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Lance Armstrong wins Tour de France

Lance Armstrong became only the second American to win the Tour de France on Sunday at the end of the 20th and final stage, won by Australian Robbie McEwen in a big sprint finish on the Champs-Elysees.

The 27-year-old Texan, whose career was abruptly halted by a cancer of the testicles two years ago, finished in the main bunch in Sunday's stage, which was once again a gentle ride along the most famous Parisian avenue.

"It's finished. Those three weeks were very hard for the legs and the mind," he said.

"It's an unbelievable emotion," he added.

Thirteen years before, Greg LeMond had become the first American to win cycling's showcase race, and he was crowned twice more, in 1989 and 1990.

Even if Armstrong does not emulate his compatriot by winning the race again, his victory will remain as one the most fantastic comebacks in the history of sport.

LeMond and last year's winner Marco Pantani of Italy also returned to competition after serious accidents, but Armstrong's story was even more dramatic as he was thought lost to cycling as he struggled against the cancer.

His domination in this Tour was such that the U.S. Postal leader, who won the four most important stages in the race -- the three time trials and the first mountain stage -- can claim a place alongside the greatest Tour winners of the past.

Before him, only Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain and Laurent Fignon had won the three time trials on the programme.

Sunday's 143.5-kms from Arpajon to the French capital was again no more than a lap of honour on the famous Parisian thoroughfare for Armstrong and his team mates. The American's only concern was to avoid a crash.

The sprint finish was won by McEwen, who prevented German Erik Zabel from winning his first Tour stage since 1997.

Zabel became the first rider to win the points standings green jersey four times in succession. But unfortunately for the Telekom team leader, he also became the only rider in the Tour history to take the jersey twice without winning a stage.

The King of the mountains jersey, one of the most coveted trophies in the race, went to Frenchman Richard Virenque, the man organisers refused to invite before the International Cycling Union (UCI) forced him back in.

Virenque, who had been kicked out of the race on doping charges last year with the rest of his Festina team, has now won the best climber classification five times, once fewer than Belgium's Lucien Van Impe and Spain's Federico Bahamontes, considered the best two climbers of all time.

Another former Festina rider, Swiss Alex Zuelle, was second overall for the second time after 1995, when he was runner-up to Indurain.

Had he not lost six minutes in a crash early in the Tour, Zuelle could have challenged Armstrong. He finished 7:37 behind the American in the final standings.

Third place went to Spanish climber Fernando Escartin, winner of the most demanding mountain stage in Piau-Engalys last week.

The Kelme team leader, who was fifth two years ago, finished 10:26 behind Armstrong overall.

Italian Mario Cipollini, winner of a record four successive Tour stages in the first week of the Tour, and Belgian sprinter Tom Steels, who won three stages, played the other leading roles in this years' Tour.

Organisers could also sigh in relief on Sunday as only minor doping cases occured in the three weeks of the race, 12 months after a scandal which brought the sport near to collapse.

Armstrong said his main goals next season would be the Sydney Olympics and the Tour in which fans hope to see him compete against Pantani and German Jan Ullrich, the 1997 winner, who both missed the race this year.

The Tour was also the fastest ever at an average speed of 40.273 kph and it was the first time since 1926 that no Frenchman had won a stage.

UNI