Kohl aiming for top-10 in Paris

By Gregor Brown in Nîmes

Austria's Bernhard Kohl is targeting a top-10 finish in Paris ahead of the Tour's crucial Alpine stages starting Sunday. The 26 year-old Gerolsteiner rider currently lies fourth overall, 46 seconds behind race leader Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) after shooting up from 13th to fourth following a powerful ride to Hautacam on stage 10.

"I will try to stay in the top-10, for me that is important. If I arrive in the top ten it would be a big victory," Kohl told Cyclingnews on the morning of stage 13 to Nîmes.

"The first part of the race was really hard and it has not let up now with the wind. There is a lot of stress, but now my legs are feeling good. But it is the same for everyone riding for the GC, so that is normal."

Kohl is also three points behind team-mate Sebastian Lang in the mountains competition. He will not put his main focus on gaining the polka-dot jersey, but admits a strong performance in the Alps could see it shift from one Kerosene rider to another.

"If I am riding for the general classification then it is also possible to gain the points jersey," he said. "When I am on the mountains I can take the points and in that case I may take the mountains jersey."