Berzin Builds on Lead, Indurain Loses Ground

Russia’s Yevgeny Berzin won Sunday’s time trial in the French Alps and built a 43-second lead heading into the second week of the Tour de France.

Five-time defending champion Miguel Indurain lost more time to the overall leaders in the 18.9-mile eighth stage as troubles continued for the 32-year-old Spaniard.

Indurain finished fourth in the first of two time trials, a discipline he habitually dominates.

Going into Sunday’s time trial, Indurain was 14th overall at 3:52 behind Berzin. He ended the day 11th overall at 4:53 behind.

He lost almost four minutes on Saturday when he apparently didn’t eat enough and ran out of energy in the final climb.

With the tour heading over its highest point and into Italy today, Berzin is almost a minute ahead of Denmark Bjarne Riis and third place Abraham Olano, last year’s world road race champion.

Berzin powered over the 3,234-foot climb from Bourg-St. Maurice to Val d’isere on the ninth consecutive day of cold, rainy weather.

Berzin took the overall lead Saturday from France’s Stephane Heulot, who left the race in tears after knee problems forced him out while still wearing the yellow jersey.

The first week of the Tour de France was full of spills, surprises and disappointments, with bad weather cutting the pack down from the original 198 to 158 on Sunday.

One of the weather’s victims was American Lance Armstrong, who pulled out of the tour one-third of the way into Friday’s rain-drenched sixth stage, 128 miles from Arc-et-Senans to Aix-les-Bains.

Armstrong, 24, fell back by more than two minutes after the first climb of the day.

“I think I’ve got bronchitis, and even if the Olympics weren’t coming up, I’d still have abandoned because I’m feeling so bad,” said Armstrong, who’s pointing toward the Olympic road race July 31.

The Tour continues its 2,418-mile journey through the Alps over the next two days before its only rest day on Wednesday.