Indurain hits new low

THE much heralded return of Tour de France hero Miguel Indurain to the Tour of Spain turned distinctly sour on yesterday's stage 13. After a five year absence from the Vuelta Indurain opted for cycling's equivalent of an early shower rather than take on the most important climb of the event, the nine mile assent to the Covadonga lakes.

Tour of Spain officials have long argued, begged and pleaded with Indurain's sponsors for the return of the man who has dominated stage race cycling for the first half of the 90s, and who had chosen to ignore his home race for five years in order to concentrate more fully on winning the Tour de France.

An enforced change in race dates from April to September last year had caused public interest to wane to the point that journalists were out numbering fans on some of the mountain top finishes.

With Indurain in the race, the public flocked back to the roadsides. After a rumoured 400 journalists pulled out of the race in 95 when it was confirmed that he would not ride that year, this year - there have been a record number of reporters accredited.

As if by coincidence, state television decided to shift coverage of the race from the minority channel TVE 2 to the far more popular TVE 1. "La primera's" normal session of schmaltzy South American soap operas designed to enliven Siesta time was mercilessly cut as a consequence. With Indurain in the race, nobody complained.

However, the five times tour winner decided he had enough. Virtually forced to participate in the tour by his sponsor, he slid out of the back of a leading group on the penultimate climb of the day.

After descending the mountain at his own speed he rode slowly along the race route to the team hotel at the foot of the Covadonga climb and then disappeared inside to blessed privacy. It was the first time he had abandoned a major stage race in more than six years.

Indurain had already claimed he lacked the motivation necessary to ride in a first class event, and the warning bells began to sound on Tuesday when he failed to turn in a good performance in a 30 mile time trial, traditionally his forte. When he lost a minute in two kilometres climbing to race leader Alex Zulle on Thursday, the rumours started that he could abandon. It is now touch or go if he continues riding next year.