Armstrong Gets Past Spanish Armada

While two Spaniards were battling in the heat and hysteria of countrymen who lined the Pyrenees roads, Lance Armstrong was just a boy on his bike, feeling free and unhurried and blissfully refreshed.

In a stage that included the final hors categorie -- without ranking -- climb of his career, Armstrong finished Stage 16 of the 2005 Tour de France wearing the yellow jersey belonging to the overall leader for the 78th time in his career.

That tied him for second on the race’s all-time list with French hero Bernard Hinault, and they trail only Eddy Merckx. Armstrong said that although he never kept track of such statistics he felt honored, adding, “I don’t deserve to be considered in that class.”

Armstrong broke another historical tie with Hinault last year when he won his record-setting sixth consecutive Tour. A seventh should come Sunday in Paris on the day Armstrong, 33, said he will retire from cycling.

Spaniard Oscar Pereiro of the Phonak team won Tuesday’s 112.2-mile stage from Mourenx to Pau in 4 hours 38 minutes 40 seconds. Armstrong, representing the Discovery Channel team, kept his 2:46 lead over Ivan Basso of Italy, and Mickael Rasmussen of Denmark remained in third place, 3:09 out, with five-time runner-up Jan Ullrich of Germany in fourth, 5:58 behind.

“Nothing’s for sure,” Armstrong said on a sunny day in southern France, bordering Spain. “Stuff can still happen.”

Indeed, 2004 runner-up Andreas Kloden of Ullrich’s T-Mobile squad broke his right wrist in a crash with teammate Matthias Kessler, making him questionable for the start of today’s rolling 148.8-mile stage between Pau and Revel, near Toulouse.

And Andrey Kashechkin of Kazakhstan suffered a bloodied nose when a fan smashed him in the face with a thunder stick. After racing downhill to see a doctor, Kashechkin tried, without luck, to find the culprit. During Sunday’s stage, a fan fell under the wheels of a motorcycle carrying a television cameraman.

On Monday, Discovery Channel team director Johan Bruyneel said of the crowds on the mountains: “It’s difficult to put barricades the whole way, but things are out of control.”

Last year, Armstrong was spit at and shoved during a mountain stage time trial. But Tuesday he rode effortlessly and safely in the middle of the peloton.

“That was probably my best day on the bike,” Armstrong said. “I don’t know why. I don’t have an explanation for it, but I was just totally confident and the team was very strong. I know we joke about riding with no chain on the bike. Well, today there was no chain.”

Pereiro lost out Sunday to Armstrong’s teammate, George Hincapie, in the last 250 meters of this year’s toughest mountain stage. Hincapie drafted Pereiro up the final climb and the Spaniard said Tuesday he wasn’t happy about that.

“I led the whole day,” Pereiro said, “and I didn’t think he would attack me at the finish. So I wanted to come out today and attack and go for a stage.”

Pereiro, 27, who finished 10th overall last year, battled fellow Spaniard Xabier Zandio of Illes Balears in the sprint finish to win his first Tour stage.

Afterward, Pereiro said Hincapie, who had planned to set a fast pace to tire Armstrong’s challengers, hadn’t played fair Sunday. “He deceived me,” Pereiro said, “because he did say we would work together and he didn’t. But he rides for a great team and he’s a great champion.”

Hincapie didn’t respond. He and his team aren’t worried about side battles now. There are only five stages between Armstrong and more history.

One is the mostly ceremonial Sunday parade to the Champs Elysees and another is Saturday’s individual time trial, an event where Armstrong excels. That leaves only three more days for his closest pursuers to attack.

“I think,” Basso said, “that Lance is just too strong.”

Just as long as the Texan can avoid obstacles such as fans carrying plastic sticks.

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Tour de France: today’s Stage 17

This race from Pau, east to Revel, is expected to be long, flat and fast. The wear from past mountain stages should test wills.

*

Stage length: 148.8 miles

Average duration: 5 hours 55 minutes

*

Elevation

754.5 ft.

1,335.2 ft.

748 ft.

Sources: Tour de France Society, Associated Press

*

STAGE 16 AT A GLANCE

* Stage: Tuesday’s stage in the Pyrenees was the final tough mountain ascent of the Tour, taking riders more than 112.2 miles, from Mourenx to Pau.

* Winner: Oscar Pereiro, Spain, Phonak, in 4 hours 38 minutes 40 seconds.

* How others fared: Xabier Zandio, Spain, Illes Balears, was second; Eddy Mazzoleni, Italy, Lampre, was third. Both clocked the same time as Pereiro in a bunched sprint to the line. Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso and Lance Armstrong each finished in the main pack, 3:24 behind.

* Yellow jersey: Six-time champion Armstrong keeps the yellow jersey. He leads Basso by 2:46 and Mickael Rasmussen of Denmark by 3:09.

* Quote of the day: “Today was one of my best days. I don’t know why, I don’t have a real explanation, but I felt totally confident.”-- Armstrong.

* On the web: For more information on the Tour de France, including Diane Pucin’s blog, photo galleries and up-to-the-minute standings, please visit latimes.com/tour.

*

*--* OVERALL LEADERS STAGE 16 RESULTS 1. Lance Armstrong, U.S. 66:52:03 1. Oscar Pereiro, Spain 4:38:40 2. Ivan Basso, Italy 2:46 behind 2. Xabier Zandio, Spain 4:38:40 3. Mickael Rasmussen, Denmark 3. Eddy Mazzoleni, Italy 4:38:40 3:09 behind 4. Jan Ullrich, Germany 5:58 4. Cadel Evans, Australia 4:38:40 behind 5. Francisco Mancebo, Spain 6:31 5. Philippe Gilbert, Belgium behind 2:25 behind

*--*