PERPIGNAN, France — In less than 48 hours, Lance Armstrong will have answered the last unresolved question about his capacity to win an eighth Tour de France: Can he still climb?

The 37-year-old Texan is second overall, but about to face his toughest test in this year's Tour as the grueling three-week race arrives in the Pyrenees mountains.

"That's my question mark, that's your question mark, that's everybody's question mark," Armstrong said. "But we don't have to wait long until we'll find out, that's the good thing."

Armstrong is again eliciting fear among his rivals after an astute move that earned valuable time over his rival and teammate Alberto Contador, plus an impressive show at the team time trial.

Armstrong didn't take any risks during yesterday's fifth stage with the mountains looming. Thomas Voeckler of France won the 122-mile ride along a windy Mediterranean Sea from Le Cap d'Agde to Perpignan after a long breakaway.

Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland retained the overall lead, with Armstrong a fraction of a second behind.

Voeckler clocked 4 hours, 29 minutes, 35 seconds — seven seconds faster than the peloton that was barreling down on him.