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

Bruyneel was less emphatic.

"There is no one really who can pick up what he was doing," Bruyneel said. "We need all the guys and everybody knows his role and he and Chechu were working in the early mountains. It's going to be tougher on the team of course, because it's one guy less and his job will have to be shared with a few guys.

"It's tough to lose a rider but the good news is that he doesn't have anything serious and that is the most important," he added.

Moncoutie took the lead on the Col du Corobin, the fourth of five ascents on the 187-kilometer (116.2-mile) trek from Briancon, and cycled alone into Digne-les-Bains past cheering crowds. The Cofidis team rider completed the route in 4 hours, 20 minutes, 6 seconds.

"It's fabulous," Moncoutie said. "I'm so happy to win. It's July 14th."

Armstrong cruised in with his main rivals in a group more than 10 minutes back. Armstrong was 41st.

His lead over second-place Mickael Rasmussen of Denmark stayed at 38 seconds, with French rider Christophe Moreau still third, 2:34 behind the six-time champion.

Italian Ivan Basso remains 2:40 back, fourth overall, with Jan Ullrich of Germany 4:02 behind in ninth.

Moncoutie is way down in the overall standings, so Armstrong did not lay chase when he and a group of other racers far from him time-wise rode off ahead.

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