Jul 19, 2006, 16:30 GMT
La Toussuire, France - In a stunning display of solo climbing, Mickael Rasmussen of Denmark won Wednesday's 16th stage of the 2006 Tour de France, as American Floyd Landis lost the overall lead and probably his chance of winning this year's race.
Danish Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) reacts as he wins the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France 2006 in La Toussuire, France, Wednesday 19 July 2006. The sixteenth stage led the riders over 182 kilometers from Bourg d'Oisans to La Toussuire. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON
The 30-year-old Landis cracked on the 18-kilometre climb to the finish line at La Toussuire and finished in 23rd place, 10 minutes 4 seconds behind the winner, and lost more than eight minutes to his main rivals.
He now ranks 11th in the overall standings, 8 minutes 8 seconds behind the surprise leader, Oscar Pereiro Sio of Spain, a gap he is not likely to make up in the remaining four stages of the Tour.
Pereiro, 28, finished third Wednesday, 1 minute 54 seconds behind the winner, and recaptured the yellow jersey he lost to Landis on Tuesday.
Another Spaniard, Carlos Sastre, now ranks second, 1 minute 50 seconds behind his countryman, with German Andreas Kloeden in third, 2 minutes 29 seconds adrift.
Pereiro, who rides for the Caisse d'Epargne team, said he was surprised by Landis's performance.
'Floyd was very strong in the Tour and then he had such a bad day,' he told French television. 'This is a very complicated and hard Tour. Anything can happen.'
The stage was also disappointing for another title contender, Denis Menchov of Russia, who finished 11th, 3 minutes 42 seconds behind, and now also appears to be out of title contention.
The 32-year-old Rasmussen, who rides for the Dutch Rabobank team, was part of a group of three riders that broke away from the main pack early in the stage.
Rasmussen, a former world mountain bike champion, shed his companions of the road on the grueling climb up to Croix de Fer pass, an ascent rated beyond category in difficulty, and managed to stay in front in an impressive solo run for the remaining 60 kilometres.
The winner covered the 182-kilometre course from Le Bourg-D'Oisans to La Toussuire, which included 95 kilometres of climbing, in 5 hours 36 minutes 4 seconds, an average speed of 32.49 kph.
Thursday's 17th stage is the final day in the Alps and could be decisive for the title, which will apparently be decided among Pereiro, Sastre, and Kloeden.
If the Alps do not reveal the winner, the Tour will be decided on Saturday, in a 57-kilometre individual time trial, where the German appears to have the advantage.
The Tour de France ends Sunday in Paris.
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