PARIS — With his cycling future unknown, American Floyd Landis secured his improbable Tour de France victory Sunday with a casual, celebratory four-hour ride to the French capital.

Floyd Landis

American Floyd Landis celebrates his first Tour de France win. He is only the third American in history to win cycling’s most prestigious event.

Landis, 30, of Murrieta, Calif., leader of the Phonak team, finished the 95.9-mile (154.5-kilometer) 20th stage at 69th in the main pack and maintained the race leadership he regained in the 19th stage Saturday.

Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d’Epargne) of Spain, who placed tenth in the past two years, finished second overall in the 2,271-mile (3,657-kilometer) race, 57 seconds behind Landis. Andreas Kloden (T-Mobile) of Germany, who was second overall in 2004, placed third, 1:29 behind.

Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) of Norway claimed his second win in the 20th stage in a tight sprint over Australia’s Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto) of Australia in three hours, 56 minutes, and 52 seconds. Stuart O’Grady (CSC), also of Australia, was third.

Landis, riding in his fifth Tour, joined Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong as the only American winners of cycling’s most prestigious race. With LeMond’s three titles (1986, ’89, and ’90) and Armstrong’s seven titles (1999-2005), Landis became the eighth consecutive U.S race titlist and the 11th American winner in the past 21 years.

But whether Landis will be able to defend his title remains unknown. Early in the Tour, Landis announced he will soon undergo hip-replacement surgery. Landis’s hip problem dates to January 2003 when he crashed while riding near his Southern California home.

“The Tour de France is a dream of mine, and having a hip replacement puts that in jeopardy,” said Landis. “But having won the race, I’m much more relaxed about it.”

“I don’t feel like my life would be a failure if I didn’t win the race. But it was a dream, and I would be extremely disappointed if that was taken away by an unfortunate accident.”

During his pre-final day press conference, Landis said he hopes to return to the Tour, although it may take two years.

The Tour’s 93rd edition began July 1 in Strasbourg amid controversy. The expected field of 189 was reduced to 176 with the departure of last year’s top-five finishers and various others in the fallout of an ongoing Spanish doping investigation.

But when racing finally began, the Tour developed as predicted—as a wide-open race.

Seven different riders led the race, with Pereiro twice taking the yellow jersey twice and Landis wearing it on three occasions.

With the leaders’ jersey swap meet lasting three weeks, several cyclists called the race a “crazy Tour.”

Landis’s dramatics further added to the race’s reputation. While holding a ten-second margin over Pereiro entering the mountainous Stage 16 to La Toussuire, Landis badly faltered at the base of the final climb. He quickly lost chunks of time and appeared to ride himself out the race, falling to 11th overall and trailing by 8:08.

But the next day, Landis returned with a fury. He went to the front early, rode what he later described as a “four-hour time trial” and claimed nearly a six-minute solo stage win in Morzine.

The victory, which some described as the most drastic one-day comeback in Tour history, catapulted Landis back into race contention, 30 seconds behind Pereiro.

The Tour, which progressed in a counter-clockwise direction and visited six countries, included several stages in which temperatures surpassed 100 degrees.

Eight Americans, competing for five different teams, began the race. Six U.S riders finished, with Bobby Julich (CSC) of Reno, Nevada, and Fred Rodriguez (Davitamon-Lotto) both crashing out. Rodriguez fell on the narrow roads on Holland in Sstage 3 and; Julich fell on a sweeping corner in Sstage 7.

In addition to Landis, U.S. finishers included: Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner), Santa Rosa, California, 13th (19:22); Christian Vande Velde (CSC), Lemont, Illinois, 24th (50:19); George Hincapie (Discovery Channel), Greenville, South Carolina, 32nd (1:16:14); Chris Horner (Davitamon-Lotto), 64th (2:12:25); David Zabriskie (CSC), Salt Lake City, 74th (2:33:46).

Hincapie, who held the race lead for one day after Stage 1, finished the race for the tenth time, the most ever by an American.

Several stage winners and former race leaders withdrew from the race and 139 racers (79 percent) of the starting field arrived in Paris.

For more on 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis, read Daniel Coyle’s feature profile of the rider from the July issue of 国产吃瓜黑料. Then read his follow-up interview with Landis, .

