Ullrich Is Impressive If Not Confident

About the only one refusing to believe that Jan Ullrich is on his way to victory in the Tour de France is Ullrich himself.

The German rider dominated Friday’s 34.2-mile time trial and won the 12th stage by 3 minutes 4 seconds over Richard Virenque. Four seconds behind Virenque was defending champion Bjarne Riis of Denmark.

Ullrich covered the loop around St. Etienne in 1 hour, 16 minutes 24 seconds. Not since Miguel Indurain in 1992 has anyone won a time trial by three minutes.

In the overall standings, Ullrich leads by 5:42 over Virenque, and eight minutes over Abraham Olano of Spain.

Virenque was second when Friday’s time trial began, 2:38 behind, and surprised many by finishing second. Yet he lost three minutes to Ullrich.

Ullrich, who took the lead with a show of force in the last climb in the Pyrenees Mountains on Tuesday, showed he could do well in the time trial too.

Virenque still thinks he has a chance.

“He beat me by three minutes. But starting tomorrow we are on my ground,” said Virenque, who is at his best going up hills.

The riders have four days in the Alps starting today with the climb to L’Alpe d’Huez, with its 21 hairpin turns.

“I don’t know what I am capable of in this stage,” Ullrich said. “I don’t want to talk of final victory until Colmar.”

Colmar winds up three days in eastern France after the Alps next Wednesday.