Armstrong Is Convincing

Something astonishing happened in the Alps between France and Italy on Tuesday. One-time cancer patient Lance Armstrong, riding in the Tour de France, attacked the race’s first leg in the Alps--and won easily by 31 seconds.

“There were several people who doubted that I could handle the high mountain climbs, but for me today it wasn’t about replying to them,” the 27-year-old cyclist for the U.S. Postal Service team said. “It was more to show myself that I am now a complete all-around rider.”

As he pedaled across the finish line, flanked by crowds that were cheering and waving flags, Armstrong raised his arms in victory. With the exploit, which seemed to some French commentators to come almost effortlessly, overall victory in cycling’s most prestigious race started to seem possible for the Texan.

The only American to win the Tour was Greg LeMond, who did it three times, the last in 1990.

In the previous stage, a time trial in the city of Metz, Armstrong also won convincingly. By finishing Tuesday’s 133-mile uphill haul from the French resort of Le Grand Bornand to the Italian ski town of Sestrieres comfortably ahead of Alex Zulle of Switzerland, the captain of the only U.S. team in the race retained the yellow jersey given the Tour’s overall leader.

It was Armstrong’s third stage victory and gave him an overall lead of 6 minutes 3 seconds.

There is still a long way to go before the final finish line on the Champs Elysees in Paris on July 25. But already, Armstrong is becoming something of a hero in France. His feat Tuesday was the lead item on news radio broadcasts in this cycling-mad nation.

It has been a long way back for Armstrong whose condition, diagnosed as testicular cancer in October 1996, turned life-threatening when the tumor metastasized to his lungs and brain. After successful treatment, he returned to professional cycling last year.

Beginning with a descent, Tuesday’s course then snaked uphill, and culminated on the 8,729-foot Col du Galibier.

Six miles from the finish, Armstrong, who is not particularly known as a climber, broke away from the leading group of seven cyclists to push on alone, eyes set straight ahead, to the end of the course.

His standing after nine stages of this year’s Tour seemed nothing short of incredible to Dan Osipow, director of operations for the USPS team. “This is an amazing story,” Osipow said after Tuesday’s victory. “We’ve got all the U.S. networks here to report on Lance, or on the way.”

Tuesday’s six tough climbs and pouring rain proved too demanding for two riders who had been shaping up as Armstrong’s nemeses, four-stage winner Mario Cipollini of Italy and one-time yellow jersey holder Jaan Kirsipuu of Estonia. Both retired from the 1999 Tour.

Spaniard Fernando Escartin finished third Tuesday. His compatriot Abraham Olano is second in overall rankings. Christophe Moreau of France is third.

Today’s pivotal 10th stage, from Sestrieres to L’Alpe d’Huez, features the Tour’s longest climb.

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Tour de France

A look at Tuesday’s ninth stage:

* Ninth stage: A 133.4-mile circuit from Le Grand Bornand, in the French Alps, to Sestrieres, in Italy.

* Stage winner: American Lance Armstrong, riding for the U.S. Postal Service team, won in a time of 5 hours 57 minutes 11 seconds at an average speed of 22.41 mph.

* Others: In second place for the ninth stage was Alex Zulle of Switzerland. Spain’s Fernando Escartin was third, 1 minute 26 seconds off the pace. Frenchman Richard Virenque placed sixth.

* Overall: Armstrong retained the yellow jersey, leading by 6 minutes 3 seconds. Spain’s Abraham Olano moved into second, and France’s Christophe Moreau is third.

* Next stage: Today offers a second and final day of climbing in the Alps, a 137.8-mile leg between Sestrieres and L’Alpe d’Huez, in France.