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Mercado conquers Galibier; Armstrong holds lead

Published: Jun. 14, 2003
Lance Armstrong tests his legs on the Galibier.
Lance Armstrong tests his legs on the Galibier.
Photo: Graham Watson

If the Dauphiné Libéré race is Lance Armstrong's dress rehearsal for the upcoming Tour de France, don't expect any major changes in the plot line come July.

The four-time Tour winner brushed off aches and pains from Friday's spill and withstood more aggressive attacks from Euskaltel's Iban Mayo on the classic climb up the Col du Galibier.

"From the moment I cycled from the hotel to the start line, I knew it would be a difficult day because my body was aching all over," Armstrong said after finishing fourth behind winner Juan Miguel Mercado. "I suppose that's why I couldn't find my proper rhythm climbing the Galibier."

The ascent up the long, grinding Galibier was an important test for Armstrong, who will be gunning for a fifth consecutive victory in the Tour in July. Armstrong held off the Spanish mountain goats and goes into Sunday's finale with a 1:12 gap on second-placed Mayo.

Mayo launched a fierce attack 5km from the summit at an altitude of 2,556 meters but he could not build up a lead of more than 10 seconds on Armstrong. Despite the fall he suffered speeding down a slope Friday, Armstrong caught Mayo on the descent.

Mercado celebrates.
Mercado celebrates.
Photo: Graham Watson

"I never really worried because Mayo was not able to open a real gap and there were a lot of kilometers to go," said Armstrong, who rode the stage with a bandage on his right elbow. "Going down the pass, I didn't think about the fall and I never panicked."

Mercado made a move on the Galibier and crossed over the summit 35 seconds ahead of Armstrong and 20 seconds ahead of Mayo. A group of about 20 riders came back together on the long, 30km run into Briançon, but there was no catching Mercado.

Mayo made another run on the steep climb into the hilltop city of Briançon and grabbed back a few seconds on Armstrong, but the Texan didn't let the Spanish rider get too far away.

"The team is responding well, particularly (Manuel) Beltran," said Armstrong, who won this race en route to his fourth Tour victory last year. "That's good. Tomorrow is another complicated stage. It's a good experience and a tough race, which is good for the Tour."

Spain is turning the Dauphiné Libéré into its own private fiesta, but Armstrong remains firmly in the driver's seat. Mercado's win is his first major race outside of Iberia and the third win for a Spanish rider this week. Spain also swept the top three places in the stage.

"This gives me motivation for the Tour, and it's good for the team," Mercado said. "(Pablo) Sastre did a lot of work on the Galibier. I don't know the Alps very well at all, so this is encouraging."

American Levi Leipheimer (Rabobank) had another solid ride, coming in eighth at 34 seconds back to remain in seventh place overall. Cofidis' David Millar remains in third place overall. The Scot lost nearly two minutes heading up the Galibier, but caught back on with the lead group on the long approach into Briançon.

The 55th Dauphiné Libéré concludes Sunday with the 174km seventh stage from Briançon to Grenoble. The peloton hits the 2,058-meter Col du Lautaret early in the stage and then the 1,434-meter Col du Coq and the 1,386-meter Col de Porte in the final 50 kilometers before a fast downhill finish into Grenoble.

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