MENDE, France, July 21 - A 10-man breakaway had
clocked up a lead of more than 11 minutes over the Tour de
France peloton as riders prepared for the trickiest part of the
18th stage on Thursday.
Overall race leader Lance Armstrong, bidding for a record
seventh Tour victory, was back in the main bunch in the 189km
run from Albi to Mende.
The lead group were heading for a series of two
second-category and one third-category climbs that mark out the
final 70 km of the day's racing.
Among the 10 setting the pace were Axel Merckx, son of
former Belgian cycling great Eddy, Australia's Luke Roberts and
German Matthias Kessler.