It’s All Uphill for the Riders Chasing Indurain

With 10 days left in the Tour de France, the race for the title appears to be over. Spain’s Miguel Indurain has a lead of nearly five minutes and his primary rival has all but conceded.

The 175 remaining riders enjoyed their only day off in this year’s race Thursday. They were gathering their strength for today’s 12th stage of 127 miles, with two more major climbs, the famous Tourmalet (6,937 feet) and Luz Ardidan (5,625 feet).

Most of the riders used the rest day to recover from the first mountain stage that ended with many riders far behind. Among them was Switzerland’s Tony Rominger, who was expected to be the only real challenger in this year’s race.

Between the individual time trial on Monday and Wednesday’s mountain, Rominger lost more than four minutes.

“It’s finished for me,” Rominger told the French sports daily L’Equipe. “Of course. I am going to continue, but I can’t compete with (Indurain).”

Jurisprudence

Top Rank of Louisiana has received stronger support from a state judge in its effort to move the Minnesota Timberwolves to New Orleans.

Top Rank and the state of Louisiana won a preliminary injunction from Judge Bernadette Johnson that forbids the NBA from publishing its 1994-95 schedule. Publishing the schedule would, in effect, prevent the Timberwolves’ sale.

However, the NBA said that it would publish the schedule, noting that a federal judge in Minneapolis has already ordered the Louisiana court to halt all proceedings.

*

Doug Andrews, a Florida State graduate linked to the school’s football scandal, has pleaded no contest to charges that he failed to register as an athletic agent. He agreed to pay a $1,000 fine and was put on 18 months’ probation.

Names in the News

Bob Probert of the Detroit Red Wings was arrested in Taylor, Mich., and ticketed for not having a driver’s license in his possession, police said.