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Andreas Kloden (T-Mobile) of Germany finished second, 41 seconds behind. Landis was next, 1:11 behind. Former race leader Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d’Epargne) of Spain was fourth, trailing by 2:40. Landis began the day in third position overall, trailing former race leaser Pereiro by 30 seconds. Carlos Sastre (CSC) of Spain was second, 12 seconds behind.

But Landis, the third-to-last rider on the course, finished 1:29 ahead of Pereiro, and he will hold a 59-second margin entering Sunday’s concluding ceremonial stage. Kloden is third overall, 1:29 behind.

“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy with the yellow jersey at stake,” said Landis, who finished ninth at the Tour last year. “Considering I did a four-hour time trial (his solo 17th stage win) a few days ago, I wasn’t sure. But I woke up feeling OK. I was still beaten by a considerable margin by Honchar and that was impressive. But I did what I needed to do.”

David Zabriskie (CSC), of Salt Lake City, placed sixth in the stage as the next-highest of six Americans in the race. Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) of Santa Rosa, Calif., is the second-highest American overall, in 13th position, 19:22 behind.

The remaining field of 140 will conclude their three-week journey Sunday with a 95.9 mile (154.5- kilometer) ride to Paris. The stage includes two short Category 4 climbs (Cote de Gif-sur-Yvette, (.86 miles with a 5.6 percent average grade) and Mont-Valerien, (.62 miles with a 6.4 percent average grade). But the brief uphill efforts are minor compared to the spectacular eight concluding laps on the most famous street in France.

Amid the enthusiastic crowd, each four-mile circuit will take approximately ten minutes. Various riders will take their turn at the front, but the race will likely finish in a mass sprint and with the field’s best sprinters again emerging.

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MACON, France — Matteo Tosatto (Quick-Step) of Italy rode to a strong Stage 18 sprint victory; the overall standings remained the same Friday after another scorching day at the Tour de France.

Matteo Tosatto, Tour de France

Quickstep’s Matteo Tosatto out-sprinted Christian Moreni for the Stage 18 win Friday.

With temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, Tosatto gave his team its first stage win of this year’s race after completing the 122.3-mile (197-kilometer) stage from Morzine in four hours, 16 minutes, and 15 seconds.


Countryman Christian Moreni (Cofidis) was second in the same time, with Ronny Scholz (Gerolsteiner) of Germany third, trailing by two seconds.


Race leader Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d’Epargne) of Spain finished 25th in the main field, which finished eight minutes behind the winner.


Carlos Sastre (CSC) of Spain and Floyd Landis (Phonak) of Murrieta, California, who are respectively in second and third places overall, also finished in the main field.


Sastre trails Pereiro by 12 seconds, with Landis third, 30 seconds behind.


Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) of Santa Rosa, California, once again tried to improve his overall race standings. With various others, Leipheimer rode in the lead, but the leaders were eventually caught by the main field with 12 miles left in the stage.


Leipheimer also surged into the lead in the 15th and 16th mountain stages, but was absorbed. Leipheimer, however, who was awarded the day’s most aggressive rider award, still improved from 18th to 13th after placing 14th in the stage. He’s the second-highest placed American, 15:01 behind.


Saturday’s penultimate 19th stage, a 34.9-mile (57-kilometer) individual time trial, will take the field of 141 from Le Creusot to Montceau les Mines.


If the stage progresses according to prognosticators, Landis will emerge as the third American to claim cycling’s most prestigious race after Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong.


In reverse order of their overall standings, the field will individually start two minutes apart, with one exception. To reduce potential drafting, the top-20 riders will start with three-minute intervals.


Landis, who rode back into contention with a long solo victory in Stage 18 to Morzine, will be the third-to-last starter, followed by Sastre and Pereiro.


“Normally in a 50-kilometer time trial, I will lose two minutes to the winner,” said Pereiro. “I have to win by 29 seconds second over Landis, who is one of best time trialists in the world. It will be a difficult day, but you never know what can happen.”


Andreas Kl枚den (T-Mobile) of Germany is fourth overall, trailing by 2:32. Cadel Evans (Davitamon-Lotto) of Australia is fifth overall, 3:11 behind.


Landis finished second in the race’s other individual time trial, the 32-mile seventh stage. Kloden was eighth in the first time trial, followed by Castre (13th) and Pereiro (23rd).


