ST-MAIXENT-L’ECOLE, France, 26 July 2003 — Jan Ullrich gave a taste of how determined he is to make up time on Tour de France race leader Lance Armstrong here yesterday after going in search of intermediate bonus seconds.

Ullrich, the 1997 winner who has launched an audacious bid for Armstrong’s crown in his return to the race, clawed back two seconds on his American rival after coming second in the first of two sprints behind Australian sprinter Robbie McEwen.

Armstrong gave chase and came third to claim two points, and the same in seconds, to show Ullrich that he wasn’t going to give him any leeway.

And the 29-year-old Ullrich’s efforts, it seems, has not affected the 31-year-old US Postal team leader who still retains a 1min 05sec lead on the German ahead of today’s crucial time trial.

“Losing two seconds doesn’t worry me. It’s not like I’m going to lose the Tour by two seconds,” said Armstrong.

“I’m feeling calm and confident. In the past four years I’ve always rode the last time trial well.”

Ullrich came into the race as a big outsider given all the difficulties he has met in the past year in his private life and concerning his moving from one team to another before finally finding peace with Bianchi.

But the German emerged as a yellow jersey contender after the 12th stage time trial where he took 1min 36sec off Armstrong to move up to second place.

A good day in the mountains then brought Ullrich’s deficit down to 15sec before Armstrong reaffirmed his dominance after a dramatic crash-marred stage at the start of the week.

Yesterday’s largely flat 203km 18th stage was won by Spain’s Pablo Lastras.

The 27-year-old Ibanesto.com team rider snatched his victory on the finish in just over four hours after cheekily overtaking Frenchman Carlos Da Cruz two meters before the line.

Da Cruz, of the fdjeux.com team, had launched a brave pursuit of Spaniard David Canada who looked to be heading to victory after escaping from an eight-man group.

Da Cruz finished second just ahead of Telekom rider Daniello Nardello.

It was the first stage win for Lastras who won two stages in last year’s Tour of Spain and a stage in the 2001 Giro and he promptly dedicated his victory to his recently deceased mother.