Ullrich Wins 10th Stage, Takes Overall Lead in Tour de France

Jan Ullrich of Germany beat everyone else up the mountain to win Tuesday’s 10th stage of the Tour de France and take the overall lead in the cycling race.

“It’s a dream for me to wear the yellow jersey,” Ullrich said. “My first memory of the Tour was watching it on television at home. I saw Greg LeMond in yellow. I said to myself that I could never be as good as him.”

At 23, he got to wear the leader’s yellow jersey at a younger age than LeMond when he took the lead for first time in 1986.

Ullrich won the stage from Luchon, France, to Arcalis, Andorra, by more than a minute over Marco Pantini of Italy and Richard Virenque. The leg had six major climbs and lasted more than 7 hours 46 minutes.

Ullrich now has a 2:38 lead over Virenque in the overall standings. Abraham Olano of Spain was third.

Cedric Vasseur of France, who had been in the lead for the last few days, finished nearly eight minutes back and had to give the jersey to Ullrich.

Ullrich, now one of the favorites to win when the race ends July 27, finished second last year to Bjarne Riis of Denmark.