Armstrong wins record sixth Tour

PARIS — Lance Armstrong raced onto the crowd-lined Champs-Elysees as a yellow blur, bathed in the shimmering light of a 24-carat, gold-leaf bike; a golden helmet; and the race leader’s yellow jersey.

Earlier, he let up on the pedals long enough to sip some celebratory champagne.

Nothing but the best for cycling’s best.

Armstrong rode into history yesterday, winning a record sixth Tour de France and cementing his place as one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Never in its 101-year history has the tour had a winner like Armstrong, who just eight years ago was given less than a 50 percent chance of overcoming the testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain.

His streak of six straight crowns reinvigorated the greatest race in cycling, steering it into the 21st century. And the tour, as much a part of French summers as languid meals over chilled rose, molded Armstrong into a superstar.

Taking advantage of the leisurely pace of the final stage, Armstrong sat up in the saddle and held up all five fingers on his black-gloved right hand and the index finger on his left.

Counting to six was never so sweet for the 32-year-old Texan.

“It might take years. I don’t know. It hasn’t sunk in yet. But six, standing on the top step on the podium on the Champs-Elysees, is really special,” he said.

The ride into Paris and its famous tree-lined boulevard was a lap of honor that Armstrong savored with the champagne. Even Jan Ullrich, his main adversary in previous years, gulped down a glass offered by Armstrong’s team manager through his car window.

“The last laps there, I thought, ‘Ah, I want to get this over with,’ ” Armstrong said. “But then I thought to myself, ‘You know, you might want to do a few more laps because you may not ever do it again.’ And you can’t take it for granted.”

President Bush called soon after his fellow Texan crossed the finish line. “You’re awesome,” Mr. Bush told him.

With the Arc de Triomphe in the background, Armstrong put his yellow bicycle cap over his heart as the American flag was raised during “The Star-Spangled Banner.” It might be his last time on the podium, at least for a while. Armstrong has said he might skip the sport’s showcase event next year.

Belgian rider Tom Boonen won the final sprint, with Armstrong cruising safely behind with the trailing pack to claim his title. Armstrong’s winning margin over second-placed Andreas Kloden was 6 minutes, 19 seconds, with Italian Ivan Basso in third (6:40 behind). Ullrich was fourth (8:50 back), his worst finish.

Armstrong opened a new page for the tour in 1999, just one year after the race faced its worst doping scandal, ejecting the Festina team after police caught one of its employees with a stash of performance-enhancing drugs.

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