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Survivor
Armstrong Emulates Lemond
By Francois Thomazeau
 LE
PUY DU FOU, France (Reuters) - American Lance Armstrong, in his first
Tour de France since fighting off a near-fatal cancer, staged a
fantastic comeback by winning the Tour's 6.8-km prologue Saturday.
In just over eight minutes and two seconds, the Texan became the
first American since Greg LeMond in 1990 to hold the race leader's
yellow jersey.
Armstrong, an unexpected road world champion in 1993 in Oslo, beat
four time-trial specialists on the demanding course around the
medieval theme park of Le Puy du Fou.
Switzerland's Alex Zuelle, kicked out of the Tour last year with
the rest of the Festina team on doping charges, was second, seven
seconds adrift.
Time-trial world champion Abraham Olano of Spain was third in 8:12,
while France's Christophe Moreau and Briton Chris Boardman, the winner
of the last two prologues, were fourth and fifth respectively.
"I'm very happy. This is an unbelievable sensation," said
Armstrong, who suffered testicular cancer in 1997 and almost ended
his career then.
"With all the problems I had, with my past history, it's
incredible," the 27-year-old rider from Austin added.
Armstrong had already signaled he was close to his best shape by
finishing fourth in the Vuelta and the world championships last
season.
This year he has continued to improve and was second to Dutchman
Michael Boogerd in the Amstel Gold Race before winning the first major
prologue in his career in the recent Dauphine Libere race.
"The Tour was the team's main goal this season," said
Armstrong, who leads the U.S. Postal team.
"The Tour de France is the biggest race in the world but it's
the only race in the U.S. It was very important for the team and the
sponsors," he added.
"Now it's mission accomplished."
Armstrong had won two Tour stages before his cancer, in 1993 and
1995. But the second, in Limoges, was by no means a happy memory as it
came the day after the death of Italian team mate Fabio Casartelli.
"That stage in 1995 was very special, probably the most
special day in my life, but believe me, this is special," the
American added.
In any case, Tour organizers could not have dreamed of a better
winner in the prologue of their race, almost ruined last year by a
major doping scandal.
For the first time in the 96-year-old Tour history, the 180 riders
at the start received blood tests and all were given the go-ahead.
French crowds were especially keen to watch local hero Richard
Virenque, reinstated in the race against the organizers' wishes
following a decision by the International Cycling Union.
Virenque, who was the Festina team leader last season, finished 51
seconds behind Armstrong.
Tour prologue Placings
LE PUY DU FOU, France, July 3 - Placings in the curtain-raising
time trial of the 86th Tour de France over 6.8 kms on Saturday:
1. Lance Armstrong (U.S.) U.S. Postal eight minutes and
two seconds
2. Alex Zuelle (Switzerland) Banesto seven seconds behind
3. Abraham Olano (Spain) ONCE 11 secs
4. Christophe Moreau (France) Festina 15
5. Chris Boardman (Britain) Credit Agricole 16
6. Rik Verbrugghe (Belgium) Lotto 18
7. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) Casino 21
8. Santos Gonzalez (Spain) ONCE
9. Laurent Brochard (France) Festina all same time
10. Gilles Maignan (France) Casino 23
11. Andrea Peron (Italy) ONCE
12. Laurent Dufaux (Switzerland) Saeco all same time
13. Steffen Wesemann (Germany) Telekom 24
14. Christian Vandevelde (U.S.) U.S. Postal 25
15. George Hincapie (U.S.) U.S. Postal 26
16. Stuart O'Grady (Australia) Credit Agricole
17. Angel Casero (Spain) Vitalicio Seguros all same time
18. Tyler Hamilton (U.S.) U.S. Postal 27
19. Jon Vaughters (U.S.) U.S. Postal same time
20. Pavel Tonkov (Russia) Mapei 28 |
