Tour de France: Armstrong wins 18th stage

Lance Armstrong tightened his grip on a third straight Tour de France title after winning the 18th stage individual time-trial.

The Texan completed the 37.88-mile stretch, from Montlucon to Saint-Amand-Montrond, in one hour, 14 minutes and 16 seconds to claim his fourth stage-victory of this year's Tour.

He was 1:24 faster than Spaniard Igor Gonzalez Galdeano and 1:39 faster than Jan Ullrich of Germany.

Friday's win meant Armstrong led second-placed Ullrich in the overall standings by 6:44 with just two flat stages remaining before the Tour ends in Paris on Sunday.

Spain's Joseba Beloki knocked Kazak rider Andrei Kivilev from third place in the overall standings to set up a repeat of last year's Tour podium.