Landis Climbs to the Front

Floyd Landis is wearing the race leader’s yellow jersey again at the Tour de France, regaining it Tuesday in the punishing Alps where a former teammate-turned-rival made quite a name for himself.

That teammate, Lance Armstrong, who happened to be in L’Alpe d’Huez as a cheerleader, ended up witnessing the American’s winning ride.

“I’d love to see the jersey stay in the States,” Armstrong said.

Though he admitted “a little friction here and there” with Landis in the past, none of that was apparent on this day.

“If I was a betting man, I’d certainly put my money there right now,” Armstrong said. “Floyd has been great all year long.”

And all he needs to do is stay that way through Sunday in Paris.

“I would like to keep it,” Landis said of the yellow jersey. “I can’t think of a reason why I would give it away now, but if that scenario arises, then it’s still a possibility, I guess -- but it would be unlikely.”

Landis cemented his status as the man to beat by placing fourth in the Tour’s 15th stage, a grueling uphill ride to the legendary mountain.

Frank Schleck of Luxembourg won the stage, taking 4 hours 52 minutes 22 seconds to complete the 116-mile trek from Gap. Damiano Cunego of Italy finished second, 11 seconds behind, and countryman Stefano Garzelli finished third, 1:10 behind, the same time as Landis and Andreas Kloeden of Germany.

Carlos Sastre of Spain was ninth, 1:35 back; Denis Menchov of Russia was 11th, 2:21 off the pace and Cadel Evans of Australia was 16th, 2:49 behind.

Kloeden, Sastre, Menchov and Evans are all within three minutes of the American.

The byproduct of hewing to Kloeden’s wheel was that Landis finished 1:39 ahead of Oscar Pereiro and leads the Spaniard by 10 seconds overall.

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AT A GLANCE

Tuesday: Racers began three days in the Alps in the 15th stage, riding 116 miles from Gap in the Alpine foothills to the legendary L’Alpe d’Huez.

* Winner: Team CSC rider Frank Schleck of Luxembourg in 4 hours 52 minutes 22 seconds. Lampre rider Damiano Cunego of Italy finished second and countryman Stefano Garzelli of Liquigas was third.

* Yellow jersey: Floyd Landis, the Phonak team leader, reclaimed the race leader’s yellow jersey he had lost Saturday to Oscar Pereiro of Spain.

STAGE 15 RESULTS

1. Frank Schleck, Luxembourg: 4:52:22

2. Damiano Cunego, Italy: 11 behind

3. Stefano Garzelli, Italy: 1:10 behind

4. Floyd Landis, United States: same time

5. Andreas Kloeden, Germany: same time

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OVERALL LEADERS

1. Landis: 69:00:05

2. Oscar Pereiro, Spain: :10 behind

3. Cyril Dessel, France: 2:02 behind

4. Denis Menchov, Russia: 2:12 behind

5. Carlos Sastre, Spain: 2:17 behind

Associated Press