NANTES, 27 July 2003 — Lance Armstrong pushed archrival Jan Ullrich over his limits in yesterday’s decisive time trial and was on the verge of winning a record-equaling fifth Tour de France.
The Texan, winner of the final Tour time trial the previous four years, left stage victory on the treacherous 49-km ride between Pornic and Nantes to Briton David Millar.
But he mastered a course made slippery by constant rain to leave Ullrich 11 seconds behind him and stretch his lead over the 1997 Tour winner to one minute 16 seconds overall with one stage left.
Armstrong forced his rival into taking too many risks and the German slid and crashed with 15 km left after the two had been clocked at almost the same time throughout.
The Texan had checked the course twice before the start while Ullrich had not, and the decision probably cost him his last chance to upset the four times Tour champion.
“My plan today was to start slowly and to race at my own tempo. I was confident, knowing that with a minute lead over Jan, with the rain and the wind, I had no reason to take risks,” Armstrong said.
Today’s 152 km last stage to Paris is an easy one and only a disaster could now stop Armstrong from joining Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain as the fifth man to win five Tours.
Armstrong shook his fist with joy when crossing the line, knowing Millar, one of his best friends in the peloton, had won the most decisive stage in this Tour.
“I’m very happy for him,” he said.
Millar, who had lost the prologue to Australian Bradley McGee because of a mechanical incident, took his revenge, clocking 54:05.
Tyler Hamilton, the second American hero in this Tour after breaking a collarbone on the first stage, was second, nine seconds adrift, with Armstrong third, 14 seconds behind. Ullrich was fourth 25 seconds off the pace. Rain had fallen constantly during the day and there was a strong tail-wind, a factor which on paper favored the four times Tour champion.
