Riis Remains the Leader as Ailing Jalabert Quits

Denmark’s Bjarne Riis held on to his lead in the Tour de France on Tuesday and Germany’s Erik Zabel won the race’s 10th stage.

Meanwhile, the change in scenery brought a change in the weather. After nine days of rain, snow and wind in the Alps, it was summer again for the cyclists.

The better weather came too late, though, for Laurent Jalabert of France, who pulled out. He had been troubled by a cold since Saturday.

Zabel, winner of the Tour’s third stage, edged Djamolidin Abdoujaparov of Uzbekistan and Italy’s Andrea Ferrigato in Tuesday’s 129-mile leg.

Zabel was timed in 5 hours, 8 minutes, 10 seconds.

Yevgeny Berzin of Russia is second overall, 40 seconds behind Riis.

Five-time defending champion Miguel Indurain of Spain is in an unusual position--well behind the leaders as the race neared its halfway point. Indurain was in eighth place, 4:38 behind Riis.

Indurain, who turns 32 next Tuesday, is trying to become the first man to win a record six tours.

Only three others have managed to win five--Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault.

Today, the racers take their only rest day of the 21-stage Tour that ends July 21 in Paris.