Old TDF Stages from UPI

[Patrick D. Walters]

 6  9-JUL-1995 14:18 Indurain takes win and jersey


   SERAING, Belgium, July 9 (UPI) -- Spain's Miguel Indurain stamped his
authority on this year's Tour de France with a blistering performance Sunday
in the vital eighth stage, an individual time-trial over 54 km (33.5 miles)
from Huy to Seraing.
   The brilliant Spaniard, chasing an unprecedented fifth consecutive Tour
win, claimed the leader's yellow jersey when he took the overall lead from
Belgian Johan Bruyneel.
   Indurain was in a class of his own, completing the time trial in 1 hour, 4
minutes, 16 seconds, and gained considerable time on his most dangerous
opponents, holding an overall lead of 23 seconds over Denmark's Bjarne Riis.
   Riis was the only one to resist the Spaniard, but struggled with the final
climb to end the stage in second place 12 seconds slower than Indurain.
   World hour record holder Tony Rominger of Switzerland was third in the
stage but lost 58 seconds on the unstoppable Spaniard.
   Highly rated Russian Yevgeny Berzin was expected to press Indurain but
could only manage fourth place, 1 minute, 38 seconds slower than the Spaniard.
   The riders enjoy a well deserved rest day Monday before the gruelling
stages in the Alps.