Telekom teammates paced the pack in the final miles. Then Ludwig was protected by another German, Uwe Raab, heading down the final stretch. Raab moved aside and Ludwig had a clear route to victory.

Most of the contenders were in the main pack right behind and there was no change in the top 10. Indurain still held a 3-minute 23-second lead over Alvaro Mejia of Colombia. Zenon Jaskula of Poland was third, 4:31 behind, with Rominger 5:44 back.

The Tour heads to Perpignan today before reaching the Pyrenees on Monday. It ends July 25 at Paris after a 2,312-mile loop around the country.