Horner backpedals on top 10 finish

procycling.com | Horner reconsiders early ambitions

Saunier Duval-Prodir's Chris Horner read his high placing -- 5th overall with a stage win -- at the Tour de Suisse last month as a promising portent of things to come, perhaps even a Top 10 on the general classification in the American's first Tour de France.

Now, after Stage 11's punishing final climb up the Col du Galibier, Horner says he's adjusting his sights.

“Well, I was hoping either for the top 10 or a stage,” said Horner. “I lost the top 10 five kilometres from the top of the Galibier yesterday. That pretty much wrecked any hopes. So now, I have switched to a mode of recover, try to get the legs back as fresh as possible, and try to get a stage win somewhere.”

Had he picked out a favoured stage on which to attack? “Right now, I'm thinking about getting to the rest day. We've got a flat stage tomorrow, but those stages aren’t necessarily always easy! But I'm glad the heat's here — I like it. That will make things easier for me.”