TOUR DE FRANCE Armstrong's prediction is true: Cobblestone patches cause spills

Seven riders crashed on the bumpy, 130-mile stage from Waterloo, Belgium.
WASQUEHAL, France (AP) -- Give Lance Armstrong credit for his predictive powers.
Before embarking on a bumpy, tenuous stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday, Armstrong warned that two cobblestone patches on the course probably would mean spills and delays.
That's exactly what happened.
Spain's Iban Mayo, a top threat to the Texan's bid for a record sixth Tour victory, was one of seven riders who crashed and lost precious minutes on the ride from Waterloo, Belgium.
On the eve of the 130-mile third stage, Armstrong said the cobblestones -- last seen on a Tour course in 1985 -- could be disastrous.
"Some people's Tour will be finished," he said. "I could be one of those people, and I'm not dumb enough to think that I couldn't be. And that would be a shame."
McEwen overall leader
France's Jean-Patrick Nazon won the stage after a final mad dash, but Australian Robbie McEwen scored key bonus points for his sprinting prowess, giving him the overall leader's yellow jersey.
Mayo's hopes of reaching the winner's podium on July 25 dwindled after he dropped 3 minutes, 48 seconds to Armstrong.
"Iban had the bad luck to fall and lose time," said Julian Gorospe, sporting director for his Euskadi Euskaltel team, trying to put a brave face on the outcome. "But we won't dwell on that."
Mayo can still make up time in later mountain stages that are his specialty. But four minutes is a big gap, and he risks losing yet more time to Armstrong in the team time trial today.
Other major rivals to Armstrong still lurk, including 1997 Tour champion Jan Ullrich, American Tyler Hamilton, Italian Ivan Basso and Spaniard Roberto Heras.
Jockeying for the front
Mayo's setback came as dozens of riders nervously jockeyed for the front position before the first bone-jarring cobblestones. Many riders reckon crossing such dangerous areas at the head of the pack is the wisest strategy -- and Armstrong's U.S. Postal Service teammates made sure he was at the front of the line.
"It's just a matter of fighting. You have no friends except your teammates," said Postal veteran George Hincapie, his face caked with grime. "We wanted to get to the cobblestone section first, just like the rest of the 200 guys. ... We did it."
The multi-rider pileup also brought down Thor Hushovd, who a day earlier became the first Norwegian to don the yellow jersey. The melee ended the Tour for Italian Marco Velo, who tumbled into a roadside ditch and broke a collarbone.
Overall, Armstrong maintained a 15-second lead over Ullrich, 16 seconds over Hamilton, 27 seconds over Basso, and 35 seconds in front of Heras, a former U.S. Postal teammate who now leads his own squad.
Today's team time trial took riders on a 40-mile jaunt from Cambrai to Arras. Teams advance in unison, rotating leadership.