July 23, 2005 – Lance Armstrong (Discovery) has taken the final TT of the Tour, and the final pro TT of his life. The course, a tough and technical 55km ride with several undulations, saw the Texan take the first stage win (save for the TTT) of his Tour. Had he not taken this stage, it would have been the first Tour ever without a stage win. However, this Tour is of special significance because his other teammates – namely George Hincapie and Paolo Savodelli – have won stages, something no Postal/Discovery rider had done heretofore.

Although many expcected Armstrong to win, and more importantly, retain his Yellow jersey, the fight for the podium, indeed the top-10 itself, was still very much on. Rabo’s Michael Rasmussen dropped like the Hindenberg today, crashing twice and getting just as many bike changes. Although he’ll still be spotty at the end of this Tour, long having wrapped up the Climber’s competition, the Dane will now finish in 7th, not third: German Jan Ullrich, after a strong TT, takes the final podium spot. Oscar Pereiro (Phonak) will also finish in the top-10 after a few gutsy rides, including today’s , kicking French Christophe Moreau to eleventh.

So, with tomorrow’s parade stage to Paris expected to be an emotional and historical stage for both Armstrong, and, the whole of the cycling world, we have less than 24 hours to witness the end of an era..


Results:

1 Lance Armstrong (Discovery Channel) 1.11.46
2 Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile Team) 0.23
3 Alexandre Vinokourov (T-Mobile Team) 1.16
4 Bobby Julich (Team CSC) 1.33
5 Ivan Basso (Team CSC) 1.54
6 Floyd Landis (Phonak) 2.02
7 Cadel Evans (Davitamon-Lotto) 2.06
8 George Hincapie (Discovery Channel) 2.25
9 Francisco Mancebo (Illes Balears) 2.51
10 Vladimir Karpets (Illes Balears) 3.05

Overall:

1 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel 82.34.05 (41.762 km/h)
2 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC 4.40
3 Jan Ullrich (Ger) T-Mobile Team 6.21
4 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Illes Balears-Caisse d’Epargne 9.59
5 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner 11.25
6 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team 11.27
7 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 11.33
8 Cadel Evans (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto 11.55
9 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems 12.44
10 Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 16.04