LORIENT (France), July 15: For the first time in four Tours de France, Lance Armstrong showed signs of weakness when he was beaten by Colombian Santiago Botero in the first big time trial of this year’s race Monday.

Botero humbled the once-invincible American in one hour, two minutes and 18 seconds over 52 kilometres of an individual time trial between Lanester and Lorient, in Brittany.

The Texan, who had won the five long-distance time trials held on the Tour since 1999, had to be content with second place this time, 11 seconds behind the Kelme team leader.

Not far from the course on which he was crowned time trial world champion two years ago in Plouay, Ukraine’s Serhiy Honchar was third in 1:02:36.

Igor Gonzalez Galdeano was fourth a second behind Honchar to retain yellow jersey.

The ONCE team rider leads Armstrong by 26 seconds overall, a gap that would not have existed had the U.S Postal leader not lost 27 seconds after getting tangled up with his team mate Roberto Heras during the stage to Avranches two days ago.

But there was nothing Armstrong, who had won the prologue in Luxembourg, could do against Botero on the windswept course along the Breton seafront.—Reuters