ANNECY, France — Lance Armstrong finds himself in unfamiliar territory at this Tour de France — fighting just to remain among the top three riders.

Accustomed to dominating his way to victory, the seven-time Tour winner had to settle for a 16th-place finish in Thursday’s time trial and a tenuous grip on third place.

The 37-year-old Texan battled fatigue in the 18th stage, a 25.2-mile race against the clock around bucolic Lake Annecy that Alberto Contador won in 48 minutes, 31 seconds to close in on the overall victory.

Armstrong was 1:30 behind, but he enter...

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