Armstrong suffers setback with loss of teammate in a crash
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-15 08:49

DIGNE-LES-BAINS, France (AP) _ Not everything went according to plan for Lance Armstrong on Thursday at the Tour de France.

The American retained his overall lead on the last of three days in the Alps. The loss of Manuel Beltran, however, could be critical in the upcoming Pyrenees.

David Moncoutie won the 12th stage, becoming the 15th Frenchman since World War II to win on Bastille Day, France's national holiday.

Beltran, one of several riders Armstrong relies on to lead him up the Tour's brutal climbs, touched wheels with another racer and crashed on the day's first ascent, hitting his head. He was so dazed he didn't know where he was.

"He was asking, 'Where is the peloton? Where is the peloton?"' said team manager Johan Bruyneel, adding the Spaniard gingerly picked himself up off the sun-baked tarmac.

Beltran, who goes by the nickname "Triki" and has been part of Armstrong's Tour-winning team since 2003, remounted his bike with difficulty and pedaled on for about 10 kilometers (6 miles) until a race doctor said he should stop, Bruyneel said.

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