LeMond Can’t Explain Bad Day : Cycling: He finishes nearly 50 minutes behind and is almost eliminated from race by time limit.

Greg LeMond’s dreams of a comeback victory at the Tour de France turned into nightmare Saturday in his worst daily performance since he began to ride cycling’s most prestigious race in 1984.

The three-time Tour de France champion finished 49:38 behind stage winner Claudio Chiapucci of Italy with a group of sprinters and loyal teammate Atle Kvalsvoll, LeMond’s support rider. Had he finished more than 55 minutes behind, LeMond would have been eliminated from the race because of a time limit.

“Not many riders can say they never had a day like Greg LeMond had today in the Tour,” Kvalsvoll said. “It is not just Greg, our whole team is disappointing. We are all not riding well.”

Only two months ago, LeMond and Kvalsvoll combined for a one-two finish in the Tour Du Pont, America’s top stage race. Saturday, LeMond and Kvalsvoll used the same words to describe their individual and team performances: “Things are unexplainable.”

LeMond’s Z team won the team and individual title at the Tour de France two years ago. With its No. 1 hope, LeMond, dipping to 41st place and out of contention in the overall standings, everyone including LeMond is searching for answers.

Immediately after Saturday’s race, LeMond hurried to his hotel room from the finish line with fans and reporters running behind him. Understandably upset, LeMond looked for answers as he waited for an elevator to take him up to his room.

“Once you’re bad, you’re bad. If you’re good, you’re good,” he said. “That’s all I can really say. You saw for yourself. I’ve never recuperated or felt good since the prologue. I’ve never felt this bad in the Tour. That’s all I can say.”

Illness has been ruled out, according to joint team director Serge Buecherle. Last year, LeMond, who finished a respectable seventh place overall after winning the 1989 and ’90 Tours, was hampered by a viral infection.

Heading into today’s stage--another punishing day through the French Alps up to the most-famous climb of the Tour at l’Alpe d’Huez--LeMond will be faced with another challenge, perhaps a withdrawal from the race.

Said LeMond: “This is the Tour de France. I will never drop out of the Tour.”