With the exception of final placings, sub-division placings, and pride in the overall standings, the race will conclude Sunday with the traditional final ceremonial stage, a 94.9-mile (154.5-kilometer) journey from Sceau/Antony to Paris up the Champs Elysees.

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MORZINE, France – One day after his disastrous performance in the Alps, American Floyd Landis (Phonak) catapulted himself to within seconds of the Tour de France race lead Thursday with an equally dramatic stage win on the same famous mountain range.

Floyd Landis

Floyd Landis climbs to the first stage win of his career. The win was enough to catapult him into third place overall.

Landis lost his race lead, finished more than ten minutes behind the stage winner, and fell to 11th after the 16th stage. But he pedaled alone for the final 50 miles of the 17th stage en route to nearly a six-minute win over a stunned field.

“I took a long shot,” said Landis, who completed 124.5-mile (200.5-kilometer) stage from St. Jean-de-Maurienne in five hours, 23 minutes, and 36 seconds. “After two difficult days in the Alps, when people try to chase, it usually doesn’t work so well. I think they were either tired or not very organized.”

Landis’ dominating solo journey, which included the race’s final beyond-category climb to the Col du Joux-Plane, six miles from the finish, moved the ninth-place 2005 Tour de France finisher into third place overall in this year’s 93rd edition.

Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d’Epargne) of Spain, who regained the lead Wednesday, finished seventh in the 17th stage, 7:08 behind Landis. Pereiro now holds a 12-second race lead over Carlos Sastre (CSC), also of Spain, who placed second in the stage.

Landis, who claimed the first Tour de France stage win of his career, is third overall, trailing by 30 seconds.

“I didn’t quite expect it,” said Landis, who punched the air defiantly as he crossed the finish line. “But the field looked a little disorganized, I attacked early and it happened.”

Three stages of the race remain, with only Saturday’s 35.4-mile individual time trial likely to substantially alter the standings.

“I hope what happens is that I will win the race,” said Landis, who has twice lead the race. “The only decisive stage left is the time trial and I’m confident in my time trial abilities and we’ll have to wait and see.”

Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) of Santa Rosa, California, who rode strongly only to fade at the end of the 15th and 16th stages, faltered more drastically Thursday.

Leipheimer finished 38th in the field, 21:23 behind, and dropped to 18th overall, trailing by 22:01.

The final of three straight stages in the Alps again shattered the field. The back of the pack finished more than 52 minutes behind the winner and another three riders abandoned the race.

The remaining 143 riders will pedal 197 kilometers (122.3 miles) from Morzine to Macon in Friday’s 18th stage.

For more on Floyd Landis, read Daniel Coyle’s July profile of the rider “,” then read Coyle’s follow-up interview “” about his recently announced hip condition, how he’s been dealing with the pain, and what’s down the road at the Tour.

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LA TOUSSUIRE, France – While Mikael Rasmussen (Rabobank) of Denmark rode to a long solo breakaway win, Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d’Epargne) of Spain regained the race lead, and former race leader Floyd Landis (Phonak) of Murrieta, Calif., badly faltered Wednesday during the 16th stage of the Tour de France.

Mikael Rasmussen

Robobank’s Mikael Rasmussen won Wednesday’s Stage 16, the second stage win of his career.

Rassmussen, who began the stage in 35th position, moved into the stage lead after about four miles. He was briefly joined by two riders, but he then pedaled alone to his second career Tour stage win while claiming the 113-mile (182-kilometer) stage from Bourg d’Oisans in five hours, 36 minutes, and 4 seconds.

Carlos Sastre (CSC) of Spain finished second, trailing Rasmussen by 1:41. Pereiro (Caisse-d’Epargne), also of Spain, finished third, trailing by 1:54.

But Pereiro, a previous race leader who trailed Landis by ten seconds entering the stage, now holds a 1:50 margin over Sastre.

Andreas Kloden (T-Mobile) of Germany, fifth in the stage, is now third overall, trailing by 1:56. Rasmussen, who also assumed the best climber’s jersey, improved to 21st, 20:48 behind.

Landis, who finished third and fourth in the two previous mountain stages, quickly lost the race lead as the riders negotiated the final 11.5-mile Category 1 climb to the small ski resort finish.

Within a few minutes of the stage’s final six miles, Landis fell off the back of the main chase pack and abruptly lost chunks of time.

