BORDEAUX (France), July 16: The Tour de France took its first break Tuesday ahead of the mountain stages in the Pyrenees with only four riders looking like having a serious chance for overall victory:

IGOR GONZALEZ GALDEANO (Spain) team ONCE, age 28, position: First overall.

Fifth last year, the Spaniard has kept the leader’s yellow jersey for almost a week, showing great strength of character in a very solid ONCE team. More of a time trial specialist than a climber, it remains to be seen whether he will be capable of holding his ground in the mountains. Second in the Spanish Vuelta in 1999, he may be forced to sacrifice his chances for team mate Joseba Beloki in mountain stages.

LANCE ARMSTRONG (U.S.) U.S. Postal, 31, second overall, 26 seconds behind Gonzalez Galdeano.

Despite suffering his first loss in a long-distance time trial in four years on Monday, Armstrong remains the favourite to win his fourth Tour in succession. He has been a little less impressive in time trials in recent months, losing in the three he entered this season, but may well be stronger than before in the mountains. His loss to Botero revealed a vulnerability which could inspire his rivals. But he may silence them quickly in the Pyrenees and is still the most versatile of the four.

JOSEBA BELOKI (Spain) ONCE, 28, third overall, 1:23 behind.

Has again settled into his favourite place on the Tour — third, where he has finished overall for the past two years. A gifted climber, he managed to limit the damage in Monday’s individual time trial and is ideally placed before the first mountain stages. Seen by Armstrong as his most serious opponent from now on, he is normally the ONCE team leader rather than Gonzalez Galdeano.

SANTIAGO BOTERO (Colombia) Kelme, 29, fifth overall, 1:55 behind.

King of the mountains on the 2000 Tour, the tall Medellin rider — 1.83 metres for 63 kilos — seems to have sacrificed his climbing talent to improve his time trial skills. Capable of riding with the best in the climbs, he has always had a bad day on recent big tours and may be too inconsistent for overall victory. Will probably be overshadowed by Kelme team mate Oscar Sevilla in the mountains.—Reuters