Lance Armstrong Solidifies Overall Lead in Tour de France

American cyclist Lance Armstrong rode a strong and smooth time trial over 58.5 kilometers (about 36 miles) from Germany to France, winning by 25 seconds and solidifying his overall lead in the Tour de France. Wearing a yellow jersey provided by the race's organizers, Armstrong averaged 53.9 kilometers an hour (33.5 m.p.h.), the fastest pace at that distance in the Tour's 87 years. Jan Ullrich, the German leader of the Telekom team and favorite to win, finished second, 25 seconds behind, with Christophe Moreau of Festina third, 2:12 behind.

Key Takeaways:

• Lance Armstrong won the individual time trial by 25 seconds, maintaining his overall lead in the Tour de France.
• Armstrong averaged 53.9 kilometers an hour (33.5 m.p.h.), the fastest pace at that distance in the Tour's 87 years.
• Jan Ullrich, the German leader of the Telekom team, finished second, 25 seconds behind Armstrong.
• Christophe Moreau of Festina finished third, 2:12 behind Armstrong, with Tyler Hamilton of the U.S. Postal Service team fourth, 3:01 behind.
• Armstrong's victory guaranteed his second successive victory in the Tour de France when it ends Sunday in Paris.
• Ullrich remained in second place overall, 6:02 behind Armstrong, with Joseba Beloki of Festina in third place, 10:04 behind.

Statistics:

• Time trial distance: 58.5 kilometers (about 36 miles)
• Time of Armstrong's winning ride: 1 hour 5 minutes 1 second
• Armstrong's average speed: 53.9 kilometers an hour (33.5 m.p.h.)
• Time difference between Armstrong and Ullrich: 25 seconds
• Time difference between Armstrong and Moreau: 2 minutes 12 seconds
• Time difference between Armstrong and Hamilton: 3 minutes 1 second

Sources:

• "Lance Armstrong Solids Overall Lead in Tour de France," The New York Times, no date (original text)