Profusely sweating and coated in salt, Landis eventually placed 23rd in the stage, 10:04 behind. He’s now in 11th place overall, 8:08 behind.

Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) of Santa Rosa, Calif., rode for much of the final climb in second position and looked to be gaining on the stage winner. But Leipheimer also faltered and placed ninth in the stage, trailing by 3:24.

Leipheimer remained ninth overall, but now is the leading U.S. rider, trail Pereiro by 7:46.

The second of three severe days in the Alps included an opening 27-mile climb to Col du Galibier, the highest point of the race at 8,681 feet.

The ascent to Col de la Croix de Fer, another beyond category effort, followed 50 miles late before the concluding ascent to the first-time stage finish.

The severity of the stage and another warm day devastated the field for the second straight day. The main field, which included 77 riders, finished 44:01 behind the winner and an additional five riders abandoned the race.

The remaining 147 riders from a starting field of 176 in Strasbourg on July 1, has four remaining stages, including the last mountain stage Thursday in Stage 17.

The final day in the Alps will include five climbs, including the beyond category climb to Col de Jeux-Plane, three miles from the conclusion of the 200.5-kilometer (124.5) mile ride from St. Jean de Maurienne to Morzine.

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L’ALPE D’HUEZ, France – Frank Schleck (CSC) of Luxembourg claimed the most important win of his career and American Floyd Landis (Phonak) of reclaimed the lead during Tuesday’s 25th anniversary stage finish to the most famous mountaintop of the Tour de France.

L'Alpe d'Huez, Tour de France 2006

The peloton works its way up one of the 21 hairpin turns of Stage 15.

Joining such L’Alpe d’Huez winners as Fausto Coppi, Bernard Hinault, and Lance Armstrong, Schleck attacked Italy’s Damiano Cunego (Lampre), the 2004 Tour of Italy winner, with about a mile left to claim the 116-mile (187-kilometer) stage from Gap by 111 seconds in four hours, 55 minutes, and 22 seconds. Stefano Garzelli (Liquigas), also of Italy, was third, trailing by 1:10.


Twenty-six-year-old Schleck, the reigning Amstel Gold Race titlist, broke his nose in training nine days prior to the Tour. Nonetheless, he made his Tour debut and joined Jens Voigt as CSC stage winners in this year’s Tour.


Landis, , rode smoothly and was content to finish fourth, also 1:10 behind. Although he’s yet to win a stage, Landis’s strategic third- and fourth-place finishes in the race’s two mountain stages to date have given him the race lead twice.


Landis, who placed ninth overall in last year’s Tour, began the day trailing former race leader Oscar Pereiro (Caisse Espargne) of Spain by 1:29. But he now leads Pereiro, who placed 14th in the stage (2:49 behind) by ten seconds, with fives stages left in the race’s 93rd edition.


Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) of Santa Rosa, California, finished tenth in the stage and improved from 15th to ninth overall, trailing Landis by 6:18.


Leipheimer, sixth in the 2005 Tour and the leading returning rider from last year, rode with Landis and others as they closely chased the leaders during the final few miles up the famous finishing climb with its huge crowds and 21 hairpin turns.


But Leipheimer couldn’t keep pace.


The demanding stage, which also included the beyond-category climb to Col d’Izoard after about 50 miles, took its toll.


Four riders, including former race leader Tom Boonen (Quick-Step) of Belgium, abandoned during the stage. Oscar Freire (Rabobank), the former world titlist and another early stage winner in this year’s race, finished last in the stage, 36:22 behind.


The remaining field of 152 will encounter the Bourg d’Oisans to La Toussuire Stage 16 on Wednesday. The 113-mile (182-kilometer) stage includes two additional beyond-category climbs.

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GAP, France – Pierrick Fedrigo (Bouygues Telecom) of France outsprinted Salvatore Commesso (Lampre) of Italy on Sunday to claim the Tour de France’s 14th stage, while Oscar Pereiro (Caisse Espargne) of Spain retained the leader’s jersey for the second day.

Frenchman Pierrick Fedrigo outsprints Italian Salvatore Commesso to win Stage 14.

Fedrigo emerged from a six-rider breakaway group and then outrode his better-known rival in the final 200 meters of the final transitional stage between the Pyrenees and the Alps. He completed the 112.2-mile course in 4 hours, 14 minutes, and 23 seconds.


