| | Associated Press
LOURDES-HAUTACAM, France -- Lance Armstrong surged into the
overall lead in the Tour de France on Monday with a stunning climb
in the Pyrénées that placed him second in the 10th stage.
Armstrong, who came back from cancer to win last year's Tour,
overtook 1998 winner Marco Pantani and contender Richard Virenque
on the final climb in cold, driving rain.
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Stage-winner Alex Otxoa is chased by a man dressed as the devil as he proceeds towards the finish. |
Armstrong was in his element.
"Today was about good tactics," he said. "It was a good day
for me. I like these conditions."
The 28-year-old Texan started the day in 16th place, 5:54
behind, but his stirring performance gave him the yellow jersey for
the first time this year.
The only rider he couldn't catch was Spain's Javier Otxoa, who
won the first tough climb that was roughly the halfway point of the
21-stage race.
Otxoa, who rides for the Kelme team, won the 127-mile stage from
Dax to Lourdes-Hautacam in 6 hours, 9 minutes, 32 seconds.
Armstrong finished 42 seconds behind.
"Otxoa rode hard and led for so long," Armstrong said.
"Probably 99 percent of the people there were Spaniards cheering
him."
Armstrong, who rides for the U.S. Postal Service Team, has said
all along that he can dominate other top riders in the mountains.
The Tour is won and lost in those grueling stages, with good
climbers able to make up dozens of minutes in the overall
standings.
The vital moment of the day -- and perhaps the whole Tour -- came
eight miles from the end.
Armstrong was well behind Otxoa, in a group with Pantani, Alex
Zülle and 1997 Tour champion Jan Ullrich.
Pantani attacked. Armstrong stayed with the shaven-headed
Italian, but Zülle and Ullrich struggled to keep up.
Armstrong suddenly accelerated, storming past Pantani and
attacking the group ahead of him, which included France's Virenque,
last year's King of the Mountains.
"Armstrong came through like a plane at the end," Virenque
said.
Chilling winds, driving rain, mist and temperatures as low as 45
made it a day for brave riding. Several riders skidded down
treacherous mountain roads.
Armstrong's brilliant ride Monday was similar to his showing a
year ago, when he won the first tough mountain leg -- the race's
ninth stage -- to increase the overall lead he had taken the stage
before.
He never relinquished the yellow jersey thereafter, and is in
position to do the same this year.
"The Tour de France is very tough this year so I am not
counting on anything," Armstrong said. | |
ALSO SEE
Armstrong proves '99 was no fluke
Stage Ten results
Franck Vandenbroucke gives up on Tour first climb
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Lance Armstrong climbs to victory in the French mountains.
avi: 1510 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Stage 10 course map
RealVideo: 28.8
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