By Jean-Paul Couret
LA TOUSSUIRE, France, July 19 (Reuters) - American Floyd Landis lost the Tour de France on Wednesday when he cracked on the last ascent of Wednesday's mountain stage, won by Michael Rasmussen of Denmark.
The former lieutenant of seven-times champion Lance Armstrong started the day with a 1O-second lead over Spaniard Oscar Pereiro but crossed the line at the summit of La Toussuire 10 minutes and four seconds off the pace and slipped to 11th overall. Pereiro will start Thursday's 17th stage from Saint-Jean de Maurienne to Morzine, which features four major climbs, one minute 50 seconds ahead of compatriot Carlos Sastre.
"The truth is it was unthinkable that I could take the Tour after the Pyrenees," said Pereiro who held the yellow jersey after Saturday's 13th stage but was dispossessed by Landis on Tuesday.
"In the Pyrenees everything fell apart for me, I thought I wouldn't have any other chances because I lost so much time in the overall but I got a second chance because they let me," he added.
"Landis had a bad day today. I'll see what happens tomorrow (Thursday) before thinking about a final overall win."
With four stages to go before the Champs-Elysees finale on July 23, the race is wide open with German Andreas Kloeden, Frenchman Cyril Dessel and Australian Cadel Evans less than three minutes adrift of Pereiro.
On a day of high drama, Rasmussen, who was crowned King of the Mountains last year, claimed the polka-dot jersey from Spain's David de la Fuente.
"Stage win, mountain jersey were both goals, one is not more important than the other. I did the entire stage by myself about a month ago, and I knew what was coming up," the Dane said.
RASMUSSEN'S CHARGE
The Rabobank climber mastered some of the highest passes in the Alps during an astounding 173-km ride in the lead and more than five hours in the saddle on a stifling hot day.
He crossed the line 1:41 seconds ahead of Sastre (CSC). Pereiro was third, 1:54 adrift and two seconds ahead of Australian Cadel Evans (Davitamon) and German Andreas Kloeden (T-Mobile).
Italian Daniele Bennati (Lampre), third in the best sprinter's standings pulled out 98 km from the finish, leaving Spaniard Oscar Freire (Rabobank) the only real rival to Australia's green jersey holder Robbie McEwen (Davitamon).
Rasmussen escaped nine kilometres into the stage with Sandy Casar of France and Slovenia's Tadej Valjavec.
They rode uphill from the start in Le Bourg d'Oisans to the hors category Galibier.
Rasmussen charged to the summit at 2,645 metres, taking the 5,000 euros ($6,248) prize as winner of the "Henri Desgranges souvenir", a special award given to the first rider over the race's highest point in honour of the founder of the race.
By then, the main bunch led by yellow jersey holder Landis was 4:40 adrift.
Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel crashed spectacularly in the descent, slamming into a concrete barrier on a tight bend. After receiving medical treatment, the Cofidis rider resumed the race on a spare bike.
Casar, who finished sixth in the Giro d'Italia, and Valjavec cracked on the next pass, the Croix de Fer.
At the top of the Col du Mollard, Rasmussen was still riding high. He kept the rhythm on the last climb to La Toussuire while the battle for the yellow jersey was taking place a few bends behind him.
Updated on Wednesday, Jul 19, 2006 1:19 pm EDT
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