He’s Ready to Make History

BESANCON, France —  Cyclists call the time trial the race of truth.

There is no hiding. One man, one bike, one lonely road. On Saturday, this road was a hilly, twisting circle. Sometimes there was rain and wind strong enough to blow crowd control barriers onto the course. At other times the sun came out and turned the wet air into hot soup.

None of this mattered to Lance Armstrong.

Taking off last, after 146 others had ridden down the starting chute in front of him, Armstrong flew through Stage 19 of the Tour de France. He led at every time split. He gained on all his challengers, chewing up the winding course in massive gulps, causing spectators to gasp when they heard of his progress.

All but assured of winning a record-setting sixth consecutive Tour today, Armstrong won his fifth individual stage Saturday by averaging 30.6 mph and finishing the 34-mile ride in one hour, six minutes and 49 seconds. Armstrong, the 32-year-old from Austin, Texas, increased his lead over the runner-up to 6:38, but it was a new second-place rider. Germany’s Andreas Kloden (T-Mobile) moved up by erasing a 1:02 deficit against Italy’s Ivan Basso.

Barring an extraordinary circumstance in today’s final stage, a 101.3-mile trip from the countryside into Paris and the traditional laps up and down the Champs-Elysees, that will be the order on the podium. Armstrong, Kloden, Basso.

It will be recorded in the history books that Armstrong became the first man to win the Tour de France six times. He did it consecutively in an amazing stretch of perfect training, health and luck.

At an age when the other great champions -- Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault, the legendary Belgian Eddy Merckx and the indefatigable Spaniard Miguel Indurain -- lost their legs and their grasp on cycling’s most prestigious race, Armstrong won five individual stages, the most he has won in a single Tour.

A year ago, Armstrong sneaked by Germany’s Jan Ullrich, winning by only 61 seconds, a margin largely earned on the basis of a dominant performance by his U.S. Postal Service squad in the team time trial.

Ullrich, 30, was a smart pick to end Armstrong’s streak this year. Instead, Ullrich, the 1997 winner and five-time runner-up, probably will finish fourth, beaten not only by Armstrong but by his T-Mobile teammate Kloden. It will be the worst Tour finish for Ullrich, who trails Armstrong by 9:09.

“Lance is riding in a different league,” Ullrich said. “I have enormous respect for the way he rides. He deserved to win.”

As he had been in his L’Alpe d’Huez time trial win Wednesday, Armstrong was 1:01 better than Ullrich, who finished second in that stage. At the first time check, Armstrong had already gained 43 seconds on Ullrich. And he never let up.

Yet Armstrong said he didn’t feel as if he had dominated the racing, not even the last eight days when he won all five of his stages.

With his team director Johan Bruyneel sitting at his side, Armstrong said, “Johan and I were talking the other night. I hardly ever, if ever, attacked in this Tour.

“I usually found myself in groups and only had to sprint, or in the time trials. I didn’t intend to dominate the race. I wouldn’t be so bold to call it domination.”

Maybe it wasn’t domination. But no champion since Hinault in 1981 has won five stages in one race. And the way Armstrong did it -- owning the individual time trials, devouring the mountain stages and even leaving caution behind and twice sprinting to the finish line with the smile of a little boy just released from school on his face -- silenced all the critics who thought Armstrong had lost his lust for racing after last year’s rather desperate performance.

“This is probably the funnest year I’ve had racing bikes,” Armstrong said. “I’m enjoying the competition more than ever, the thrill of getting on a bike and racing 200 other guys.”

Armstrong would make no commitments about his schedule for next year.

For two days, there have been rumors that Armstrong had already decided to skip the 2005 Tour. While saying that it was no secret he’d like to try other classic races such as the Giro d’Italia before he retires, he also said, “I can’t imagine skipping the Tour. But if I do come, I would only come with the perfect condition. For me it’s a special, special event and I can’t imagine not being here.”

Some of the effect Armstrong has had on American cycling was evident Saturday. Postal teammate Floyd Landis of Lancaster, Pa., finished fourth in the time trial; Bobby Julich of Glenwood Springs, Colo., and Danish team CSC was fifth; and Levi Leipheimer (Rabobank) of Santa Rosa, Calif., finished 12th in the time trial and probably will finish ninth overall. Leipheimer is rumored to be joining the U.S. team next year that will be sponsored by the Discovery Channel.

Armstrong was greeted at the finish line Saturday by his mother, Linda; his girlfriend, rock singer Sheryl Crow; and actor Robin Williams, a good friend and longtime supporter. Armstrong’s three children by his former wife Kristin will not attend the Tour finish.

While Armstrong demurred from speaking too much about history or winning a sixth Tour, perhaps not wanting to test his luck on the road today, he did admit he and his team were staying at a chateau Saturday night. The plan was a big dinner “and maybe a few bottles of wine.”

And Armstrong did offer one moment of anticipation. “To be on the verge of breaking history,” he said, “that’s incredibly special.”

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

*--* Stage 19 at a Glance The 19th stage of the 91st Tour de France: * Stage: An individual time trial of 34.18 miles. * Winner: Lance Armstrong, U.S., U.S. Postal Service-Berry Floor, 1 hour, 6 minutes, 49 seconds. * How others fared: Jan Ullrich, Germany, T-Mobile Team, 1 minute, 1 second behind; Andreas Kloden, Germany, T-Mobile Team, 1:27 behind. * Yellow jersey: Armstrong. * Quote of the day: “Lance is riding in a different league. I have enormous respect for the way he rides. He deserved to win.” -- Ullrich, who at the start of the Tour three weeks ago was considered Armstrong’s chief rival.

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*--* OVERALL LEADERS STAGE 19 RESULTS 1. Lance Armstrong, U.S. 79:27:17 1. Lance Armstrong, U.S. 1:06:49 2. Andreas Kloden, Germany 6:38 3. Andreas Kloden, Germany 1:27 behind behind 3. Ivan Basso, Italy 6:59 behind 2. Jan Ullrich, Germany 1:01 behind 4. Jan Ullrich, Germany 9:09 4. Floyd Landis, U.S. 2:25 behind behind 5. Jose Azevedo, Portugal 14:30 5. Bobby Julich, U.S. 2:48 behind behind

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