Defending champion Alberto Contador set off in yellow for the first time in this year's Tour de France Tuesday as the riders took part in the hardest stage of the race.
But the Spaniard apologized for the way he took over the lead from rival Andy Schleck. He attacked as Schleck suffered a mechanical problem during Monday's stage and now holds an eight-second lead over the Luxembourg rider.
In a video posted on YouTube, Contador said: "Maybe I made a mistake. I'm sorry. I don't like things like what happened today, I'm not like that and I hope the relationship that I have with Andy can go back to being as good as it was before this happened."
Another former champion was seizing the limelight, however, in Tuesday's grueling 16th stage, a 199.5-kilometer (124-mile) ride from Bagneres-de-Luchon to Pau that takes in four major climbs, including the famed Col du Tourmalet.
Seven-time winner Lance Armstrong broke away in a small group right at the start of the stage, and for a while was riding alone at the head of the field on the notorious climb of the Tourmalet.
He was later caught and was riding in a group of nine, three minutes ahead of the main field.
The 172 riders will take on the Tourmalet for a second time on Thursday. The race finishes in Paris on Sunday.
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