MONT-VENTOUX, France -- Frenchman Richard Virenque, back on the Tour de France this year after a doping ban, was hoping the final week of the race would give him opportunities to shine after a lackluster start.

The once undisputed king of the mountains, a title he has won five times, was unimpressive in the Pyrenees, losing more than 15 minutes on race leader Lance Armstrong to lie 28th overall at the start of Sunday's 14th stage.

The former Festina team leader, runner-up to Jan Ullrich in the 1997 tour before becoming the main figure in the biggest doping scandal in the history of cycling, had excuses as he hurt his knee in a crash in the first week of the tour before suffering stomach problems in the Pyrenees, Reuters reported.

"But I'm feeling better now and I hope the stage today will confirm my impressions," he said, before the start of the 221-kilometer stage to the Mount Ventoux.

"This is of course a very difficult climb and to me, it will be a test before the Alps," the Domo Farm Frites leader said.

"My aim today will be to be in a breakaway, to keep the biggest possible lead before the Ventoux and probably be caught in the last climb," he said.

The Frenchman did just that, attacking with 10 other riders in the first climb of the day to hold a lead of some 10 to 11 minutes over the main bunch.