Armstrong makes strong move in mountain climb

LA MONGIE, France — Lance Armstrong took a big step toward a record sixth straight Tour de France crown on Friday by surging past key rivals on the first climb in the Pyrenees.

The Texan moved from sixth to second in the overall standings following a ride in which he was runner-up to stage winner Ivan Basso of Italy.

Jan Ullrich, Tyler Hamilton, Iban Mayo and Roberto Heras were among the pre-Tour contenders whose hopes of dethroning the five-time champion faded as Armstrong powered up the ascent ahead of them.

Armstrong is 5:24 behind France's Thomas Voeckler, but Ullrich is the champion's main challenger. Another Pyrenean stage, the Alps and a final time trial await before the July 25 finish in Paris.

"Jan's not finished," Armstrong said. "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."

Last year, Armstrong beat Ullrich by just 61 seconds. Just 55 seconds behind Armstrong before Friday's stage, Ullrich now trails him by 3 minutes and 37 seconds overall.

"It's really an uppercut," said the manager of Ullrich's team, Walter Godefroot. "We're groggy."

Fickle weather on the 122.7-mile trek from Castelsarrasin to the La Mongie ski station conspired against Ullrich, the 1997 Tour winner, but left Armstrong unfazed.

Riders started the 12th stage under blazing sunshine, then got doused by rain before emerging back into sunny weather on the last of two major climbs.

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

The storm caught riders as they labored up the first climb to the Col d'Aspin.

"It was a bad day," said Ullrich, a five-time Tour runner-up. I noticed at the first mountain I didn't have good legs, and I was cold on the downhill. But I fought until the end. With good weather and good legs, maybe I can come back."

Armstrong and Basso finished in the same time, 2:30 ahead of Ullrich, who placed 20th. Armstrong also picked up 12 bonus seconds for being stage runner-up. He did not sprint at the line, allowing the Italian to take his first stage victory in four Tours.

"It was a pleasure for me to let him win," Armstrong said. "He was super strong."

Ullrich lost 2:30 to Armstrong. Hamilton gave up 3:27 while Heras was 2:57 behind and Iban Mayo was 1:03 back.