Commesso was second in the same time, with Christian Vande Velde (CSC) of Lemont, Illinois, third, three seconds back.


Vande Velde joined Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) and Floyd Landis (Phonak), who finished second and third in Stage 10, and George Hincapie (Discovery), who placed second in the prologue, as American riders who’ve reached stage podiums. Hincapie also held the race lead for one day after Stage 1.


Pereiro, who finished 27th in the same group with his main rivals, seven seconds back, holds a 1:29 margin over Landis and a 1:37 cushion over Cyril Dessel (AG2R) of France.


Leipheimer, the only other American in the top-20 overall, remains 15th, trailing by 7:08.


With six stages remaining, the field is now down to 156 after the abandonment of four riders in Stage 14.


Two of the departing riders crashed after about 87 miles when they were involved in a six-rider break that included the eventual leading duo.


The crash occurred when Rik Verbrugghe (Cofidis) of Belgium and David Canada (Saunier-Duval) lost control of their bikes on a slightly sloping downhill right-hand turn. Matthias Kessler (T-Mobile) of Germany crashed into Canada and all three fell over road barriers.


Kessler returned to the race; Verbrugghe suffered a suspected right leg fracture, while Canada fractured his right collarbone.


Magnus Backstedt (Liquigas) of Sweden and Mirko Celestino (Milram) of Italy also abandoned during the stage.


The race’s second and final rest day is scheduled Monday, with the race resuming Tuesday with the first of three consecutive mountain stages in the Alps, starting with the legendary switchbacks of the L’Alpe d’Huez.

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MONTELIMAR, France – Jens Voigt (CSC) of Germany won the longest stage of the Tour de France on Saturday after the second straight day of hot weather in southern France. Meanwhile, in the overall classification standings, Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d’Espargne) of Spain became the race’s seventh yellow-jersey leader.

Jens Voigt

Jens Voigt celebrates his win after the 2006 Tour’s longest stage.

Voigt, who finished last in the Stage 7 time trial, claimed the 230-kilometer (142.8-mile) 13th stage from Beziers in 5 hours, 24 minutes, and 36 seconds.


Pereiro, who began the day in 46th position, finished second in the same time. Sylvain Chavenel (Cofidis) finished third, 40 seconds behind the leading duo.


Pereiro, a 2005 Tour stage winner, assumed a 1:29 lead over Floyd Landis (Phonak) of Murrieta, California. Cyril Deesel (AG2R) of France is third, 1:37 behind.


Landis finished 29th amid the main field that finished 29:57 behind the winner.


Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) of Santa Rosa, California, is the next-highest American, in 15th place, 7:08 behind.


With temperatures in the mid-90s, Voigt and Pereiro were among a five-rider break that steadily built its advantage throughout a stage that included five category 4 climbs.


The Phonak team, confident in Landis’ abilities and conserving energy for the three stages in the Alps, was content to let the break build its margin to more than 30 minutes.


“I knew I wanted to be in the break, but I had no idea I would wear the jersey,” said Pereiro. “Of course, we will try to defend it, but I am content for now to have the jersey.”


Voigt, who held the race leader’s jersey last year, salvaged an unlucky Tour performance this far by his team. Cycling’s top-ranked team, CSC has only six riders left in the race. Four of the team’s remaining riders have crashed, leaving the squad depleted.


Carlos Sastre of Spain is CSC’s top-ranked rider, currently in sixth position, trailing by 3:21. Voigt is 51st overall, 32:38 behind.


“We had some bad luck, but the win is for team, of course,” said Voigt. “With only six riders left, it will be good for the morale. It takes a lot of pressure and stress off of us.”


Despite the heat, the stage began and finished with 160 riders. The field will ride the last of the three transitional stages between the Pyrenees and Alps on Sunday, a 180.5-kilometer (112.1-mile) stage from Montelimar to Gap. It includes four climbs, evenly distributed throughout the stage and including two category 3 and two category 2 efforts.

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CARCASSONNE, France — Yaroslav Popovych (Discovery Channel) used repeated late attacks Friday en route to becoming the second Ukrainian stage winner on a scorching Bastille Day at Stage 12 of the Tour de France.

Floyd Landis

American Floyd Landis, center, was able to hold on to the yellow jersey for another day after Friday’s Stage 12.

