"I think with our conservative tactics, the only likely stage victory is in the time trial. Personally I like it when there's more climbs. The team didn't do as badly as everybody has hoped.

Davitamon's Evans admitted his chances of an overall win on July 23 on the Champs-Elysees did not look promising.

"I wasn't good enough. Phonak and T-Mobile set a really fierce pace and they just kept going from there," The Australian said.

"They were all better than me. I just stayed there and fought."

World Champion Tom Boonen pulled out 59 km from the finish at the foot of the Col du Lautaret. The Belgian wore the yellow jersey for four days but did not win a stage after being constantly outsprinted by green jersey holder Robbie McEwen.

After riding through a storm, a group of 15 reached the 21-hairpins of the Alpe d'Huez ascent with a 3:20 lead over the peloton, which was led by Pereiro, Landis and Kloeden.

Landis and Kloeden started catching the escapees and dropped their rivals for the overall win one by one but despite several attacks, their battle behind Schleck and Cunego turned into a stalemate.

It will resume in Wednesday's 182-km 16th stage from Bourg d'Oisans to La Toussuire.

After a brief visit to his former team mates on Tuesday, Armstrong said he would follow the race in the Discovery Channel car with team manager Johan Bruyneel.