Tour title tipped to go Stateside again as Landis goes on trial

THE American dominance of the Tour de France looks set to continue as Floyd Landis remained in pole position to win this year’s title going into the final weekend of action.

Landis’s amazing win in Morzine left him in the driving seat to carry on where compatriot and seven-time winner Lance Armstrong left off going into today’s time trial in Le Creusot.

The Phonak rider remained in third place overall, just 30 seconds behind yellow jersey holder Oscar Pereiro, after yesterday’s stage 18 in Macon, which was won by Quick Step rider Matteo Tosatto.

And with his time trial record — he finished second in the first “contre la montre” — Landis is the bookmakers’ favourite to comfortably overhaul that deficit in Le Creusot.

Tosatto won a three-man sprint finish to claim stage victory ahead of Christian Moreni and Ronny Scholz.

The trio made their break from a 15-man leading group with 15km remaining after Levi Leiphemer and Inaki Isasi had been chased down.

After a lethargic stage following three exhausting days in the Alps, Leiphemer and Isasi made a seemingly decisive break with 50km remaining of the 197km stage, but were reeled in after 30km in front and were left trailing by the trio’s sprint

Tosatto said: “When I started as a professional I was told that you haven’t really arrived until you win a stage on the Tour. I’m delighted as the three of us were really tired.”

Pereiro admitted after the race that the final result depends on today’s time trial.

“I want to think about how good it’s been for me over the last few days. It will be the most important time trial of my life but I have learnt on this tour to never give up.”

One race that looks already decided is for the green jersey (best sprinter).

Second-placed Oscar Freire pulled out of the Tour at the start of yesterday’s stage, leaving Davitamon rider Robbie McEwen in total control.

The Australian leads Erik Zabel in the points standings by 82 points with two stages to go, and effectively owns his third green jersey. Freire, whose wife gave birth during Monday’s rest day, was reportedly suffering a fever.