Armstrong seals Tour victory
in time trial
Francois Thomazeau
Lance Armstrong sealed his fourth Tour de France victory with an impressive win in the penultimate stage, an individual time trial in the Beaujolais vineyards on Saturday.
The American, who will become the most successful Tour rider from his country on the Champs-Elysees on Sunday, avenged earlier disappointments this season in long time trials by outclassing his rivals between Regnie-Durette and Macon.
The U.S. Postal team leader, beaten by Colombian Santiago Botero over 55 kilometres in Brittany 10 days before, finished in one hour, three minutes and 50 seconds, at an average speed of 47 kph.
It was the Texan's fourth stage victory this year, and his 15th in the Tour.
On Sunday, Armstrong will become only the fifth rider to win four Tours, joining five-times winners Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx and Miguel Indurain.
Armstrong, who also won the Tour prologue in Luxembourg and two mountain stages in the Pyrenees, has now won eight of the 11 time trials held in the French race since 1999.
Lithuanian Raimondas Rumsas was faster in the early portions of the bumpy course, but had handlebar problems near the end and had to be content with second place, 52 seconds behind the Texan.
Without his mechanical worries in the final section, the Lithuanian could have ousted Spaniard Joseba Beloki from second place overall.
DAMNED HARD
Rumsas, 30, who was taking part in his first Tour, lies third overall, 8:17 behind Armstrong while Beloki, who was third in the past two Tours, is second 7:17 behind the American.
"In the first climb, a screw came loose and it became worse and worse," said Rumsas.
"I was trying to keep control of the bike but it was very hard and very dangerous.
"For the last 40 kilometres, I lacked a little bit of power and this incident might have changed the outcome of the stage," the Lithuanian added.
Hungarian time trial specialist Laszlo Bodrogi was third in Macon, 1:06 behind Armstrong.
Briton David Millar, seen by many as the American's potential successor in a couple of years, was fourth 1:14 behind Armstrong.
"It was hard, damned hard," he said.
"It was hot out there and there was nowhere to hide," the Scot added.
Sunday's 142-km final stage from Melun to Paris should not make any difference to the overall standings as Armstrong's lead is comfortable enough.
It will be crucial, however, in the fight for the points standings green jersey between German Erik Zabel and Robbie McEwen of Australia.
McEwen is leading the classification by one point, but Zabel won his sixth green jersey last year by beating McEwen's compatriot Stuart O'Grady on the last day.
