MagicMtnDan
07-24-2004, 10:23 AM
Lance Armstrong capped his most dominant Tour de France with another impressive win in the final time trial Saturday, guaranteeing that he will ride into history as the first six-time champion in the raceÂ’s 101-year history.
Pedaling furiously toward a stage victory that he didnÂ’t even need, Armstrong overpowered his rivals yet again, quickly building a gaping lead which he carried past cheering crowds to the finish line of the individual race against the clock.
Riding a high-tech aerodynamic bike, and wearing the bright yellow leaderÂ’s jersey, the Texan finished 61 seconds faster than Jan Ullrich, the 1997 Tour champion and a five-time overall runner-up.
The stage win was ArmstrongÂ’s fifth of this Tour, his most since he conquered cancer and won cyclingÂ’s most prestigious event for the first time in 1999.
Only a crippling crash or other catastrophe will prevent SundayÂ’s closing ride into Paris from being a lap of honor for Armstrong.
“I’m always careful to say that we have another day to go, and if you crash on the Champs Elysee and don’t finish tomorrow, then you don’t win. So I have to be careful and hope it works out,” Armstrong said.
“What does it mean to me win six Tours? It’s very difficult to say. You’ll have to ask me in a couple weeks, I think. When I won the first one, I thought I could die and go away a happy man. To win six is very hard to put into words.”
Andreas Kloden, UllrichÂ’s teammate, was third Saturday and rode so fast that he surpassed Ivan Basso for second in the overall standings.
Basso is third, with Ullrich a career-worst fourth.
Basso, the only rider other than Armstrong to win a stage in the Pyrenees this year, is 6:59 behind. Ullrich is 9:09 back.
ArmstrongÂ’s overall lead of 6:38 over Kloden is one of his biggest. Last year, he beat Ullrich by just 61 seconds and swore that he would improve on that in 2004.
“I’m happy, because it’s finished,” he said. “I’m tired mentally, have tired legs.”
Pedaling furiously toward a stage victory that he didnÂ’t even need, Armstrong overpowered his rivals yet again, quickly building a gaping lead which he carried past cheering crowds to the finish line of the individual race against the clock.
Riding a high-tech aerodynamic bike, and wearing the bright yellow leaderÂ’s jersey, the Texan finished 61 seconds faster than Jan Ullrich, the 1997 Tour champion and a five-time overall runner-up.
The stage win was ArmstrongÂ’s fifth of this Tour, his most since he conquered cancer and won cyclingÂ’s most prestigious event for the first time in 1999.
Only a crippling crash or other catastrophe will prevent SundayÂ’s closing ride into Paris from being a lap of honor for Armstrong.
“I’m always careful to say that we have another day to go, and if you crash on the Champs Elysee and don’t finish tomorrow, then you don’t win. So I have to be careful and hope it works out,” Armstrong said.
“What does it mean to me win six Tours? It’s very difficult to say. You’ll have to ask me in a couple weeks, I think. When I won the first one, I thought I could die and go away a happy man. To win six is very hard to put into words.”
Andreas Kloden, UllrichÂ’s teammate, was third Saturday and rode so fast that he surpassed Ivan Basso for second in the overall standings.
Basso is third, with Ullrich a career-worst fourth.
Basso, the only rider other than Armstrong to win a stage in the Pyrenees this year, is 6:59 behind. Ullrich is 9:09 back.
ArmstrongÂ’s overall lead of 6:38 over Kloden is one of his biggest. Last year, he beat Ullrich by just 61 seconds and swore that he would improve on that in 2004.
“I’m happy, because it’s finished,” he said. “I’m tired mentally, have tired legs.”