Armstrong Faces Uphill Battle

Lance Armstrong, preparing for this week’s mountain stretch, remained in contention in the Tour de France on Saturday, and the Nethlerlands’ Erik Dekker won the eighth stage of the race.

Armstrong, the defending champion, is 16th, nearly six minutes behind overall leader Alberto Elli of Italy. But Armstrong is in a group with most of his main challengers for the title, and appeared well-placed.

Armstrong will look for another comfortable ride in today’s ninth stage, a flat 112-mile course from Agen to Dax, before he gets his chance to climb the leaderboard during the mountain stages, which begin Monday.

Dekker won the hilly 126-mile trek from Limoges to Villeneuve-sur-Lot in southwest France in 4 hours 22 minutes 14 seconds. Xavier Jan of France finished second, 52 seconds back, with Jose-Vicente Garcia-Acosta of Spain third, 56 seconds behind the winner.

Fred Rodriguez of the United States was fourth, 58 seconds behind Dekker.

In the overall standings, Elli is 12 seconds ahead of Fabrice Gougot of France and 1:17 ahead of Belgium’s Marc Wauters.

Armstrong, looking to become the first rider since Miguel Indurain in 1995 to retain the Tour title, fell four places in the overall standings but is still 5:54 behind Elli. He was 5:54 behind the previous day as well.

Laurent Jalabert, the former world No. 1, is 14th, 14 seconds ahead of Armstrong. Jan Ullrich, the 1997 Tour de France winner, dropped six places to 28th, 6:37 behind Elli, and 1998 Tour winner Marco Pantani is 87th, 11:06 behind the leader.

Dekker, who started the day back in 164th place in the standings, said his victory in Villeneuve-sur-Lot was “emotionally the best win of my career.”

The Dutchman said, “I have always wanted to win an important race such as a World Cup or Tour de France leg and now I have done it.”

Dekker was among a group of 17 riders that opened up a gap in mile 34 and kept clear for most of the race.

Tour de France

at a Glance

Saturday’s eighth stage of the 87th Tour de France:

* STAGE: A hilly, 126-mile course from Limoges to Villeneuve-sur-Lot in southwestern France.

* STAGE WINNER: The Netherlands’ Erik Dekker, who led for more than 19 miles and won in 4 hours 22 minutes 14 seconds.

* HOW OTHERS FARED: Defending champion Lance Armstrong finished in 66th place, 5:42 behind the winner. France’s Laurent Jalabert and 1997 champion Jan Ullrich posted the same time.

* QUOTE OF THE DAY: From Dekker: “I told my teammates that I would attack from the first kilometer and I kept my word.”

* NEXT STAGE: Today’s ninth stage is a flat, 112-mile course from Agen to Dax.