[djb]

Two Armstrong riders take tumble

BAR-LE-DUC, France -- The Credit Agricole team of overall race leader Stuart O'Grady won the Tour de France fifth stage, a 67-km team time trial from Verdun to Bar-le-Duc on Thursday.

Credit Agricole clocked a time of one hour 21 minutes and 32 seconds finishing ahead of Once and Festina respectively second and third.

Australia's O'Grady retained the overall leader's yellow jersey.

Lance Armstrong's U.S. Postal outfit were fourth, finishing one minute 26 seconds behind Credit Agricole after two of their riders fell in the lashing rain.

Armstrong, the American chasing a hat-trick of victories, lost 55 seconds to the ONCE team of Joseba Beloki in second place and 32 to Christophe Moreau's third-placed Festina in the 67-kilometre run from Verdun to Bar-le-Duc.

Beloki and Moreau are both dangerous rivals for overall victory but Armstrong will be grateful to have limited the damage after his teammates Christian Vandevelde and Roberto Heras were involved in the crash.

Armstrong will also be pleased to have gained 24 seconds on his chief rival for the yellow jersey, Jan Ullrich, whose Telekom team finished down in a disappointing seventh.

Source: Two Armstrong riders take tumble