Popovych, who began the day in 23rd place overall, moved into tenth place after claiming the 131.4-mile (211.5-kilometer) 12th stage from Luchon in four hours, 34 minutes, and 58 seconds.


Floyd Landis (Phonak) of Murrieta, California, finished 20th in the main pack, 4:25 behind and with all of his closest pursuers in the same group.


Landis, who became the sixth race leader when he finished third in the mountainous 11th stage, maintained his eight-second advantage over Cyril Dessel (AG2R) of France and a 1:10 cushion over Russian Dennis Menchov (Rabobank).


Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) of Italy and three-time world road titlist Oscar Freire (Rabobank) of Spain, respectively finished second and third, 27 and 29 seconds behind the winner on a humid and hot day during which temperatures surpassed 100 degrees.


Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) of Santa Rosa, California, who rekindled his Tour performance with a second-place finish in Stage 11, was 46th in the 12th stage, also in the main group. With Popovych moving into tenth place, Leipheimer fell one position to 14th and trails Landis by 5:39. Popovych, Freire, and Ballan tested each other in the final three miles, with Popovych the most aggressive with repeated surges off the front. His final attack with less than two miles left held, and he completed the stage unchallenged.


Popovych’s win also salvaged the overall chances of the Discovery Channel team, the former squad of retired seven-time consecutive race winner Lance Armstrong.


Greenville, South Carolina, rider George Hincapie held the race lead for one day after Stage 1 as one of four potential general classification riders for Discovery Channel.


But Hincapie faltered in the 11th stage to 39th overall and Paolo Savoldelli (Italy) abandoned the 12th stage. Popovych and Jose Azevedo (Portugal), who’s 19th overall, are the only Discovery Channel riders in the top 20.


With the abandonment of five riders Friday, the remaining field of 160 will contest the 142.9-mile (230-kilometer) 13th stage Saturday from Beziers to Montelimar. It’s the longest stage of the Tour and includes five Category 4 (the lowest-ranked) climbs.

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PLA-DE-BERET, Spain — , degenerative hip working fine, became the sixth leader of this year’s Tour de France on Thursday when the Phonak rider from Murrieta, California, placed third in a three-rider breakaway finish to the largest ski resort in Spain.

Floyd Landis, Tour de France

American Floyd Landis claimed the yellow jersey Thursday for the first time in his career.

Denis Menchov (Rabobank) of Russia won the 206.5-kilometer (128.2-mile) 11th stage that included five mountain climbs, in six hours, six minutes, and 25 seconds.


Landis, who finished ninth in the Tour last year and was fifth overall entering the stage, gained eight seconds of bonus time, the exact margin he now has over previous race leader Cyril Dessel (AG2R) of France. Menchov is third overall, trailing by 1:01.


“It’s always nice to win a stage,” said Landis, who earlier in the Tour announced he will soon undergo hip replacement surgery for his degenerative condition. “But there was more value to get time on the final climb, so the winning a stage wasn’t my objective.”


Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner), a pre-race favorite who badly faltered in the seventh stage individual time trial, rekindled his Tour hopes and finished second in the stage.


Leipheimer, whose sixth place last year in the Tour was the highest of any rider in this year’s edition, tried to match Menchov in the final sprint, but was a bike length back.


“I wanted to get to the last turn first,” said an emotional Leipheimer who improved from 58th overall to 13th, trailing Landis by 5:39 as the only other U.S. rider now in the top 20. “But I just misjudged it a little bit. Menchov got a pretty good late kick there.”


The leading trio emerged from an earlier 18-rider lead group with about four miles left. The large group formed between the fourth climb and final climb and included all of the Tour favorites.


The leaders had already climbed the ascents to Col du Tourmalet, Col d’Aspin and Col de Peyresourde, three of the race’s most legendary mountains. Dessel sprinted to finish in front of a five-rider group in 18th position, 4:45 behind.


Like Leipheimer, Landis has never won a Tour de France stage. But he’s now the fifth American to wear the race leader’s yellow jersey, joining Greg LeMond, Lance Armstrong, David Zabriskie, and George Hincapie.


Hincapie, who took the race lead for one day after Stage 1, began the day 19th overall. But he faltered in the 11th stage, placing 40th, and fell to 40th overall, trailing by 23:01.

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