Lancey-poo Takes a stage

[Patrick D. Walters]

 1 21-JUL-1995 14:34 Indurain nears title


   LIMOGES, France, July 21 (UPI) -- American Lance Armstrong won Friday's
18th stage in the Tour de France, but four-time champion Miguel Indurain of
Spain closed in on yet another overall title.
   Armstrong won the 95.6-mile stage from Monpon-Menesterol to Limoges in
three hours, 47 minutes and 53 seconds and dedicated the win to Motorola
teammate Fabio Casartelli of Italy, who died Tuesday in a race crash in the
Pyrenees.
   Armstrong was among a group of 12 riders who broke away early and led for
the final 18 miles of the stage. He pointed to the skies repeatedly and blew
kisses as he approached the finish line to salute Casartelli.
   Casartelli was only the third cyclist to die in the Tour's 92-year history.
   Andrea Ferrigato of Italy was second, 53 seconds behind Armstrong. Russian
Vyacheslav Ekimov finished third.
   Indurain, who held the overall lead for the 10th consecutive stage, is
bidding to become only the fourth cyclist to win the Tour five times and the
first to do it five straight years.
   Indurain took over the lead on July 9 from Johan Bruyneel of Belgium and
has held it since.
   With just two stages remaining, Indurain is virtually assured of the
victory with a lead of two minutes, 46 seconds over Alex Zuelle of
Switzerland.
   Armstrong was in 36th-place overall, 1:21:22 behind Indurain.