Edition: U.S. / Global

CYCLING: TOUR DE FRANCE; Cipollini Sprints To Another Victory

Published: July 9, 1999

The fifth stage of the 86th Tour de France, a warm, rolling 233.5-kilometer jaunt (146 miles) from the entrancing chateau town of Bonneval to Amiens, was won in a sprint finish yesterday by Mario Cipollini, who also won the fourth stage the day before.

Cipollini, an Italian with Saeco, finished a bicycle length ahead of Tom Steels, a Belgian with Mapei, with Jaan Kirsipuu, an Estonian with Casino, third.

Once again Cipollini was ideally placed by his teammates and had the power to hold off his pursuers for his 10th Tour victory and confirmation that he remains Super Mario. He and most of the 176-man pack finished in a time of 5 hours 36 minutes 28 seconds, an average speed of 41.6 kilometers an hour (26 miles an hour), or 9 kilometers an hour slower than Wednesday's record pace.

Kirsipuu continued in the overall leader's yellow jersey, with Steels 17 seconds behind and Stuart O'Grady, an Australian with Credit Agricole, third, 24 seconds behind. Steels is aching to wear the yellow jersey when the Tour reaches Maubeuge, just across the border from his home, today.

The fifth of 20 daily stages passed through the breadbasket of France, field after field of wheat, as the riders continued in their clockwise journey toward the dank north. SAMUEL ABT