Voeckler leads Tour, but doesn’t like chances to win

MONTPELLIER, France – Thomas Voeckler stayed with the big Tour de France favorites in the mountains.

He’s had the lead for six days. And no less a cycling connoisseur than Lance Armstrong thinks the Frenchman could be wearing the yellow jersey when the race ends Sunday in Paris.

The biggest doubter is Voeckler himself.

“I will fight, of course, but I musn’t be dishonest,” Voeckler said after Sunday’s flat Stage 15, won by British sprint star Mark Cavendish. “I consider that I have zero percent chance of winning the Tour de France.”

For many French fans, Voeckler has rekindled cautious optimism that cycling’s greatest prize could return home for the first time since 1985, the last of Bernard Hinault’s five victories.

Voeckler’s retort: Don’t expect me to do it.

“I don’t want to lie to the public,” he said. “Maybe it would make for good publicity, I don’t know, but it doesn’t interest me. … I’m not going to announce to the French people that ‘I’m in yellow, I have a chance to win.’ ”

Voeckler leads Frank Schleck of Luxembourg by 1 minute, 49 seconds, and Cadel Evans of Australia is third, 2:06 back. Schleck’s younger brother, Andy, is 2:15 behind in fourth and Ivan Basso of Italy is fifth – 3:16 off the pace. Contador is seventh, four minutes behind.

Voeckler doesn’t expect to hold off probable attackers in two punishing days in the Alps on Thursday and Friday, each featuring uphill finishes. Then, on Saturday, there’s a final individual time trial – a discipline in which he isn’t among the best. The race ends Sunday.

For the most part, the running commentary this year has been that Contador, two-time runners-up Evans and Andy Schleck, plus Basso have yet to go at each other. Voeckler, in a way, has been cast as just a bump in their road.

But after three of the most grueling days in the Pyrenees, the contenders are taking the Frenchman seriously.

“Voeckler is in incredible form,” said Contador, who has increasingly used mind games since winning the Tour in 2007 and the last two years. “He has a big lead. It will be hard to make that up.”

Evans calls the overall standings “a bit strange.”

“I think people still look at the Schleck brothers as favorites, but they’re two minutes down,” he said. “So it’s still about Voeckler for now.”

Armstrong tweeted that if Voeckler finished the stage with the favorites “then we have to say he can win the TdF.” He did.

Then the seven-time Tour champion went further.

“Final TT is 42km. He’s French. It’s the Tour de FRANCE,” Armstrong wrote, referring to the final time trial. “He won’t lose 2:06 in the final time trial ASSUMING… He keeps them close on Alpe d’Huez.”