Armstrong 35 Minutes Back as Cyclists Head for the Hills

Lance Armstrong arrived at the foot of the Alps, where he began to take command in winning the Tour de France the last two years.

The Texan finished in 32nd place Monday in the ninth stage, 24 seconds behind winner Sergei Ivanov of Russia.

Armstrong is 23rd in the overall standings, 35 minutes 19 seconds off the lead held by Stuart O’Grady of Australia. But his strength--the steep mountain climbs--awaits.

Armstrong still holds a 27-second lead over his main challenger, Jan Ullrich of Germany.

Over the next five stages, Armstrong will attempt to conquer the French Alps and the Pyrenees. The grueling stretches force many riders to quit the Tour.

The big gap between Armstrong and O’Grady stems from Sunday’s stage. Grady and 12 other riders finished more than 30 minutes ahead of the main pack, which included most of the favorites.

O’Grady is not considered a title threat. He is a poor climber and his place in the standings is about to plummet in the mountains.

“It’s not really my thing or my specialty,” said the Credit Agricole rider, who finished sixth Monday. “I think I’ll lose the jersey because it’s too difficult for me.”

France’s Francois Simon, second in the standings and 4:32 behind O’Grady, is well placed to take the overall lead in the run between Aix-Les-Bains and L’Alpe d’Huez.

Also a threat is Kazak rider Andrei Kivilev, who leads Armstrong by more than 13 minutes and is in fourth place.

Ivanov was part of an early break from the main pack. The Fassa Bortolo rider crossed the finish line in 3:57:48. Spain’s David Etxebarria was second, Australia’s Bradley McGee third.

Ivanov was one of three riders expelled from last year’s Tour hours before the start because of failed blood tests.

Monday’s 115-mile stretch took riders from Pontarlier in the Jura mountains to Aix-Les-Bains, at the base of the French Alps.

Etxebarria and McGee broke from the main pack after 22 miles and were joined eight miles later by Ivanov. The trio remained in front for the rest of the race, and Ivanov made a solo bid for the stage six miles from the finish.

Today’s 130-mile stretch features three exceptionally difficult climbs and ends on an uphill leg. The race ends July 29 in Paris.

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Tour de France at a Glance

A look at Monday’s ninth stage of the Tour de France:

Stage--A 114.89-mile stretch from Pontarlier to Aix-Les-Bains at the foot of the Alps.

Winner--Sergei Ivanov of Russia, in 3 hours 57 minutes 48 seconds.

How others fared--Two-time defending champion Lance Armstrong was 32nd, finishing 24 seconds behind Ivanov. Australia’s Stuart O’Grady retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey.

Quote of the day--”Armstrong is the favorite and then Ullrich.” -- Team Telekom manager Walter Godefroot. Team Telekom rider Jan Ullrich is considered Armstrong’s main challenger.

Next stage--A 129.79-mile stretch from Aix-Les-Bains to L’Alpe d’Huez, high in the French Alps.