A Good Climb for Armstrong

It’s not about the time, the precious seconds and minutes that Lance Armstrong gained Friday while he climbed a mountain in sun and wind, rain and thunder.

The time was great, though. Armstrong finished second to Italy’s Ivan Basso in Friday’s 12th stage at the Tour de France, 122.7 miles from Castelsarrasin up into the Pyrenees to this ski station. They were both given the same finishing time, 5 hours, 3 minutes, 58 seconds.

Armstrong moved up to second overall, 5:24 behind Frenchman Thomas Voeckler. A day earlier, Armstrong was sixth and 9:35 behind.

Armstrong’s situation is even better as he looks behind. Jan Ullrich, who has five times finished second in this race and only once, when Armstrong was sickened with cancer, finished first, trails him by 3:37. Tyler Hamilton is 4:22 behind Armstrong.

Iban Mayo, who had hoped to win this stage in front of his madly cheering, orange-wearing Basque coun- trymen, and Roberto Heras, who had led Armstrong up the mountains as a United States Postal Service teammate a year ago before feeling strong enough to lead his own Spanish Liberty Seguros team this year, are barely visible in Armstrong’s rear-view mirror.

Armstrong added significant minutes to his advantage over all those who were supposed to shine and perhaps stop his charge to an unprecedented sixth consecutive Tour de France victory.

But more startling than the time were the looks.

There was the look of agony and pain, the huffing and puffing that it took Ullrich to haul himself up Col d’Aspin and then up again, a climb even higher and steeper, to the summit at this ski station. Afterward, Ullrich said he had no legs and hoped to find them today. Ullrich’s T-Mobile team leader said Ullrich had taken a punch, an “uppercut,” and that Ullrich and the team were “groggy.”

There was the drawn and pale look of Hamilton, who had split from his Danish CSC team, hoping that all the leeway given him by the Swiss Phonak group would pay off this year in something higher than the fourth place he finished last year.

And there was the look on Armstrong’s face as he crossed the finish line on a day that began hot and sunny only to turn cool and suddenly stormy, making for slippery descents. The sun came out in time to brew steamy humidity just as the riders faced the final eight-mile climb to the finish.

The look on Armstrong’s face was of joy and freedom. He crossed the finish line second to CSC’s Basso, a young Italian whose mother is suffering from cancer and who Armstrong has taken a liking to. Armstrong probably could have won the stage. He didn’t need to. He reveled in the joy Basso took in his first-ever Tour stage victory.

A day earlier, Armstrong’s trainer, Chris Carmichael, had predicted Armstrong would make his big move today in a rough course up to Plateau de Beille, a stage filled with dramatic climbs as opposed to Friday’s steady elevations. And Armstrong had said today’s stage suited him better, that Friday’s stage was better for lighter, quicker climbers.

Yet there was Armstrong, alone with Basso, on the final ascent Friday. Left behind were all the men who were supposed to take this race away from Armstrong.

Armstrong was circumspect after all the ceremonies and podium kissing that is accorded stage winners and yellow jersey holders and the climbing leader and best young rider.

While his opponents are doing news conferences and standing on stages, Armstrong is hurrying off to the Postal bus to be driven to his hotel so he can eat his dinner and get to sleep.

“Jan’s not finished,” Armstrong said of Ullrich before he left the course. “He starts slow and he’s a tough guy who doesn’t give up. He might have taken one on the chin today, but he always comes back and is strong in the last week.”

Ullrich was left to say he hoped for hotter weather. The German seemed almost wistful, as if he remembered last year when Armstrong became dehydrated during a brutally hot time trial.

Armstrong, though, seemed gleeful as he talked about Friday’s indecisive weather.

“First heat, then the thunder, then the sun again,” Armstrong said. “For the overall standings it is great.”

Carmichael says Armstrong is in “fabulous shape. He couldn’t be looking any better right now.”

Basso couldn’t hide his admiration of Armstrong either. “He is the strongest man on this Tour. And I think he still has gas in his tank,” Basso said.

Armstrong was cautious about making too much of Friday’s result. And he was eager to give credit to his Postal teammates who rode with perfect strategy. Four different men in blue took turns setting the pace, protecting Armstrong and keeping track of those who might attempt a breakaway.

After Saturday’s climbing stage, the Tour heads into a long, flatter stage near the Mediterranean coast to Nimes on Sunday. After that is the final rest day before the race turns to the Alps and the final two individual time trials.

“There’s still tough stuff ahead,” Carmichael said. “But Lance looks good.”

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Mountain Man

During his five-year reign in the Tour de France, Lance Armstrong hasn’t always entered the mountain stages in the lead, but he has always emerged as the man in charge. A look at Armstrong’s standing entering the first mountain stage, and following the final one:

1999

Going in: 1st, leading by 2 minutes, 20 secs.

Coming out: 1st, leading by 6:15

2000

Going in: 16th, trailing by 5:54

Coming out: 1st, leading by 5:37

2001

Going in: 15th, trailing by 1:53

Coming out: 1st, leading by 5:05

2002

Going in: 2nd, trailing by 26 seconds

Coming out: 1st, leading by 5:06

2003

Going in: 2nd, by one second

Coming out: 1st, by 1:07

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MOUNTAIN STAGES TO COME

* Stage 13, today, Lannemezan to Plateau de Beille, 134.8 miles

* Stage 15, Tuesday, Valreas to Villard-de-Lans, 111.2 miles

* Stage 17, Thursday, Bourg d’Oisans to Le Grand Bornand, 131.7 miles

* Stage 18, July 23, Annemasse to Lons-le-Saunier, 103.1 miles

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Stage 12 at a Glance

* Stage: A 122.7-mile ride from Castelsarrasin to La Mongie, France.

* Winner: Ivan Basso, Italy, Team CSC, in 5 hours, 3 minutes, 58 seconds.

* How others fared: Lance Armstrong, U.S., 2nd place, same time. Jan Ullrich, Germany, T-Mobile, 2:30 behind.

* Yellow jersey: Thomas Voeckler of Brioches La Boulangere kept the leader’s shirt.

* Quote of the day: “I have a good team and we are not giving up.” -- Jan Ullrich, Armstrong’s main challenger, after finishing behind the Texan.

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OVERALL LEADERS

*--* N. RIDER Country Time 1. THOMAS VOECKLER France 51:51:07 2. LANCE ARMSTRONG U.S. 5:24 behind 3. SANDY CASAR France 5:50 behind 4. RICHARD VIRENQUE France 6:20 behind 5. ANDREAS KLODEN Germany 6:33 behind

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