Armstrong is the WINNER !!!

[E.T.]

Armstrong takes yellow jersey as US Postal win team time trial

Wed 07 Jul, 4:27 PM

ARRAS, France (AFP) - Lance Armstrong and his US Postal team stamped their authority on the Tour de France after dominating the team time trial held over 64.5km between Cambrai and here.

The win, in 1hr 12min 03sec, allowed five-time winner Armstrong to pull on the yellow jersey for the first time in the race.

The fourth stage of the Tour was held in rainy conditions, which led to several crashes and threatened to decimate Tyler Hamilton's Phonak team who claimed an admirable second place at 1min 07sec with six of their nine riders.

The Iles Baleares team finished third at 1:15 with Jan Ullrich's T-Mobile team finishing in fourth.

It means that US Postal, who also lost a rider during the race, now occupy all eight first places in the general classification.

Phonak team leader Hamilton is Armstrong's closest rival, in eighth place at 36secs adrift.

[bulls96go]

i thought he had a crash.

[E.T.]

If he did ... he fell forward  8)

[Velcro]

25 seconds forward

[E.T.]

Armstrong Claims Yellow Jersey After Time Trial Win

American Leads Tour de France After Fourth Stage

By JOHN LEICESTER, AP

ARRAS, France (July 7) -- Lance Armstrong took the overall lead Wednesday for the first time at this year's Tour de France after one of the fastest time trials in race history.

The Race

Overall Leader After Stage 4: Lance Armstrong, 10-Second Lead

His U.S. Postal Service squad dominated the rain-soaked event, giving the Texan the yellow jersey in his bid for a record sixth-straight title in cycling's showcase race.

"It really was a special day for the team," Armstrong said. "The team was incredible. The rhythm was perfect. It's incredible."

He smiled broadly as he crossed the line, riding a special aerodynamic bike and wearing an aerodynamic helmet and suit.

Armstrong holds a 36-second lead over key rival Tyler Hamilton, a fellow American and former teammate.

Jan Ullrich, a five-time Tour runner-up and second again to Armstrong last year, finished fourth and is 55 seconds off the champion's overall time.

 

The 2004 Tour de France: Saturday July 3rd to Sunday July 25th.

22 Days. One Prologue. 20 Stages. 2,106 miles. One champion.

Latest: Stage 4, Cambrai to Arras, Team Time Trial, 40.39 miles. Stage Winner: U.S. Postal Team | Stage 4 Results

Overall Leader: Lance Armstrong, U.S. | Overall Standings

Next: Stage 5, Amiens to Chartres, 121.17 miles.

Other challengers were also left trailing: Italy's Ivan Basso is 1 minute, 17 seconds behind Armstrong overall, and Spain's Roberto Heras is 1 minute, 45 seconds back.

Armstrong said his team started slowly but picked up speed.

"That's the sign of a great team," he said. "We fought hard."

The blue-clad Postal squad celebrated with hugs at the finish line. Armstrong raised his arms as he accepted the yellow jersey that in the past five years he has come to call his own.

Ullrich, the 1997 Tour winner, entered the race as Armstrong's most feared rival. His T-Mobile squad was more than a minute behind.

New rules designed to limit the advantage that top teams gain in the event protected Ullrich to some extent. In all, the German lost 40 seconds to Armstrong's team -- still a severe setback.

Despite rain that soaked the 40-mile course from Cambrai to Arras, Armstrong's team still averaged more than 32 mph -- the third fastest time in the history of the event.

Armstrong will still be looking to the later mountain stages and individual time trials to put away his rivals for good. But the advantage gained in the team event was a major step toward yet another title.

Armstrong and five teammates are among the top seven riders in the overall standings -- a clear sign of strength. George Hincapie is No. 2, 10 seconds behind. He is followed by No. 3 Floyd Landis, No. 4. Jose Azevedo, No. 5. Jose Luis Rubiera and No. 7 Viatceslav Ekimov.

The Postal squad had the advantage of starting last of the 21 teams. It also benefited from a stop in the rain that had doused the course, turning the roads slick and causing several teams problems. There were several crashes.

The Postal team worked right from the Tour's start -- the time trial Saturday -- to position itself as the squad to start last. That enabled the team to see how others fared on the route and judge the pace.

 

"It's details that can win the Tour de France," said Dirk Demol, an assistant sports manager for the team.

Armstrong has said he was not aiming to keep the yellow jersey in the flat stages that come in the days following the time trial. Those stages favor strong sprinters.

His aim is to be wearing it on the day that counts -- at the finish in Paris on July 25.

"I suspect we'll be willing to give the jersey to someone else," he said.

[Guest wildrover]

Conspiracy theory:  I hear they changed a lot of the rules this year and some of the course to take away from Armstrong's strengths.  Like fewer mountain stages and more flat stages.  Anybody hear anything like that.

[Velcro]

if it is a conspiracy, it isn't working very well

[E.T.]

Lance Armstrong, in full conservation mode during Thursday's rainy and windy fifth stage of the Tour de France, surrendered the yellow jersey – but emerged unscathed from a crash that temporarily took down two U.S. Postal teammates. Australian Stuart O'Grady won the stage and France's Thomas Voeckler now holds the overall lead.

[Guest wildrover]

He did say he was prepared to give up the yellow jersery during these stages, when he gets to the hills is when he'll make his move.

[E.T.]

And we'll be watching: