RIOMAGGIORE, Italy — Levi Leipheimer moved within striking distance of the Giro d’Italia lead Thursday. Now he hopes Lance Armstrong can help him get the pink jersey.
Leipheimer finished second to Denis Menchov in a grueling individual time trial and moved up to third overall, 40 seconds behind the Russian.
Danilo Di Luca, who entered the 12th stage with the overall lead, finished sixth and dropped to second overall, 34 seconds behind Menchov.
“We have to attack,” said Johan Bruyneel, the team manager of Leipheimer’s and Armstrong’s Astana squad.
Leipheimer finished third in the 2007 Tour de France and was second to teammate Alberto Contador in last year’s Spanish Vuelta.
He has won all three races he has entered this year — the Tour of California, the Vuelta of Castilla and Leon, and the minor Tour of Gila — but still doesn’t have the reputation of a winner.
“I’ve never seen Leipheimer attack, and he’s going to have to now if he wants to win this Giro,” Di Luca said.
That’s where Armstrong comes in. The seven-time Tour de France winner is still regaining his form after 3 1/2 years of retirement and breaking his collarbone in March. Out of contention in 12th place, Armstrong can afford to sacrifice himself for Leipheimer.
“Lance Armstrong is very important for Levi, without a doubt. Everyone knows that,” Menchov said.
Menchov was timed in 1 hour, 34 minutes, 29 seconds over the nearly 38-mile route along the coastal area known as Cinque Terre. Di Luca was 1 minute, 54 seconds behind Menchov.
Armstrong finished 13th, 2:26 behind, and is 6:34 behind Menchov in the overall standings.
Bradley Wiggins of Boulder- based Garmin-Slipstream finished 1:59 behind Menchov in seventh place and is 33rd overall, trailing by 18:18.
