Armstrong takes stage with ominous ease

THE Tour de France is only at its mid-way point, but the general classification already has an ominous look to it.

Over a minute clear of his nearest challenger at the head of the world’s premier cycle race is three-time reigning champion Lance Armstrong, who inherited the yellow jersey from Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano yesterday with a scintillating victory on stage 11.

The 158km ride from Pau to La Mongie saw the race enter the mountains for the first time this year, and Armstrong looked to be in his element as he picked up the 13th Tour stage win of his career.

With 5km to go Spaniard Galdeano, who started the day with a 26-second lead over Armstrong, appeared in good position to hold onto the yellow jersey as he was racing shoulder-to-shoulder with the American in a pack of eight riders chasing Laurent Jalabert.

But he had no answer to the attack launched by Armstrong’s US Postal Service team-mate Roberto Heras Hernandez and could only watch as his countryman led a breakaway group of three riders that also included ONCE rider Joseba Beloki and Armstrong.

The trio made terrific ground on Jalabert and it quickly became clear the Frenchman, who announced he intends to retire at the end of the season, would not be celebrating a stage victory. Jalabert, having led for most of the race, was finally ground down with just over 2km to go.

With Galdeano also fading badly, Armstrong knew if he kept his pace up then the yellow jersey would be his.

Heras proved invaluable to help his team-mate and, with the finishing line within touching distance, Armstrong made his move to edge Beloki into second place with Heras back in third.

Galdeano came in almost two minutes back in 11th and he slips to third in the general classifications behind Armstrong and Beloki, who is 72 seconds behind the Texan. Armstrong, who looked stronger as the stage evolved, was quick to herald the performance of his team-mates in yesterday’s win.

‘‘Everyone was great today, the team is super. I felt better at the end than at the beginning, I was suffering, I don’t know if it was the heat or what it was, but I did not feel good,’’ said the American.

One man not about to give up is Beloki, who pushed Armstrong all the way and intends to be the man to end his reign. The Spaniard, who was seven seconds behind Armstrong, has finished third overall in the last two Tours but hopes this will be his year.

‘‘For the last two years I have been on the podium and I was the happiest in the world, but the time has come to win the Tour de France, this is my race,” he said.